Easton Orion II

Price Paid:  $0.00 at ?

Favorite Ride:
hill country

Bike Setup:
dura ace etc.

Summary:
good wheelset. well built, good quality, light weight, spins up, takes beating, rolls smoothly, overall great product from Easton. These makes great training wheels...they may be great for crits as well. I weight 140lb.

Strengths:
light@~1500g, stiff and strong wheel at higher spoke count, rolls very smoothly...very dependable. smooth road feel as well.

Weaknesses:
nothing really.

Similar Products Used:
easton vista

Price Paid:  $500.00 at Excel

Favorite Ride:
Sonoma Coast

Bike Setup:
2007 Colnago Dream HX, Dura Ace, Easton & Ritchey bits

Summary:
As light as I want to go and I love 'em. I want wheels I can depend on in a 50 mph descent and I don't want to fuss with them.

Strengths:
These are lighter AND stiffer AND have softer road feel that my previous wheels, and I'm not getting paid to say that. I'm a 190 pound, roadkill-hopping mountain biker and have not touched these wheels in over 3,500 miles.

Weaknesses:
None, especially since I bought them on sale

Similar Products Used:
Hand built wheelsets with Mavic Open Pro rims, Ultegra & DA hubs, Mavic Cosmos.

Price Paid:  $0.00 at LBS

Favorite Ride:
Boulder to Lyons

Bike Setup:
Giant TCR, Sram red w/ DA crank, conti supersonics when racing

Summary:
I was looking for a semi-aero wheelset to replace the Shimano R550's that came on my bike. I got these and must say I am super happy with them!! I am 210 (in season) and have put about 2000 miles on them so far. They are great all-around wheels and I use them all the time (commuting, training and racing). They spin up soooo much better than the 550's and are way lighter.

Strengths:
spin up, have not had to true them at all!!!!

Weaknesses:
Like to have them meet the listed weight, 100 grams is a lot to be off!!!

Similar Products Used:
Shimano R550's

Price Paid:  $0.00

Favorite Ride:
all of them

Bike Setup:
Blue RC4, Dura Ace, Easton carbon bars/seat post, etc.

Summary:
These wheels came stock on a Blue RC4 that I picked up last summer. I was always under the assumption that Mavic wheels were the best, primarily due to their succesful marketing I guess. I have been nothing but happy with these wheels. They are light, stay true overtime, and spin like their under power, long after I stop pedaling. At six feet and 148 lbs I,m a little light in the arse, but I regular coast past, or have to brake behind, big guys in the group, using Mavic wheels that cost two or three hundred more than the Orion IIs. Another plus, these wheels are whisper quiet... what is the deal with noisy spokes on Mavic wheelsets anyway?

Strengths:
Light enough, without feeling flexy.
Spin forever and ever.
Great bang for the buck.
Stay true.
Nice and quiet.

Weaknesses:
The graphics/looks aren't as cool and bling as Mavic, but I,ll take the performance over the bling every time.

Similar Products Used:
Campi, Mavic, Shimano

Price Paid:  $483.00 at Bike Beyond

Favorite Ride:
Lizard Head Colorado

Bike Setup:
FSA timetrial with Tirreno carbon frame

Summary:
Checking with the Easton Wheel Division:
1) The wheel weight is measured without
QR or RIM TAPE,
2)The weight tolerance is +/- 5%
3)1586g with rim tape is a good weight as far as Easton production is concerned
4) It is disappointing that Easton Sports thinks it is okay to state a fictitious weight for marketing purposes,
5) If someone has an Orion II set which
weighs 1403 grams (about 1430 with rim tape) please chime in,
6) My feeling is that the wheel builders just stopped trimming the spoke threads after the advertised weight was released.

Strengths:
Smooth and fast
far superior to any other wheel
I have ridden

Weaknesses:
weight stated in advertising is 109 grams off

Similar Products Used:
Easton velomax, forte Titan
Shimano WH