Value all-rounder road rim-brake wheels

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Red Rider
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Value all-rounder road rim-brake wheels

Postby Red Rider » Tue Jun 05, 2018 3:05 pm

Trying to decide on what wheels I should get. A good balance of weight, aero and price. Looking to go tubeless also.

I'm currently looking at Hunt Race Aero Wide and Prime RP-38.

The Hunt is aluminium, 31mm deep, 24mm outer and 19mm inner width. 1490g. About $640. https://www.huntbikewheels.com/products ... #techspecs

The Prime is carbon, 38mm deep, 25mm outer and 16.5mm inner width. 1440g. About $940. http://www.this link is broken/prime-rp-38-car ... heelset-1/

As they weigh about the same I'd prefer to go with aluminium for durability. But the aero benefits of a deeper rim might be worth it? Although the dimensions of the rims are quite different, the tyre on the Hunt rim may transition the air a lot better. Obviously total speculation but wanted to get some thoughts on this as well as the hubs etc. They both have pretty good reviews around the traps.

Thanks
Last edited by Red Rider on Wed Jun 13, 2018 2:38 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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queequeg
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Re: Value all-rounder road clincher wheels

Postby queequeg » Tue Jun 05, 2018 4:05 pm

Red Rider wrote:Trying to decide on what wheels I should get. A good balance of weight, aero and price. Looking to go tubeless also.

I'm currently looking at Hunt Race Aero Wide and Prime RP-38.

The Hunt is aluminium, 31mm deep, 24mm outer and 19mm inner width. 1490g. About $640. https://www.huntbikewheels.com/products ... #techspecs

The Prime is carbon, 38mm deep, 25mm outer and 16.5mm inner width. 1440g. About $940. http://www.this link is broken/prime-rp-38-car ... heelset-1/

As they weigh about the same I'd prefer to go with aluminium for durability. But the aero benefits of a deeper rim might be worth it? Although the dimensions of the rims are quite different, the tyre on the Hunt rim may transition the air a lot better. Obviously total speculation but wanted to get some thoughts on this as well as the hubs etc. They both have pretty good reviews around the traps.

Thanks
Hunt uses Novatec hubs, so everything is easily replaced and serviced. For $300 cheaper and a wider rim profile and hardly and weight penalty, I'd go the Hunt wheels.
I have a pair of the SuperDura Dyno Disc wheels for my Gravel Bike.
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lone rider
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Re: Value all-rounder road clincher wheels

Postby lone rider » Wed Jun 06, 2018 2:33 am

31mm isn't aero, in my experience 35mm has no noticabe aero benefits, at that rim height better bearings will make a bigger difference.

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MattyK
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Re: Value all-rounder road clincher wheels

Postby MattyK » Wed Jun 06, 2018 10:00 am

Red Rider wrote: The Hunt is aluminium, 31mm deep, 24mm outer and 19mm inner width. 1490g. About $640. https://www.huntbikewheels.com/products ... #techspecs
So basically an overpriced Kinlin XR31T rim and Novatec hub combo?

Buy this and make friends with a wheelbuilder instead:
http://www.bdopcycling.com/DIY%20Alloy% ... t%20II.asp
or http://www.bdopcycling.com/DIY%20Alloy% ... %20III.asp

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MichaelB
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Re: Value all-rounder road clincher wheels

Postby MichaelB » Wed Jun 06, 2018 1:53 pm

The BDop ones are attractive, especially with the free shipping. I'd like these

To the OP - the whole range of questions can be asked, but the real one is : "Is this a

"Gee, I'd like a new wheelset as I have upgraditis and I want to be able to justify it in some form that makes sense to me", or more of a

"The current wheelset is worn out as I've ridden heaps and they need replacing, so might as well do it with a better set". ?

Re aero, the taller the better, but you have to be going fast to make any real difference.

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Red Rider
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Re: Value all-rounder road clincher wheels

Postby Red Rider » Wed Jun 06, 2018 2:33 pm

Interesting! Thanks for the input peeps.

MichaelB, they are getting worn out and need replacing, on advice of my mechanic. They've done about 25,000 km. Also, the ones you linked to are disc brake? I'm looking for rim brake (and tubeless compatible).

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MichaelB
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Re: Value all-rounder road clincher wheels

Postby MichaelB » Wed Jun 06, 2018 4:00 pm

Red Rider wrote: ... the ones you linked to are disc brake? ....
I know :mrgreen:

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Re: Value all-rounder road clincher wheels

Postby Jmuzz » Wed Jun 06, 2018 5:43 pm

The Prime are Novatec hubs too apparently

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Re: Value all-rounder road clincher wheels

Postby rodneycc » Wed Jun 06, 2018 10:27 pm

Have a look at Caden wheels. I've heard good things about them. Personally I'd just grab a set of Bulletproof Fulcrum zeroes. I love those wheels.
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Duck!
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Re: Value all-rounder road clincher wheels

Postby Duck! » Wed Jun 06, 2018 10:56 pm

MichaelB wrote: Re aero, the taller the better, but you have to be going fast to make any real difference.
The trade off is that deeper wheels, while better for aero at low yaw angles (basically riding straight, or close to it, into the wind) can become a handful in crosswinds, especially under lighter riders. It does depend a lot on the overall profile of the rims though, some are better than others. Rim sections between about 35mm & 45mm, while not the fastest at low yaw angles, are generally much nicer all-rounders because they're less affected by crosswinds, and shallower = lighter for a given construction, which helps with climbing.
I had a thought, but it got run over as it crossed my mind.

