Toying with the idea of upgrading from my long-time everyday beater rim brake wheelset favorite Fulcrum Racing 3 (also known in its Campag twin reincarnation as Zonda). I want to stick with alloy and prioritize lower weight (climbing over aero for me) but also durability. I’ve been looking at the following alternatives (all rim brake clinchers):
- DT Swiss PR 1400 Dicut (240 hubs) regular (not Oxic). Pros: good price and low weight. Cons: online reports of spokes pinging
- Boyd Altamont with Boyd Prime hubs (same price as the DT PR 1400). Pros: wide rims, solid reputation. Cons: Availability in Europe. Not so sure about weight (same as Zonda?) and relatively few reviews.
- Duke Road Runner 23 with DT Swiss 350 hubs and Sapim spokes (around 20% more expensive than the above). I’ve read contradictory info about these rims (are they made in house or are they rebranded Light Bicycles rims?). Cons: They would be as heavy as the Fulcrum Racing 3.
- Hed Ardennes RA. These are the most expensive (5% more than the Duke) and also not easy to find on the European market. Pros: wide rims, good reputation. Not sure about the weight (same as 4 above and the Racing 3?) and don’t know much about the Hed hubs.
Any comparative experience with any of the above? Are any of them a worthy upgrade over the Racing 3/Zonda? I use 25mm clincher tires with tubes (I don’t care about tubeless).
