THE BEST ALL AROUND CARBON DISC WHEELSET
In this review, I’ll share our reviews and give you my ratings of the leading all-around carbon disc wheelsets that perform well on a wide range of road terrain and racing disciplines.
TL;DR (click for more)
- All-around carbon disc wheelsets, now in their 4th generation, are faster, more comfortable, and do more things well on a wider range of terrain than the best carbon rim brake wheels ever did.
- When choosing between these wheels, their versatility, aero drag (momentum), sidewind stability, lateral stiffness, vertical compliance, and responsiveness matter most for similarly priced models.
- We rate the Zipp 454 NSW (available here, here, and here) and the ENVE SES 4.5 (available here, here, here, and here) our best performing and recommended all-around carbon disc wheelsets.
- You can compare the performance ratings, prices, and specs of all the wheelsets in this category including all-arounders from Bontrager, Cadex, Campagnolo, DT Swiss, Shimano, and Roval.
- For budget-priced carbon all-around wheels, see my reviews of the Best Value Carbon Wheels.
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CARBON DISC WHEELSET DEVELOPMENTS
We’ve now seen a 4th generation of the evolution of carbon disc wheelsets. What started as modifications of rim brake wheels is the only new carbon wheelset choice you have.
While it’s still early in this latest generation and most carbon disc brake wheelsets available to us enthusiasts are 3rd generation ones, the 4th generation of wider, lighter, tubeless-only, and hookless rims are upon us.
Many of the latest generation wheelsets will also be less expensive than those from the prior generation and, thanks to new standards, will be easier to install tires on, though they will still not be as easy as clinchers.
Carbon Disc Wheelset Evolution 2014-2022
The most notable takeaway for me after assembling this chart is how quickly things have changed and how much the latest generation of all-around wheels for road disc bikes are different than those we rode just a few years ago on our rim brake bikes.
In fact, most of the leading wheelset companies have stopped selling carbon rim brake wheels, and all development time and money is spent on disc brake wheels. That’s why I’ve called the 4th generation “All In On Disc Brake Wheels.”
These changes have made the all-around carbon disc wheelset faster, more comfortable, more durable, and more versatile than all-around rim brake wheels ever were without any effect on stiffness, acceleration, or handling.
Remember when better braking was all that most people fixed on when talking about the benefits of going to road disc bikes? Well, the ability to get all the benefits I just summarized is a whole lot more than better braking, which was enough of a reason for many people to go with a road disc bike in the first place.
Let me go through some of these benefits a bit more.
Faster – Wider rims mean you can run some 28C tires to gain more comfort without incurring additional drag. Wider tires also reduce losses or energy that saps your body from the road vibrations that come with a narrower tire that you need to run at a higher inflation pressure to maintain the same opposing force as a wider one. (See my post on how wide wheels and wide tires can make you faster for more on this.)
Most of the Gen 3 disc brake wheelsets were designed for 25C tires that, once inflated, will be narrower than the external rim width. This makes the rim-tire combination more aero than using 28mm tires when your speeds top 20mph/32kph. And aero gains are something you pay for when buying deep or all-around carbon disc wheels.
More Comfortable – Going tubeless allows you to run your wider tires at lower pressures without pinch flat concerns. Lower pressures make for a more comfortable ride and fewer impedance losses.
More Durable – The best carbon rim brake wheels use resins with high melting points to make it much harder for riders to warp them when they apply or drag the brakes. The trade-off is that these resins can make the wheels a bit brittle. While I can’t quantify the difference, dedicated disc brake wheels use lower melting temperature resins that are less brittle.
More Versatile – Because the latest generations of all-around carbon disc wheels have gotten wider, more tubeless friendly, and more durable, you can comfortably ride them on gravel and cyclocross tracks with the appropriate tires. Those with 23mm or 25mm inside rim widths are as wide as dedicated gravel wheels. Doing this can save you from having to buy another set of wheels to excel on dirt, grass, and gravel roads and trails.
A few words about tubeless tires. You’ll notice that tubeless tires are often mentioned in my description of developments and their benefits.
Removable valve cores, easier-to-mount rims, and a whole lot more experience with tubeless tires while testing all these carbon disc wheelsets have made installing them easier and cleaner and mellowed me somewhat to the minimally more added work they bring over standard clincher tires.
Lower prices, lower rolling resistance (lower than tubular or clincher tires), the ability to run lower pressures, more comfort, and having nearly every puncture seal so far have made me look past many of my previous objections to tubeless.
While tubeless still requires a learning curve, I can now say the benefits they add to the right rims can outweigh the diminishing disadvantages and make it well worth getting up that curve if you want those benefits. My review of tubeless tires lays all of this out in more detail and gives you my recommendations for the best ones.
WHAT MATTERS MOST
For each In The Know Cycling review, I evaluate category-specific criteria in four groups – performance, design, quality, and cost. The criteria that matter most in those groups for the best all-around wheels for road disc bikes are as follows:
Performance: Versatility, specificity, aero drag (momentum), sidewind stability, lateral stiffness, vertical compliance, aka “comfort,” responsiveness, and durability.
Design: Wheel weight and material, rim depth, rim inner and outer widths, rim profile, hub and spoke design, and wheel finish.
Quality: Warranties, crash support, and service/support.
Cost: Purchase price, cost of ownership, and replacement cost.
I use most of those criteria for all-around disc brake wheelsets, with a few exceptions and changes in emphasis that I’ll point out below.
You can’t measure a wheelset’s aero drag on the road, so, as a surrogate, we evaluate and compare how well different wheelsets maintain their momentum at different speeds.
Since the latest all-around carbon disc wheelsets are deeper than earlier ones, sidewind stability has become increasingly important.
And since all-around wheels are intended for a wide range of paved road terrain – flats, rollers, climbs, descents – and for mixed or unpaved surfaces and for cyclocross racing, and even gravel, versatility is key. Specificity, or how well a wheelset performs in a specific situation, is a criterion best used for dedicated aero, climbing, or gravel wheels.
Stiffness and compliance are important for all wheels.
Responsiveness, or how lively and light your wheels feel as you accelerate and handle your bike at different speeds, across varying terrain, and through a range of cornering situations, is a key measure of all-around wheels but less in others.
Durability is obviously important for any wheelset. However, we can only measure it on an exception basis since testing one set of wheels is not representative of the performance of the many wheels a company makes of a specific model. We also don’t test it long enough to induce failure. If it fails or has issues early in our testing, or we hear or read about shops and users reporting chronic problems, we’ll certainly report that.
Design specs like weight and rim width are worth noting but may or may not deliver the intended performance those specs are often associated with. A wheelset’s actual responsiveness, stiffness, and comfort on the road, for example, are far more important than the design specifications and new technology that we often get so hung up (and sold) on and that we too easily equate to those performance attributes.
Considering the range of options the road cycling enthusiast has to choose from in all-around wheels for road disc bikes, I recommend a Best Performer (independent of price) but not a Best Value wheelset (considering performance and price) in this review. For less expensive all-around wheels which unfortunately do not perform as well, check out my review of the best value carbon wheelsets here.
Quality is either a go or no-go in my recommendations. I won’t recommend anything that doesn’t have an acceptable level of quality according to my criteria. I’m also not going to recommend something that has superior quality but under-performs or has higher costs. When two wheelsets perform more or less the same, I do consider quality and cost criteria in recommending one as a Best Performer.
With all of that noted, here are my evaluations of the best all-around carbon disc wheelsets for road cycling enthusiasts.
ALL-AROUND CARBON DISC WHEELSET COMPARATIVE RATINGS
Go directly to reviews:
Campagnolo Bora Ultra WTO 45 Disc Brake
REVIEWS AND RECOMMENDATIONS
Best Performer
ZIPP 454 NSW – FAST WHEELS ANYWHERE YOU RIDE
If you don’t want to pick between wheels that would be fast on flats vs. on rolling hills vs. on climbs or in a training ride, group ride, road race, or crit, I recommend the latest Zipp 454 NSW Tubeless Disc-brake wheelset. It will be fast in all those situations and the fastest around in many of them.
At US$4220/£3376/€3798, it better be. But if top performance in a single wheelset in nearly every situation and against nearly every criterion is important to you, it just may be worth it.
That’s the conclusion that fellow testers Nate, Miles, and I reached after riding the Zipp 454 NSW.
At its core, it’s a stiff, deep, and light wheelset. Those three attributes, along with the 454 NSW’s fast-engaging rear hub, make it so responsive that it redefines the term “snappy.”
Practically, the 454 NSW’s superior ability to accelerate made it an ideal partner for 20-30 second break-away efforts and sprint finishes. Except for on the steepest of slopes, Miles said this wheelset “made me faster on nearly any effort I tried.”
And Miles is already a fast dude, regularly winning P/1/2 masters crits, road, and stage races in the Northeast and finishing top 10 at US Nationals.
Even for me, a more average B group level roadie, the sensation of riding this highly responsive 454 NSW wheelset was energizing almost from the first pedal stroke. Once into my rides, I felt like I had great legs every day I rode them.
Nate, our A group Bullet Train ride leader who rode the 454 NSW on some of those early morning hammerfests and out front of 100 and 140-mile one-day rides with 8,000 to 10,000 feet of climbing, initially resisted giving them up for others to test. Despite being a peace-loving guy, he paraphrased Charleton Heston’s line about prying them out of his “cold dead hands.”
Nate has been testing all sorts of wheels along with me for at least the last 5+ years, including the prior generation 454 NSW rim brake wheels. His feedback started with a most definitive statement.
These are the first wheels where I haven’t felt like I was making a tradeoff between aero and climbing performance.
I don’t know what they cost (I’ve trained him not to look at price or specs and just judge performance – ed). I’m sure it will be high. But, I would put them in the category where it just MIGHT be worth paying $1,000 more for these than others which are ALMOST as good but not on all characteristics. (Nate’s capitalization.)
Unlike Nate’s experience with the earlier 454 NSW rim brake wheels that wobbled in crosswinds to the point where he slowed on each fast downhill section of a looping road race, he felt confident on similarly fast, windy descents riding this new 454 NSW disc brake wheelset.
Miles felt far less comfortable in some windy situations. When the breezes picked up to about 20 mph and came directly from the side, it felt like he was getting a slight body check and was pushed around far more than with any wheelset he’s ever ridden.
It may be that the 454 NSW’s sawtooth rim profile is best at reducing crosswinds at lesser yaw angles than what Miles experienced and perhaps more similar to those Nate did. For me, I always seem to be riding into headwinds no matter what course I’m on, and it was no different riding the 454 NSW.
The only other slight knock we had on this carbon disc wheelset was its ability to hold its momentum on the flats at speeds north of 25mph. While the 454 NSW rolled just fine at that speed, it felt like we needed a bit more effort to keep pace with the average aero wheelset that is often 5-10mm deeper and 200-300 grams heavier. It’s simply a matter of physics and a tradeoff the speediest of enthusiasts might want to keep in mind.
You are likely doing a lot of handling when you aren’t on a breakaway, going over rolling terrain, heading up climbs, or sprinting for the line. And the good news is that this is another area where the 454 NSW outperforms most wheelsets.
We experienced precise, confident, high-speed cornering. These carbon disc wheels do exactly what you want them to do in big arc turns, 50+mph downhills, slower switchbacks, and even quick, last-second movements.
With the right tires and at the right pressures, the ride is also very comfortable, no matter how good the pavement is. While many all-around wheels are similarly compliant nowadays, some wheels around the 454 NSW’s depth tend to give up comfort by using a narrower rim to keep weight down. You make no such trade-off with these Zipps.
Add to all of this a very smooth rolling hubset and almost silent, fast-engaging freehub. That makes it even more tempting to start a breakaway and easier to crank up a sprint.
The 454 NSW defies categorization. It’s the wheelset equivalent of a hors categorie climb, one that is beyond categorization.
