Expensive VS Cheap Carbon Road Bike Wheels | Carbon Wheel Group Test 2022

Carbon road bike wheels can vary hugely in price...but does more expensive necessarily mean cycling faster? What are the fastest road bike wheels of 2022? And how much should you spend when purchasing a new carbon wheelset? We real-world speed test carbon wheels ranging from £599 Velo-cite to £3,376 Zipp 454 NSWs to find out whether money can buy speed and decide which carbon wheels are the best value for money. Links to all the road bike wheelsets tested can be found below:
Velo-cite HyperDrive 50mm Carbon Disc Wheels | fave.co/3HJG7Jy
Hunt 50 Carbon Wide Aero Wheelset | fave.co/3HlFULl
HED Vanquish RC6 Performance Road Disc Brake Wheelset | fave.co/408W6YS
Shimano Ultegra R8170 C50 Tubeless CL Disc Wheelset | fave.co/3HpiVPB
Hunt 60 Limitless UD Carbon Spoke Disc Wheelset | fave.co/3wJ5ULN
Roval Rapide CL II | fave.co/3kZisfe
Campagnolo Bora WTO 60 Disc | fave.co/3Y8ZTUq
Zipp 454 NSW Tubeless Disc Brake | fave.co/3HlUKRZ
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⚫️ In this video
0:00 Introduction
0:18 The line-up
2:03 The test
3:25 Testing
3:56 Debrief
5:24 Observations
7:49 The results
11:23 Our picks
14:00 Outro
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[@jamalemadian5661]

Would be great to see a control shallow alloy rim added to this comparison

[@SEproducti0n]

Alu shallow rim vs carbon 2.5k rim is 7-10% differecne at max. And dont forget that rider aero is 90% and bike 10%. So You gain 10% out of 10% ?

[@kolichikov8140]

I'd love to see how they perform against stock rims that you get on mid level bikes, ie. before thinking of what to upgrade to, is it even worth upgrading at all?

[@Keschoo]

Better not what if you find out it's not worth to spend money for the looks😂

[@stefanwagener]

Adding a alu wheel set for reference would be nice. Otherwise very helpful information. Winspace would be another name that comes to my mind.

[@davekashuba4730]

What I'd like to know is the difference in build quality, bearings (including serviceability), durability (spokes, bearing, rim), lateral stiffness vs vertical compliance, and warranty. Not easy to do in a quick comparison, but that's what I would LIKE to base my decision on when buying wheels. Speed differences are going to be minimal and variable on riding conditions.

[@robbeelsas]

For that you should follow Hambini and Peak Torque

[@harryrowland4734]

Lateral stiffness and vertical compliance has become an obsession and part of the marketing spin. All wheels flex and vertical compliance is just another work for comfortable. Durability comes from buying wheels that are suitable for the purchasing rider weight and intended use, weight is included in the suitability. Price does not necessarily reflect the quality.

[@ayowser01]

@@StopTheRot that explains their price point and why I see them being sold secondhand.

[@Numeriwar]

There is no verticale compliance

[@Jarek.]

Many thanks for this #video 👍I appreciate how informative it is and how much time & effort you had to spent testing all these #wheels. Cheers! 😀

[@DDGB08]

I appreciate the time put into making this video

[@Z-u-m-a]

Good video guys - appreciate the effort it must have taken.

[@italiansurprise]

I recently picked up Hunt Limitless 60 and can confirm that they’re fast and stable but sound like million bees chasing you on descents. Best value of the group imo.

[@morningtidefilms]

Well hell, if that’s the case I’d definitely increase my downhill times! Best innovative feature yet

[@bipsyscott7275]

I don't understand the limitless pick. The HEDs are faster, and cost less. They get my money.

[@italiansurprise]

@@bipsyscott7275 The HED Vanquish RC6 is $1750USD vs $1450 for the Hunts, at least in the states. Interestingly, I had narrowed my choices to those two, but couldn’t swing the additional cost. I personally like the wider rim profile of the Hunts to use with 28mm tires. Totally agree that HED makes a super reliable, fast wheel. I used tubular HED stingers for years and loved them. As long as the Hunts don’t fall apart, I’m happy.