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Tim
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Re: Value all-rounder road clincher wheels

Postby Tim » Thu Jun 07, 2018 6:33 am

Duck! wrote:The trade off is that deeper wheels, while better for aero at low yaw angles (basically riding straight, or close to it, into the wind) can become a handful in crosswinds, especially under lighter riders.
I completely agree.
In my case (63kg rider weight) any rim greater than 24mm becomes difficult to handle in strong cross winds.
My Defy is equipped with modest 32.5mm deep disc wheels. Combine the comparatively deep rims, discs, and boxy square sectioned carbon frame, the Defy is not a comfortable bike to ride on high speed descents (50KPH+) in gusty winds greater than around 15 knots.
A strong gust can easily blow me a metre (or thereabouts) off-line. I don't ride it in any sort of windy conditions.
My old CAAD9, aluminium round sectioned frame with 24mm rims is very much more stable. My steel framed tourer with approx 24mm rims, more so again.
The TCR SL with 24mm rims sits somewhere in the middle. Large box-sectioned frames also contribute significantly to cross-wind air resistance (from my experience).

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g-boaf
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Re: Value all-rounder road clincher wheels

Postby g-boaf » Thu Jun 07, 2018 2:49 pm

Tim wrote:
Duck! wrote:The trade off is that deeper wheels, while better for aero at low yaw angles (basically riding straight, or close to it, into the wind) can become a handful in crosswinds, especially under lighter riders.
I completely agree.
In my case (63kg rider weight) any rim greater than 24mm becomes difficult to handle in strong cross winds.
My Defy is equipped with modest 32.5mm deep disc wheels. Combine the comparatively deep rims, discs, and boxy square sectioned carbon frame, the Defy is not a comfortable bike to ride on high speed descents (50KPH+) in gusty winds greater than around 15 knots.
A strong gust can easily blow me a metre (or thereabouts) off-line. I don't ride it in any sort of windy conditions.
My old CAAD9, aluminium round sectioned frame with 24mm rims is very much more stable. My steel framed tourer with approx 24mm rims, more so again.
The TCR SL with 24mm rims sits somewhere in the middle. Large box-sectioned frames also contribute significantly to cross-wind air resistance (from my experience).
More riding in those conditions will help. I'm a bit lighter than you and sometimes ride on 50mm front and 65mm rear wheels on a very flat sided aero bike. It's not the best in very gusty conditions, but the more you ride it becomes less scary.

I usually ride a TCR SL (I have two of them actually) both with 24mm wheels and they are okay, only on extremely gusty days do I get problems.

When you use deeper rear wheels (compared with the front) that seems to have a steadying effect.

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Tim
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Re: Value all-rounder road clincher wheels

Postby Tim » Thu Jun 07, 2018 3:51 pm

g-boaf wrote:When you use deeper rear wheels (compared with the front) that seems to have a steadying effect.
That makes sense.
I've noticed the cross-wind effect mostly coasting downhill. Under power the front end seems easier to control at similar speeds at equivalent wind strength.
(Not that I can pedal at 50KPH in a strong cross-wind on the flat or uphill. MAYBE mid-40's)

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Thoglette
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Re: Value all-rounder road clincher wheels

Postby Thoglette » Thu Jun 07, 2018 5:40 pm

MattyK wrote:...make friends with a wheelbuilder instead
Certainly at the price point you're looking at.

And also look at some of the semi-custom/house-brand offerings (e.g. Kotavelo, no relationship etc etc)
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Re: Value all-rounder road clincher wheels

Postby Mububban » Fri Jun 08, 2018 10:46 am

I bought the disc version of the Prime RP-38 and love them, but I found out about the Hunt wheels just after clicking the "buy" button and probably would have gone for them instead and saved some money for the same weight.

That said, I have zero buyer's remorse with the new wheels. They feel brilliant and have transformed my bike.

FWIW I'm 189cm and 66kg (human twig) and the 38mm have so far not given me any problems in cross winds.
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Red Rider
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Re: Value all-rounder road clincher wheels

Postby Red Rider » Fri Jun 08, 2018 2:55 pm

I read your thread on the disc wheels Mububban which helped me in choosing my wheels. The Primes and Hunts are both great value for money so you can't go wrong either way.

I've gone with the Hunts. As you mention I've saved the coin, maybe get something proper aero down the line sometime, but these are all-rounders so I'll keep it safe with 31mm depth.

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Re: Value all-rounder road rim-brake wheels

Postby Defy The Odds » Thu Jun 14, 2018 6:49 am

Dont forget the GST threshold is being removed from 1/7 so buying overseas wheels will become dearer and perhaps not even available as OS retailers may pull the pin (Evans already did apparently)

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