Question about recent carbon rim brake technologies

[Aya]

Hi.

I have 2nd generation Enve Smart wheelsets which have Textured Brake Track.

I think they quite work well in terms of the brake performance, even if I compared them to the alloy wheels I've used before. They are very satisfactory to me.

I know several wheelset manufacturers have their own carbon rim brake track technologies. For example, Enve's Textured Track, Zipp's Showstopper, Campanolo's AC3, Mavic's iTgMax, etc.

But I haven't had a chance to use them yet except Enve. I've read their spec sheets and advertisements for their technologies. But as you know, sheets can not give me feels of the real world brake performances.

I'm really curious about them. How much differences do they have between recent carbon brake track of various technologies? Especially on dry paved roads.

Is anyone who has experienced in those wheels? and Could you share some info about thier comparison? I thank you in advance

[darnellrm]

Go ride them and you tell us....

[Alexandrumarian]

I have Boras with both 3diamant surface and AC3. AC3 is maybe a bit rougher and has those )))))) cuts, otherwise very similar. I like the feel more than I get from alu wheels. More feedback and the sound is pleasing. Been in damp conditions and seems ok. No real rain yet and I don't plan to be in one either. Haven't been on other carbon wheels.

[bilwit]

I'm not too convinced that textured brake tracks do anything more than eat up pads quicker..

[darnellrm]

Have you actually tried them?

[trimenc]

^ Wow, you are a ton of help...aren’t you?

[Orlok]

This question was already on the forum: https://weightweenies.starbike.com/foru ... p?t=140003

[darnellrm]

^ Wow, you are a ton of help...aren’t you?

I am trying to understand if bilwits comment was from experience or convecture.

[Beaver]

Hi.

I have 2nd generation Enve Smart wheelsets which have Textured Brake Track.

I think it quite works well even if I compared it to the alloy wheels I've used before. They are very satisfactory to me.

I know several wheelset manufacturers have their own carbon rim brake track technologies. For example, Enve's Textured Track, Zipp's Showstopper, Campanolo's AC3, Mavic's iTgMax, etc.

But I haven't had a chance to use them yet. I've read their spec sheets and advertisements for their technologies. But as you know, sheets can not give me feels of the real world brake performances.

I'm really curious about them. How much differences do they have between recent carbon brake track of various technologies? Especially on dry paved roads.

Is anyone who has experienced in those wheels? and Could you share some info about thier comparison? I thank you in advance

Enve's brake track is already one of the best, the others won't be better, especially in the wet.

"On wet roads, the 202 NSW brake better than all other wheelsets in this review save for the ENVE which takes wet braking on carbon brake tracks to another level." https://intheknowcycling.com/2017/08/30 ... ng-wheels/

"I also have about 2,500 miles on the new track on my 2.2s. The noise takes a minute to get used. There's a winding down sound when you stop. I suspect the pads will wear faster. They stop nicely dry or wet. I've done technical descents wet and they were fine."
https://forums.thepaceline.net/showthread.php?t=189769

"Turns out braking in the wet is not only possible but highly impressive with the new SES 3.4s. I'm not a huge fan of carbon for wet weather riding because the braking performance is often lacking, but the SES 3.4s delivered reassuringly consistent and reliable retardation even when the rain was bouncing off the road and riding through massive puddles deep enough to almost engulf the rims.
With carbon rim brakes there's usually a delay after pulling the brake lever before anything happens. Not so with the 3.4s. There's no delay from pulling the brake lever to the brake blocks applying pressure on the moulded brake track. It’s very reassuring. We climbed and descended some really good fun roads and I was able to approach the corners with a confidence I rarely experience with carbon clincher rims.
Granted there’s some decline in braking performance compared to dry weather braking, but it isn’t anywhere near as bad as most other carbon rims I've yet tried. I found them a revelation." https://road.cc/content/news/218781-fir ... her-wheels

[RyanH]

I've owned all listed except showstopper. I never got a chance to ride the Enve in the rain but man did they go through pads quickly, like every 2-3 weeks at my current elevation/mileage rate. In the dry, Mavic itgmax is hard to beat from a feel perspective. I don't think there's a better brake track out there than what Mavic has...too bad they can't make a good wheel worth a damn.

[SLCBrandon]

People will scoff when I say this, but Mavic’s CCU’s are the best braking carbon wheels I’ve had. And I’ve owned A LOT of wheels. 7-8 sets of Enve’s, 4 sets of Boras, all the Rovals, Lightweights etc.

The 2 sets of CCU’s I’ve had have been shockingly good in that respect. I can’t figure out how a) they did it and b) why everything has gone backwards since.

The latest Mavic textured brake track eats pads and leaves a yellow residue if you use their pads. It brakes well though....just not as good as their own tech from a decade ago.

[wheelsONfire]

People will scoff when I say this, but Mavic’s CCU’s are the best braking carbon wheels I’ve had. And I’ve owned A LOT of wheels. 7-8 sets of Enve’s, 4 sets of Boras, all the Rovals, Lightweights etc.

The 2 sets of CCU’s I’ve had have been shockingly good in that respect. I can’t figure out how a) they did it and b) why everything has gone backwards since.

The latest Mavic textured brake track eats pads and leaves a yellow residue if you use their pads. It brakes well though....just not as good as their own tech from a decade ago.

I wonder if this is due to the new surface or resin used in the rims?
Perhaps Mavic has increased friction between pads and rims!?

Personally, my curiousity for this wheelset is on it's high!
https://www.roues-rar.fr/en/127-exalt-40-carbon.html

Hubs seems like a (possibly) better version of Tune Mig/ Mag hubs.
Clarify, not designed by Tune but by RAR.

[RyanH]

@slcbrandon
I heard they had some running changes and added tgmax at one point (like 2015) to CCU (model year I had). Do you know about that at all? I'd probably agree that CCUs were the best braking I've owned, mine were 2015.

[TobinHatesYou]

Are the current Mavic braketracks still like playing Missile Command, sound-wise? I think that’s the main thing about Showstopper...it’s not the best wet/dry, but it’s quiet. Still, I’ll take absolute braking performance at the expense of noise.

[SLCBrandon]

@slcbrandon
I heard they had some running changes and added tgmax at one point (like 2015) to CCU (model year I had). Do you know about that at all? I'd probably agree that CCUs were the best braking I've owned, mine were 2015.

I hadn’t heard that. My first set was a pre-2015 set for sure and I’d bet the second set was as well.

I bragged up the first set so much that I was worried the second set wouldn’t live up to my own hype. They did.

I wish the new, wider, clinchers were a tad lighter.