I’m trying to buy a pair of deep rim carbon clincher wheels (for rim brakes) for my Cervelo P2. My local bike shop said I would need to find old carbon wheels for it to work - that current model wheels would not work because they are too wide, or would not have adequate clearance.
But last year, to my local bike shop’s complete surprise, I was able to rent Zipps (an 808 in front, and disc wheel in the rear) through RaceDayWheels.com for Ironman 70.3 Chattanooga, and the wheels worked great (although I now realize that at an average speed of 20.9 mph, I probably should have used an 808 in the rear instead of a disc - just not fast enough to reap the benefits of a disc, but that’s a different discussion!) with only a simple and temporary modification of the brake pad washer placement. I am pretty sure they put 23mm tires on the Zipp 808 and Disc and those had adequate clearance.
I am trying to buy some clinchers on a budget of about $1,000. I was far down the path with the Profile Design 58/78 twentyfour (great deal on them now!), thinking this was my dream wheelset, and then I noticed that they recommend “25-28mm tire width” on their product page. I called Profile Design and spoke with a representative, who said a 23mm tire might work on the 58/ or 78/Twentyfour BUT they do not recommend it and putting 23s on these wheels would void the warranty ! Ugh! I then contacted Zipp and they say their wheels are now optimized for 25+ wheels, but they said 23s would work fine (and said nothing about warranty issues.) But new Zipps are not in my budget if that’s $1,000 for the front 404 and $1,1150 for the rear 808. What good deep rim carbon clinchers can I buy on a $800-$1,200 budget that will work with my P2 (will take a 23cm tire)?
I’m not certain how mounting a 23 would void a warranty, but whatever…
Look into FLO wheels. Those will fall right into your budget requirements, have aluminum brake surfaces and have excellent aerodynamics. Listen to their podcast to get a code for 20% off (can’t remember the code off the top of my head…something fancy like PODCAST )
Also, a disc is ALWAYS the right choice, unless you are finishing on a climb. Even then, over 56 miles, it is still likely the right choice.
I have 11s 404 Firecrest’s on my Cervelo SLC-SL which i believe is from the same era. Michelin Power 25mm gives a few mm margin. If my memory serves me right it’s the 3T-fork that sets the limit radially. Conti GP4000 S II 25mm did not fit, they had a higher profile. Axially I’m pretty sure width in the rear is the limiter. 808 NSW might be a tight fit since they are 28mm, but 808 Firecrest is 26mm so that would probably work.
Edit: Do they recommend 25’s because of the lower tire pressures? My guess is yes.
I have a P2 from about the same timeframe. I have some deep ENVE’s that I use 25’s on. On my P2 there are some hex screws in the rear dropouts which allow you to move the wheel farther back thus giving you a little more clearance. I would also recommend FLO wheels for a cheaper carbon option. I have some for my road bike. They also have a carbon/aluminum option that is cheaper.
Hello. I just ran across this thread. I have a 2011 road bike that doesn’t fit larger than 23mm/maybe 25mm tires. I’ve been using SwissSide Hadron wheels since 2015 and I’ve enjoyed them a lot. The older model I have uses a 23mm aluminum rim with a carbon fairing and the newer models are all carbon I believe, but still with 23mm rims. I have the 485s (48.5 mm deep) and have enjoyed them as medium weight aero wheels. I think the price would be near the top of your $1200 range although I bought them less on sale with a Black Friday Sale I believe.
Hello, did you find any wheel sets that can accommodate your bike situation? I’m in the same boat with my Felt TT bike. It has that rear horizontal dropout with 23 mm max clearance. It also has the screws to push the wheel out slightly for some added clearance, but I don’t feel safe with it pushed out as any bump can pretty much push it back in.
I’m having zero luck finding deep rim wheel sets with 23mm outer width.
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