Bike Setup: Trek TCT-5000 with FSA, Ultegra and Dura-Ace components.
Summary: These are my first set of tubular wheels. I was amazed at the difference in the smoothness of the ride and how quickly and easy they were to 'spin up'. Mine are anodized blue with chrome spokes, which are a nice complement to the metallic blue finish on my bicycle. Good looking wheels and true as the day I bought 'em.
Strengths: Sturdy, fast and stay true for hundreds of miles of use. No issues whatsoever with cracking hubs.
Weaknesses: Not in production anymore, which is a shame.
Similar Products Used: Maviv Open Pros and CXP33s laced to Ultegra hubs, Bontrager 'Racelites' laced to DT-Swiss hubs, and Ritchey OCR's.
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Bike Setup: Serotta Fierte Ti, Campy Veloce components.
Summary: Nice wheels to look at, and good performers, but spare parts are no longer available. Rolf won't support them, and Trek, who built them, doesn't admit to their existence. If you buy a used set, assume that they are fully unrepairable.
Strengths: Light weight, good looks, strong (when hub not cracked), stay true.
Weaknesses: No spare parts available. They're unrepairable, so use 'em, then throw 'em away!
Similar Products Used: Bontrager Race Lite. Mavic Open Pro.
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Bike Setup: 2001 LeMond Zurich (steel/icon air rail carbon fork). Ultegra Dura-Ace Mix. Rolf Vector Pro. Cane Creek Brakes.
Summary: I had the fortune to find a bike with these wheels included at a really fair price. These apparently retailed for $800, even in 2001. (But who pays retail?) I have ridden them for the majority of the time that I have owned the bike (bought in 2002). Though I have been using them more lately, I only just took them into my mechanic to have them trued in 2009. These are a great value. especially below retail.
Strengths: Many have said it: They are bullet-proof- If you only weigh $1.50 you can wreck them, ride on dirt roads, gravel roads,bunny hop Railroad crossings and roll down stairs (not as recommended). The hubs are, as my wrench put it, "...an elegant design and very easy to service." Service the hub every year and you are guaranteed a smooth ride. For one who has been riding +100 mile weeks since February you need no other wheel to train/recreate with. If I can find hoops I'll surely lace these hubs up when the time comes. Fast descenders, confident Climbers, comfortable pacers.
Weaknesses: Heavy? 1680g? that's 3.7 lbs. Wheels are the heaviest part of the bike aside from the frame. That's not always a bad thing. Lose a pound off your body and you won't even think about what these wheels weigh.
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Bike Setup: Orbea Mitis, Raleigh Team Carbon, Orbea TT
Summary: I bought this about 6 months ago from an ex racer (who really looked the part) because I was getting tired of my Mavic 280-s that flexed and My Zipps I really do not want to ride them except for races or mad centuries/long group rides where the pullers can pull high speed with their Mavic Open Pros and the Aeros help you to stay in the draft. I was also on a budget and for the price I paid for it, it was way better than getting an entry level Mavic Aksium. It's tubular since that's all I really use. The roads I ride are not great. It's New Mexico , either they are chip seal or there are huge gaps in the tarmac. Specially on the hill roads. I also occasionally offroad with this wheel and so far it has held pretty well. These are not light but they are really strong. I have no need to true them yet and I already put 2500 miles on them. They are also not so blingy and since most people associate them with the cheap Bontrager wheels you can actually commute on these wheels and no one's gonna bother, because unless someones' counting the spokes, they look like wheels off cheap treks. . Especially that I removed the decals so I don't worry about these wheels getting jacked. In the past I rode my old steel bike for errands and commuting but nowadays, I just ride my trainer alu carbon Orbea. On training rides and rainy or those gritty, sand in your face 70 mph gust, I use this with my Raleigh Team Carbon bike instead of the Eastons or Zipps
They are stiff wheels, specially for something with 12 and 14 spokes. I still do not buy the less spoke means less drag. My 32 spoke Zipp 330's -- old ones have probably less drag than these and they have almost the same depth, But these guys are definitely durable. I think the less is more paired spoke accounts for that strength. I am about 152 lbs 143 in season, so I will never be able to flex these but I've seen 200 lb guys ride these and the frames will flex first before these wheels. Like every one said these are jack of all trade wheels. Not really light, not too aero (compared to others in with this profile), not too quick in acceleration. But overall a good training wheel and for those that have good DNA, will probably be a kick-a race wheel. Come to think of it, for those Tuesday night crits, you probably want these as they probably will survive a crash, better than you do.
Strengths: Stiff. Affordable in the used market. Often mistaken as cheap Bontrager wheels, so not a highly stolen wheelset. Durable,,, yeah strong.. durable
Weaknesses: You need to remove the tire to true. That is really a bad design. Really noisy free-wheel. Not supported by Trek or Rolf. Do not pay more than 200 for these, maybe 150.
Similar Products Used: Zipp, Mavic
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