[@talleyrand3795]

Jamie had a good point when describing the wheels he'd choose. It may not be the fastest on paper but it feels faster. The phycological effect can't be underestimated when you're pushing yourself in a hard effort during a race or something.

[@louis_sharp]

Not having DT SWISS represented is a crime.

[@daviddjerassi]

Excellent no BS straight to the point for me the Hunt 50 wide aero thank you guys.

[@a1white]

Really useful video. Well done for dong such comprehensive testing. Shows that unless you are seriously racing, it's not really worth the massive price difference to your average rider

[@SeraStaplz]

Comprehensive isn't the word I'd use, but it's nice to have this range side by side. Comprehensive would have a larger sample size of EACH wheel, be tested under more controlled circumstances, multiple times, and they would measure more factors than just time. And there's be a stock baseline to compare to.

[@Ans12237]

Wow, thanks for putting in that amount of effort. I'd love to see a similar video about alloy wheels, which are a more realistiv choice for a lot of us.

[@huntos83]

One of the main things I observe from the results is the difference in rim depth probably makes more difference than the value of the wheel. The 3 shallowest wheels at 50mm were the 3 slowest, the faster wheels were all circa 60mm.

[@Xarx42]

Its a pity they didnt underline that (with an extra column eg).

[@colincanyon2519]

You guys worked hard on this, thanks for the heads up 👍

[@jk2302]

I think I'll forever run 28mm tires only moving forward. With disc brake bikes having so much more clearance they're such a smarter tire to run. Cornering, ride feel, speed, it's all there.

[@TheCountrySteve]

Thanks for this. Really interesting comparison. I will return to this if I am ever in the market for a new set of wheels!

[@caperider1160]

For the weekend warriors and cycle enthusiasts, strength and durability are more important than merely a 2-3watts savings at 40km/h

[@katomiler843]

Thanks for the post, guys, another good video with practical, useful info. Bang for the buck, smoothness, stability, durability, for the age group racer, I have been super happy with Steve and Annie HED’s Jet series and RC Performance series wheels for decades. Save your money for bikes and race/fondo/century reg fees, travel expenses ❤

[@KM-jo3wh]

Good review, guys. Chapeau!

[@wsbygt]

Great group test and also I have those same Oakley Frogskins TdF sunglasses which are pretty nice to ride sometimes! Cheers

[@williamforbes7156]

This was a really well done test, I'd love to see another with more brands or even gravel /cyclocross for road sints.

[@jhsd]

Thank you, great tutorial

[@ryanw8987]

It's good to have another set of data like this. I feel a good next test is to take the two lowest performing and two highest performing wheels and try to set them up with the best tires for their profile, then see what difference remains. I understand wanting to use the same tires for controlling a variable, but with varying rim widths it can give an advantage to wider wheelsets. I get the trend is towards wider tires, but if someone is focusing on 10 mile TT's or rides mostly on smooth roads, it could be worth it to them to use a 23c tire if they can save $1k and still get similar speed savings. Especially since they'd really only need to do it on the front wheel; they could stay wider on the back for more comfort with little to no aero penalty.

[@michaelo6870]

Thanks for that very helpful test! I hope the fingers are better by now...

[@tubehabit]

Pity you didn't include a good quality aluminium wheel set just to see what the extra cash for carbon wheels is getting you. To my mind, the small differences between the wheels tested (assuming those differences are statistically significant) are of interest only to the die-hard racer.

[@roadcc]

Next time!

[@Djspeeda]

@@roadcc Promises promises ;)

[@veganpotterthevegan]

The majority of carbon aero wheels will never see a race

[@homerunhomeshow7201]

I have a set of HED Ardennes SL wheels w HED hubs on my rim brake equipped road bike and really like the smoothness and acceleration I feel from these. Based on your test of carbon w disc wheels, I would either stick with the HEDs that did well in your test or the Hunt wheels, which have a reputation of being lighter versus other brands tested. Good video and analysis guys.

[@gregoryflinn3577]

Good to know. What really would have been interesting is to normalise the bearings and see if that reduces the (minimal) differences. But I guess I’ll stick with my aluminium rims anyway.

