Giant P-SLR 0 Aero vs Ritchey WCS Apex Carbon 60 wheels

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MarkOTRT
Posts: 5
Joined: Fri Jan 01, 2016 11:05 pm

by MarkOTRT

I'm buying a 2016 Giant Propel Advaced Pro 0 that comes with the above stock wheels. Giant's current Wheelset offering appears to be getting good reviews, but I've got the option of going for Ritchey's new 60mm carbon clinchers. The Ritchey's are slightly cheaper (at RRP) but are also slightly lighter (~50g).

I'd heard Ritchey use good quality Reynolds rims. Anyone have any thoughts on which to go for?

I'll mainly be using them for sprinting at Crit races.

Thanks in advance,
Mark

mariovalentim
Posts: 225
Joined: Fri Aug 28, 2015 2:03 am

by mariovalentim

Ritchey uses the old profile Reynolds rims, it's not bad but not current generation. I would look into the Fulcrum Racing Quattro Carbon, it's the same price point of the Ritchey wheels.

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wingguy
Posts: 4318
Joined: Thu Mar 08, 2012 11:43 pm

by wingguy

Sure they're the same price, but for crits why would you bother swapping out the stock wheels for something much shallower?

Unless saving money on the bike is the most important thing I'd stick with the Aero SLRs. What I've seen of the 2016s so far is very impressive - and Giant certainly aren't being shy with their performance claims!

joepac
Posts: 100
Joined: Fri Mar 14, 2014 4:43 pm

by joepac

wingguy wrote:Sure they're the same price, but for crits why would you bother swapping out the stock wheels for something much shallower?

Unless saving money on the bike is the most important thing I'd stick with the Aero SLRs. What I've seen of the 2016s so far is very impressive - and Giant certainly aren't being shy with their performance claims!


In the January issue of Tour switching from the stock Giant aero wheels to Zipp 404s improved time, but not drastically. That means they're pretty aero. I've seen no data on the Ritchey 60mm rims, but at a similar profile and slightly deeper I doubt they are horrible. I tried out the 30mm Giant wheels on my friend's new TCR and they felt pretty stiff. The big down side of the Giant wheels is internal nipples which means it will be a pain to true yourself/take longer for the shop.

I am not sure about your weight comment... The SLR 0s weigh like 10g less than the Ritcheys and the SLR 1s weight ~150g more? Bottom line if it's the SLR 0 I would stick with those... If it's the SLR 1 then it's a tossup.

stoney
Posts: 474
Joined: Wed Jun 08, 2011 11:26 am

by stoney

Stick with the Giant wheels. I bought the 2016 TCR Advanced Pro which came with their 30mm rims and they've been rock solid.

MarkOTRT
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Joined: Fri Jan 01, 2016 11:05 pm

by MarkOTRT

joepac wrote:
wingguy wrote:I am not sure about your weight comment... The SLR 0s weigh like 10g less than the Ritcheys

Well spotted,the currentlisting on the Giant website claims 1535g
http://www.giant-bicycles.com/en-gb/gear/product/giant.slr.0.aero.wheelsystem.rear.wheel/591/73143/

This is better than the 1610g (estimated) listed elsewhere on Giant's website, which may be an older version.
http://www.giant-bicycles.com/en-in/gear/product/p.slr0.aero/1184/61369/

Thanks for spotting.

MarkOTRT
Posts: 5
Joined: Fri Jan 01, 2016 11:05 pm

by MarkOTRT

mariovalentim wrote:Ritchey uses the old profile Reynolds rims, it's not bad but not current generation. I would look into the Fulcrum Racing Quattro Carbon, it's the same price point of the Ritchey wheels.
Thanks for the insight Mario, sadly don't think I have the option from the team's sponsors for the Fulcrums.

I did have a wee look into the Reynolds reference that keeps rearing it's head, and can only find a reference to them collaborating in the launch of the WCS Apex 46mm wheelset back at Eurbike 2011:
http://www.cyclingnews.com/features/2011-eurobike-component-highlights-from-ritchey-hope/

It would make sense that the new WCS Apex 60mm's are also built on Reynold's rims. That said, can we be sure it's the 'old profile' rims, and not Reynold's latest 60mm rim profile?

Thanks in advance for your thoughts,
Mark

MarkOTRT
Posts: 5
Joined: Fri Jan 01, 2016 11:05 pm

by MarkOTRT

OK, so from the data I can see, the Giant P-SLR 0's have the following spec:
Depth = 55mm
Rim width (external) = 23mm
Weight = 1535g
http://www.giant-bicycles.com/en-in/gear/product/p.slr0.aero/1184/61369/

The Ritchey WCS Apex Carbon 60's have:
Depth = 60mm
Rim width (external) = 24mm
Weight = 1561g
http://ritcheylogic.com/road/wheels/wcs-apex-60mm-cllincher-road-bike-wheels.html

So technically, with the rim width and deeper section, the Ritchey's could be faster. Although not much on stiffness comparison, which will be important in the final sprints at Crits.

The Ritchey's appear to be fairly new wheels (according to Road.cc at Eurobike 2015), which probably explains why there aren't too many reviews as yet:
http://road.cc/content/news/163261-2016-wheels-mavic-shimano-ritchey-american-classic-and-stans

Leaning towards the Giant's unless someone can share first hand experience of the Ritchey's to support what the data above appears to be suggesting. The rim profile could be an important consideration, but sounds like Ritchey will struggle to top Giant's performance in Tour's recent wheelset review where they don't trail the Zipp 404's by much:
http://forums.roadbikereview.com/bikes-frames-forks/tour-magazine-2016-aero-road-bike-test-352569.html

Interesting reading...

gmakris
Posts: 139
Joined: Sat Aug 23, 2014 10:36 am

by gmakris

New Ritchey models are not using Reynolds Rims. Both are very good but I think Ritchey true U shape, increased width and depth are better options.

antprok
Posts: 24
Joined: Sun Jan 24, 2016 11:22 am

by antprok

I use the Giant wheelset and its very nice. Not sure if Giant makes the hubs, but they are very smooth. I use it with Continental GP4000sII 23mm and the Contis install perfectly on the rim giving a 25.2mm width (in my Fulcrum Zeros they give a width of 25mm). I use Challenge latex tubes

Also I like the braking.

The Ritchey wheelset is probably also very nice, but I "dont see" the upgrade in this case.

50g-60g would actually make you faster in a Crit flat course.

gmakris
Posts: 139
Joined: Sat Aug 23, 2014 10:36 am

by gmakris

Can you please someone post Tour magazine results overall for these wheels?

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53x12
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by 53x12

gmakris wrote:Can you please someone post Tour magazine results overall for these wheels?


There is no Tour Magazine results for these wheels that I know of. However, there is the 2016 Tour Magazine Aero road bike test where they tested the stock wheels (applicable to the Giant Propel) and tested the Zipps on the same bike. Would give you a general reference of the stock wheel vs. Zipps. But there is no stand alone Tour test for these wheels that I am aware of.
"Marginal gains are the only gains when all that's left to gain is in the margins."

MarkOTRT
Posts: 5
Joined: Fri Jan 01, 2016 11:05 pm

by MarkOTRT

gmakris wrote:Can you please someone post Tour magazine results overall for these wheels?

http://forums.roadbikereview.com/bikes- ... 52569.html

This gives you the Giant P-SLR 0 wheels performance on the Propel vs the Propel with Zipp 404s

by Weenie


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