I wasn't going to comment on this because it amounts to another person's opinion, albeit a good one, and I understand where you're coming from. However, the bike these rims are on was/is my time trial bike when I raced, and now when I feel the need to test myself again, which doesn't happen very often any more. It is one of my favorite bikes though, and I've had it since mid-1975, when I purchased it new.
The bike in question, in case I didn't mention it, is a Jack Taylor Curve Tube, Ultra-7 speed equipped, with TA arms and 44 or 54 tooth, drilled, single chainring(s), TTT superleggera bars w/TTT deep drop track stem, TTT seat post w/Avocet Racing III saddle, Campy side-pull brakes (although the Weinmann 500 side-pull's that were once on it, are going back on someday) and Dia Compe aero levers, Campy Super Record track headset, and a Huret Jubilee rear derailleur connected to a drilled-out Campy 5-spd. down tube shifter. I'm not sure what it weighs these days, but at one time, with Hi-E rims it weighed less than 17 1/2 lbs. I think it's closer to 19 lb. today. And BTW, I weighed about 150 lbs. when I was in racing form, which wasn't too much for this wheel combo at the time. Now however, I weigh a bit more and take that into consideration on the days that I feel like riding this bike.
I tried a lot of wheel combinations on this bike, and the wheels that are on it have been there since 1977 when I used the bike for my only transportation for most of the year. I tried the Hi-E wheels back when I first bought the frame set. I even used a 40 hole rim and high-flange rear hub, but the curved seat tube puts a lot of weight on the rear wheel and the spokes made weird noises no matter what anyone did to the tension and true of the wheel. I believe that the rim was flexing away from the spoke nipples, which caused this creaking sound all of the time while riding. It sounded like it was going to come apart, but never lost it's true. So one day I got ahold of a used Campy high-flange rear hub, and laced the 280 gr. Martano (no eyelets) rim onto it using DT double-butted spokes, tied and soldered. I wanted to keep the rims as light as I could, so I stayed under 300 gr. If the wheel had failed, I would have gone to a heavier rim, but it never did, and that's why I'm not now, nor have I ever been, interested in changing it to a 300 gr.+ rim. I like the old saying: if it ain't broke, don't fix it!
On Mon, 8 Jan 2001 07:47:37 -0800 (PST) Tom Dalton
<tom_s_dalton@yahoo.com> writes:
> Just butting in here... As much as rider weight and
> technique are critical to the longevity of a 28 hole
> wheel, the type of rim is very important too. With a
> stiff enough rim you can get away with very few
> spokes. Modern 18-hole wheels (Shamals, Cosmics) take
> this to the extreme, but a 28 hole Wolber Profil 18
> (for example) can be a pretty usable wheel, even for a
> 180 lb rider.
> --- DTSHIFTER@aol.com wrote:
> > Mark,
> >
> > I would think a 28o would be fine on the front, but
> > I'd want a 36o on the
> > rear (unless I was 140#!!).
> >
> > As I mentioned previously; much depends on the
> > technique of the rider (as
> > well as the build of the wheel).
> >
> > Cheers,
> >
> > Chuck Brooks
> >
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