[@jesuscruz836]

Really great video gentlemen.

[@roadcc]

Glad you enjoyed it :)

[@joelmathews1013]

Wonder why you guys didn’t test the Winspace Hyper wheels especially with the massive uptake of those wheels in the cycling community

[@Neilz911]

I had the Bora WTO 45 and loved that wheel Set, stunning looks, incredible build quality, nice machined hubs and a good performace (unscientific, by my feelings) made it my favorite wheels set. Maybe the wheels are a bit on the heavy side but you save 20-30g at each wheel for needing no rimtape.

[@YtseHWSW]

I ride the WTO 60s and I'm still stunned how gorgeous they look and how smoothy they rotate - even after having them for almost a year. Very susceptible for crosswinds though, but not more than my previous Fulcrums.

[@stirny9731]

Have you already broken a spoke? Can you repair it normally? I had once heard the wildest stories that you can not repair and the whole wheel is defective thereby.

[@Neilz911]

@@stirny9731 never broke one, but its possible to fix you just need a steel nippel and a magnet and maybe you have to remove some other spokes..

[@B_KFC_Leg]

Things such as reliability, and quality control are something that are hard to be measured on. I consider these to be equally important to speed when come down to selecting a Wheelset.

[@mek3007]

As for wheelset suggestions: include all those on the world tour teams! Enve, Corima, Dura Ace, etc. we can then speculate if wheels made a difference! Cav vs Jakobsen, etc! Great test and love the real world watt choices!

[@user-nu5fx6en9h]

Zipp nsw is a pair of monster wheel, the stability it’s just so good in cross wind or during downhill and noticeably more free speed. Totally worth it

[@tomaruba]

great video, thanks

[@elbarto4711]

Nice video so far. Comparison on a climb would be nice too. And for sure a freehub soundcheck 😎

[@jimlanave8000]

I use Ican wheels - three sets, total. One set of base 38s on my wife's bike, one set of 38s on my '99 Trek 5200 and one set of F&L 50s on my Specialized Venge. We've got thousands and thousands of miles on those wheels and I love them (between $450 and $750 US). No idea how fast they are comparatively, but we average 22-24-mph over 30 miles and I feel comfortable on either wheelset (though the Fast & Light 50s are a little better at the faster speeds).

[@davidnicholson6680]

This matches my anecdotal experiences. I have a set of 2019 ENVE 4.5SES wheels and they feel no faster than the 2022 Farsports Revo wheels I have on two other bikes. The Farsports are literally half the price of the ENVEs, have a slightly wider profile (~30mm external) and have exactly the same hubs as my particular ENVEs (240EXPs). The Revos also look better and have a solid rim bed which eliminates the need for tubeless tape, I run everything tubeless so that's important for me. IMO, the sweet spot for performance carbon wheels is ~$1,250. Any more than that doesn't get any faster, any less than that and you start getting lower quality OEM hubs and questionable build quality.

[@gaza4543]

Depends on the oem hubs, I’ve had better experience with bitex and nova than dt Swiss and hope hubs I’ve owned. Hubs are a complete crap shoot. If the machining is out then it’s out regardless of price. Your bearings will forever prematurely wear what ever the brand. Hubs are some of the most overpriced things in cycling. And very hard to prove that there is a problem and an exspensive fix even if they give you new hub. Some of the china brands like elite and winspace. Hopefully this will drive down the costs of cycling products.

[@WowRixter]

Nice real world testing.

[@mek3007]

Would be great to discuss each wheelset in more depth: feel, sound on the road, cross winds, and have a flat/rolling test as well as a climb test. Many people own or are considering these different wheelsets and it would be more informative as to a personal pros/cons comparison for individuals interested in a particular set of wheels or decision between different sets or an additional set with different characteristics.

[@sventice]

Love this video. My big takeaways here are: 1. if you're not racing, the more modestly priced carbon wheels are probably good enough. 2. The hubs may be as important as the wheels themselves; a lot of these wheels, regardless of price, seem to have DT hubs. What tyres (tires) did you use? I'd love to see a similar comparison of higher-quality alloy wheels vs. carbon ones. My guess is that the higher-end alloy wheels are about as good, in terms of weight and performance, as the mid-range carbon models, and possibly a lot less expensive. (Kind of like higher-end aluminium bike frames vs. lower-end carbon layups.)

