Bora 35 Ultra, Zipp 202, Zipp 303 or LW Meilenstein ??

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TonyM
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Joined: Thu Jan 22, 2015 4:11 pm

by TonyM

Hello,

Actually I wanted to ride on the Bora Ultra with my C60 (currently, I only have as a reserve wheelset a pair of Fulcrum Racing Zero Nite which are in my eyes not so sexy compared to carbon wheelsets). First I was just not sure about the Bora 50 and the Bora 35 but I finally went for the Bora 35 because they are more versatile than the Bora 50, even if the Bora 50 are very good looking. For the hilly region where I drive, the Bora 35 are definitey better I think as the weight is more important than the aero. But then now the endless waiting for the delivery of the Bora 35 Ultra just drives me crazy...und I start of course to rethink my decision :twisted: For example the high pricing of the LW becomes of course secundary :roll: Meanwhile, because of the CULT bearings review of the Ultras, I am just impressed about the ceramic Speed upgrades which are available for many wheelsets. I could use these with the Zipp and the LW Meilenstein also have these bearing (Schwarz ED version)


At the end, I evaluate the following wheelsets (as clincher and w/ 25 mm Vittoria tires):
1/ Zipp 202 w/ CeramicSpeed Upgrade: not as lght as the LW and not so aero
2/ Zipp 303 w/ CeramicSpeed Upgrade: aero but somehow heavy for climbing
3/ LW Meileinstein Schwarz ED (w/ CeramicSpeed): very light, not so aero, delicate somehow, exlusive. Next modell next year (more aero, wider rim)
4/ Bora 35 Ultra: light, not so aero, wide rim

(I discarded other wheelsets mainly because of the weight, or look, or bearings etc...)


I could however have 2 wheelsets such as a LW for climbing and mountain region and a Zipp 303 for the little hilly region ?
Or as compromise only a Bora 35 Ultra ? Or only a LW ?

The 2 regions I ride are either "70% hilly/ 30% flat" or "50% mountain/ 25% hilly/ 25% flat"

What do you think ?


Tony

Harmitc
Posts: 150
Joined: Fri Jun 29, 2012 6:56 pm

by Harmitc

I've got Bora 35 Ultra 2014, not the wider version and Lightweight Obermayer. Road surface where I live is awful lots of potholes! Always climbing and descending, very little flat. Living quite close to the coast it's often windy! Boras are great, no problems, I used to have 50's but found them harsh, the Obermayer's might be light but they aren't delicate! I've been down potholes that I thought would have damaged them and not a mark! They are more susceptible to sidewinds than the Bora but I would accept that given the greater section. After a reasonable number of miles to acclimatise the aero worries with the Obermayer's isn't a real problem. But they definitely aren't delicate and run true from my experience.

by Weenie


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TonyM
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by TonyM

Hi Harmitc,

If I understand you both Bora 35 and LW are good but if only one wheelset, would you keep the Bora or the LW ?
Or if 2 wheelsets, which one would you replace with a Zipp 202 or 303 for example ?

Tony

Harmitc
Posts: 150
Joined: Fri Jun 29, 2012 6:56 pm

by Harmitc

Difficult! I'd have to say LW! But I would have a set of Aluminium Rims for wet days! I use either PMP's or Neutron Ultra. It just seems a shame to hammer a set of lovely carbon rims when weather conditions mean a relatively budget set of wheels make more practical sense! If I was buying another set of Alu rims now I would probably go for Shamal Mille.

The LW's just make you feel like your riding something a little bit special! I know it might be placebo at times but who cares!

I've no experience of Zipps, it's just until I bought the LW's I always used Campagnolo based wheels.

