Carbon wheels advice

Equipment
21

Bumpity-bump.

Bloody hell. Bikes, eh?

I’ve spent the past couple of days lining up various aero wheels and I’m bewildered and bamboozled by choice. I think I need a slap around the face/hands on the shoulders to steer me in the right direction.

I’m currently running a pair of Mavic Cosmic Pro Carbon Disc (what a mouthful) at 1650g (claimed). I wondered whether I could drop some weight; maybe something a little better performing – particularly in crosswinds, as I got battered pretty badly in some 30mph winds on Friday.

I guess criteria #1 was reduced weight which, to be fair, isn’t particularly hard to do against the Mavics at the same depth (~45mm).

Contenders included:

  • Hunt 4454 @ 1427g
  • Parcours Strade @ 1520g
  • Roval CL50 @ 1515g

One thing the three above all have are greater internal and external widths than the current wheels. An aero bonus, right? Supposedly one can run wider tyres at lower pressures and not experience the drag penalty.

So now I’m paying attention to rim widths. I spy those new Hunt Limitless rims but shudder at the weight - 1618g.

Then I read how difficult tubeless are to mount on the Rovals, plus the weird plastic nubbins inside. But I do like how they use DT Swiss hubs (or at least the internal gubbins), whereas the other two sets seem to be generic hubs, because it’s likely both are re-branded open-mould rims. Sure, they might have the option to use ceramic bearings but what about the pawl/ratchet config?

Now I’m paying more attention to what hubs are fitted.

So, I let’s cast the net wider:

  • Reynolds ARX 41 @ 1565g. 21mm internal; 30mm external. I find reviews of the heavier AR set, but they’re not exactly setting the world alight.

I read good things about DT Swiss, but man, their range is huge and confusing:

  • 1100/1400
  • ERC/ARC/PRC
  • Dicut/Spline

I figure I want 1400 ERC to get that sweet cost/performance ratio, but what about their narrower rim widths?

Then I discover the Zipp 303S @ 1555g. Super-wide internal - yes! 45mm depth - yes! Tubeless tyres only - hmm, ok. Rubbish hubs - oh.

Bontrager Aeolus 3Vs seem pretty good – decent hubs, very wide inside and out, but then are only 35mm deep.

:exploding_head:

If funds were unlimited, I’d just go and get a pair of ENVE or HED wheels, but I’m capped at ~£1500

Where should my priorities lie? Maybe I should just settled on freehub sound… Maybe this is all just some rubber-ducking.

22

Head over to AliExpress and buy some knock offs of any wheel hoop design you like. Once they get here (outside of China) disinfect them and then true them.

Or do what I did and take them to a Local Wheel Builder and have them Rebuilt with whatever Hubs, Spokes and Nipples you prefer and end with Wheels that the Shop that built mine now gives me a Lifetime warranty on everything other than the Hoop.

I can now go play in the next Chinese Made Hoops… that are now UCI Certified no less…

Embrace the Far East… after all… they have been making these parts for Euro and American Companies for a very long time!

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