I'm buying a pair of tubular wheels for racing. Top of the list are the Reynolds Stratus tubs (£1200). But my LBS also has a pair of Lightweights that they will reduce from £1700 to £1200 if I want them .

I don't think there's a huge weight difference between the two wheelsets. But I did hear a rumour about John Cobb doing some tests which found that the Reynolds were much, much more aerodynamic in practice than Lightweights. I also suspect that the Reynolds have better braking surfaces.

Does anyone here have experience of either or (preferably) both?

Thanks

rico

I have the Stratus DVs. They are excellent wheels. They are of course light and strong and they feel as stiff or perhaps stiffer than my Ksyriums. They are also very aero. I read where Cobb tested them to be as aero as Zipp 404s. On the other hand he has consistently said that the Lightweights are not that aero.

With all that I would still lean towards the Lightweights. I find them to be rather exotic and I have heard nothing but great things about their quality and stiffness.

One other thing. If Lightweights are the wheel of choice for Jan, Mario and other pros then they must be pretty darn good.

Segway, did Cobb test Ksyriums by chance? Some got a link to the test results, I've seen it posted along time ago.

_________________
MAMA SAID KNOCK YOU OUT! HUH!

He did test them but if I remember the results were on his old forum which no longer works. I'll do a search to see if I can find anything on them. From what I remember they aren't very aero since the rim is only about 25mm deep and according to Cobb the spokes don't make that big of a difference.

Here's one link that I know of that evaluates some high end wheels including Ksyriums. http://www.bike.com/template.asp?date=8 ... onnumber=6

so then, since this morning i've also a lightweight-wheelset. they look veeeery hot . the reynolds where also on a top position at the list of my wishes. but i decide for now for the lightweigts. the aero isn't so important for me as the stiffness. this because i'll use this wheels for uphill-races most. and how we all know is the stiffness of the lightweights really prefect. about the stiffness of the reynolds i'm not sure. nobody knows exactly. and then i became the lightweight also fo a very good price. so my decision was done....

i believe that i'll get very happy with my lightweights.

_________________
my homepage
my bike-park

Reynolds are very stiff. Probably almost as stiff as Lightweights. Better braking surface too. And much more aero. Thats the big thing - the rumors about Cobb testing Lightweights are true. I asked him twice. He compared their aerodynamics to a set of rolf vector comps (no longer made) or mavic cosmic elites, which although may look aero (the mavic cosmic elites have a 30mm deep apuminum rim, theyre training wheels), they really arent much better than 32 spoke wheels. The reybolds, however, are comparable to Zipp 404s, which are only about 10 seconds worse over 40k's than the Hed H3. Plus, the Reynolds Stratus DV-UL is lighter than lightweights. I'd lean towards Reynolds. Although I might say 'screw reason and rational thinking' and get lightweights instead for their exotic factor. If you think they're fast, they will be fast.

I think it's going to be the Reynolds....

call me an idiot but I would be tempted to wait until the new carbon cosmics hit the market but lightweights at that price are a damn good buy. Why haven't you bitten the guy's arm off already. Look at Ullrich's Bianchi. Lightweights look horny on a black bike.

I think the Reynolds are more aero than the Lightweights. From looking at both sets in the shop I reckon the Reynolds have better braking surfaces. The LWs have pretty much a bog standard carbon braking surface, whereas the Reynolds look and feel a lot smoother. I think you can use the Reynolds with conventional brake pads too.

I'm not too worried about weight or stiffness. I go uphill pretty well as it is - it's long efforts on the flat (eg in a break) that I want to concentrate on. Plus if there's one thing that freaks me out is descending in the wet - and I want something which has comparatively reliable braking without pulsing from very slightly uneven rims.

Perhaps I could convince my LBS to let me test both wheelsets. Hmmm...

rico

rico,

What makes the Reynolds braking surface better than the Lightweights? Has anyone seen any difference in braking on composite wheels that have kevlar instead of carbon? It seems the type of fiber should make no difference since you are really braking on the matrix (epoxy?) not the fibers.

Thanks

Hi all,

I have a set of lightweights and they are a bit grabby when braking, I don't know why this is, maybe they are not a perfectly flat surface.

_________________
Be humble, cycle.

I was the Prince i am now The Carbon Kid.

rom -

Until I test both sets I can't be sure. But the Lightweight braking surface is just what you'd expect - CF and pretty much the same as the Corimas I used to ride. The Reynolds material, however, looks smoother and more even. It looks more like a kind of resin (remember the way things described as 'carbon graphite' looked in the eighties?).

Reynolds make a point of saying that their wheels are superior to 'conventional' carbon wheels because of different manufacturing processes. On the basis of what people in this and other fora who own them say about them, the claims Reynolds make for their wheels' braking are at least partly true.

rico

Rico,

Sent you a PM.

Chris S

Hi rico
I write you from Italy to have some information on the Lightweight and eventually also on the Reynoldses
And' possible also for me to get the Lightweight to a price as yours?
Do 85 kgs hang according to you you/they can hold up my weight?
Have I visited the site internet and does give me an European price of 2100 while you talk of 1800 to the of you address him profits to help to save me?
The you look for they remain centered or do they need a lot of maintenance?
Are you to the current one of various breakups?
How long needs for the you have look for?
Do you know the site internet of the reynoldses?
PS
I don't know the English I am using a translator therefore I don't know if we will understand there
excuse me of the so many questions but from my parti,(vivos of Modena),non there is anybody that has the Lightweight

Bongiorno Signore Vapiano!

(That's about as far as my Italian will go...)

I am asking some of the same questions as you. I think both the Reynolds and the Lightweights are very stiff and robust. Their weight is quite similar. What I am really interested in is how aero they are - and I think the Reynolds are more aero.

The other things that is important to me is the braking surface. I have used carbon deep rim tubular wheels before and know that there can be problems with these kinds of wheels when braking in the wet, or on long descents. Again I suspect the Reynolds may be superior.

But I have still not made up my mind and will ask my local bike shop if I can test both sets of wheels. I weigh around 62kg, but I know much bigger riders than me who ride Lightweights. As far as I know there is no weight restriction on either type of wheel.

ciao

Rico