[@11robotics]

​@@TheAntoine191 before saying they are "a lot slower" with so much confidence, what is the definition of "a lot slower" exactly? 3% free speed is hardly relevant to me. Some extra 0.9 km/h when doing 30 km/h on the flats or even some extra 0.3 km/h when climbing at 10 km/h (which you won't get, because the aero gain at those speeds is much lower) are irrelevant to me and to most road bike users who don't race. But hey, if you believe 3% more speed on flats is "a lot faster", who am I to tell you otherwise.

[@alex.pozgaj]

I'd even say that mid-range aluminium wheels are also just as good, if you are not racing, resp. if you are only racing against yourself, as the most of us hobby riders are.

[@jacekkapela6754]

There was a test long time ago, made by Tom Anhalt, if I'm correct in the wind tunnel. Alloy-carbon HEDs 60 mm were 2W slower than Rovals CLX 64 mm. So marginal difference. But alloy wheels will last much longer and will withstand potholes and debris on the the road.

[@MattyBrad]

I bought a pair of CLX Rapide a month ago. Fitted 28mm tires as I couldn't get 26mm in time. After watching this I'm very glad I couldn't.

[@derekkuhl]

I would have also liked a wheel by wheel commentary about subjective cornering and comfort of each wheelset. You have established that the speed differences are small, but do some feel better so that you would like to have them on your bike? Great video though!

[@csaba675]

I love do sound of the HUNT freehub! No need for a bell when riding on busy cycle highways in London, just freewheel for a second and people will know you are coming :)

[@owensnicholas]

I keep looking at carbon wheels and keep making the decision to stick with the alloys that came with my bike. It doesn’t matter whether I do it a little faster. I’m out there for the exercise.

[@nickdalamagas3540]

Value for money & performance, the Lun Winspace Hypers seem to be a great buy. Would be great to see them tested next 👍

[@robbeelsas]

As you can see in my profile picture I run Winspace Hyper 50 wheels and they are truly the best pair of wheels I've ever ridden (got 5000km on them now without any issues). However, I'm hearing lots of good stuff about Elite Drive 50D and Farsports Ventoux S wheels (although the Farsports are comparatively expensive). Personally, I think I'd buy the Elite Drive 50D wheels over the Winspace Hyper 50 wheels now because they are similarly priced but weigh considerably less

[@nickdalamagas3540]

@@robbeelsas how do Elite compare quality wise & stiffness? Little extra weight isn’t always an issue when there are other dominant factors. I’ve heard so much praise about the Hypers & positive reviews. Hambini loves them. I’m close to pulling the trigger 👍

[@srdfcgvhbn]

@@nickdalamagas3540 elitewheel has black friday promotion at £260, too good to miss. i just ordered one

[@biamarconchi]

thanks, great info

[@natedog5564]

good work chaps

[@shanewiseman5729]

The only difference between well made cheaper wheels and expensive wheels besides the massive price difference is the marketing waffle.

[@retsu1182]

The 10sec in time which come be due to numerous factors isnt worth spending £2000 more on but buying a wheel with better hubs like dt swiss and better spokes which will needs to true less and are more reliable is worth the extra money, companies sell a fad of 2 seconds faster over 40km instead of 4x more durable and longer lasting.

[@Jacob99174]

Mmmm waffles

[@harryrowland4734]

As a recreational cyclist, I wouldn't buy carbon anything, if I was young and still racing, I probably would. And as I wheelbuilder, I can honestly say that a good aluminium rim is better than carbon in every aspect except aerodynamics.

[@MrBoggins1234]

@@Jacob99174 caramel mmmmm

[@cecilordono6326]

And the hubs

[@JogBird]

i bought carbon wheels 50% because they look cool, 40% becuase theyre lighter, and 10% the cool high engagement sound .. theyre a luxury item and so value is irrelevant

[@timchau6543]

nice comparsion. I have Roval Rapide CL II, it is great for cross wind compared with WTO.. overall performance is nice, smooth.

[@iang7007]

Good test guys :) What tire widths were you running and what pressures for tubeless?