Based on its 55 to 59 mm deep rims, you might think the Zipp 454 NSW is an aero wheelset. You wouldn’t be wrong. Judging from its 1388-gram weight, you might guess it climbs well. Indeed it does. Hookless, 23mm inside rim width will make for a very comfortable ride, right? Yes, and perhaps worthy of riding gravel, though we didn’t test it off-road.
So are these all-around wheels? Yes, that may be the most encompassing definition though it is faster and better than any all-arounder we’ve tested on terrain that never exceeds 5-6% up or down and faster than many aero wheels on the flats and climbing wheels on steeper pitches.
Perhaps it’s best to call it an all-everything wheelset. Or just fast anywhere you want to ride.
You can buy the Zipp 454 NSW using these links to Performance Bike, BTD (BikeTiresDirect), and Sigma Sports, all stores I recommend and rate highly for their prices, customer satisfaction, and support. You can also find it and compare prices using this link to Know’s Shop, which shows all the stores I recommend that carry this product.
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Best Performer
ENVE SES 4.5 – STILL STANDS ABOVE
The second-generation ENVE SES 4.5, born the SES 4.5 AR, continues to stand above all other all-around wheels in the performance carbon disc wheelset price category (US$2000/£1600/€2000 to $3000/£2300/€3000).
In my on-the-road testing, I’ve found the SES 4.5 performs as well or better on the combination of factors I think matter most to your speed and enjoyment of road cycling wheels. It’s fast, stable, stiff, comfortable, responsive, and versatile. It’s got it all.
And it’s just a hell of a lot of fun to ride. The ENVE SES 4.5 seems to glide along the road with no drama as you accelerate from a start, transition from flats to hills, and take corners at high speed. It’s unbothered by crosswinds and coasts with nary a sound from the freehub.
To be clear, the ENVE 4.5 is no recreational stroller. Rather, it’s seriously fast, deceptively so with its relatively modest looks and quiet demeanor.
I rode the new 4.5 for the first time on a recovery ride at the end of a week of training full of hard anaerobic and VO2 max intervals. “Let’s just ease into it,” I told myself, never wanting to judge a wheelset I’m testing for the first time on a hard day in the saddle.
Despite being physically and mentally tired, riding the ENVE SES 4.5 re-energized me. It responded quickly and easily to my efforts, flowed through corners, and smoothed hills and rough roads.
As I put it through harder efforts in the days that followed – VO2 intervals, 7% climbs, and on-my-limit group rides – the 4.5’s performance helped me be at my best, or at least better than on other days with other wheels rolling beneath me.
Regardless of the specs, which I’ll get to in a minute, the ENVE SES 4.5 feels light and lively and maintains my momentum in the 20mph/32mph to 25mph/40mph speed range incredibly well.
Stiff, efficient, comfortable, quiet, fast. Total confidence and total pleasure regardless of terrain, surface, effort, or speed.
It’s somewhat surprising that a second-generation wheelset, little changed from one introduced six years before, could still be the Best Performer among its all-around carbon disc wheelset peers. While others have certainly improved on individual performance criteria I use in evaluating wheels, none have reached the same level as the ENVE 4.5 across all of them.
If performance balance is a measure of all-around wheels and great performance across all criteria is the mark of the best, then the ENVE 4.5 still stands atop the rest.
My spec-obsessed evil twin always wants to get in the way of my performance-focused good twin and influence you. Well, I’ll give him some space to speak up here.
For years one of the key differences between the original 4.5 AR and most other road wheelsets was its 25mm inside width. That continues with the new 4.5 (25.3mm per my measurement) and is why I can run my tire pressure low to get the comfort I enjoy even on rough paved and dirt road surfaces. Other wheelmakers, notably Zipp and Bontrager, now make rims with 23mm inside widths for wheels of similar depth, while most other brands still make road disc brake wheelsets with a 21mm inside width.
On the outside, the 4.5 rims have widened a couple of millimeters per my measurements from the 4.5 AR to 32.8mm for the front wheel and 32.4mm for the rear. The rims have also gotten about 1.5 mm deeper, now 51.8mm front and 56.5mm rear.
The wider, deeper rims, says ENVE, come from adding their anti-pinch-flat design to the 4.5, something the SES 3.4 AR (now the SES 3.4) has had since it was introduced. Whatever, I’ll take the added width and depth if it improves the performance.
It seems so. With the slightly wider rims, more models of 28mm labeled tires can be used on the 4.5 at lower pressures to give you optimal aero drag and rolling resistance performance and better comfort across rough roads. I get into all the details of that in my tubeless tire review.
Note also that the front and rear wheels have different dimensions and also different shapes. The front wheel has a U-shaped profile designed to improve its stability in crosswinds, while the rear is deeper and has a V-shaped one to improve its aero performance.
In the last couple of years, Roval, Hunt, and Parcours have introduced wheelsets with different front and rear dimensions and profiles, though none are as wide internally as the 4.5.
ENVE’s measurements show the average SES 4.5 weighs about 100 grams less overall than the 4.5 AR did and, more importantly, their deeper, wider rims weigh about 110 grams less than the first-generation ones.
My demo ENVE 4.5 wheelset came in at 1518 grams with the Shimano/SRAM 11-speed HG freehub (a SRAM XDR 12-speed one weighs about 20 less) and with the wheels taped but with no valve stems in place. That still puts it about 50 grams heavier than the actual weights of the narrower and shallower Bontrager RSL 51 and Campagnolo Bora Ultra 45 wheelsets and 140 grams more than the US$4200 Zipp 454 NSW. The difference accelerating from a dead stop is minimally better with the Bontrager and Campy and more noticeably so with the Zipp.
While more and more rims come through pre-taped with valve stems in place these days, ENVE continues to send you tape and stems to install yourself. This video demonstrates how to install ENVE tape; ignore the part at the beginning about using clincher tires – it doesn’t apply to the current line of SES wheels.
ENVE justifies this DIY approach by wanting to give you or your retailer the option to adjust the internal nipples for spoke tension and wheel true before applying the tape that covers access to the nipples. Internal nipples reduce the drag of external ones by 0.75 watts per wheel in ENVE’s wind tunnel tests. It’s nothing to sneeze at for those who believe in marginal gains.
I don’t know about you, but even with all the wheels I test, I’ve never found the need to have a tension meter or trueing stand on my workbench. Hand and eye inspection can detect true outliers, and even with them, I’m not wrench enough to start messing with my spoke nipples.
I expect that ENVE ships very few wheels that are out of tolerance. Heck, they were among the first to offer 5-year parts and labor warranties on their wheels. So, they likely have a pretty good fix on the quality of their wheels, all of which are made in their United States factory. I would think most of us and our store mechanics would prefer ENVE tape their rims before shipping them to our doorsteps, even though some of us have become pretty good at taping them ourselves over the years.
If a wheel were to come in with spoke tension or true that’s not up to spec, I believe their warranty should pay a trained mechanic to adjust the nipples and retape the rim.
Note also that the ENVE SES 4.5 (and all current ENVE SES and Foundation wheels) use hookless rims and require tubeless tires whether you use sealant or tubes inside. Fortunately, the list of compatible tires for that combination is growing longer and longer and includes the top-performing tires from most brands. You can see the list of compatible and incompatible tires per ENVE testing.
For those of you still resistant to hookless rims because you want to be able to inflate your tires as high as you like without the worry of them blowing off, please understand a few things about the SES 4.5 wheels.
First, with the 4.5’s 25mm inside width, you won’t want to inflate your tires past the maximum recommended pressure of 80psi, even if you weigh the maximum recommended rider weight of 250lbs/113kg. They’ll be increasingly uncomfortable and slower above the recommended pressures shown in ENVE’s chart. As you can see there, it shows only 67 psi as the starting tire pressure recommended for the heaviest riders.
Second, ENVE has been making hookless rims and testing them with tubeless tires for years. For their 25mm inside width rims, they have established 80psi as the maximum recommended tire pressure and 90psi for their 21mm inside width hookless rims. Both of these pressure levels are higher than the ETRTO and ISO 5 bar, 72.5 psi standard for hookless rims of any width.
And ENVE only lists tires as compatible if they stay on their rims in their tests through 150% of the maximum recommended pressure. So I think there’s plenty of performance and comfort motivation to keep your tires well below the max pressure and a pretty good safety zone if you revert to your 20-year younger self in the presence of a tire pump on an off day.
Unlike earlier incarnations of SES wheels, where you could order Chris King, Industry Nine, DT Swiss, or ENVE’s own branded hub with carbon shells, there is only one hubset available on the 4.5.
Fortunately, it’s the ENVE hub with alloy hub shells, a direct drive model they’ve been putting on most of their wheels for the last few years. These are the same ones I’ve used with no issues (and performed no maintenance on) with the ENVE SES 5.6 and 3.4 AR wheelsets I bought to benchmark other brands of wheels with performance goals similar to those.
You can order the 4.5 with either an HG, XDR, or N3W freehub body compatible with your Shimano/SRAM 11-speed, SRAM AXS 12-speed, or Campagnolo groupset.
Finally, some ENVE wheelsets I’ve tested in the past have come through with hair-thin, 2-3mm long white lines in the carbon accumulated at random places along the rim’s spoke edge. While hardly visible unless you go around looking for such things (I do), I and some readers found this rather annoying and even worrisome.
The issue turns out to be only a cosmetic one, apparently caused by an oxidation side effect of the hardening agent used in the resin. While a sample size of one, the new SES 4.5 I tested had almost none of these white lines. ENVE is using a new resin in their new line of SES wheels that, in part, has enabled them to reduce the rim weight but also is supposed to address the oxidation issue that caused the white lines in the earlier resin.
We’ll keep an eye on this. Literally.
The ENVE SES 4.5 price has gone up US$300 to US$2850, and current exchange rates make it RRP £3300, €3800, though often sells for less in those currencies. It is available using these links to recommended stores Performance Bike, BTD (BikeTiresDirect), Merlin, and Sigma Sports. It’s hard to justify – you’ll need to make peace with your own budget watchdogs – but it’s also hard to say no to a wheelset that still stands above its competition.
BONTRAGER AEOLUS RSL 51 TLR – THE DEFINITION OF AN ALL-AROUND ROAD DISC WHEELSET
It’s easy to judge any wheelset by looking at what it does well, what it doesn’t, what it costs, and what it looks like. And, if you’re into design and engineering, add specs and tech to your evaluation.
I’ll get to much of that. But when it comes to the Bontrager Aeolus RSL 51 TLR, let me start with the bottom line.
The RSL 51 is the definition of a modern all-around road disc wheelset.
This mid-depth Bontrager does most of the things road cycling enthusiasts like you and me should look for if we can only buy one carbon disc wheelset. You can train with it at speed on various terrain, enjoy friendly competition against your buds riding hard on group rides, and do long-distance events in comfort. It doesn’t have any obvious weaknesses.
Its glossy finish and branding look good without being loud, it has a strong warranty and dealer network, and it’s priced in the same ballpark as other, less well-rounded alternatives.
The RSL 51’s specs are all modern without offending anyone. It uses the updated model of the well-established DT Swiss 240 hubs (Ratchet EXP) and has rims that are wider than most all-around carbon disc wheels (23.2mm internal, 30.7mm external), as deep as most go these days (51.1mm), and are hooked for riding with tubeless or clincher tires.
And at 1441 grams on my scale with taped rims rather than the weighty plastic rim strips installed, they are marginally lighter (about 20 to 120 grams) than most in this category.
No, the RSL 51 will not outperform a climbing wheelset going up alpine roads or aero wheels in crit race or the best gravel wheels riding off-road. For that, you’ll need all-around wheels with those strengths but other weaknesses or wheels designed uniquely for those types of events or terrain.
