This is actually a reply to a comment in the "CR to race" thread, but it got off-topic, and then a little long-winded so Dom...
My new wheels feel like a new set of sneakers. I cracked another Ksyrium while truing it so I decided something more conventional, and repairable with obtainable parts makes a lot more sense. I'm also fond of biggish tires for my favorite less-than-perfect roads around here. HED makes a bunch of wheels with 23mm wide rims, that supposedly make tires act a size bigger and handle better, and the idea makes sense, especially since 23mm tires are a lot easier to find than 25's or 26.5's. So after a bit more research (obsession may be a better term) I decided on:
1. Velocity a23 rims (23mm wide, 426g)
2. White Industries hubs (h2&h3)
3. DT spokes, double butted, brass nipples
4. Front 24H, 2-cross, Rear 28H, 3-cross.
I've got them shod with 25mm Vittoria EVO-CX tires right now, and they measure out as 26.5mm on the rims. They climb just like my old Ksyrium ES's, and feel better on tight handling downhills. I'll try the 23mm tires at some point, but tomorrows ride will have 11,000 feet of descending so the sweet handling will help me catch the faster climbers. These should be perfect for someone who does "not-particularly-fast double centuries with lots of climbing on roads that are far too convoluted" to need anything especially aero.
