Cheap(ish) light(ish) aero wheels w alloy brake track

[Kurt]

Are there options that don't involve carbon brake tracks? I know there are good reports about Chinese carbon clinchers, but I don't know if I'm ready to dive into that. I'm much more comfortable with alloy (at least for the brake track). I don't care about brand - just want something decent for hilly training and some road races. Thanks.

[Leviathan]

Are there options that don't involve carbon brake tracks? I know there are good reports about Chinese carbon clinchers, but I don't know if I'm ready to dive into that. I'm much more comfortable with alloy (at least for the brake track). I don't care about brand - just want something decent for hilly training and some road races. Thanks.

Not sure what you mean by cheap, but just bought a pair of Soul 3.0SL, about 1400 gr maybe a little less, 400 Euros. Pretty happy...are they really aero?

[NGMN]

I think that the search should give you a decent idea or at least help you narrow it down.

What do you mean by cheap?
What do you mean by light?
What do you mean by aero?

Remember that a wheel is only as aerodynamic as the tire you put on it. In that, if you get a wheel which is designed/performs best with a 20-22mm tire and you put a 25mm tire on it; your $1000 just went down the drain.

Depending on where your exact preferences are on the cheap/light/aero spectrum; I'd look at (1) rebranded non-dimpled Zipp's(Williams maybe using these for some wheels, I'm unsure), (2) Easton EA90tt, (3) Bontrager's Aura, (4) handbuilts with either Kinlin's (a) xr380 or their new (b) 23mm wide 27mm deep rim, or (5) RS80 C50s. That's a fairly wide range of weights from 1550 grams to 1750 grams; prices from ~$400 - $1200 and the aerodynamics are tough to quantify for the Aura's and handbuilts but the EA90TT and RS80s have both been tested by Tour and are decent performers for their depth.

[JMT]

Vision Trimax T30 are around €400 (also sold under the FSA brand) scored very high in Tours test in issue 6 2012. Naturally there are lighter and more aerodynamic wheels but these seem pretty good for the price (have not tested them myself). An interesting thing with the test of 18 different wheels was that they saw a large variation in drag depending on the frame the wheel was on. Several of the not so obviously aero wheels did well on a normal round tube road bike.

[Kayrehn]

HED wheels sounds like it fit your needs.

[btompkins0112]

Soul C50 carbon clincher (Aluminum wheel with carbon fairing)
Shimano RS80 C50

[Kurt]

Thanks for the responses so far - a lot of good choices here. I guess by light, I'm thinking under 1800g. By cheap, I'd say less than $800 (I'm American - sorry ), and by aero, I'm looking for something that has a measurable advantage, even if said advantage is relatively minor. I weigh 165lbs, and I'm coming from old Shimano Wh-R550s that are about to bite the bullet. They have probably 20k miles on them and are all thrashed up. There are just so many options out there, but it seems like the good stuff is expensive and the cheap stuff is really heavy. I was hoping there was some secret wheel I didn't know about.

[TOflat]

Chinese carbon clinchers off ebay laced to some decent hubs? We've done a lot of them at the shop since people have gone on buying sprees and to be quite honest, I'm thinking about it myself. 22mm tubs to DT240 hubs can be done just shy of 800 for the pair if you search the right spots.

[Kayrehn]

The definition of aero wheels seem to have changed in recent times - Bontrager and HED, besides Zipp, are the ones with wide rims that are supposed to perform better in terms of aerodynamics, while the rest are only aero by virtue of their rim depth, and some will say that they do not offer true aero qualities that a wide-rim wheel can bring. HED will have an aluminium brake track that you prefer and are cheaper, but they are heavier than the other options.

Enve will cost you your kidneys and hence that's not an option...

[maddog 2]

C50 RS80s with different stickers.

[Lou3000]

Thanks for the responses so far - a lot of good choices here. I guess by light, I'm thinking under 1800g. By cheap, I'd say less than $800 (I'm American - sorry ), and by aero, I'm looking for something that has a measurable advantage, even if said advantage is relatively minor. I weigh 165lbs, and I'm coming from old Shimano Wh-R550s that are about to bite the bullet. They have probably 20k miles on them and are all thrashed up. There are just so many options out there, but it seems like the good stuff is expensive and the cheap stuff is really heavy. I was hoping there was some secret wheel I didn't know about.

At 1800g, you aren't exactly at "light." At that weight you would qualify for SRAM S60s or almost Flo 60s. With aero wheels, you really only get to pick two out of three qualities, and compromise on the third. Cheap, Light, Aero.

SRAM S60s can be had for around $900, and they are aero (the pre-dimpled Zipp hybrid toroidal shape), but at around 1800g they aren't weight weenie light.

Gigantex Rims with Bitex Hubs (or nicer) are cheap, could probably be built for as little as $500 (more with nicer hubs), and the tubular version will probably get you into the 1400g range, but to rival the windtunnel created wheels you will probably need to run a narrower tire and they will still perform poorly in cross winds if they are too deep.

Finally, you have something like the HED Jet 5 Express which is aero and under 1700g, but will run you $1500. The more you spend, the lighter these super wheels get. Zipp FC 404s are aero, 1355g in tubular, but will run around $2400.

If I were you, and I needed an all around wheelset, I wouldn't put a premium on aero. I would look into having a wheel built with a wider rim like the HED Belgium or the Velocity A23. The wider wheel bed may be marginally more aero, but is certainly lighter than a cheap aero wheel. Another option would be something like the SRAM S30s. I'm pretty sure the rim is just a slightly narrower Zipp 101.

[Kurt]

Thanks for all the info. Maybe I'm putting too much of a premium on the concept of aero. Most people agonize over a few grams (especially on wheels), but I'm not overly concerned about a 1400g wheelset vs. 1600 or whatever, though if I should stress that, please let me know.

I actually need new wheels, and they do need to be all-arounders, so I was thinking maybe 30-40mm - something like the new Fulcrum Quattro, which caught my eye otherwise I might just save a bunch of money and get Ksyrium Equipes or something else around $300-$400. This seems to be a sweetspot for wheels to not be complete boat anchors and have some level of aero property.

If the depth really doesn't matter (aside from looking really cool), especially compared to width, I'll check out the HED Velocity rim options and maybe get something built up. How much will spoke weights and shapes matter for this? I'm guessing not much. Other suggestions are definitely welcome. I appreciate all the help.

[drewb]

Check out Flo Wheels - I have heard good things and they seem to be honest and publish their data. Al rims, good aero, not that light.....

Give a review if you get them.

www.flocycling.com

[boolinwall]

American Classic Aero 420's might be worth a peak as well. Not carbon, but who cares as long as they're light, stiff, aero and priced well.

[chazzawoods]

Do they have to have carbon on them? Take a good look at this

http://www.spincycleworks.com/servlet/t ... els/Detail