The Aeolus RSL 51 on Nate’s Venge
But, for an all-around carbon disc wheelset, my fellow testers Nate, Miles, and I found the Bontrager Aeolus RSL 51 TLR do climb quite well. Descending at high speeds is also a confident experience thanks to their excellent handling and unfazed reaction to side winds.
That good handling extends to flat roads where the RSL 51 tracked well through corners paired up with the 28c Bontrager R3 Hard-Case Lite and 25c Michelin Power Road tubeless tires we mounted on them.
Acceleration is another one of RSL 51’s strengths. Combined with their handling skills, this makes for a very responsive wheelset, important when keeping up with moves on a group ride and staying out of trouble in a paceline.
Despite their few mm of added depth, we didn’t find they were any faster or held their speed any better than other all-around disc wheels we’ve tested. And while they accelerate well and are stiff enough for mere enthusiast mortals like me, they aren’t the kind of max stiffness wheels you want for the kind of > 1000-watt sprints you might do in a crit. Bontrager does make wheels for that (see my review of the RSL62), but these aren’t them.
On long rides, the RSL 51 is quite comfortable and better than most in this category. The new DT240 Ratchet EXP hub is louder than its predecessor when freewheeling but not overly so and it’s a relatively low-frequency sound that I don’t find annoying.
At US$2700, £2100, €2500, the Bontrager Aeolus RSL 51 certainly isn’t cheap but is one of the better all-around wheels we’ve ridden. Using these links, you can order them from Bontrager and Sigma Sports.
CADEX 50 ULTRA – A GOOD OPTION FOR LUMPY RACES
The Cadex 50 Ultra’s stiffness is central to its performance. My fellow tester Miles, a P12 road racer, and I, a B-group rider, took advantage of that stiffness in a range of ways during our tests of this wheelset.
Miles used it to cover a lot of accelerations in road races and crits. During one 65-mile road race filled with surges, a promising break went away that he didn’t initially get into. He used the Cadex 50 Ultra’s stiffness on an uphill kicker to close a 10-second gap to that group.
The wheelset inspired confidence in both of us with its quick handling and precise cornering. For Miles, he could more easily pick his way through traffic in crits and dive into downhill corners in lumpy road races.
I was able to avoid a crash thanks to the Cadex 50 Ultra’s cornering precision. The rider I was following over-cooked a downhill turn and I cut a tighter radius on these wheels to safely get inside of his arc. I’m not sure I could have pulled that off with most wheelsets I’ve tested.
Add strong climbing to the list of this wheelset’s assets. Its stiff and relatively lightweight combination of rims, hubs, and carbon spokes (1402g as measured with an HG freehub) undoubtedly contributes to its ability to go uphill.
But, the Cadex 50 Ultra also has liabilities that limit its performance beyond road races and criteriums on rolling terrain.
While it helps get you up to speed very quickly, this wheelset doesn’t carry your speed as well as other, high-end race and all-around ones.
And on even moderately windy days (10 mph/16kph), I found the Cadex 50 Ultra front wheel moving all around. Perhaps they do better at higher speeds, as Miles didn’t take issue with their crosswind stability riding this wheelset during his spring training and racing season.
We both agreed that these aren’t very compliant wheels, the kind you’d find comfortable over a 3+ hour ride. As a hookless wheelset that’s wide enough (22.5mm inside width) to ride in the mid-50psi range with 28mm tubeless tires (we used Continental Grand Prix 5000 S TR) for our similar 150lb/68kg or so weight, this Cadex’s compliance was disappointing.
At 60psi, the ride was harsh. Below the low 50s, it was mushy. And at the pressures in between in search of the best combination of comfort and handling, you still feel everything through the wheels, though they don’t jolt you.
Blame the below-average compliance of the Cadex 50 Ultra on the carbon spokes Cadex uses to give it above-average responsiveness and handling. While I’ve not tested them all, I’ve yet to ride a wheelset with carbon spokes that are both laterally stiff and vertically compliant.
Pretty but loud HG micro spline freehub for 12-cog Shimano cassette is also 11-cog compatible.
The freehub Cadex uses on the 50 Ultra is also louder than most. When I apologized for it to the rider in front of me in a paceline, he immediately responded, “Yeah, what is that?” While some cyclists like an audible freehub, the Cadex 50 Ultra is more vocal than a Chris King or i9 and right up there with the most boisterous of those used on the less expensive wheels coming from Chinese factories.
If you regularly compete in lumpy, punchy races where quick maneuvering and repeated accelerations are key to your performance, the Cadex 50 Ultra is a good option. For a broader range of riding and racing, there are better choices in the all-around performance wheelset category.
The Cadex 50 Ultra wheelset retails for US$3500, £2650, €2850 and is available from BTD (Bike Tires Direct), Performance Bike, and Cyclestore.
CAMPAGNOLO BORA ULTRA WTO 45 – MORE THAN SKIN DEEP
Like most Campagnolo kit, it’s hard not to be taken by the stunning beauty and engineering precision of the Bora Ultra WTO 45 wheelset. The rich black rim finish, hourglass hub shell, recessed spoke nipples, and modest yet proud graphics draw you in.
As with anything as alluring as this wheelset, I was hopeful that its performance would be just as beautiful and precise.
In some ways, it is.
Judging from how little effort is needed to get it up to speed, the Bora Ultra WTO 45 feels like a fast disc brake wheelset. It doesn’t hold that speed as easily as an aero wheelset or the fastest all-around wheels do on a flat or rolling course. But, the lively and responsive feel of this Campy makes it feel quite fast when you accelerate from a stop or out of a corner.
The hubs, flanges, axles, and spokes are as beautiful as the rims
The Campagnolo hubs roll incredibly smoothly, and the freehub is absolutely silent. I felt alone with my thoughts doing a soul ride or set of hard interval workouts on the Bora Ultra WTO 45. For me, that’s generally a good thing. However, if you prefer being accompanied by the sounds coming out of your freehub or drivetrain, you’ll not get that kind of collaboration from this wheelset.
Equally distinctive, and perhaps more importantly, climbing well is a true partnership with these Campags. They go up ramps and steeper pitches with relative ease.
At 1445 grams on my scale with valve stems in place, the Ultra version of the Bora WTO 45 actually weighs about 70 grams less than the non-Ultra model of the Bora WTO 33 we’ve reviewed. While it doesn’t weigh as little as a pure climbing disc brake wheelset, the Ultra 45’s feel as energetic going uphill as one that is.
In addition to its climbing ability, the Bora Ultra WTO 45 wheelset is quite responsive and tracks with great precision through corners. It’s a laterally stiff setup that accelerates well when called upon. My fellow tester and competitive racer Miles found them extremely stiff compared with the other wheels he’s ridden with “zero flex” sprinting on the flats or up a steep climb.
Our test period included several days when the wind blew 15mph/25kph. In those conditions, you must work with even the most stable all-around wheels to keep things upright. Coming from the side at those wind speeds, the Bora Ultra WTO 45 also gets pushed. The front wheel leans steadily away from the wind rather than with an erratic reaction. Counter-steering in the direction of the wind got me through it.
But on milder days when the wind isn’t blowing that strong or steady, it slices through the winds and gusts quite well with no steering or stabilizing adjustment required.
While sufficiently comfortable for a race-oriented wheelset, especially with the 25mm Veloflex Corsa TLR tubeless cotton (puncture belt equipped) tires we used for this test, you can’t easily optimize them for both speed and comfort on all paved surfaces given their 19.0 mm inside, 26.3 mm outside rim dimensions.
The 25mm Veloflex and Continental Grand Prix 5000 S TR I mounted to these wheels both measure sufficiently narrower than the rim width, even at 80psi. That will give you ideal aero performance over the lifetime of the tires. The other 25mm tubeless tires and all the 28mm ones we installed on this wheelset are or will become wider than the rims and add aero drag (see measurements here).
With 25mm tires installed and at the pressure required for that width tire and your weight, Miles and I didn’t find these Campys to ride either plush or harsh. They were comfortable enough even on the 80-mile ride Miles took them on and not a noticeable benefit or drawback on the many 2-hour rides we each did.
If comfort is more important than speed or the road surface you ride is better with a wider tire inflated at lower pressure, you can certainly use 28mm tires on these wheels and perhaps make up for the added aero drag with reduced vibration loss rolling resistance depending on your speed and riding surface. But be careful not to drop the pressure too low to avoid pinch flatting or rolling the tire in a hard cornering maneuver on these narrower wheels.
The hidden, recessed spoke nipples accessible from the outside of the rim are an “engineering detail” worth marveling about
I’ll admit to becoming somewhat spoiled riding a tubeless, carbon disc wheelset with 23mm to 25mm inside rim widths and/or outside 30mm+ ones that are well suited for 28mm wide tires. While there’s a good deal of science behind how wide wheels and wide tires can make you faster, I like to think of it as having my reduced aero drag and rolling resistance layer cake and comfort icing too.
US brands ENVE, Bontrager, and Zipp have been among the larger wheelmakers in this wider rim movement. The major EU brands Campagnolo and DT Swiss have stayed with narrower rims across their best-performing, mid-depth, and aero wheelsets. Likely tracking the introduction and acceptance of disc brake bikes in these regions, Campag and DT also continue to make the most of their top wheelsets in both disc and rim brake models.
I’m old enough to remember that narrower wheels can go fast too. Riding the Bora Ultra WTO 45 indeed reminds me of that when it comes time to accelerate or head uphill. At US$3000/£2700/€3000 at Merlin and Sigma Sports or more, depending on the freehub you use, I’m also reminded that it’s a beautiful, iconic Campagnolo brand wheelset that you’re paying for.
Without going deep into all the tech and spec details (performance is our jam at In The Know Cycling), know that you can get the non-Ultra version, aka the Bora WTO 45, for a good amount less. While it has essentially the same rim profile, it’s made with a different mix of carbon and resin, uses a different molding process that requires some post-molding filling and finishing and uses alloy hub shells. It weighs about 100 grams more, most of that in the rims.
The Bora WTO 45 disc brake sells for about US$2500/£1700/€2250 depending on your freehub choice. Use these links to BTD (BikeTiresDirect), and Merlin.
And if you’re as loyal to your rim brake bike as many are to all things Campagnolo, the Bora WTO 45 rim brake model shares many of the same attributes (rim profile, hubset, finish) as the disc brake version and Campagnolo rim brake wheels have long been known for the excellent brake track performance. It’s available for about US$2100/£1675/€2030 at this link to Merlin.
DT SWISS ERC 1400 – AN ENDURANCE RIDER’S WHEELSET
The DT Swiss ERC 1400 DICUT 45 is the endurance rider’s all-around wheelset.
While not a standout on any particular performance characteristic, it does everything my fellow testers Nate, Miles, and I look for from an endurance wheelset.
Riding the ERC 1400 on 50-mile group rides, I can confidently accelerate, climb, pull, corner, and comfortably roll along in the paceline.
Miles likes this DT Swiss wheelset’s ability to do almost anything on the road. While not the fastest wheelset in the kind of sprint, gap-closing, or long, hard efforts where Miles excels, it hangs in there against other all-arounders in the performance-carbon price range on his fast rides and races and performs notably better than value-carbon, mid-depth wheelsets he’s ridden in similar situations.
You can use clincher or tubeless tires on the ERC 1400’s rims that measure just a bit over 22mm wide between the bead hooks. Using 28mm Continental Grand Prix 5000 S TR tubeless tires with sealant on these rims, Miles and I found the wheels most comfortable at inflation pressures 5 to 10 psi lower than suggested by calculators like the SRAM Tire Pressure Guide.
The rim designed by their partner Swiss Side is straightforward – the same front and rear wheel dimensions, not overly wide (28.5mm external), and with a standard V-U rim profile. Yet, the ERC 1400 remains reassuringly stable in side winds, as good as those using unique designs to keep you riding steadily on a windy day.