[@nowisthetime12]

enjoyed this informative video that was done on flats, but would like to see a comparative test done on hills which we climb a lot of here in NorCal.

[@roadcc]

Watch this space

[@zachrharon]

I would love to see the new Mavics COSMIC SLRs being tested. They don't seem to pop up in tests much these days don't they?

[@jessejamesv]

Thanks for doing this. There just isn't enough comparison data on all the aero stuff out there.

[@DnDMF]

7:50 - 7:59 very important point . Great video guys. I really liked the fact that you added your opinions on feel and the negatives.

[@galibierfinebikewear]

class review. good work

[@roadcc]

Much appreciated!

[@roadcc]

Much appreciated!

[@455LT1]

I went with the Zipp 404 Firecrest because of a) the lifetime warranty and b) the hub. The ZR1 is my new favorite hub. It's serviceable and robust

[@rudldienudl25]

I have them too and love them. Something that wasnt mentioned in the video is the difference of inner rim width. They only mentioned that the Campag wheels have only 19mm. The Zipps have 23mm inner rim width and with a 28mm tire u can ride really low tire pressures. The added comfort is something i really started to appreciate as i am getting older and doing long rides.

[@Banks231]

The result fit's to the expectation, once profile height is fixed, with reasonable build quality, the performance difference is not large between brands. Besides the low profile aluminum wheel, I would like also see one comparison with 3~5 spoke TT standard carbon wheels

[@SimVanGyseghem]

I'm super happy with my JRA MahiMahi wheelset I got for my Orbea Orca recently. Would love to see that in a test 😊

[@jeremybrechbuhl1573]

Hi, Thank you for this nice video ! It would be very interesting to compare the Reserve 52/63 with the Roval Rapide...

[@devinmorrison7131]

Surprising to not see Winspace on this lineup, by far the best all rounder for performance, looks, price.

[@andymoss]

I have a set of Reynolds AR41X and they are okay. The back wheel is quite flexxy so I get brake rub pretty much anytime I’m out of the saddle, but they are fairly light and aero.

[@sandydennylives1392]

Being a heavier rider I've never veered off alu wheels. There are huge speed gains based on weight and hub quality but none have failed on build quality. Campag rule the roost for me, 26 mm tires on Zonda's are my go to on my terrible roads, I might go up the alu chain when covid is over. There is too much traffic to race near me unless it's stop light to stop light so carbon wheels are pointless for me. A much lighter rider on baby smooth roads might get some benefit, if those roads exist.

[@911Sam]

I bought the Fulcrum Wind 40 DB wheels to replace those horrible aluminium anchors on my Aethos Comp. I would have liked to have something more high-end, but realised that I don’t race and Wiggle sold a pair for about 1,000 euros (not GBP). I think it was a good bargain, they are nice to ride. Though heavy, they are good enough for a complete amateur like me. Probably I would buy Roval Alpinist CL if I had the cash!

[@richards4422]

Should have had one quality aluminum rim wheelset for comparison of cost vs speed vs weight.

[@TheArchiveOfWonder]

Oftentimes Stans or other high quality AL wheels only weight 100g more than carbon anyhow.

[@ivangroznii]

Great reviews 🎉 I wish you guys would make a review on the scribe wheels. I've been racing on them for the past few years and had great success. I'd like to see how they stand up to the competition according to you.

[@roadcc]

Cheers Ivan! We'll be doing another one of these tests this year so will try to include the Scribes!

[@alexteow7021]

Look forward to this! Especially the new Scribe Elan SL

[@aanonymuss3603]

Gréât test well done! Why didn’t you try the parcours Strade? They were developed by a university and are supposed to be brilliant. You could ask them for a pair to test on the same route.

[@red00tl]

I had the exactly same experience with Jamie that when I had a 26c tire on my Roval Rapide I hit a road furniture with the rim 'cause the 26c tire wasn't wide enough to protect the rim. Luckily I didn't hit it too hard and could get away with only a scuff mark on the rim though. Ever since that, I have been using 28c tires on the Rapide wheels.

[@gregmorrison7320]

What is the inside width of these rims and is it a result of the hookless design or the width of the rim? Asking as I'm considering getting wider but not hookless rims.

