Quick Review - Vision KOM & 40SL TL Rim Brake Wheels

Back by popular demand, the general all-things Road forum!

Moderator: robbosmans

Post Reply
dmetzinger
Posts: 64
Joined: Mon Jul 22, 2019 5:46 pm

by dmetzinger

I recently bought a rim brake Dogma F10 from a gentleman in Holland. It was equipped with Campy EPS SR and Bora 50 Ultras (bling!). As much as Boras are probably my all time favorite wheelset I re-committed to tubleless two years ago and have only had one flat since then. I did a few rides with the Boras and like the F8 I had previoulsy, the F10 is a stiff racehorse, but 2-3 pounds lighter than my disc bike and much more repsonsive.

In my search for some TL wheels I came across a bargain on a set of Vision KOM's and took the plunge, never have owned a set of FSA/Vision wheels. Specs are 30 deep, 19 inner width and 26 outer. Advertised weight is 1300 and they came in just a tad heavier at 1310. I was surprised that they came with a fully padded dual wheel bag and looked phenomenal. I set them up with 25mm Conti 5000TLs. They really transformed the ride, especially climbing, and really smoothed out the Dogma considerably. At this point my plan was to keep the Boras for fast, flat rides and use the KOMs for long rides with climbing. However, I did another ride on the Boras after riding a bunch on the KOMs, took a deep breath and decided to sell the Boras.

I liked the KOMs so much that I also decided to sell the Hunt alloys that were on my Seven Axiom ti bike that I ride occasionally and use on the smart trainer in order to buy a set of Vision 40SL TLs. That way I could swap out the Visions on the Dogma and also use them when I ride the Seven outdoors. After looking for a few weeks I found some for a good price and pulled the trigger. Specs are 40 deep and 19/26 like the KOMs. I was pleasantly surprised when they came in a 1400 grams spot on since they are advertised at 1450! I had ordered a set of Vittoria Corsa TLs for my dics brake rig and decided to try them out on the 40SLs to see if they would fit on the Dogma. The Corsas were a little tougher to seat but the Contis set up easily with a track pump on the KOMs so I would say the Visions, in general, are relatively easy as far as TL setup. They fit just fine with the Dogma, a little tight clearance wise but not so much that I was worried about road debris marring the fork or seat tube. I've done a few rides and with 28s the ride is a little more cush than the KOMs but that probably has more to do with differences in the tire characteristics, width, and the fact that I lowered the PSI a bit on the 28s.

I would heartily recommend the newer Vision wheelsets based on my experience thus far - inexpensive compared to Enve, Zipp, Campy etc, hubs seem to be high quality, low weight, strong braking with Camy red pads (dry conditions), easy tubeless set up, modern/blunt profile @ 19mm inner and 26mm outer, great road feel and handling.
Seven + Vision.jpeg
F10 + Vision.jpeg
Seven Axiom SG - Force AXS rim brake
Colnago C50 - Campy Chorus 12
Wilier Filante - SRAM Force/Red AXS
Wilier Zero SLR - Red AXS

by Weenie


Visit starbike.com Online Retailer for HighEnd cycling components
Great Prices ✓    Broad Selection ✓    Worldwide Delivery ✓

www.starbike.com



Johnny Rad
Posts: 2025
Joined: Fri Feb 17, 2006 6:22 am
Location: Zion

by Johnny Rad

One, congrats on finding the right riding set-up for you and passing along the Boras to someone who's bound to enjoy them.

Two, thanks for the Vision reviews. Many times I've looked at the Vision KOMs and wondered...

dmetzinger
Posts: 64
Joined: Mon Jul 22, 2019 5:46 pm

by dmetzinger

Thanks Johnny Rad - you have some amazing builds! I may go a bit WW on the Dogma - I have a set of new Veloflex Arenbergs and am thinking of getting a set of sub 1k Farsports tubs but a 59.5 Dogma (equivalent of most brands' 61) is tough to get below 15 lbs with the huge frame, proprietary seatpost and using the MOST bar/stem combo. It was really tough to part with the Boras but a nice set of tubeless wheels and tires made the Dogma a different bike without taking away it's best characteristics.
Seven Axiom SG - Force AXS rim brake
Colnago C50 - Campy Chorus 12
Wilier Filante - SRAM Force/Red AXS
Wilier Zero SLR - Red AXS

biwa
Posts: 411
Joined: Fri Sep 21, 2018 8:39 pm

by biwa

How do you find the braking between the KOM and the 40 SL? IIRC, one has etched micro dots (similar to Enve textured), the other without.