And while it doesn’t roll as fast as other, slightly deeper, and differently shaped all-arounders like the Zipp 454 NSW or ENVE SES 4.5 and isn’t as responsive as lighter, stiffer wheels in this category like the Cadex 50 Ultra or Campagnolo Bora Ultra WTO 45, you do feel the power you put into the ERC 1400 driving through the wheels when accelerating and cornering.
Of course, the ERC 1400’s other components – the DT Swiss 240 Ratchet EXP 36 hubs and aero comp straight pull, bladed spokes – and the company’s reliability track record are all part of the package. The latest 240 freehub coasts a bit louder than its predecessor but isn’t as loud as the pleasing sound of a Chris King freehub or as noisy and annoying as those on lower-priced wheels we’ve tested from Hunt or Scribe.
If you are looking for wheels to race on, you might want more performance – snappier, better at holding your speed, lighter on climbs – than what the ERC 1400 offers. You’ll surely pay more for them.
At the other end of the range, if you are principally a recreational cruiser, you might want a more comfortable and forgiving wheelset. While you wouldn’t likely get the versatility and all-around performance of the ERC 1400, you could find that comfort at a lower price point.
But if you are an endurance rider, keeping up a good pace on half or all-day rides across a variety of road terrain, you’ll find it hard to beat the combination of things the ERC 1400 does well at the price it sells for.
You can order the DT Swiss ERC 1400 DICUT 45 for US$2400, £1800, €2325 at REI, Sigma Sports, and Amazon.
Note that DT Swiss makes an ERC 1100 DICUT 45 with a 180 hubset instead of the 240 used in the ERC 1400. It also sells 35mm deep versions of the ERC 1100 and ERC 1400 in 700c and 650b rim diameters
SHIMANO DURA-ACE C50 – A RACE-FOCUSED ALL-AROUND
The Shimano Dura-Ace C50 tubeless wheelset, also known (by nerds) as the Shimano WH-R9270-C50-TL, combines the aerodynamics, stiffness, and responsiveness needed to excel in crits and road races on rolling terrain. It also offers enough compliance and stability to do long rides with occasionally imperfect pavement and variable weather.
For this review, my fellow tester Miles rode the Dura-Ace C50s while training for and riding in his spring race series. Fellow tester Aiyana, a light and fast former racer, evaluated these same wheels in the early spring before the roads were cleaned and patched, and while the winds were still a prominent feature on many of her rides.
Both remarked on the C50’s excellent speed on rolling, paved terrain, and comfort on 4-hour training rides, most of which included some climbing. The wheelset’s handling ability gave Aiyana great confidence in navigating the typical potholes and road debris of our New England spring road conditions.
The Dura-Ace C50’s versatility compares well to other all-around road wheels but doesn’t rival wider “all-road” wheels that perform equally well on road and gravel surfaces, many of which would be better for the longest road rides.
This Shimano wheelset shines on clean, rolling roads and at fast speeds. While Miles is always competitive in his age group races, he strung together a series of wins on the Dura-Ace C50 at the Killington Stage Race, Nutmeg Criterium, and Tour of America’s Dairyland crit series that had me wondering if he’d ever part with the wheels so I could send them back to BTD (BikeTiresDirect), who shared them with us for this review. (He did then I did.)
Miles and Aiyana separately praised the C50’s superior aero performance, or at least our real-world way to evaluate that characteristic, a wheelset’s ability to hold its momentum at 20mph/32kph and above when riding into the wind. I found it mildly surprising that the Dura-Ace’s 21.5mm internal and 28.2mm external width rims outperformed several wider and similar width ones, each mounted with a pair of 28mm Continental Grand Prix 5000 S TR tires we use when comparing wheels. This again proves the value of riding the wheels rather than reading the specs or lab test data when choosing between them.
In addition to being very aero, the Shimano Dura-Ace C50 wheels are also amongst the most stable in windy conditions compared to others in the all-around category. Aiyana felt like the wheels were almost meant for the highly variable winds and rain she rode through on several rides. Miles reported smooth sailing in windy conditions and that he never felt the wind grab the front wheel the way it does others.
Miles heaped his highest praise on the Dura-Ace C50’s stiffness and responsiveness. Impressively fast in a straight-line sprint. So responsive going into and out of corners.
He felt they were nearly perfect for the fast, sprint-filled races that he enjoys.
As Miles reported, “I have total confidence these wheels will get me wherever I want to go and get there fast. In a race, I can vault forward on the road whenever I need to, sprint up to wheels I want to be on, and hold my speed really well.”
Perhaps because she’s lighter and putting less power into the C50 than Miles does, Aiyana didn’t sense the same snap or spring from the Dura-Ace C50. Instead, she welcomed their combination of aero speed, smooth rolling, and comfort.
While it’s rare to see either Miles or Aiyana coasting, they reported that when they do, the C50’s freehub (only available for use with Shimano 12-speed groupsets) is louder than most.
At US$2100 from BTD (BikeTiresDirect) and Performance Bike, and £1800 and €2300 at Sigma Sports, the Shimano Dura-Ace C50 is a relative bargain compared to other all-around wheels we’ve reviewed from the major brands.
It doesn’t quite carry speed like ENVE SES 4.5 or Zipp 454 NSW or roll as feathery as those wheels or the ENVE SES 3.4 and Zipp 353 NSW. But these Shimanos are right up there, just behind those sets. And, if you don’t want to spend what those Zipp and ENVE wheels will cost you, there’s no better road race-focused all-around wheelset alternative we’ve tested to date than the Shimano Dura-Ace C50.
ROVAL RAPIDE CLX II – RACE OR FUN MODE?
The Roval Rapide CLX II presents enthusiasts with an existential question about our cycling: is it our purpose to ride like we’re racing or ride like we’re having serious fun?
Of course, the two can sometimes be the same.
But riding in race mode is about getting to the finish first, whereas riding in serious fun mode is about having as much fun as anyone.
I raise this question because, for me, the Roval Rapide CLX II performs differently on several criteria depending on whether I use a 26mm tire that Roval recommends to optimize this wheelset’s aero performance or a 28mm tire that I generally prefer to ride for overall performance (i.e., versatility, aero, stability, stiffness, compliance, responsiveness).
To evaluate the Rapide CLX II wheels, I used Specialized’s 26mm S-Works Turbo RapidAir 2Bliss Ready T2/T5 (or “RapidAir”) and their 28mm S-Works Turbo 2BR 2Bliss Ready T2/T5 (or “2BR”) both introduced by Roval’s parent company on the same day as the Rapide.
Note that the Rapide CLX II is a tubeless-ready carbon disc wheelset, whereas the CLX was not approved for tubeless tires. While you can use clincher tires with tubes on these CLX II wheels as they have hooked rims, the best tubeless tires with puncture protection belts, including the RapidAir, have lower tire loss rolling resistance than clincher ones in drum testing that simulate road conditions.
Using these Specialized tires was the closest I could come to comparing the Rapide wheels with the same tires at different widths. They don’t (yet) make a 28mm size in the latest version of the RapidAir. And the 28mm 2BR uses the same compound as the RapidAir, just with an additional casing layer.
Yes, I did test the Rapide CLX II with 28mm wide Continental Grand Prix 5000 S TR tires but not initially (more on this below). In part, that’s because Roval and Specialized designed these wheels and tires to work together (Rapide & RapidAir). Also, the prior generation RapidAir was one of my and fellow testers’ highest-rated tubeless tires across a range of wheelsets. In my judgment, the new RapidAir remains one of the best.
Interestingly, I can’t tell any difference in how well the Rapide holds its momentum for a given level of effort at speeds above 20mph/32kph – my surrogate for aero performance – with the 26mm RapidAir vs. the 28mm 2BR tire in warm temps. And neither does as well as the ENVE SES 4.5 (with 28mm Schwalbe Pro One TLE tires ) or Zipp 454 NSW (with a 25mm front tire, 28mm rear Schwalbes) against this performance criterion.
With the 26mm RapidAir tires mounted, the Rapide CLX II feels light and reactive. The wheels are very lively accelerating on a straight, coming out of a turn, and heading up a hill. They are very responsive and both fast and fun in these situations, nearly as much as the category-leading Zipp 454 NSW.
With the 28mm 2BR, that responsiveness is muted a bit and more on par with the average all-around wheelset. Is it the added 60g/tire of the 28mm tires? I don’t know, but I doubt it. The 28mm 2BR weighs essentially the same as the prior model 28mm RapidAir and only about 35g/tire more than the 28mm GP5K S TR. And aero is just as important as weight in acceleration. So maybe it’s just that the 26mm tires are a more aero setup.
The Roval Rapide CLX II’s compliance and handling are notably better, however, with the 28mm tires. No hot take there. A 10psi lower pressure and a wider contact patch undoubtedly explain that.
Regardless, the Roval Rapide CLX II’s “race-feel” comfort with 26mm tires (the setup I use to compare the Roval’s performance criteria against other wheelsets in this category) is on par with the average all-around wheelset and is certainly fine for the 50+ mile rides I did on these hoops.
I initially tested the Rapide carbon disc wheels during the late summer and fall months when there were enough days of 10-20mph, often swirling winds, to really put the wheels’ sidewind management to the test. And they performed admirably, as stable as the ENVE 4.5 and Bontrager RSL 51.
Curiously though, I did feel a few rather erratic tugs on the front wheel with the 26mm tires mounted on days when the winds were their strongest, something I never felt with the 28mm tires on similarly windy days. The tugs weren’t often big enough to make me back off of my pace; it was just something I took note of.
While I don’t know if it is related, the Specialized tire product manager did tell me their testing showed the 26mm tires were more aerodynamic on the Rapide wheels in head-on winds while 28s were more aero in crosswinds, though he wouldn’t share any details of the aero differences, wind angles, or testing protocol.
The 26mm RapidAir inside the 35mm wide Rapide front rim from two angles
Looking at the wheels while riding along in the saddle, both size tires appear rather odd to me in the Rapide’s front rim. That rim measured 34.9mm at its widest. I’m sure there’s some engineering (or perhaps, marketing) explanation for the front wheel’s width, but it’s still weird.
The rear is a more “normal” 30.4mm outside, while both rims measure 21.0mm between the hooks.
And, like the ENVE SES wheels that started this whole trend, the Roval Rapide CLX II’s front wheel has a blunt nose spoke edge and measures 51.5mm deep, while the 60.3mm deep rear has more of a traditional V-shaped spoke edge and a toroidal rim profile.
The following spring, I mounted up the 28mm Continental Grand Prix 5000 S TR tires on the Rapide CLXII. They clearly felt faster and more responsive than with the 28mm 2BR and gave me the added comfort and handling you get over a 26mm RapidAir.
Until Specialized comes out with a 28mm RapidAir, which I expect they will do eventually, I’d recommend riding the 28mm Conti tires over the 26mm RapidAir with this wheelset in both race and fun mode.
Finally, I’ll note three other considerations that may affect your decision about buying this wheelset.
First, I needed to use tire levers to install the Specialized, Continental, Schwalbe, and Michelin 25/26mm and 28mm tires included in my best tubeless road tires review on the Roval Rapide CLX II front and rear rims. In most cases, I don’t need to use levers with the eight rims of varying inside and outside widths I use to compare the ease of tire installation.
While I can’t measure it, I can only guess that Roval makes the Rapide CLX II wheels to the larger end of the rim diameter standard, aka the ETRTO and ISO 622mm ±0.5 mm rim bead seat diameter tolerance range, or has a shallower center channel. If so, that’s not unsurprising, considering that Roval’s first attempt at making a tubeless Rapide (the Rapide CLX) created an unacceptable chance of tubeless tire blowouts due to claimed structural issues in the rim.
