I apologize for another unoriginal post about Chinese road wheels but here goes. I want to change my stock Roval C38 on my Tarmac SL7 but I have a fairly limited budget. I’m looking for something in the 1000 to 1200 USD range that would be a good option for a everyday wheelset. I’m down to 4 wheelsets. Here’s my 4 options:
Elitewheels Drive 50D
Elitewheels Helix 46D SS (the version with CX-Ray spokes, not the carbon spoke)
Yoelo SAT C50 DB Pro NXT
ICAN Aero 52 WD
The elitewheels and Yoelo are about 300$ more than the ICAN. I will assume they’ll all have average hubs with good aerodynamics but crosswind performance is where I would like some input as I’m not light at 72Kg but I’m not heavy either so I’ll definitely feel it on windy days.
Hi,
I bought the Elite Drive wheels and love them. You can check to see if any of the discount codes still work. I used GC Performance’s code. I went with 50mm front and 65mm back for the same price. I also requested no decals which just takes a bit longer to make.
Good luck with your decisions.
Cheers
Oh and crosswind stability was actually better than my Roval CLX Alpinists, which are only 33mm. That was my most surprising experience. Plus I bike over the Golden Gate Bridge frequently with its 20-30mph crosswinds.
Thanks for your input! I still think the 50s would be more than aero enough for me my regular rides are quite hilly. Any issue with the spoke tension of the carbon spoke?
No problems with the spokes. There’s a nice gap between so no rubbing. Their website now allows mixed depth. I had to email them first. My friend has 40s front and 50s rear. He’s using 25mm tires that measure at 29mm. I’m running GP 5000 tr 30mm. If you decide to go with the wheels, you should be able to find 15% discount codes.
I’m not sure about the newer wheels. There might be a patent issue with the new ratchet design. But the older ones that I have are quite good. They have ceramic bearings if that is something you care about. But overall, they roll well and are on the lighter side. The finish is nice and the carbon weave is very pretty.
Is there any reason Farsports wasn’t on your list? I’d pick them over every wheelset you listed. I have a set that’s 58mm deep, 24int, 30ext, carbon spokes, 1300g. DT Swiss ratchet so you can replace parts easily.Cost $800. Easily my favorite wheels.
If you message them they’ll give you 10% off. I got them on Black Friday even cheaper. They have a new Wave series but don’t know much about them. If you message them you can customize however you want. They can spec different hubs, do mismatched depths. There’s a huge thread about them o WeightWeenies. Skip to like page 100.
Yeah, I’ve got a set of Farsports gravel wheels (25 IW, 30mm depth) that I’ve been using for two seasons and they’ve held up beautifully on very chunky gravel, tons of bad potholes, and assorted other mayhem. They’ve taken some serious hits and have been super durable for me at around 210 pounds.
The helix could theoretically be faster as it’s more likely to obey the “rule of 105.” But realistically it’s probably a pretty small difference between all those wheels. What that extra little bit of width should do is help with cross winds (as well as the shallower front and the varying depth).
As you are looking at wheels carbon spikes will often lighter. Aerodynamics is probably a wash compared to CX ray spokes (some people think they could have more drag). They will have a harsher ride. The CX ray may be easier to replace if needed as a lot of shops will have them and be familiar with working on them. I’d personally go with CX ray spokes no matter what brand you choose by ymmv
If you are open to new take-offs, I’ve been really happy with the Bontrager Aeolus Pro 51’s as a backup set. 31mm wide, 23mm internal, nice hubs, really good in cross winds, not super heavy either. I find them pretty often on ebay or locally on facebook market for $1000-$1200, usually taken off new Treks.
So a new wheelset is available on the ICAN website (ICAN AERO Plus Disc Carbon Road Wheels for Climbing – ICAN Cycling) which is basically a wider version of Aero model. Any thoughts on this new Aero Plus 50 model? It now has a more modern 23mm internal width with a max external width of 30.5mm which seems plenty wide for my usual 28c tires. I’m still a little concerned by ICAN’s hub quality (it cannot be great given the low price) and more importantly stability in cross wind. The more blunt profile seems to mimic pricier option on the market that are favorably reviewed and deemed pretty stable. Lastly I read that the older Aero 50 model were not very stiff and I’m wondering if that still applies to their newer models. Any thoughts are welcomed as I doubt I’ll ever see a proper review online.
I’ve had the Elite Drive 40d for nearly 2 years and they are great wheels. Super light and great for climbing but roll well too and I’ve had zero issues in cross winds (I’m in the UK and we often ride with 20mph + winds with higher gusts. Used them plenty in hilly, mountains and the flats.
They also have excellent and super responsive customer service. I recently had a really small issue with the front hub and they were incredible in sorting it out.
Thanks for everyone’s comment. I decided to take a chance on the ICAN Aero 50 Plus (the 23mm internal - 31 external). I’m a little uneasy about the hub quality and the flexiness of the older Aero wheelset but I suppose we’ll see. They are the cheapest option so I suppose I’ll see. I’ll provide a ride report once I had the chance to ride them a in 2-3 weeks.