Ligero Wheelworks Model 1

Price Paid:  $850.00 at CycleCo.com

Favorite Ride:
Desperado Dual

Bike Setup:
Kestrel EMS 300, Campy Record 10spd Brifters w/ Stronglight Pulsion Crank Set, DurAce cassette, Selle Italia SLK saddle, AC Ti seatpost, Dia Comp BRS 200 Brakes, Cinelli Nerve Bar, Ligero Wheels

Summary:
I'm approaching 2,500 miles on these wheels which I purchased late last summer. I've ridden through a couple of bad pot holes which I thought would have surely knocked these wheels out of true but they are still good as new. This speaks to the quality of the build. Besides being stiff and light, at less than 1400 grams, the single attribute that stands out to me is how fast they roll. I gap the group I usually ride with very rapidly when the road tips down and we're coasting. This doesn't happen on my other wheels. I bought these to be my event wheel set but find myself using them all the time because I like them so much. I hear rumors of a 205 gm rear hub with a 20 mm axle and larger bearings. I guess I'll have to get a new event wheel set with the new rear axle built up with Edge Composites' 2.0 rims when it becomes available!

Strengths:
Light, bombproof, stiff, roll fast and are unique. Come with veloplugs installed. Have wide flange spacing. No garish graphics or decals plastered all over the rims, just Troy's clean circled L logo.

Weaknesses:
None

Similar Products Used:
Mavic Kysrium, Velomax Ascents

Price Paid:  $0.00

Bike Setup:
Moots Compact SL with Full Sram Red, Moots stem and post, and Ligero SLW wheels.

Summary:
The bottom line is that I really love these wheels. To be honest, the experience I had with them was similar to the first time I rode my Moots road bike: I set out expecting to blown away, or failing that, to have something feel different and unusual about the ride, but instead the overriding feeling I had was of not noticing them. I've since come to realize with my bike that this is a good thing, and I think it is with the wheels too: they basically do everything well and inspire confidence. They are decently aero, no perceivable flex at all (in corners the bike definitely tracked a lot better than with my other wheels), and unaffected by crosswinds. While this isn't a very important detail, I also love the way they look, particularly the spoke pattern on the rear wheel due to the triplet lacing.
One thing I like about the Kinlin rims is that the brake track is raised up a little bit, so if your brake pad overhangs a little then it won't immediately wear away the anodization on the rim (this happened to me frequently with Velocity rims).

Strengths:
Strong, tough wheels you can ride without having to baby, yet are still at the cutting edge of light-weight. Wide spaced hub flanges make the wheels track extremely well in corners.

Weaknesses:
None.

Similar Products Used:
Lew Pro-VT/Tune tubulars, American Classic 38mm Carbon Tubulars, American Classic/Kinlin XR-300 clinchers, American Classic/Velocity Aeroheads 24/28 hole, Velomax Ascent Comps (now Easton EA90SLX), Rolf Vector Comps.

Price Paid:  $850.00 at Ligero Wheels

Bike Setup:
Spectrum Ti
Campy Record
FSA SRM

Summary:
Dear Troy:

I brought 3 sets of wheels to be used in RAAM 2008 which included; DT Swiss 1450, Reynolds Clincher DV46 and Troy Watson’s Ligero wheels with the Niobium 27 MM rim. I started with the Ligero wheels as I would be climbing during the first leg of RAAM. I liked these wheels so much that these wheels were on my bike for the entire ride.

The wheel set weighed in as a svelte 1370 grams. For a 160lb rider I was little skeptical as the front wheel has 20 Sapim cx-ray spokes, while the rear wheel has 24 Sapim cx-ray spokes.

The modifications that Troy has made to the front and rear hub has made a substantial different in the feel and the handling of low spoke count wheels. The widening of the front hub flanges and wider spacing of the bearings has created a very laterally stiff wheel for 20 spokes. The front wheel handled flawlessly in 20 mph cross winds and was incredibly stable at 52 mph on a downhill.

The rear wheel is a very different configuration, as the wheel has 16 drive side spokes and 8 non-drive side spokes. The real wheel took some abuse as I pedaled across the country, as many roads were less than perfect. The wheel is still as true as when it was brand new. The low spoke count and rim weight allowed for quick accelerations and are an excellent climbing wheel. I noticed the greatest difference in the rear wheel when powering over the rollers in the Midwest.

As a side note, the Phil Wood specified bearings rolled incredibly smooth.

For my riding style, these are the best set of wheels I have ever owned period. Troy thanks for a tremendous product.

Yours Truly,

Stuart Levy
2008 RAAM Team: Ride4Melanoma
7 Days, 16 Hours & 30 Minutes

Strengths:
Stiff, strong and lightweight

Weaknesses:
Non noted

Similar Products Used:
DT Swiss 1450, White Industry Hubs laved to Velocity rims, Reynolds DV46C, Mavic Ksyrium

Price Paid:  $0.00

Bike Setup:
Seven Odonata, 9spd Shimano Dura Ace / Ultegra mix

Summary:
THE BEST $850 cycling investment I've EVER made. Still round and true after three centuries, numerous weekend solo climbs and on top of that they are my daily beater wheels for my 30 mile round trip tween home, work and back.

Strengths:
Solid, dependable, bomb proof.

Weaknesses:
None

Similar Products Used:
Mavic Open Pro w/Record, Dura Ace hubs