So, perhaps they are being more conservative with the Roval Rapide CLX II dimensions to create a tighter fit between the tire and updated rims, something I can’t fault them for. And, needing to use a tire lever is a minor inconvenience rather than a deal breaker.
Secondly, the DT Swiss 180 Ratchet EXP internals used in the rear hub on this new Roval Rapide CLX II carbon disc wheelset make its freehub pleasantly quiet while coasting with a well-maintained chain. That’s different than the DT Swiss 240 EXP freehubs that are more commonly used on carbon disc wheels these days and are far louder than their nearly quiet DT 240 predecessor, though not annoyingly so.
So, you’ve got choices with the Roval Rapide CLX II depending on your purpose in life cycling and commitment to Specialized tires. You can race with primo aero performance and responsiveness on 26mm Specialized RapidAir tires. Or, you can ride fast and have serious fun on the same wheels with 28mm Specialized 2BR tires for better handling, crosswind stability, and comfort.
Or, you can let your mind and legs decide which mode you want to ride in with the 28mm Conti GP 5K S tires now and likely the 28mm Specialized 28mm RapidAir if and when they are introduced.
Either way, the Roval Rapide CLX II sells for US$2800, £2250, €3000. That puts it in a similar price range as the ENVE and Bontrager all-around wheelsets. You can order the Rapide using these links to recommended stores Performance Bike and Sigma Sports.
If you generally like what the Rapide represents but want to save a boatload of money, the Roval Rapide CL II – no “X” in the name – is another option.
The CL II sells for $1750, £1400, €1800, considerably less than the CLX II. It uses the same rims as the CLX II but is equipped with slightly heavier and less aero yet still very capable and always quiet DT Swiss 350 hubs and lower spec, round DT Competition Race spokes instead of the more aero, bladed DT Aerolite on the CLX II.
I haven’t tested the CL II but based on the hub and spokes used, likely not as fast or responsive as the CLX II.
The Roval Rapide CL II is available using these links to Performance Bike and Sigma Sports.
WHY I MAY NOT HAVE INCLUDED WHEELSETS YOU’VE HEARD ABOUT
Carbon disc wheelsets are a fast-growing and fast-changing category of cycling gear. The generation chart displayed near the top of this review shows how much has changed in the last few years.
In this post, you’ve got the latest, best, all-around depth, carbon disc wheelsets that are widely available to consider in this category. Several others are sold in low volumes or supported only within a limited geographic region or both.
There are several wheelsets whose depth might suggest they might fit in the all-around category. This includes the ENVE SES 3.4, the Bontrager Aeolus RSL 37 Disc, and the Zipp Firecrest 303 Disc and 353 NSW. From our testing, you can certainly use them as all-arounders but they aren’t as fast on the flats and rollers as those in this review and are better as dedicated lightweight, climbing wheels. You can see my reviews of them here.
There are a growing number of deeper, mid-depth aero (55mm to 65mm) carbon disc wheelsets you can read about here. While specializing in high-speed riding, few approach the versatility of all-around road disc wheelsets reviewed here.
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Thanks, and enjoy your rides safely! Cheers, Steve
Hey Steve…the new Roval Terra CLX look to be worth queuing up for test…sharing a lot of similarities to the Enve offerings (price, weight, dimensions, etc). At least on paper, it looks like close competition….
(I know, I know….”so many wheelsets, so little time”)
Hi Steve,
First off thanks for the amazing article and feedback. I’ve learned so much from your articles and comments.
I’m a 6’2″ 190lb rider 7500 miles in on my Bianchi Infinito CV Disc (2018) and it’s time for new wheels. Manufacturer rec’s up to a 28mm tire (which I’m currently running – Conti Gators), but I’m having trouble navigating how that number relates to frame clearance in regards to my top 3 wheel choices from your review(s): Enve 4.5 AR Disc, Roval CLX 50 Disc, Zipp NSW 303.
I measured the actual clearance on front/back to be 36/34mm respectively. My first choice would be the Enve’s for stiffness, but I’m afraid they might be too fat. Awaiting a response on this q presently from the company. Any advice on wheel fit?
The Real Person!
Hey Chris, Glad to hear you are getting some benefit from the site. As I often do when hearing such nice feedback, I will take the opportunity to remind everyone that they can support the site and keep the reviews and comment responses coming by buying your gear through the links to stores that you see on the site. Thanks.
As to your question, a few things to consider. First, you are doing the right thing by getting a width spec from Bianchi. Second, recognize that wheels will bend laterally as much as 4-5 mm in hard turning. So you want that much space between the rim or tire, whichever is wider and the stays. Typically the room between the chainstays is going to be your narrowest width. The forks should be wider. Third, to maximize aero performance, you want your rims to be around 105% the width of your installed and inflated tire. If the tires are wider than the rims, your aero performance and one of the key reasons you buy those nice wheels you mention is going to be greatly negated. Fourth, you are a relatively heavy rider so wheelset stiffness is going to be key. A stiffer wheel will bend less laterally, give you better power transfer, handling, acceleration, climbing, and reduce the bend between the stays.
With all that in mind, look again at the wheel choices starting with stiffness. The Roval and Zipps, IMHO are just not going to be stiff enough for a guy like you. The ENVE certainly is, but my guess is that it’s going to be too wide for your Bianchi. I’d look at the ENVE 5.6 disc which I’ve reviewed here in the rim brake version that rode damn near like an all-around wheelset. Yes, it’s not as offroad worthy as the 4.5 AR but it’s as light and as good a performer as any wheelset me and my fellow testers have ridden. You also might consider the Bontrager XXX4 in this review.
Finally, ditch the Conti Gators. That’s a high rolling resistance tire, good for winter/late fall/early spring and rough road riding but does nothing for your performance than further reduce flats. If you ride tubeless, you’ve already got flats under control. And finally, finally, don’t assume a 28C tire is the best choice and don’t back into a wheel or bike choice based on a tire recommendation. A 28C tire will measure wider than 28mm in 95% of the cases. On the 4.5 AR for example, the original popular Schwalbe Pro One tubeless that ENVE used in their testing measures 31-32mm wide once mounted and inflated on that rim. Most tires will measure 1-3 mm wider than the “C” designation and wreck your aero performance. I’d recommend no more than a 25C tire for all of these wheels other than the ENVE 4.5 AR. Cheers, Steve
Hi,
what would be your choice between the Roval CLX 50 and the DT Swiss ERC 1100 no matter the price?
Thanks
The Real Person!
Nick, They are both average performers. I wouldn’t spend my money on either. Steve
Nick,
I have no experience with the Rovals, but my road bike came with the ERC 1000 disc wheelset. Steve’s assessment and review are spot on! They are a nice wheel… functional and have held up well. I am unable to quantify the aero component.
As compared to my previous set of rim brake 303’s, they just lack some of that “nimble/athletic/ spirited” feel I had enjoyed and become accustomed to.
(hopefully this provides a small bit of help to you)
Hi, thanks for these excellent reviews. They’ve been very helpful as I decide what wheels to get for my next bike. I just wanted to point out that Enve has now classified the Mavic Yksion Pro UST 28 mm tire as NOT compatible with the 4.5 AR wheels. That differs from what you have noted in the review of those wheels.
The Real Person!
Bob, Chapeau. I’ve now edited the review. Thanks, Steve
Hi – I am having a new disc-brake bike built that will need to serve me both for (A) rolling around the largely flat countryside where I live in the UK (some smooth Tarmac but lots of gnarly road surfaces too) and (B) riding in several mountainous Haute Route events next year, so tons of climbing and descending. I am 80KG. I have narrowed it down in my mind to Zipp 303 NSWs (on which I can get a very good discount), ENVE SES 3.4 ARs or pushing the boat out and getting some Lightweight EVOs (Meilenstein or Wegweiser). My heart says the ENVEs (durable, light and stiff) whereas my head says the Zipps (durable, light enough, stiff enough and – due to the deal I can get – extremely good value) and that I should avoid the Lightweights (insane money, narrow internal widths seems against the trend and, in honesty, I would be a bit nervous about shoving the carbon spokes in a bikeboxAlan on multiple flights). I’ve read the reviews and have a lot of info to mull over. Any other thoughts you might have much appreciated!
The Real Person!
Gaz, If you ride at aero speeds, Zipps better on the flats and ENVE better in the mountains. If your weight gets up much beyond 85kg or you have an FTP of 300W and you don’t ride at aero speeds (30kph+ average), stiffer ENVE would be better both on flats and in mountains. If you want the ENVE, make sure there’s 40mm or so of room in chainstays and front fork for the larger tires and some lateral deflection. And change your screen name to Full Gaz! Steve
Hahaha – am liking Full Gaz as my new online ID…. Thanks so much for the super-fast response! No plans to get any heavier – I’m stable at around 80KG. Away from the mountains, my average pace on a good summer rolling ride would be around 32kmph and my 20 min FTP is around 360w. Based on that, sounds like you’d lean towards the ENVEs?
The Real Person!
Full Gaz! I like it. And yes, from what you added about your weight, speed, and FTP, I believe ENVE would suit you better. FYI, best price I’ve seen in UK is £2800 with the ENVE hub and you can support ITKC at no added cost to you if get it at my top-rated online store Merlin Cycles using this link. Enjoy, Full Steve!
Thanks so much – really appreciate the wisdom.
Steve, Just wanted to say what an incredibly valuable / well written review/resource. Thanks very much. New to the site but will continue to use and hope to be able to support via the links/partner shops. I am looking at getting a pair of road wheels for my gravel/do everything titanium bike… I have a pair of DT Swiss 650b’s for full adventure/gravel riding, but still spend a lot of time on the roads (UK, Surrey, heading out of London). Hence want some proper do everything wheels that I can use on the road and potentially also for some light gravel/mixed surface. The wheels will also be used in future when I eventually replace my road bike, which again will be do everything – fast club rides, some Alps/climbing. For this reason I am leaning towards the Zipp 303 NSW’s.. for similar reasons to what ‘Full Gaz’ put above. ENVE’s 3.4 would be great but bit of a stretch in budget and I am not sure I can justify the extra £$£. Had also been considering the DT Swiss ERC 1100 but note your comments above to previous post.
Any of your wisdom would be v much appreciated; FYI, I am 74kg’s with an FTP of around 300/330 (off season/summer!)
The Real Person!
JWoods, Welcome and thanks for your feedback and willingness to support the site. My advice would be similar to what I suggest to Full Gaz though I might lean to the Zipp a bit more since you’ve already got a full-on set of gravel wheels. First-world problem! Steve
Thanks very much Steve. Much appreciated. Leaning towards the Zipps then, now to try and find them on a good deal. Cheers!
The Real Person!
A quick search of stores my best online stores list shows prices on those are from Tweeks at £2,406, Tredz at £2,425 with the exclusive In The Know Cycling 10% off ITK10 discount code, CRC at £2,442.
Thanks Steve for your articles and long time reader here (first time posting). Building out a Tarmac Sl6 Disc. 320+ FTP, 80 kg but drops in summer months. I ride and race only on asphalt and can get a crazy deal on either 4.5 AR’s with CKs or Roval CLX 50’s. Roads can get rough at times and generally my weekly rides see about 3000ft of climbing per ride but usually through rolling hills or short choppy ascents. Having a rough time deciding as some of my races can also be north of 10k ft of climbing. Is the weight savings of the CLX better for my situation or will the 4.5s negate any benefits with what you mention above. Thanks again and happy to share more specifics if needed.
The Real Person!
Brad, I recommend the 4.5 AR. Their stiffness and comfort benefits over the Roval CLX 50 are important for someone your weight and FTP and with your roads. Lose the weight on your body and/or what you carry on the bike. 100g of difference between the two wheelsets will not matter at all. Steve
Great artical Steve. Thanks for sharing your review honestly.
