what is the best tubular rim?

VBC1001

Devout Dirtbag
Hi,

I have recently been converted to tubulars and love how they ride. I have been given two sets of rims and want to build up the best set of wheels that I can.

It is mostly for day to day riding, city streets and the odd long distance ride.

The rims that I have are Mavic GP4, the older style with gold and red lable and a pair of arc en ciels, both are brand new and just wanted to know which ones would be best for the ultimate build.

OH they are 24 front and 28 rear, so guess they aren't a normal pair, but I have the hubs to match.

Thanks for getting back to me.
 
Stiffnes maybe an issue with a 24 hole count. I hope you are light too.

Using hubs with a wide flange spacing will help as will thicker rather than thinner spokes.

My tub rim are super champions 32H. Given my weight of 83 kg I would not want to be riding anything with less spokes from a durability point of view.
 
I'm about 85kg last time I weighed myself. I have been riding a 24H Wolber tubular front for a while and don't seem to have any problems.

As I have been lucky to have had some custom hubs made I wanted to put them into the best rims I could and have been lucky (again) to have been given two sets of rims.

I am going to go for bladed spokes on the front to add stiffness, but just wanted to know which would be the best rim out of the two.
 
How long is a piece of string?

IIRC the Arc-en-Ciels are about 350g but the GP4s are 400g.

Another thing that might affect your choice is the finish. I now prefer unanodised silver rims; dark anodised rims look good when new but they look awful after you'ved use brakes on them.
 
Also with the anodising do I need to have special brake pads?

I know what you mean about the look, but trying to go for practicality over style.
 
Back in the day GP4s were the choice for regular training or racing. I always found Arc en Ciels far too flexible, you'll feel like you're riding rubber wheels especially with 24hole front. Also I found they were prone to denting easily.
GP4s have a degree of heat treatment which makes the far superior. They do however look really crap as the anodising wears off. Back then there were really only regular brake pads.
 
I don't think GP4s had heat treatment, Mavic claimed the hard anodising made it stiffer, dubious imho. It was the SSC which was supposed to be stronger.
 
Thats about the lowest spoke count I'd go for with Arc En Ciels, even then I'd not like to take them out on Cumbrian roads. More spokes would be more acceptable :D


I had some of the arc en ciels siblings........medale d'or and they were definately dodgy on any thing but smooth roads and light riders LOL

Someone did mention SSC's, good for the Paris Rubaix :)

It depends on if you are chasing a particular time period.

Shaun
 
Medaille d'Or, now that's a lightweight rim at 300g, lovely rim sticker with the olympic rings. I've got a nos pair in 36 holes.

I suppose they're similar to the GEL 280, which I do use in 28s, with care.
 
Back
Top