Advice on TL wheels/tires for Aethos

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Basscadet
Posts: 62
Joined: Thu Aug 12, 2021 2:38 pm

by Basscadet

Hi all, just took delivery of Aethos, I'm looking to sell the Roval Alpinist CLX wheels it came with (not tubeless) and pick up some wheels that are slightly more aero and TL ready. Would really appreciate any advice or information you might be willing to share with me.

Ideally looking for a wheel that would be well-matched to a 28 to 30 mm tubeless tire that could see some wet use, uneven/bad quality pavement. 95% of my riding is on a large network of paved mixed-use trails near my home where I can be going anywhere from 15-22mph depending on how rough the surfaces are in that particular segment.

My only frame of reference are some ENVE 3.4 SES AR's I have on another bike which are absolutely fantastic and seem perfect but I'd like to explore other options as well. Two in consideration right now are the Zipp 303 Firecrest and the Farsports Feder with the 35mm rim depth/28mm wide that are hookless. (am I barking up the wrong tree??)

I really really love the handling of the bike as it sits right now and don't want to screw up that experience. I think I've hit the end of my capability to understand what kind of wheels are the best fit for my use case.

Thanks very much for any help...

by Weenie


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yingyu
Posts: 87
Joined: Tue Jul 13, 2021 7:16 am

by yingyu

Had a somewhat similar discussion at viewtopic.php?f=113&t=168475. I don't think Enve SES 3.4 AR ($2600, 1430 g) -> Zipp 303 FC ($1900, 1380 g) would be an significant upgrade. Zipp 353 NSW could be but it's $$$$. Farsports Feder hookless rims have 22mm IW so they could be a step back in comfort albeit lighter. Note that you can feel lighter rims but not ligher hubs from their handling. There are rumors (viewtopic.php?f=113&t=162375&start=45#p1733620) that Enve may refresh their road wheel lineup soon so you could also wait a bit.

dcj10
Posts: 91
Joined: Sat Nov 13, 2021 4:22 pm

by dcj10

I'm currently running my Aethos with Farsports Feder 230 and 25mm deep hookless rims. I'm kind of in the same boat in the sense I swapped the wheels out from new. In my case I chose the then (in 2021) entry-level Expert as the best way to begin a specific upgrade project, starting with replacing the RD-470 wheels (1810g).

I fitted Zipp Firecrest 303 and then went onto 404, before going in the opposite direction with the Farsports. These particular wheels are so much lighter than anything else I saw in the same price range. All my wheelsets are hookless rims as I'm running low pressures due to the poor roads where I live. If you prefer to run higher or near-normal pressures, hookless probably isn't that advantageous if you've set your heart on running a particular tyre that 'isn't on the list'.

I'm not unusually chunky or powerful: based on my experience, the things the Aethos does best for you currently on the CLXs are possibly going to be magnified by fitting an even lighter wheelset than you have now, rather than going heavier or any more aero. If you do decide to go for lighter and also go tubeless/hookless, it will narrow down the field alot. If I recall correctly the Alpinist CLXs are already quite a bit lighter than anything tubeless on offer from Zipp.

Deeper wheels do blunt the ride and handling to a quite noticeable degree on an Aethos. Unless the enhanced looks of deeper wheels are the sole criteria of choice, why bother? is my motto now.

Something to bear in mind: a Veloflex 28c tyre at 60 psi sits on the Feder 22mm internal hookless rim almost identical to the 25mm internal rim on a 303. See the photo below.
Image

Obviously, if you then go for 30 or 32c tyres, having a hookless rim with wider internal width like the 303 possibly does showcase the benefits of the wider rim.

Final thought, as many others have pointed out on the WW forum, Zipp and some other brands offer a lifetime warranty/crash replacement policy.
Buying cheaper wheels from China doesn't. Just something more I'm sure you'll factor in when considering the wide variations in purchase prices. Good luck choosing.
Last edited by dcj10 on Mon Apr 04, 2022 6:02 pm, edited 3 times in total.
Main ride Aethos Expert 2021 https://weightweenies.starbike.com/for ... 0&t=169445
First reserve Pegoretti steel 2012 Ciavete paint viewtopic.php?f=10&t=168091

dcj10
Posts: 91
Joined: Sat Nov 13, 2021 4:22 pm

by dcj10

duplicate post please delete
Main ride Aethos Expert 2021 https://weightweenies.starbike.com/for ... 0&t=169445
First reserve Pegoretti steel 2012 Ciavete paint viewtopic.php?f=10&t=168091

Basscadet
Posts: 62
Joined: Thu Aug 12, 2021 2:38 pm

by Basscadet

dcj10 wrote:
Mon Apr 04, 2022 3:11 pm
I'm currently running my Aethos with Farsports Feder 230 and 25mm deep hookless rims. I'm kind of in the same boat in the sense I swapped the wheels out from new. In my case I chose the then (in 2021) entry-level Expert as the best way to begin a specific upgrade project, starting with replacing the RD-470 wheels (1810g).
I wanted to say thank you for your post, after riding the Aethos around with the stock wheels I don't want to go any heavier/aero with the wheels and am simply looking for the closest, tubeless-ready, approximation of the Alpinist wheels. I think what you did with the 25mm deep Feder is exactly what I am going to do. Cheers!

mschwett
Posts: 22
Joined: Wed Oct 20, 2021 11:17 pm

by mschwett

Basscadet wrote:
Sat May 07, 2022 3:48 pm
dcj10 wrote:
Mon Apr 04, 2022 3:11 pm
I'm currently running my Aethos with Farsports Feder 230 and 25mm deep hookless rims. I'm kind of in the same boat in the sense I swapped the wheels out from new. In my case I chose the then (in 2021) entry-level Expert as the best way to begin a specific upgrade project, starting with replacing the RD-470 wheels (1810g).
I wanted to say thank you for your post, after riding the Aethos around with the stock wheels I don't want to go any heavier/aero with the wheels and am simply looking for the closest, tubeless-ready, approximation of the Alpinist wheels. I think what you did with the 25mm deep Feder is exactly what I am going to do. Cheers!
... you could also just wait a few weeks for the upcoming "Alpinist CLX II" tubeless version. frustrating to those of us who recently got bikes with the non-tubeless, but the wheels really are a nice match for the bike!

dcj10
Posts: 91
Joined: Sat Nov 13, 2021 4:22 pm

by dcj10

Basscadet wrote:
Sat May 07, 2022 3:48 pm
I wanted to say thank you for your post, after riding the Aethos around with the stock wheels I don't want to go any heavier/aero with the wheels and am simply looking for the closest, tubeless-ready, approximation of the Alpinist wheels. I think what you did with the 25mm deep Feder is exactly what I am going to do. Cheers!
Great to know, and thanks for the feedback. WW forum is great for advice, and just hearing about ideas :thumbup:
Main ride Aethos Expert 2021 https://weightweenies.starbike.com/for ... 0&t=169445
First reserve Pegoretti steel 2012 Ciavete paint viewtopic.php?f=10&t=168091

by Weenie


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

www.starbike.com



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