I am 66kg with ftp around 220w and i mostly ride rolling terrain with occasionally go for hill climb. My av speed is 32kmh to 36kmh. I am looking for new disc brake wheelset for my bike, and currently own older enve 3.4 and 4.5 rim brake bike. I like enve very much.
With this situation, do you recommend me Zipp 303 Nsw or other wheel? I am also considering Bora Wto 45 Disc, did you have chance to review this?
The Real Person!
Siong Tan, As I wrote in the review above and show in the comparative chart, I rate the Zipp 3030 NSW disc performance high compared to others in this review and the ENVE 4.5 AR the highest. I’ve not reviewed the Bora WTO 45 disc. Steve
My BMC Slr01 disc does not have the clearance at seat stay for Enve 4.5 AR disc. My other option would be Enve 3.4 disc or Zipp 303 nsw did. So in this case, you recommend 303 nsw over Enve 3.4?
The Real Person!
They are both great choices. Depends what you are looking for and how much you want to spend. The 3.4 is a better climber; the 303 NSW is faster on the flats and a bit more comfortable. You can’t go wrong with either. There are price differences depending on where you live and what hub you get on the 3.4.
Hey Steve, just curious on above scenario. Hypothetically, if Siong was 85kg/185lbs (instead of 66kg/ 145lbs) would your advice have differed.
I guess what I’m asking is, at what rider weight would the (stiffer) Enves become the better option of the two?
The Real Person!
DaveMac, It’s more power-dependent than weight-dependent but assuming power aligns somewhat with weight, depending on your watts/kg, that 85kg is about where I think you’d begin to notice the stiffness difference depending on what your w/kg is. Put another way, I think it’s likely in the 250-300 watt range. Whether you want a stiffer wheelset or not is another consideration.
Here’s an example. Nate, who weighs about 72kg/160lbs and is very fast on the flats, a super climber, and whose FTP is likely somewhere near the top or above that range notices the difference right away and prefers the stiffer ENVE. Moose who is 90kg/200lb and doesn’t ride nearly as hard or climb as well as Nate and has an FTP somewhere near the bottom of that range prefers the comfort of the Zipp. I’m about 66kg/146lbs these days with an FTP below that range and notice the difference when I’m climbing a lot or accelerating hard to close a gap. I prefer the ENVE when I’m doing a 100 ft/mile climbing ride (5k feet in 50 miles) and the Zipp when I’m doing flatter, faster rides.
So you really need to know your own rider profile (see this review) as well as the relative performance of different wheels (this review and others) to choose what’s best for you and why I can’t recommend what’s best for Siong or anyone without that deep knowledge of their profile. Steve
Hi Steve, my location selling both enve 3.4 disc with Chris king hub and 303 nsw disc about same price. That make me harder to choose from the two.
I am slightly weak on climbing and seems 3.4 a better choice but of course also want to have faster wheels on flat that can hold the speed with less effort when above 38kmh. It would be great if Enve has 4.5 disc but non AR.
Thanks
The Real Person!
Siong, well if it helps and you want to support this site, use the links I’ve provided in each wheelset review to see if you can buy one at a better price than the other at a store I recommend and at a better price than what your local store offers you. You usually can. Steve
Hi Steve, finally I managed to find an used Enve 3.4 Disc with DTSwiss 240 hub locally. It really rolls pretty well but I just manage to ride it once for now. One question, the DTSwiss hub can upgrade to use 36T star rachet from 18T, may I know will 36T increase the drag and resistant? I understand that 36T mainly improve on quick er crank engagement but it really not important for road bike usage.
The only reason I was thinking to change to 36T is mainly due to the free wheel sound of DTSwiss 18T hub, it really bother me and sound like I am slowing down :). I previously own DTSwiss ERC1100 Dicut and the hub is 36T and the freewheel sound awesome. My question would be if change to 36T will it increase any drag and resistant and slow the wheel down?
The Real Person!
It shouldn’t. But the fact that there is a bothering free-wheel sound with the 18T hub should concern you more. DT240 hubs are usually pleasantly quiet regardless of the number of teeth. Did you get the hubs checked out before you bought the wheels? They may be defective. You should always have an experienced mechanic check out a used wheelset before buying it.
Hi Steve,
Thank you for posting such an in-depth analyses on these wheels. I am looking to upgrade the stock wheels on my Pinarello F10 disk and am considering either the 303nsw or the Enve 3.4 based on tire size limitations.
I weigh 68kg and don’t know my FTP but would not describe myself as a strong rider especially on climbs. I ride on mostly mixed roads but am looking to improve my distances (>40 mi) and my climbing. The F10 disk is a very stiff bike so I’m looking for wheels that are comfortable but can climb.
In your review of the wheels above, the Enve 3.4 were great climbers but comfort was casually mentioned. The 303nsw seemed to be reverse — comfortable but casually mentioned as decent climbers. I was wondering if you could clarify how the 303nsw and the Enve 3.4 would compare to each other in terms of climbing and comfort. I’m currently angling towards the 303nsw based on your review and the recommendations of my LBS. Thank you in advance for your help.
The Real Person!
Peter, You boiled it down pretty well. Not sure what more I can add about the wheels. I don’t know how relatively stiff the F10 disk is (I found the F10 rim to be flexy in the rear triangle) but if stiffness matters you will notice the difference putting a flexy wheel on a stiff frame and vice versa. (See my response to DaveMac above). If comfort is key, the ENVE’s are not uncomfortable; the Zipps are just more comfortable. See the comparison chart. Also, I’d put the right width tires on so you don’t affect your aero performance and drop the pressure to make it more comfortable rather than put on a 28c tire on either and ruin the aero performance. I ride at about your weight and am very comfortable tubeless at 60-70 psi with good handling. Both of those wheelsets are most aero with 25c tires.
I will say that, even at 68kg, if you’ve got 1-2 kg you can shed from your midsection or what you carry on your bike and can work hill repeats into your training, it will make a bigger difference than your wheelset choice. “Climbing” wheels matter when you are doing long (at least a couple KMs) and steep (>7% grade) and not shorter, less steep rolling hills. You didn’t say anything about speed but if that’s important, the Zipps will be a bit faster for the same power output when you’re in the wind.
Finally, if your LBS doesn’t sell both wheelsets, I would discount their advice. No matter how much you like and trust them or how loyal you have been to them over the years, it’s hard for any LBS to recommend something that may cause them to lose a big sale. Steve
Thanks for responding Steve. My LBS does sell both wheels but the sales associate I know races and is sponsored by SRAM/Zipp. He did say both are great wheels but he has the most experience with the Zipp 303nsw and loves them. He’s about my height. We’re both short but obviously weigh many kilos less than me.
I definitely could stand to lose at least 5kgs and have begun integrating hill repeats in my training (per the recommendation from the same sales associate). I did notice an improvement but not sure how to extend that in to sustained climbing performance.
As for flex, I’m sure the 303nsw or the Enve 3.4 will be stiffer than the stock Fulcrum Racing 4s. Also I can not install tires wider than 25cm on the F10. I guess it is just an older design and not made to handle wider tires. Most of my riding is solo or with a small group. So in order of importance, I’m interested in long term comfort, cross wind stability, climbing and speed. I reviewed your chart and it looks like the 303nsw might be a better fit. My only concern is how well they climb compared to the Enve 3.4.
The Real Person!
They climb fine. Not going to hold you back in any way
Hi Steve – This is my first resource when considering new wheels because I bought 303 NSW’s based on your review and absolutely love them. Road cycling is hard and these wheels bring some pleasure to balance that out.
It’s N+1 time and I’m shopping for new wheels. This will be a Ti frame (probably Reilly 325), used daily and for travel and I don’t want maintenance issues. I live in Austria which affects brand availability, support and cost – some of which you noted and therefore the DT Swiss line must be considered. How/why did you choose ERC over ARC or PRC? Do you expect your ride impressions to be the same for the ARC and PRC?
Thank you.
The Real Person!
Hi Martin, Thanks for your kind feedback. Glad you enjoy the 303 NSW’s. If you live in Europe (or most anywhere), you can usually get a wider choice and a better price buying wheels online. You can keep support this site and help us crank out more reviews when you do so as well.
I don’t spend a lot of time with DT Swiss wheels. There’s nothing terribly distinctive about them. The ARC are designed by Swiss Hadron and while competitive in aero performance, they tend to be less comfortable and don’t do well in the crosswinds. The PRCs are typically a performance level down from the ERC. So, no, I don’t expect them to ride the same. Steve
Thanks Steve. I will bring it for mechanic to service and reapply the greece. It is not as loud as Chris King hub, seems to be slightly louder than dt swiss erc 1100 dicut. The lower pitch tone is brother me due to 18T, 36T pitch would be higher and sound faster.
BTW, may I know which 25c tubeless tyre you would recommend for best rolling and less rolling resistant? I am currently on schwalbe pro one tubeless.
In selecting the (wider) wheels/tires options, how much lateral flex should one consider (assuming rider w/ 240w FTP)? My chainstays have 38mm clearance.
On the ERC1100s that my bike came with, 700×28 Conti GP4000s inflate to 31.7mm width. The same tire in 700×25 inflate to 27mm wide.
Thanks, in advance. I think you have answered this before, but I can’t find it.
The Real Person!
DaveMac, you want 4-5mm for lateral deflection either side. The 28C GP4000 would be tight (38mm-32mm=6mm total = 3mm either side) and also would be poor from an aero standpoint (tires wider than rims). 25C GP4000 would be much better for both deflection clearance and aerodynamics. Steve
Hi Steve, many thanks for the in depth articles. Last year I unfortunately had my beloved bike of 20years stolen with some beautiful ENVE 45s with DT swiss 240s and cx ray spokes. Also not insured :-(. The wheels despite being the old pointy rim shape where beautiful to ride in all respects, hopefully you have tried them in the past?.
I am buying a new bike on a much reduced budget but don’t want to be disappointed by the ride compared to what I had. I have bought a Cube Litening C62 ultra Di2 and disc 2019 as it was on a very good deal and reasonable weight compared to other disc bikes, and I liked the look of it!. The wheels though are Evolution SL R.25 28″ Alloy with a very low weight of 1430g and retail now off the shelf for about £550. I was intending to sell them on as I cannot believe they will be anywhere near as good as the Enve’s I had and was looking at something better. I ride only road and currently about 200-300miles a week. I weigh 68kgs and fast club rider (used to race in my better years). We are looking to get a camper and ride a lot of the uk and as much of europe alls/pyranees/dolomites as we can get to. So that all being said I was looking up to £1500 but nothing is jumping out. My friend has just bought the same bike and he got some Mavic Ksyrium pro carbons which look good and have a similar weight (I notice you haven’t reviewed any Mavic wheels which is a surprise given I thought they were one of the big wheel manufacturers ?). I was undecided wether to go for the same or go nuts, completely blow the budget and get a set of the Roval CLX 50’s (just would have to buy them without the missus realising!?). Given everything, do you think coming from the Enve 45’s Id be OK with the Mavics (if you have any knowledge of them) or the Rovals ? I am presuming either should be a massive improvement over the stock wheels ? Thanks for any advice you can give.
The Real Person!
Russell, Sorry to hear your bike was stolen. I never rode the ENVE 45s so don’t have a point of comparison. A lot has changed since then so I’d expect all in this review would be improvements that you’d notice depending on what’s important to you, e.g. speed, stiffness, comfort, acceleration, etc. I have reviewed rim brake Mavic wheels but they don’t compare very well. My review and recommendation on the Roval and other options in this price range are included in this post. I’ve reviewed other carbon and alloy upgrade road disc wheelset options that you can find in the Disc Brake Wheelset section on the home page. If you want help figuring out what category of wheels to get, there’s this review. Steve
You might like to update the review Steve as apparently the CLX50’s are no longer available anywhere. My LBS contacted specialized and despite the wheels selling out like hot cakes they have stopped production and are working on its replacement. They refused to comment on why they stopped selling them. Go figure?
