Best handling 40-50mm wide disc clinchers?

[andreas]

What about the Zipp303S, wide profile, 45mm, should have the same behavious as a Rapide CLX, little bit heavier but way more budget friendly.

They are not really that wide though, at 27mm external... and I'm confused as to why Zipp is recommending tires that are substantially wider than the rim, when it's their lead designer for many years who coined the 105% rule in the first place:

The new 303S rim shape is wider than the 302, both externally to 27mm but also internally, with a 23mm bead-to-bead measurement (...) For the new 303S, Zipp's recommended tyre size for road use is 28mm, with a minimum recommendation of tyres with a stated width no narrower than 110% of the internal bead-to-bead measurement, so a 25mm would be OK if that was preferable. The recommendation comes from testing, and Zipp claims this will be the fastest size overall for road use. (...) The Zipp's wider internal rim might well have an impact on tyre width, and many will increase beyond their stated size. Once inflated, the 28mm Schwalbes measured 31mm (...) I also tested the wheels with Continental's 25mm GP5000 TL, which inflated to measure 27.5mm

[mgrl]

We had 40mph gusts today (25mph base) and the only issues I really had was the wind pressing on my body, no steering worries on the bike in any wind direction, including a short descent in cross winds - using Swiss Side 50mm Hadron Ultimate2s front and rear on a Tarmac SL7. 100% recommend.

[spartacus]

I'm sure they aren't wide enough but the C40 dura ace wheels feel like box sections in the wind and are supposedly made to use 25c tires by shimano, so even though the rim isn't wider than the tire the aerodynamics may not be that bad.

[andreas]

We had 40mph gusts today (25mph base) and the only issues I really had was the wind pressing on my body, no steering worries on the bike in any wind direction, including a short descent in cross winds - using Swiss Side 50mm Hadron Ultimate2s front and rear on a Tarmac SL7. 100% recommend.

What width tires do you use with these?

[mgrl]

25/28 is my setup

[andreas]

So after some digging through inventory of various shops, it seems if I buy from LB it will be a long time for production+shipping, and I'm not sold on pairing the Falcon Pro finish with a matte frame.

Locally I have the Hollowgram Knøt SL 64 set ready for immediate delivery with a 20% discount, taking their delivered price to be "only" 25% more than the LB WR50 with a similar hub, after local import VAT.

What's stopping me from pulling the trigger is that the front wheel only has a 20 spoke count, like my current Roval CL50 which I am experiencing brake rub on out of the saddle. I weigh around 88kg.

Also, Damien from Cannondale said that their testing revealed rim depth was by far the largest contributing factor to crosswind stability, and rim profile didn't matter too much.

Which has me worried that it will be a pointless "upgrade"?

[Aesch]

They will do a matte finish for pro rims if you ask at LB

[andreas]

They will do a matte finish for pro rims if you ask at LB

Interesting, i guess they actually have to sand down the resin/carbon layup then, which means less scratch resistance and potentially less structural integrity? I guess they maybe clear coat it afterwards, will ask LB.

[andreas]

Gotta say the LB sales support is really good & fast, they offered multiple alternatives included unlisted finishes, colorations og hubs & nipples etc.

Now I've just gotta decide whether it's worth it going for a LB wheelset at 75% of the price i could get a Knøt 64 for, although with more boring colors and a weaker spoke count for the Knøt, but with better aftermarket value....decisions, decisions. I guess I could transfer a WR50 to my gravel bike if I ever opted for a bike or wheel change on my road bike.

[andreas]

So it turns out the delivery time for LB is too long, and I need to decide between the Roval Rapide CLX and the Cannondale Hollowgram SL 64 Knøt wheels.

My main motivation is moving to a wheelset that is more stable in crosswinds than the previous generation Roval Rapide series, but also to eliminate some of the brake rub caused by my current wheelset. From what I can gather, these are both touted as pretty good performers in crosswinds, and the new Rapide gets a nod on improvements for disc rubbing when mounted in a Venge.

The Rapides are lighter, but the Knøt set supports tubeless and I can get them for 25% cheaper.

I'm leaning towards the Rapide set, but do you guys think it's worth the extra money, and will it be replaced soon by a tubeless compatible version?