Third Time's a Charm: Litespeed T3

[RyanH]

Yeah, sending them back, lol.

[elfuinha]

I've the same wheels

did you adjust the bearing preload in each wheels, they come loose from factury.

Let Me know

[RyanH]

I checked to see if there was play in the front wheel as I suspected that. There was no play but I didn't check the preload using the tool. Can that actually cause a noise like that?

Unfortunately, I'm on holiday so I won't be able to test until I get back on Sunday.

[stax]

Yeah, sending them back, lol.

Haha-that’ll do it alright!

How is the braking with Mavic compared to Enve with Prince or Reynolds pads?

[elfuinha]

Yeah, sending them back, lol.

Haha-that’ll do it alright!

How is the braking with Mavic compared to Enve with Prince or Reynolds pads?

Have the Mavic wheels since Feb. 2017 and 4000km on them, braking in dry is execlent with black Prince EVO, they are the best wheels i've had in this department - I don't ride in the rain with them.

My other wheels are Lightweight Meilenstein 4 - braking is not even close.

[RyanH]

The braking on Mavic's iTgmax track is a generation ahead of everything else I've tried. In the last year I've had quite a few wheelsets come and go: Reynolds RZRs, ThirtyTwos, FortySix's, Zipp 404, Bora 35 and 50s, Tune Skylines, RS11 and archetypes, Enve 3.4 Gen1 and Gen 2, Enve 4.5, Mavic Ksyrium Pro Carbon SLs, Mavic 2015 CCU and Mavic Cosmic Ultimate 2017 (plus I borrowed a set of Schmolkes for a couple weeks). While absolute stopping power might not be much different between the top wheels as I feel that most of the wheels paired with Reynolds Power Pads are pretty good as far as dry, absolute power goes, the brake feel, modulation and low speed braking on the iTgmax tracks is superb. With that being said, I think the iTgMax track does scrub speed better when going from 40mph to 20mph for a tight turn. Annoyingly though, Mavic's wheels are fat. But, if you can get past that, then I'd strongly suggest looking at their wheels.

Oh, and surprisingly, iTgMax works best with yellow swisstop pads. BP isn't as good in my experience.

[Delorre]

Build List:

Litespeed T3 Frame 1253
SRAM PF30 BB 90
Extralite UltraBottom + CK InSet Upper (56g) 94
Enve 2.0 Tapered Fork 308
Oval Seatpost 183
Berk Saddle 104
Deda Elementi 35
SRAM Quarq Compact 526
Praxis 52/36 162
Chainring Bolts 10
SRAM FD Clamp 19
Campy Chorus FD w/ hardware 72
KCNC Skewers 44
Reynolds RZR 46T 970
Vittoria Corsa G+ Tires 540
Vittoria Mastik 27
Campagnolo SR Brakes 268
Enve Brake Pads 21
3T Ergonova Bars - 38cm 179
Pro 7s Stem 1.25 120mm Stem 160
SRAM Red 11-25 Cassete 150
Speedplay Chromoly 220
SRAM Chain 229
Campagnolo Rear Derailleur 159
Campagnolo SR Shifters 338
Alligator I-Links 89
Bottle Cage Bolts 2.8
CarbonWorks Cages 13

Hey Ryan, did your 120mm stem really came that lenght? My Pro PLT (-10°, 120mm) is more like 125mm long By the way, and don't know if i already told, but what an amazing good looking bike you have!!

[RyanH]

So, i mentioned that to my builder friend and he looked at me strangely and then we got out the calipers. If you put the stem cap on, and measure with calipers, it's like 122 or 123mm. It's more pronounced with a tape measure cause it's going on the horizontal plane. Many manufacturers measure along the middle of the stem, which is why there may be a difference from when you measure along the top. 3T's - 17 is probably a good case in point where it seems to be a full cm longer than quoted size. Kalloy measures along the top so a -17 120mm will measure that.

[Delorre]

Thx for the clarification!!

[Denavelo]

For the record, Schmolke TLO rims with the new Reynolds pads are amazing. I'm using them in the front since they grab so much and I like to modulate my front braking. I'm using Enve new pads for their new brake track in the rear. So far this combo has been optimal. Braking is amazing!

[dmoneysworks]

This is what my entire ride sounded like:
https://youtu.be/2IeO4ArUYec

I was really looking forward to hearing your real world experiences @RyanH on these wheels! I just got some gen3 LW's and raced them 2 weeks ago, in howling x-winds... I love everything about them except how much energy I waste fighting my bike in those conditions, would love to know how much the 'U-shape' update to the '17 CCU's actually makes!

[Denavelo]

U shaped rims perform night and day compared to older V shaped rims. In LA, most of us ride up and down Angeles Crest highway (2) and the wind conditions can go from calm to brutal in a single turn. On my old V shaped rims, it would be damn scary coming around a bend and getting hit with side winds. At times it felt like my wheels was going to lift off the ground. With U shaped rims, you get a little tiny budge and the wheel just tracks straight.I don't understand how companies are still making V shaped rims, when U shaped ones perform 100x better in windy conditions.

The best set of wheels I've run that have little to no movement in the wind, would be the Enve 4.5 wheels. They seem unaffected by side wind gusts. You get a tiny bit of nudge in your steering then it just tracks without any scary moments.

[Imaking20]

In general terms, I would agree with the above. However, Reynolds applied some voodoo to their Aero line that bucks the trend and makes for the most stable wheels I've ridden. I've never even had a scare on Reynolds 58s but I've almost been pushed off the road on 3.4s. Both great wheels still, and there's something sexy about Enves, but they can't match braking or stability of newer Reynolds IME. There's a reason my 46s stay hidden from the chopping block while Enve, Campy, and Mavic wheels have come and go.

[KarlC]

U shaped rims perform night and day compared to older V shaped rims. In LA, most of us ride up and down Angeles Crest highway (2) and the wind conditions can go from calm to brutal in a single turn. On my old V shaped rims, it would be damn scary coming around a bend and getting hit with side winds. At times it felt like my wheels was going to lift off the ground. With U shaped rims, you get a little tiny budge and the wheel just tracks straight.I don't understand how companies are still making V shaped rims, when U shaped ones perform 100x better in windy conditions.

The best set of wheels I've run that have little to no movement in the wind, would be the Enve 4.5 wheels. They seem unaffected by side wind gusts. You get a tiny bit of nudge in your steering then it just tracks without any scary moments.

I have some old true V shape Reynolds DV46 UL T wheels and yes you can feel the cross winds. Ive also had several sets of new U shapes wheels (still have my Zipp 404 FC tubs), and yes they are much better at handling the cross winds than the old true V shape wheels.

I now have 2 set of the newer V shape (fatter in the middle and a more rounded point) the Reynolds Aero 58 / 72 this line of wheels gets great reviews by the press AND every day riders, they all say they handle cross winds as well as U shape wheels if not better. My 2nd set of newer V shape Mavic Cosmic CRX 80 tubulars with Zipp SL speed tires, these are also really, really nice wheels.

[Denavelo]

I've yet to ride the new "V" shaped stuff. I was simply referring to the old Enve 45 rims and Reynolds DV46 stuff. There was a section of the Highway 2 coming down from red Box (Huge Right hand turn). I felt my entire front wheel start to lift off, mid corner and full lean. Scariest thing I've ever experienced.