The Real Person!
Russell, looks like you may be getting some incorrect information. If you search for the wheels in my Know’s Shop or just click this link to take you there, you’ll find many stores including those in the US and UK that have them in stock. Steve
Very odd, thanks.
They’re being replaced this model year, delayed due to current global circumstances, my LBS tells me.
Cheers
hi steve, thanks very much. I think I am going to go for the CLX50’s. Based on yours and other reviews & given they are on the same hubs with ceramic bearings I can only believe they will be the same or better than my Enves and hence a joy to get on and ride. Plus baring accidents being disc they should see me out. super site.
Hi Steve,
excellent review, thanx.
I’m ordering a new Parlee RZ7. Will ride it mainly (75%) in windy flatland (the Netherlands) but also regularly in the Ardennes and planning a mountaineous Gran Fondo in France.
My weight is 70kg and FTP 310 W (4.5 W/kg)
Would you prefer the Enve 3.4 Disc (better climber, less suspicious to gusty winds) or the 4.5 AR Disc (better in the flat but wider and heavier in the mountains)?
The Real Person!
Pieter, Ah yes, picking a wheel for the flats or the climbs is always tough. It’s really a question of which terrain you want to perform best on. If you value riding the flats at high speed more than you do going fast up alpine climbs, go with the deeper wheelset. For example, if you are into fast group rides or road races in the Netherlands and vacation or go ride less competitively in the mountains, go with the deeper wheelset. If the reverse, go with the lighter one.
I will add a couple of things. You can do well with either wheelset in both situations. You’ll do marginally better with one than the other. Secondly, crosswinds are not an issue for the deeper ENVE wheels.
Another wheelset to consider would be the ENVE 5.6 disc. I reviewed the 5.6 rim brake wheelset here and will ride the 5.6 disc this spring. It weighs the same as the 4.5 AR, trades off some of the width and off-road versatility of the 4.5 AR for a deeper/more aero solution. I also found it very snappy, climbed very well, no issues in the crosswinds. Steve
Steve-
I thought I saw at one point you were testing the ENVE 3.4 AR. Has that review completed / published? Am looking at this Wheelset and was curious about your thoughts as it compares to 4.5 AR and 3.4 disc that you’ve tested previously. I’m intrigued by the versatility aspect and think it is about as wide as I can go in road bike frame (interested especially in mounted tire widths). At any rate if you are planning to publish soon I can wait – just wanted to let you know that post would be eagerly awaited.
The Real Person!
Frank, yes, we are testing it now. Will have a review up this month. Appreciate your patience. Steve
Do you still anticipate posting the 3.4 AR review? I am wanting to read your thoughts before I pull the trigger on a set with either DT240 or Chris King hubs. I am curious to hear your thoughts. I would also be curious to hear your thoughts on hubs.
The Real Person!
Dustin, Thanks for keeping me honest. I’m about a week or two out from posting it. Did all my riding on both road and gravel surfaces. Passed it on for Nate to check out and give me his report before I post. BTW, there may still be some around in store inventory but ENVE hasn’t made the 3.4 AR with DT240 hubs for about a year. I’ve ridden ENVE wheels with the DT240, their ENVE alloy hub made with the DT240-like Mavic Instant Drive 360 internals that replaced it on their lowest price hub option, and with the CK45 hubs. They’re all good and it comes down to your preference rather than significant performance differences. The CK’s are sweet rolling, sounding and require you to keep up a periodic maintenance regimen but the ENVE alloy are solid, far quieter than the CKs, a lot less expensive, and need service by exception. Steve
The Real Person!
My 3.4 AR review is now up or “just dropped”, however the e-cool cats and kittens now say it. You can “go in” on it here https://intheknowcycling.com/enve-3-4-ar/
Hi Steve, I have to say you’ve given us a super review for anyone wanting a good set of disc wheels. I’ve taken great interest since I’m about to order a wheelset upgrade for my new Trek Emonda SLR 8 disc. I’m loving the Emonda especially in the hills but I’m finding the front end a bit harsh on poor UK roads that I ride even with 28mm tyres so comfort with a new wheelset is a big priority for me. I don’t race and my FTP is a good bit lower than some others quoted above but I do ride 200-300km per week with mix of rolling hills and flats often on poor tarmac roads where club group rides average 32-35km. Some club members also go to the Alps for a week every year so training in Spring and Summer are spent in the hills around the UK. I can get a very good discount on a set of Zipp 303 NSW wheels which are down to the same price as Bontrager Aeolus XXX and Roval CLX 50 but the Zipps look like a much better choice than these other two wheelsets after reading your review. I also found a good deal on a set of Enve 4.5 AR disc wheels with Dt Swiss 240 hubs but even at a discount, they are £300 more expensive than the Zipps. I also think these would just about fit my Emonda with 28mm tyres but I was wondering if you think they would suit me any better than the Zipps especially since I don’t ride gravel or have a big need for deeper section wheels. If I was getting a set of 3.5 or 3.5 AR wheels at this discount, it might be more tempting. Any advice appreciated.
The Real Person!
Kieran, If you prioritize comfort, go with the Zipp 303 NSW. And, look at the sales on Zipp wheels in the Deals and Discounts box on the home page to see how they compare with the one you are tracking. Steve
Thanks for the advice on the 303 NSW Steve, your home page was the first place I looked and it’s from one of those that I found the discounted Zipps.
Thanks for your dedication Steve. We ALL appreciate your expertise
I am building an Allez Sprint Disc Brake and cannot decide which Aero wheels to buy. I will be riding mostly fast group rides in the flats. I weight around 95kg. I am looking at CLX 50’s or 64’s, Zipp NSW 404, Reynolds 58/62 or ENVE SES 5.6.
Looking for comfort and good performance in crosswinds. Allez Sprint is very stiff. I appreciate and thank you for your input!
The Real Person!
George, Thanks for your vote of confidence. I hope you’ll also find a way to support the site so I can keep it going strong and sharing what I learn with everyone. As to your wheels, take a look at my review of aero wheels herehttps://intheknowcycling.com/aero-bike-wheels/. It’s a mix of rim and disc brake reviews but some have the same profile for crosswind considerations and other similar components (e.g. hubs, spokes, rim carbon layups). We’re testing some additional wheels now including the CLX 64 and Reynolds Aero 65 DB and hope to be testing others later this spring. At your weight and likely power, I’d put a priority on stiffness. Steve
Thanks Steve. Looking forward to your CLX64 review
I’m setting up a new Trek Madone SLR disc and I’m torn between the ENVE 4.5 AR and the ENVE 5.6. The AR was originally my choice because my understanding is it’s optimized for larger tires and ideally takes a 28mm; the current research says larger tires are actually faster than slimmer tires and I also like the idea of increased comfort and traction that comes with the larger tire. But you make a really strong case for the new 5.6 even though my understanding is it can’t handle a 28mm and is definitely optimized for slimmer tires. I’m a 19-24mph rider and put in 125k feet of climbing last year. Probably my biggest weakness as a rider is I’m a coward when cornering (which makes me think going with bigger tires on the 4.5 might be better…). Thoughts, advice, or perspective?
The Real Person!
Justin, The Madone is a screaming fast bike and should get a wheelset to go with it. I love the 4.5 AR but there’s no reason to get it if you aren’t going offroad at least a little bit. You wouldn’t/shouldn’t with that bike and unless you have a gravel bike to put the 4.5 AR on from time to time, I’d go with the 5.6. The AR is optimized for 28s but it’s one of the few in ENVE’s or anyone else’s line that is. A 25C tire on the 5.6 is plenty comfortable if you set it up right (e.g. at the right pressure and tubeless) and the improved speed of a wider tire is only when you run it a the same pressure (which you wouldn’t because you get it wider so you can lower the pressure) and were talking about a watt or two at most. Likewise, handling is also fine with a 25C tire at the right pressure. One downside of the 4.5 AR is that its hookless design means you can’t use the best every day, lowest rolling resistance tubeless tire with it (the Conti Grand Prix 5000 TL) and you can’t run it with tubed tires (although you can put a tube inside a tubeless tire if you prefer).
Don’t get me wrong, I love the 4.5 AR for all the reasons I recommend it. But if you are going the speed route with a Madone, the 4.5 AR can work but I would go with the 5.6 instead. On the other hand, if you value comfort and climbing you may want to revisit your frame choice. My fellow tester Nate rode and reviewed the Madone last year as part of our test of the AXS groupset (https://intheknowcycling.com/sram-etap-axs-groupset/). He loved the bike for its speed but it’s not the most comfortable or stiffest frame around. A Domane or another all-around road race bike might be a better choice, in which case I’d green light either the 4.5 AR (or 3.4 AR that I’m testing now) or the 5.6 which you could also use as an all-around wheelset (it’s that responsive) but it’s not as versatile as the 4.5 AR as it wouldn’t be as capable on dirt or gravel.
Hope I haven’t spun your head around too much with this answer but I think it’s important to consider the tire, wheelset, bike and your priorities in concert. Steve
Absolutely appreciate the fast answer and your thoughts! You’re absolutely right, it does seem odd to consider the AR wheels when I basically am not an all-road rider. I nearly fall over if I even look at gravel or rough terrain. I am coming from a 2013 Cervelo S5 which I use as an “all around” frame, including the climbing. At least so far, the folks who I’ve talked to have said that the Madone should be more comfortable and race/climb at least as well if not better. The Cervelo was purchased on clearance and was a major upgrade from the Kona Major Jake I had been using as my all-around bike before that. I manage up to a century on the S5, so my hope would be that the Madone would at least be as comfortable…maybe? As soon as I send this post I’m going to click through to your partner’s post and read it (ok, after I take the kid for a neighborhood walk…)
I did eye the Domane but keep talking myself out of it because I really, really, love my Cervelo and that makes me think if I’m going to have just one frame (which is my lot in life), that I should stick with the aero world. Think I’m off base?
The Real Person!
Justin, tough to not compare favorably with a 2013 bike no matter how good it was. So much development since then. And part of that development has been to make aero bikes more comfortable and all-around bikes more aero. So yeah, nothing at all wrong with having that one frame be a 2020 “aero” bike. Indeed, after months of research and analysis of the trade-offs, Nate just pulled the trigger on a Venge. He’s still planning to use his Tarmac, which is a similar vintage as your S5, for climbing events. Steve
Steve, if I end up running a set of 5.6, any thoughts from you on running a 25mm tire in front and a 28mm in the back?
The Real Person!
Justin, That’s fine. Most of the aero benefit comes from the front wheel/tire combo. A wider tire in the back won’t affect aero much but will provide greater comfort. Just remember to set the pressure lower in the back than in the front. I’ve found ENVE’s pressure chart to be a good guide. https://www.enve.com/en/tirepressure/
Steve
Hi Steve, thanks for taking your time an effort to test each wheelset and providing such an in-depth review on each of them. The information you provided answered most of the questions I have in mind, however there is still one dilemma that is puzzling me among all the options above: weight. Does a few 100 grams affects the overall performance of a high-end wheelset in general, especially during climbing?
From your table I’ve realised that both Zipp’s Firecrest and NSW have a higher total weight than most of the wheelsets you have covered, and you have rated them fairly good. On the contrary, the much lighter Roval CLX 50 had an average rating, but could the average performance be justified by the lightness of the wheelset? If weight does play a role in the performance then I might even consider CLX32 which runs even lighter at 1300+ grams.
Just some background information of myself, I’m 165cm and ~60kg, so stiffness is not an issue, but crosswinds are. Currently own a Specialized Roubaix Comp 2020 and do a mix of small climbs, flats and the occasional big climb. Hope to hear from you soon!
The Real Person!