[@red00tl]

@@gregmorrison7320 Roval Rapide wheels are hooked; I believe this has to do more with the discrepancy between the outer width and the inner width of the rim, particularly on the front wheel where I got hit. The inner width is 21mm whereas the outer width of the front wheel is 35mm.

[@dr.danielriverahdz3873]

Thank you very much

[@leeharding8306]

I have the cheaper Hunts and they are excellent. They just feel fast and comfortable. The free hub is very basic tech but it’s easy to work on. If you have the money spare then the dearer ones with better hubs and spokes would be the icing on the cake but I wouldn’t spend any more than that.

[@mathewrose2951]

I have a set of Rovals set up with tubes in them to ride day to day and an older set of Corima tubulars that weigh a bit less and are still 100% excellent wheels.

[@ESR66]

Lun 45mm and better fitness made a big difference in my speed.

[@nickdalamagas3540]

Lun 45s or 50s? I thought they were hyper 50s.

[@ESR66]

@@nickdalamagas3540 Lun is also made by Winspace with all the goodness of the Hypers but cheaper $798 USD

[@Sycliste]

I own a pair of Scope R5 on a reasonably priced aero / endurance bike (Rose Reveal) and a pair of Scope R3 on a 2018 Cannondale Synapse Hi-mod built as a lightweight climbing bike and I am very satisfied with both sets. Could be worth testing next time :) (PS : the freehubs are VERY LOUD ...)

[@atassisamer]

great review guys ! BMC bikes come with CRD-321 carbon wheels. Any idea who makes these wheels ?

[@henkdebeer8555]

I would love to know how you think the Prime Primavera wheels would compare; they are currently around £600 from CRC/Wiggle. I have a set of the 56mm version on the way.

[@Beinhartwie1chopper]

Great Test, DT Swiss erc/arc were missing.

[@jamesmckenzie3532]

People crank on Specialized, but as these tests show, they must have some idea on what they are doing. But I love that H.E.D. is still out there and still doing quite well. Kudos to his Widow and those running the company now. What really surprised me the most was how well the Chinese knockoffs did.

[@Nonixification]

Almost perfect test, what I miss is a control wheel a cheap £100 aluminium to see the baseline. Well done! edit: oh I see thats the top comment, I should have read comments first :p

[@MrGarycoww]

The reason the roval wheels show the rim is to provide a a trip effect to the wind to make it stay attached longer, if you light bulb your tire your robbing yourself of speed,check out Hambini .

[@damu6678]

Great video but how could you leave out Enve?

[@God_Bolt]

Would be cool if you get your hands on the new CADEX 50 Ultra to test and compare them

[@shaylorcyclingwahoolecol8313]

I got the campags in 45 for £1449 last year and I love them

[@ulrikjensen5227]

Do test some of the Yoeleo wheels. They perform well in other independent tests

[@andreytsoy44]

I would chose between, winspace,farsports,light bicycle,yoeleo those are excellent wheels too

[@Northwindbreeze]

Same time or not, quality wheels are a real thing. There are many other elements of performance when comparing wheels, not only speed.

[@rah4981]

If you can afford carbon wheels then buy it. Hobbies are expensive anyway, at least cycling is a healthy hobby. It probably will not make you any faster , but they look good, and I love he "swoosh" sound they make when I'm riding fast 🤗

[@roadcc]

Well put!

[@Flexo_l]

I have zipp 303s and they are fantastic.

[@Northwindbreeze]

me too.

[@drahdyfaify]

Very Thank you for your opinion and information, my question mark, already you answer. Saved my expenses budjet to buy expensive rim😂😂😂 thbaks alot

[@rantingwrench]

Two comments: 1) The price difference might not be justified in speed, but it will probably show itself in build quality. Be it the quality of the build itself (even spoke tensions, etc) or the longevity of the bearings, you probably are getting more for your money with the more expensive wheels. At least, you'd hope so... 2) By definition, if you do the same 300W for the same time in your race, you're not going to finish with more energy on the fastest wheels because energy = power * time. If you're putting out the same power for the same duration, then you're expending the same energy. What you're really hoping is that the wheels save you time...

