Carbon Fiber Wheels for Commuting to Work

[Karati]

I'd go for it. Carbon fibre is pretty strong overall and once your not jumping off kerbs or running into things etc it will be fine.

Plus, if your bike storage at work is anything like mine I doubt you'd have any problems. I just try to get a corner hanger or a quieter spot.

Also, I dont understand why people go buy this sort of bike and then not ride it everyday. It's ridiculous...you have enough cash to buy them...so ride it and enjoy it because the servicing etc is going to be paltry in comparison and it's not like you have to keep the milage low for re-sale.

[hung]

[quote="stevepeter83"]

I just notice that the wheels are Roval Rapide SL 45 which turns out to be combination of both aluminium and carbon.

quote]


If the wheel is a aluminum with a carbon laminate or the inside is just carbon
it should be pretty tough

i have a pair of durace carbon laminates and I go up and down gutters all the time
and on some occasions jump medium strips

[sogood]

Plus, if your bike storage at work is anything like mine I doubt you'd have any problems. I just try to get a corner hanger or a quieter spot.

With those flashy wheels, leaving them at any public place is asking for trouble. Maybe people will only learn after being the victim of theft once.

[ausdb]

I just notice that the wheels are Roval Rapide SL 45 which turns out to be combination of both aluminium and carbon.

If the wheel is a aluminum with a carbon laminate or the inside is just carbon
it should be pretty tough

I became the owner of a set of Rapide 45 SLs this afternoon (long story warranty issue on some other wheels on my Roubaix). I had a real good look at how the spokes were fitted at the LBS before I took them as thats where I was having issues with my old wheels. The brake track of the rim and bead seat area of the rim is aluminium and there is a carbon rim bonded to it. The carbon is structural and not just a fairing as the spoke nipples are down in the V of the rim. The best way to think of them would be a carbon tubular rim with a single wall alloy rim bonded to where you would normally glue your tubulars.

They supplied me the white ones, which I have christened my Zebra wheels!

[DFgunner]

Hi, I am in a similar situation, I've got a hybrid bike myself (avanti blade), but usually i borrow my mates one (tarmac) for a bit of crusing, lone ride etc.
and finally i got enough budget for a new roadie, and very keen on either tarmac sl3 expert or a bit more on the pro dura ace.
but dont seem to find any LBS got them in stock, so anyone got any good idea in Perth WA?
thank a lot

[Comedian]

You'll be everyone's target in the commuter cup

+1

[Fletcher]

What you need is a TT helmet.

[mikesbytes]

What you need is a TT helmet.

And a skin suit

[ZepinAtor]

Hi everyone,

So, going back to the original question, if I was to ride any bike on that wheels, will they break easily if I ride on a little rough terrain like what it is from my house to Perth? (Anyone from Perth will have an idea on what the bike path terrain is like).

OK to answer your exact question. The alloy rimmed carbon clincher wheelset that comes with the Tarmac will not break easily or at all for that matter even if you do ride a slightly rough bike path or terrain from home to Perth.

When racing in Brisveagus I regularly ride on Zipp 404's or Edge composite tubular rims laced to Chris King hubs on 20kms of bike path to get to the Crit track on Saturday mornings. They are both a low spoke count race dedicated wheel & are built to take what you give them. The problem is what they give back to you is a horrible jittery bone shaking experience. They won't break unless you smash them into a deep hole or twist them sideways in a rut & if this happens the replacement is several thousand dollars.

On the same path with my training wheels (Mavic SL's with 23c tyres at 100psi) the path feels relatively nice in comparison & my average speed is somewhat higher than jarring along on tubulars at 150psi. So no your wheels shouldn't break but you might.