Jin, It’s unlikely you’ll be able to tell the difference of less than 150g in wheel weight all else being. Above that amount I can usually tell that one wheelset is heavier than another when I’m accelerating or climbing, all else being equal. But of course, all else isn’t equal. Where’s the weight difference: rim, hubs, spokes? Bike weight and body weight are far more important than wheelset weight. And what about the stuff you carry on your bike? One or two water bottles? What site water bottles? How heavy is your saddle bag? All of these things can and usually do matter more than wheelset weight and wheelset weight only matters more than aero performance when you are doing long, steep climbs.
Wheelset performance is my focus not specs like weight or other design considerations. So many things can contribute to performance that I can’t draw a direct line from specs or design attributes like weight to acceleration or rim depth to crosswind management. Weight may look good in marketing but may or may not make a wheelset less aero, less stiff, less responsive, etc. Steve
Hi Steve,
As a lightweight (<50kg), low power, low speed rider, who rides for pleasure and favours hilly terrain (a regular big climb being 2km 6%), would I be right to look more to lower profile rims than the ones featured here? Eg 28mm to 32mm? Being lightweight, I am concerned about crosswinds. (I will be on a new 48 to 50cm frame with 700c wheels, coming from a 1989 bike with 18mm rim depth wheels). I value quality (longevity), comfort, stability, a quite freehub(!) and then obviously lightweight. Stiffness, aero or handling not likely to be an issue for me. Will be on tarmac (of various quality), not off-road, on 25C, possibly 28C tyres. So, would I be better thinking along the lines of Firecrest 202 rather than 303; or Aeolus 2 rather than 4. I don't think my budget will stretch to the Enves or Zipp NSWs which you seem to rate best for crosswind here. Any thoughts appreciated. Thanks, Paul.
The Real Person!
Paul, Of course, it depends on whether winds are an issue where you ride. The wheels you listed aren’t affected much if crosswinds stay below 10 mph. Crosswinds are just one consideration in wheelset choice and usually not a key one unless you ride where they are ever-present and strong. From your initial description of “low power, low speed rider who riders for pleasure”, you might be completely satisfied with a good alloy upgrade wheelset like those in this review https://intheknowcycling.com/road-disc-wheelset/ that will save you some serious money, give you all the performance you need, and also be low profile. Steve
Hi Steve
I just bought a pinarello F12 disk and it comes with firecrest 303, at present time zipp releases the new entry line 302s and claim a 10 watt reduction at 40kmph so i’m concerned to have bought a very expensive bike that comes with “old version wheels ” since i guess zipp is gonna update the top level wheels with the new tech, so the question is if sounds logical to make a change on the wheels for a pair of enve ARC 3.4 wheels or simply the gain is not that critical over the old specs firecrests. The bike is still at the store and i can make custom changes on it.
Thanks on advance for your help
The Real Person!
Miguel, A fair question but I don’t think you should be overly concerned. Here’s why. The new 303S is a replacement for the 302 which was the old 2016 303 Firecrest without the dimples. That rim profile hadn’t been changed since the 303 Firecrest was first introduced early in the decade. Disc hubs were added to the same rim for the original 303 Firecrest disc model but that was about it. It was a great wheelset for its aero performance in its day but was on the heavy side, narrow internally (17C), used tubed clinchers only and was less comfortable compared to wider, tubeless models available today.
The 303S is tubeless (only), lighter and wider internally (primarily because the bead hooks were removed) but no wider than the 302 externally. So it should be more comfortable but will likely be less aero because any 28C tire and most 25C tires that you mount to it will likely be wider than the 27mm external rim width and deflect the wind away from the rim rather than have it continue along the rim wall and give you some added lift. The claimed 10-watt reduction is a reduction over the 2016 model 303 Fircrest / 302 rim and uses a different measurement protocol that takes into account the impedance losses from a more inflated, narrower tire. So I don’t think you are comparing apples and apples.
Further, the 303S is really intended for road and trail/dirt/gravel riding whereas I’d expect (hope!) you’ll be keeping your F12 only on the road. The ENVE 3.4 AR wheels are also intended for road and trail use rather than optimized for aero road speed. We’re testing that wheelset now and finding it to be the case. If you planned to use the 303 Firecrests from your F12 on your gravel bike then you might save some money with the 303S or 3.4AR rather than buying wheels for each bike but your F12 performance would suffer (less aero).
The current 303 Firecest disc is two generations newer than the 2016 303 Firecrest/302. It uses the rim of the first generation 303 NSW which was a very fast, comfortable wheelset. I haven’t ridden the 303S yet but my expectation is that the 303 Firecrest disc will be more aero as its rim will be wider than the width of the 25C tire you should mount on it and has better hubs. You’ve got my take of the current 303 Firecrest disc wheelset in the review above.
All of that said, wheelset companies introduce new wheels all the time and, while I don’t have any inside knowledge, Zipp may introduce more new wheelsets this year. So you are likely to have “old version” wheels at some point, whether it be this year or at some point in the future. If they are a Zipp dealer, they should know what is coming this year and when. Whether a newer Zipp wheelset will be so much better that it will affect the performance you are looking to get from your bike and you should therefore wait or not is hard to know. Steve
Steve, continued and helpful reviews and comments as always!
Whilst we would all like to get a set of ENVE AR’s or Zipp NSW’s cost does come in to it especially in today’s climate.
Equally I’ve heard it stated in a number of places about ‘dimensioning returns’ as price goes up, so therefore would be interested in reading a full review on the new entry model ENVE 45 Foundation and Zipp 303s to understand just what the difference in performance is to a top end spec wheelset?….suspect it’s not double or treble performance, but price certainly is!
Any plans on such a review in near future?
The Real Person!
Hi Al, I’m trying to get a hold of both wheelsets now. Will post a photo on my FB, Twitter and IG accounts when they come in. Thanks for asking, Steve
Grt, look forward to it.
Wasn’t aware you had a Facebook & IG page…..can you share details as would like to follow?
The Real Person!
Click on the social media icons at the top of any page
Steve, I’m hopeful when the reviews of the Enve 3.4 AR is added, you will touch upon the safety aspect of the hookless rims- which have now shown up on the new Zipp 303 S. Just curious if concerns over “blow offs” are warranted.
An unrelated question, are there any notable worries over running two different width tires? I’m awaiting delivery of 303 NSWs, and considering Conti 5K TL 25c for the front (to maximize aero advantage), and go with 28c in back (exchanging some aero in a less critical area for added comfort for my beaten bones).
The Real Person!
Dave, No concern about running tires on hookless rims as long as you keep under the max pressure recommendation. And sure, you can run wider on the less aero back wheel, as long as you have room for it between your chainstays. Allow for an extra 3-4mm on either side of the tire to allow for deflection. So probably about 36-38mm with that NSW-28C combo. Steve
Thanks for reminding me of the clearance issue. I’m measuring right at 37mm between the chainstays. Guess I will play it safe, and go with the 25’s.
Hi Steve, I’m the same weight as you 66kg, and ride at around 18mph average, with 100ft of climbing every mile.
I have had Mavic Carbon Cosmic SL rim wheels for the last few years, and I have no comparison to make, but they have been bulletproof, stayed true, no spoke breaks, no bearing maintenance, and have done approx 15,000 miles.
I’m moving to disc, and I am considering the newer UST Mavic Pro carbon SL, (Although with Mavic in recievership i’m not sure) or the new Enve Foundation 45’s. Perhaps you haven’t tried the 45’s but Maybe from your experience and the spec you could share your thoughts. The 45’s are a lot cheaper than the SES 3.4’s, but the rims are deeper, and made in the same factory to the same spec. I don’t know about the hubs, but like the Mavic they seem to use the DT Swiss type internals.
The Real Person!
Nick, Congrats on moving to road disc bike and wheels. Big step that I think you and others will benefit from in a lot of ways (e.g. braking, comfort, speed, versatility). Appreciate your interest in this wheelset category. I’m not a fan of Mavic carbon wheels as you can see in other reviews around the site. They were late to the carbon game and have never caught up. Their financial woes, not just of late, but of the last several years have limited their investment and innovation. I agree with you on their durability but they aren’t alone in that regard and, unfortunately durability or quality can only maintain performance rather than produce it.
I’ve not tested the ENVE Foundation 45 or 65 yet and I don’t judge wheels on specs or marketing claims. I hope review them sometime this summer.
As to the hubs, ENVE’s hubs use Mavic Instant Drive 360 internals which are knock-offs of the DT Swiss 240 ratchet design. I’ve ridden both ENVE’s and Mavic’s hubs and they perform well and on par with the DT Swiss ones.
Meanwhile, there are a lot of good carbon all-around road disc wheelsets to consider (above) and I’m reviewing more this spring and summer including some I’d consider more oriented to climbing than all-around. So look around and check back. Steve
Thank you for the quick reply. I need to buy in the next week, so may have to “take a punt”, I did worry that mavic may not be around in a few years anyway, and enve has lifetime warranty. One thing I did notice over about 3 years use on the mavics was rusting spokes. They are just steel, which whilst stronger than stainless obviously rusts, no issues with this, just a little unsightly.
Enve use Sapim CX Sprint stainless with brass nipples, easy to get if need be, and wont rust or corrode. The enve also have 24 spokes up front as opposed to 20 on the mavic. The enve are a tad heavier, but I think its worth it for the extra spokes and brass nipples. Moulded spoke holes on Enve, drilled on Mavic.
One difference I’m not sure on is Enve are set up with hookless rims 28 external 21 internal, Mavic have hooks 28 external 19 internal. Is One better than other? Is one easier to mount tyres?
Any thoughts much appreciated, but I’m leaning towards Enve, even though they cost around £300 more.
The Real Person!
Enve over Mavic every day of the week.
Morning Steve,
Do you ride tubeless, or tubes? Enve only recommend TL tyres, which are around 100g heavier per rim at the lightest inc sealant, over the lightest tubed tyres inc tube. Sorry if this is the wrong place to post it and you have an article somewhere on this topic with the pro’s & cons.
Regards
Nick
The Real Person!
Nick, actually tubeless tires + valve + sealant and tubed tires + tubes weigh about the same 300 grams per wheel. I detail this here. I ride both, prefer tubeless over tubed tires, and recognize many are still prefer tubed ones. Weight isn’t a reason to pick one over the other. There are more important reasons.
Finally, if you prefer using tubes, you can put them in tubeless tires instead of sealant for wheels like the ENVE AR and Foundation series that only take tubeless tires because of their hookless rims. (Other ENVE road wheels can use tubeless or tubed tires.) I think this takes away from the puncture resilience benefit of tubeless (the ability to seal most punctures) and does add weight (butyl tubes weigh about 75g whereas you put 30g of sealant in each tire) but I get that many people are uncomfortable going tubeless. Steve
Hi Steve,
Regarding weight, I meant the lightest of each system, so a Pirelli TT with a Tubolito S, is 165g+22g, the lightest TL tyre is around 245g, plus valve 5g, plus sealant 30g. Thats 187g vs 285g, for both 25mm tyres.
I have now read your long article on tyres (very interesting), as well as some others.
The website rolling resistance, https://www.bicyclerollingresistance.com/specials/schwalbe-one-tubeless-clincher tested the different tubes and tubeless, and found that at all pressures a lightweight, latex or tubolite s, rolled better than tubeless, just!
I think, that tubeless setup may give you a slightly better aero performance if you average around 20mph, and avoids pinch flats. I have had 1 pinch flat in about 30,000 miles caused by a pothole in a shallow puddle, and rarely get punctures. So whilst everything is saying go tubeless, I can only see that its messy if you do get a failure, and weighs at least 200g more than the lightest tubed setup.
I have asked Enve why their SES 3.4, have hooked rims but their foundation don’t. Their AR don’t but I can see why as you would want to run them a low pressures off road, and avoid pinch flats.
Such an interesting topic.
Many Thanks