wheelset for 230-240lb rider

[mdeth1313]

A buddy of mine is getting into road cycling and was asking me about wheels- I told him 20/24 was out.

he's looking to go light(er) but not too expensive (say $500 or less)- any advice on spoke count, rim depth (not carbon)?

thanks!

[pritchet74]

Still one of my favorite wheelsets of all time, the 2004-2005 Campy Eurus. The ones with the thin steel spokes. Awesome bulletproof wheels. I had a friend who was 210# who had a set too and they never went out of true. They made them for Shimano cassettes too. Check eBay.

[Thomskie]

I'm sorry to hijack this thread mdeth but I have another question regarding a bigger rider.
A local cyclist here wants to start cycling and already has a nice bike with solid wheels. Unfortunately his saddle is always making noises... Does anyone know saddles for bigger riders? (He told me he was around 250 pound)

[FAQinc]

As far as wheels I would say anything above a Fulcrum Racing 3 is a solid choice or a Ksyrium Elite.


As far as saddles anything with metal rails is he sure it's the saddle not the contact between seatpost/frame saddle rails/clamps as those are more common noise makers than saddle itself but then again he does sound hefty.

[santa]

I weigh in at 230 and have 32 spoke wheels, front and rear and have no problem. I built up a set of 36 spoke wheels for a major ride with serious downhills that I had hoped to hit 60mph and wanted a safety cushion but I've since realized that was overkill. I'd personally recommend a set of 32/32 or 28/32 wheels. Just as critical ...or more critical is the build itself. A properly built set of either spoke count will be better than a "good" set of of higher spoke count.

Saddles are so interesting...but I think the rule remains the same almost regardless of a person's weight. When you start out riding all you can do is grab a somewhat cushy seat...cushy as in whatever the maker has provided (unless you are really getting an upscale racing bike). I think it's a mistake to get a fred seat (super fat cushion) because it just prolongs the move to a quality seat. It may take your friend 500 or 600 miles to get comfortable but imho it's nothing more than seat time. Even though I'm overweight and sporting a white beard, the folks at FairWheel loaned me a Romin saddle that I still have and am very close to committing to it and it is the hardest saddle I've ever personally owned. It may take your friend a while to get to a firm saddle...and he may never do so...but again, my advice would be to avoid the temptation to get an overly large padded seat. Short of that, saddles are a seriously individual perference where recommendations are really hard to follow.