Harmitc
Posts: 150
Joined: Fri Jun 29, 2012 6:56 pm

by Harmitc

Just realised from another thread you've got a set of aluminium rims. Your covered!

mnmasotto
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Joined: Mon Jun 06, 2011 7:16 pm
Location: Irvine, CA

by mnmasotto

Easy answer. Lightweights for sure. Forget the Zipps. They are heavy, failure prone and
not even in the same class as the other two wheel sets. I have owned just about every brand of high end wheels on the market. The only wheels which have failed/broke are my Zipps. Boras are excellent but don't have the exclusivity/bling on the LW. I run 25 clinchers on my LW clinchers without problems.

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kgt
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Location: Athens, Greece

by kgt

1. LW of course. A reference in total. Not delicate at all. Quite the opposite.
2. Bora. The best hubs, very good rims. 35mm profile is not that sexy. 50mm looks better on most bikes.

Zipp is not an option IMHO. Corima would definitely be an option. Great rims, very good hubs, quite aero, bombproof. Really good wheels.

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TonyM
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by TonyM

I am indeed temped to go for the LW but actually looking at the release date of the LW Gen. IV, the new LW should come out this year, right ?

(I checked also the Corima - some Pros ride on these - but I didn't find any advantages compared to the Bora Ultra, right ?)

sawyer
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Location: Natovi Landing

by sawyer

I'd go Bora of those.

Particularly if you're going to be riding competitive - it's quite easy to get someone into your wheel when cornering and knock it out of true, which would be game over with the LWs. Normally I'd say that's life, but at that price it's a bit much.

Zipps have great rims but the rear hub isn't as good as Bora for sure

One plus of the Boras is the brand new design - helping re-sale - and they don't change all that much!
----------------------------------------
Stiff, Light, Aero - Pick Three!! :thumbup:

aguycalledsimon
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Location: West Yorkshire

by aguycalledsimon

I just built my new colnago c60 (here: http://postimg.org/image/kpdur92md/) I thought for ages about a pair of LW's but ended up going Bora 35's and am really happy - fantastic hubs and great looks - now that I have compared to LW's I think the Bora's are a better fit for my bike, and when I see pics of C60's with LW's I am convinced I made the right decision - I cant help looking at the LW's and thinking they look a bit too bling and 'dictator-stylee'

I do still suspect that a pair of LW's with ceramic bearings etc are the better pair of wheels, but that would cost me well over twice what mine cost, so unless money is no object, my vote (with my own money) was for Bora's

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F45
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by F45

I would go with NONE OF THE ABOVE.

If you get the Bontrager 3 D3, you'll get Zipp's aero tech rims with the superior DT 240 based hubs. They'll be more aero than the LWs and easier to service.

stanseven
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Joined: Thu Feb 28, 2013 4:25 am

by stanseven

Do you have any reference that the Bontrager rims are Zipp? I've never seen that before.

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TonyM
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by TonyM

I understood from F45 that the aero performance of the Bontrager 3 D3 rims were as good as the aero performance of the Zipp rims.

That would be an advantage vs. Bora 35 and LW.
A disadvantage would be that the DT 240 which are (minimally) inferior to the Bora CULT and LW CeramicSpeed hubs.

sawyer
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Location: Natovi Landing

by sawyer

TonyM - you're in danger of over-thinking minor differences in a wind-tunnel test vs all the other aspects of the wheel you'll notice a lot more on the road.

All the options will be somewhat aero. The flat sided LW will be blown around more though - you'll notice that, just as you'll notice the stiffness of LWs etc.

BTW, don't think there is any data out yet on the new Bora rim shape?
----------------------------------------
Stiff, Light, Aero - Pick Three!! :thumbup:

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TonyM
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by TonyM

Yes, I know...you're right....

CeramicSpeed vs. CULT vs. DT 240 are very very small difference...all mental advantages only... :P
For the aero, the differences seem to be greater as the review/ test show but still much less than the position on the bike, helmet, etc.... :wink:
And for the crosswinds, I suppose that the differences are here the biggest.

The "non aero" rims of the LW as well as the crosswinds effect for the LW are somehow worrying me :noidea:
As well as a possible new Meilenstein this year (Eurobike 2015?) with an better aero and wieder rim :?:

by Weenie


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