Which rim—Boyd Altamont Lite, Easton R90 SL, or HED Belgium Plus?!

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SeventhObsidian
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Joined: Tue Sep 27, 2016 10:54 pm

by SeventhObsidian

I'm getting a new wheel set, but I can't make a final decision on rims.

I'm doing Sapim CX Ray spokes (20h front, 24h rear as I'm 130lbs) and either DT 240 or WI T11 hubs.

For rim, I can't decide between three specific ones—Boyd Altamont Lite, Easton R90 SL, or HED Belgium Plus. Those are the only options I'm considering.

Style of riding: I aim for speed and responsiveness. I generally cruise on the flat around 17mph to 25mph, depending on wind and other conditions. When I sprint for short distances, I like to get up to between 28mph and 31mph. I also enjoy hard hill sprinting out of the saddle, and I like to rocket down steep descents. Most of my rides are on slight inclines/rolling hills, with a bunch of flat stretches. I do some moderate hill climbs here and there. Many of the roads here are rough, gritty, and bumpy. I do a lot of riding in the rain and wind.

My current rear rim (Neuvation M28 Aero2) ended up cracking a lot around most of the nipples, so I'm worried about rim fatigue. Whatever I get must be stronger.

What I’m looking for: Very durable, stiff, responsive, fast-accelerating rim that spins well and maintains speed well, and that doesn't fight me when riding in the wind. But between the Boy Lite, HED Belgium plus, and Easton R90 SL, I'm not sure which would fit my criteria and style of riding the best.

The Boyd Altamont Lites are the lightest option, and thus should be more responsive and accelerate faster, but I'm not sure how much aero benefit would be lost (or if I'd even notice) on the flats.

The HED Belgium Plus rims are a bit on the heavier side, but they're supposed to be aero despite being so shallow, which is a plus in their favour. Although they have more of a V-shape profile, and I'm leaning more towards the U-shape.

The Easton R90 SL is the deepest option and lighter than the HEDs, but I don't know how durable this rim is in comparison to all the others (or anything else about it, really).

SO, based on my style of riding and the conditions I ride in, and based on what I'm looking for, which rim fits my criteria the best with the components I've chosen?

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madcow
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by madcow

I think without a doubt the Hed and Easton rims (which both come from the same factory) are the two nicest alloy rims on the market today. Of those two it would be hard to go wrong with either one as the differences are pretty minimal. I tend to lean toward the Easton because it's a little lighter, a little deeper and little less expensive.

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kervelo
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by kervelo


coachboyd
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Joined: Wed Dec 30, 2009 12:31 pm

by coachboyd

madcow wrote:I think without a doubt the Hed and Easton rims (which both come from the same factory) are the two nicest alloy rims on the market today. Of those two it would be hard to go wrong with either one as the differences are pretty minimal. I tend to lean toward the Easton because it's a little lighter, a little deeper and little less expensive.


I should get you a set of our alloy rims to test out. We're selling lots to custom wheel builders who are starting to use mainly them after building. Check out Diablo, Mason, and Cutlass for a few good examples of guys who have tried and now almost exclusively use the Altamont and Altamont Lite rims.
Let me know if you want to try a set.
http://www.boydcycling.com The Handcrafted Revolution

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