dmetzinger
Posts: 64
Joined: Mon Jul 22, 2019 5:46 pm

by dmetzinger

Hey biwa, the brake tracks look and feel (under the thumb) exactly the same and there are no micro dots on either. I can take some pictures if you'd like. They both brake really well in the dry - on the Dogma I use Campy red and on the Seven I use Cole pink. The Cole are the best pads I have used besides Campy red but I can't find them for sale anymore. Since the 40s are newer than the KOMs I've descended more on the KOMs. I did a 72 mile ride with over 9,000 feel of climbing (3.5 of the Death Ride passes) and have descended down Mt. Diablo a few times (about 3,500 feet) on the KOMs and they brake really well. They also have a really nice feel, it's hard to describe but a nice sweet spot between reactive and comfortable, and that's on both bikes with 25mm Conti 5000 TLs @ 80 psi. I've only done a few rides on the 40s and have 28mm Corsa 2.0 TLs installed @ 75 psi (my weight = low 180s) but all positive so far. I don't ride in the rain anymore (that's what Zwift is for) so I can't comment of wet braking.
Last edited by dmetzinger on Sun Nov 08, 2020 6:22 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Seven Axiom SG - Force AXS rim brake
Colnago C50 - Campy Chorus 12
Wilier Filante - SRAM Force/Red AXS
Wilier Zero SLR - Red AXS

biwa
Posts: 411
Joined: Fri Sep 21, 2018 8:39 pm

by biwa

dmetzinger wrote:
Mon Nov 02, 2020 12:16 am
Hey biwa, the brake tracks look and feel (under the thumb) exactly the same and there are no micro dots on either. I can take some pictures if you'd like. They both brake really well in the dry - on the Dogma I use Camy red and on the Seven I use Cole pink. The Cole are the best pads I have used besides Campy red but I can't find them for sale anymore. Since the 40s are newer than the KOMs I've descended more on the KOMs. I did a 72 mile ride with over 9,000 feel of climbing (3.5 of the Death Ride passes) and have descended down Mt. Diablo a few times (about 3,500 feet) on the KOMs and they brake really well. They also have a really nice feel, it's hard to describe but a nice sweet spot between reactive and comfortable, and that's on both bikes with 25mm Conti 5000 TLs @ 80 psi. I've only done a few rides on the 40s and have 28mm Corsa 2.0 TLs installed @ 75 psi (my weight = low 180s) but all positive so far. I don't ride in the rain anymore (that's what Zwift is for) so I can't comment of wet braking.
Interesting, is the Metron 40 SL the latest version? I wonder if they've changed the braking track (presumbly an improvement). Do you know what hubs (internals) you use? Probably DT 240s?

Good to know your experiences with them so far have been good, sadly a nice deal on the KOMs seems gone now.

dmetzinger
Posts: 64
Joined: Mon Jul 22, 2019 5:46 pm

by dmetzinger

I checked Vision USA's site and did see the reference to "micro dots" but they are imperceptible to me on both sets both visually and to the touch. The 40SLs look identical to Vision's pictures on their site and the hubs are the p.r.a.with bearing preload on both the 40SLs and KOMs. The QRs are nicer on the Metrons than the KOMs and actually a tad lighter. The Metron QRs remind me quite a bit of Campy Bora QRs both in how they look and operate. Ditto on the p.r.a. hub preload. Also, the KOMs came with a really nice double wheel bag and instructions on set up and preload adjustment, the Metrons came with nothing other than the wheels and QR's.
Last edited by dmetzinger on Mon Nov 02, 2020 5:21 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Seven Axiom SG - Force AXS rim brake
Colnago C50 - Campy Chorus 12
Wilier Filante - SRAM Force/Red AXS
Wilier Zero SLR - Red AXS

dmetzinger
Posts: 64
Joined: Mon Jul 22, 2019 5:46 pm

by dmetzinger

Another note - 25mm Conti 5000 TLs measure to 26mm and Vittoria 28mm Corsa 2.0 TLs measure a smidge over 28mm. Contis much easier to set up, a bit tight but inflated with floor pump and added sealant afterward. The Corsas were easier to get on but a tad loose so I needed the high pressure mini tank, soapy water and sealant. I then had to spin the tires and reinflate a few times to get properly seated. They are holding air very well now but I think the best choice is the Conti 25s since they measure out exactly the width of the rim outer at 26mm. I know a lot of people knock the Contis comfort wise but they felt and handled great on the KOMs on a 100 mile ride with 6k of climbing on the F10. However, in my experience the Contis wear much more quickly than the Vittorias so I may install some 25mm Corsas after the Contis wear out just to compare the two at the same width rather than 25mm to 28mm. My only real complaint with the Corsas is that sealant seems to get absorbed into the rubber compound quickly and I even had it bubbling through the sidewalls on a set of Controls once.
Seven Axiom SG - Force AXS rim brake
Colnago C50 - Campy Chorus 12
Wilier Filante - SRAM Force/Red AXS
Wilier Zero SLR - Red AXS

AndySti
Posts: 37
Joined: Mon Oct 08, 2018 7:43 pm

by AndySti

I also have a set of the KOMs and have been really pleased. Only a couple hundred miles but thus far they have worked great. I am using latex tubes and 25mm GP4s (need to burn through my stash) and they measure around 27-28mm. Nice light wheel that rolls well.

by Weenie


Visit starbike.com Online Retailer for HighEnd cycling components
Great Prices ✓    Broad Selection ✓    Worldwide Delivery ✓

www.starbike.com



dmbiscuit
Posts: 61
Joined: Fri Aug 27, 2021 4:10 pm

by dmbiscuit

I've found the braking on the KOM wheels to be superb in the dry, on par or better than my mechanical disc brakes, however they are a bit lacking in the wet. I'm upgrading to some new brake calipers so hopefully that does the trick for me! I was excired to try out the Metro SL 55 wheels but unfortunately the person I bought them from sent me the wrong wheels (since returned) so I'll be sticking with the KOMs only for now.

Post Reply