[@shoey1984]

I was thinking getting the zipp 303s but I may have to reconsider

[@FunkiSiWat]

Interesting comparison- thanks! Would be more so with a baseline shallow wheel. Any idea by how much slower

[@roadcc]

Good question and one that we're keen to answer properly, look out for another video in the new year, box section vs 30 vs 40 vs 50, vs 80

[@FunkiSiWat]

@@roadcc thanks looking forward to that. Unleash the marginal geeks 🤓

[@gaza4543]

Well I can can give you parcours answer between the ronde and the strada and thats 5 watts. So at 20mph your perhaps saving 2-3sec over 10miles BUT it will heavily depend on how areo your tiers are too

[@chrisgravel7157]

As a HED RC6 Pro owner (30g lighter rim weight, 150g overall) this test just relinquished my desire to try something else. I think their damn fast, comfy and stiff. Do I wish they were a little lighter/snappier on climbs - yes but on rolling terrian where they really belong their brilliant.

[@8rk]

Got 2 sets of pros as well. They really killed my desire for anything else. They look so badass to boot.

[@jameswhite9288]

ENVE foundation 60s could be a good addition here - they seem to fare well when they’ve appeared on other comparisons

[@manoz6194]

I would have liked you to try Vel wheels from Sigma Sports and some Mavic

[@SonnyDarvishzadeh]

I regret purchasing a set of 303 Firecrest. Within 3 months, the freehub had water ingress and all springs went rusty and are now stuck. I have to purchase a freehub for 100 euros. On the other hand, I've been riding on original aluminium wheels for 2 years, still spinning without extra cost. Probably my biggest mistake for a small gain and more for the bling.

[@dakalla]

This is where the Shimano or campaign shine! With cup and cone bearings with some love once or two times a year they last for more than one bike lifetime

[@thierryc4132]

@@dakalla I have been building wheels out of passion for many years and I work for a well-known large bearing manufacturer who is also a partner of a cycling federation... And I found myself working to restore the bearing part of many Shimano wheels because the teams world tour have big problems with this and Shimano does not correct the degradation because it only offers part of the bearing set, the outer raceways are missing. The restoration was an extremely complicated and delicate job but I got a very good result and I improved the sealing, the lubrication and applied the right adjustment... Now everything is fine for all these wheels but the question is, why Shimano can't do that!?!

[@SonnyDarvishzadeh]

@@dakalla to be clear, bearings are fine, the hub is fine, it's the pawls and pawl springs that have rusted so much that they were not engaging. I discovered this since in last couple of rides (especially behind red lights), I found my feet going down immediately when pedalling. I checked the thru axle and then the wheel, turned out the pawls were not springing back..

[@janvanrookhuijzen8309]

Very nice to test this way. My main concern is the lack of datapoints given the small differences. You cannot say de difference is significant (as you say in the video) with only one ride per person per wheel. Would be nice to use some some simple scientific data analyses and see if it keeps up.

[@muhammadaliaslam3706]

What tires you paired the Rovals with? And what was the tire pressure

[@maxbucky24]

Id of like to see some winspace hyper wheels in there

[@roadcc]

We'll add them to the list

[@ericstacer9994]

As a big rider (105kg) the Campagnolo Bora One 50 have held up for over 2 years and are still true.

[@marks4471]

Seems like a marginal difference overall across the board. I'm even wondering if outside factors such as difference in wind may have influenced the results. On my 39.3-mile (63.2 km) ride this morning, I was 10 seconds /mile slower than the same ride yesterday morning because of the slight difference in wind direction/velocity! I want an aero bike!

[@Xarx42]

I agree. As much as I appreciate the effort there are just so many questions. The wind can obviously change during the day. How did they measure the time at the start and finish? What tire pressure did they use (the Zipp rims are hookless and 5 bar is the maximum, did they use higher tire pressure with the other wheels or was it always 5 bar)? They should have also talked more about the differenct rim depth.

[@VeselenyiVlado]

on what tires did u do the test? seems important if its 26 or 28 or even 30... personaly I wouldnt ride anything else as 30 so I would like to see a comparison with that and with different tire widths