Reynolds Assault

Price Paid:  $1100.00 at Ozark Bike Shop

Favorite Ride:
they're all good

Bike Setup:
Cervelo Team Soloist, Dura Ace.

Summary:
Bought these as a replacement for Mavic Cosmic Carbone's. Wheels are used as "race only". I have found them to feel light, stiff, and hold speed fairly well. They brake well in dry conditions. I have not used them in the rain. Hubs are smooth so far. Great wheelset for the money and love the fact that they are not tubular.

Strengths:
Price, looks, stiffness, a good "all around" race wheel which is smooth over rough surfaces as well as being predictable in corners.

Weaknesses:
None.

Similar Products Used:
Mavic Cosmic Carbone

Price Paid:  $0.00 at Bike Tech

Favorite Ride:
Key Biscayne

Bike Setup:
Cervelo P2C with Ultegra and Assault wheels

Summary:
I bought the Reynolds Assault with a new Cervelo P2C Triathlon bike. The wheels are super light and super smooth. Braking on the carbon is a little less responsive than on your basic Shimano rim, but you get used to it. Very steady ride and very fast. They look great with the grey and black Cervelo frame.

Strengths:
solid feel, very light weight, fast

Weaknesses:
braking

Similar Products Used:
basic shimano rims

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Price Paid:  $0.00 at Reynolds

Favorite Ride:
Coast Ride

Bike Setup:
2009 Orbea Orca w/ Campy Chorus

Summary:
For the price, the Assaults offer a lot to love in a deep sectioned carbon rim. They are quite light, less than 80g heavier than Reynolds' higher end DV46s and plenty stiff. I was impressed with the way they spin up quickly and maintain their speed. The hubs, initially at least, roll very smooth and haven't given any reason to doubt their reliability despite being a Taiwanese OEM part. Handling during fast descents is stable and confidence inspiring. For those considering carbon aero wheels at higher price points I would urge you to look at the Reynolds and take your saving to buy a set of aluminum rain wheels. The wheels aren't without flaws, which I detail below. Essentially, the big drawback for me was the braking performance, which ultimately has become a deal-breaker. Carbon rims aren't for everyone, though, and if you can get past the braking deficiencies or are happy to spend the (significant) extra time with setup you will really enjoy rolling on these wheels.

Strengths:
Build quality, price, acceleration, rolling efficiency and stiffness.

Weaknesses:
Braking is a big weakness - Reynolds supplied brake pads don't just squeak, they HOWL. Inherent in all carbon rims the braking is decidedly weak compared to aluminum rims, modulation is difficult and there's a 'pulsating' on/off feel of the brakes due to the uneven carbon surface. Again this is inherent in all carbon rims though it seems to be a bigger issue on these wheels than others I've tried.

Similar Products Used:
Campagnolo Bora Ultra, Zipp 404, HED Carbonlite 50

Price Paid:  $1200.00 at AE Bike

Favorite Ride:
Glen Lakes Loop

Bike Setup:
Cervelo Soloist Carbon with Campy Centaur

Summary:
After about 200 miles in hilly, windy Northwestern Michigan these wheels have completely impressed me. The Assaults are quite a bit lighter than my Mavic Ksyrium Elites and way more aero. Less weight with great stiffness meant great for climbing. I put an 11-25 cassette on them and climbed better with the Assualts than previously with a 13-26 on my Elites. I attribute that to less weight, great stiffness, and mental factor of having really cool looking wheels. Anyway, the Assaults were most impressive on the flats and rollers in cross winds. It seems liked the wind was pushing me up the road. Holding speed in the wind has never been quite as easy. I never experienced anything like that with lower profile wheels, and I have been riding in that punishing wind for several years. Also, the hubs roll super smooth. I'll update this review after some sprints in club rides, but based on some accelerations on training rides, my impression is that the Assaults will perform well in that area as well.

Strengths:
Aero, smooth rolling, stiff, maintain speed and get up to speed quickly, steady handling on descents. They look really cool.

Weaknesses:
As I'm sure is true with any deeper section wheel, catching a big gust on a speedy descent can be nervy. That is not necessarily a weakness, but you don't get the same pulling or pushing effect with box section wheels on descents.

Similar Products Used:
Campagnolo Shamal (circa late '90s 40mm aluminum)

Price Paid:  $1200.00 at Competitive Cyclist

Favorite Ride:
Broad Ripple trainer

Bike Setup:
Merckx Team SC with Shimano 10-speed, Look pedals, Vredestein Fortezza Tri-Comp tires and FSA bars.

Summary:
Wanted an aero carbon wheelset but didn't want to spend $2000+. The carbon Assault is only 70 grams heavier than the DV46C but almost $1000 cheaper. So far (250 miles) it is a great wheelset; durable over rough roads, spins up fast, and holds higher speed (22 mph+) with less effort than previous wheelsets. They are smooth and stable at 25-35mph and have no brake pad noise issues. IMO best bang for the buck.

Strengths:
Durable, aero, light for a deep dish wheel (46mm) and a good price compared to similar wheelsets.

Weaknesses:
None so far.

Similar Products Used:
Campy Eurus: great all-round wheels; still using them on another bike.