Williams Cycling Wheel System 19

Price Paid:  $479.00 at Williams Website

Favorite Ride:
Denver to the Peak to Peak Hwy

Summary:
I use these as my climbing and racing wheels. They are high quality wheels that spin well and don;t break the bank. They spin up fast and don;t beat you up over the rough stuff.

Strengths:
Spin great, light and big BANG for the $$$

Weaknesses:
Spoke color not 100%, a few spokes looked used / discolored straight out of the box

Similar Products Used:
Mavic Cosmic Elite
mavic Ksyrium Elite

Price Paid:  $499.00 at Williams Cycling Dir

Favorite Ride:
HIlls

Bike Setup:
Cannondale SuperSix with Carbon Si Crankset, SRAM Red Group, FSA K-Force Handlebars & OS-99 CSI Stem, Zero G Brakes

Summary:
The $499.00 System 19's are lighter and road performace is much better then my Mavic Ksyrium ES which cost me $1100.00. These Wheels are way better then the asking price. The ease of spin up when you get out of the saddle in a 20% plus grade switch back will make you think why didn't I get these wheels sooner. The Ceramic Bearings roll very smooth on the flats. The Wheels are stiff and responsive for sprinting. Williams Cycling was a pleasure to do business with.

Strengths:
Light weight, spin up, strong, roll super smooth, cost.

Weaknesses:
none

Similar Products Used:
Mavic ksyrium ES, Bontrager Race Lite.

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Price Paid:  $300.00 at Ebay

Favorite Ride:
Boulder, Utah

Bike Setup:
Time Edge Racer
SRAM Force
Hutchinson Fusion 2 tubeless with Stan's tubeless conversion kit
Fizik Aliante

Summary:
Very happy with this purchase. Way lighter than my older Aksium Race's which I put on my extra bike (weight savings of 570g/1.25lbs). Feather light with a good balance of strength and comfort. I've put only about 200 miles on them, so I can't say too much about durability. I have definitely hit asphalt patched potholes and do a daily bunny hop over a foot of gravel strip during my daily commute, but nothing crazy. No issues yet, but again, thats only 200 miles in. As expected, they accelerate quickly since they are so light, and spin VERY smoothly (don't know if it's because of the hybrid ceramic bearings or not, either way, they are quality bearings). The only time I feel wheel deflection is when I put all my weight into out of saddle climbs (I can feel the rim hit my brakes). However, good balance of strength vs comfort. I went with the 19's because found some literature suggesting 30's aren't truly aero. Whether that's true or not, I like not having to deal with being whipped back and forth as with a deep dish in wind, even though deep rims are more stylish these days.
Originally laced to Conti 4000s, excellent ride. Currently converted to tubeless with Stan's and Hutchinson Fusion 2's-EXTREMELY comfortable.

Strengths:
Weight, weight, weight
Acceleration
Spin super smoothly
Nice balance of strength vs comfort
Plain looks (If you want to be a sleeper)

Weaknesses:
Wheel deflection with heavy out of saddle efforts (though I'm afraid stiffer wheel would make for more uncomfortable ride)
Plain looks (if you want to be noticed)

Similar Products Used:
2006 Mavic Aksium Race (2000 g)

Price Paid:  $500.00 at williamscycling.com

Favorite Ride:
anywhere instead of work

Bike Setup:
5.2 Madone

Summary:
Bought these wheels after price shopping for sub 1500 gram clinchers.I couldn't find any better deal and really liked the small company feel i got when talking to Keith Williams on the phone.A quality product and happy customers seemed foremost at Williams.Got the wheels,used them in a road race and a bunch of crits.Great acceleration,no wind up ,stiff without a harshly rigid ride.With the Maxxis tires that came at a discount with the wheels,the handling in crit corners totally changed my Trek Madone's ride.They roll great ,give great road feel and feel really nimble when adjusting your line through a corner.
The customer service is what really sold me.I bent a front wheel during a race collision.Called Williams,and before I could mail a check I had a Williams box on my porch with a replacement wheel and a bill that probably barely covered shipping.
Then I nailed a deep hole on a fast descent and bent front and rear wheels.Called Williams to ask about replacement hoops.Instead they sent me a new set of wheels at less than the cost to repair them.These ones had the new Ceramic bearings.I thought Ceramic Bearings were a market gimmick.Theyre not,they roll down hill like a heavier aero wheel,its a very noticable difference.
Williams Wheels 19's are awesome.Keith Williams service can't be found with the other mega companies.Even when I abused and thrashed my wheels,he hooked me up.
Call him,you'll see.

Strengths:
light,smooth,handles great

Similar Products Used:
Bontrager,Kysrium