Belgian cobbles and boutique wheels...

I had the privilige to ride a nice Belgian route around Leuven (close to
Brussels), hitting some very nasty cobble sections. The WH-7701 wheels held
up fine, still true, but the back wheel did flex a bit, in and out of ruts.
Needless to say the bike looks like a pig sty, given the wonderful Belgian
fall weather, with all the rain and mud. I reckoned that a 12-25 cassette
was a "sissy" option for Belgium, but we did a 18% cobbled climb in rain and
I was suffering. I was slipping all over the place and eventually,
shamefully (!) had to get off.

General wear-and-tear on the bike and parts is jaw-dropping, I certainly
have gained a lot of respect for the Roubaix folks and their gear...

Basjan