Shimano WH-R535

Price Paid:  $0.00 at Bikesmiths - Milwauk

Favorite Ride:
hills

Bike Setup:
Raleigh Road Racer
Ultegra components
Conti gatorback

Summary:
Great set of wheels, came with bike. Going on 10,000 miles & have to replace now - pothole caused pinch flat & bent rear rim. Great looks, good aerodynamics. Only complaint would be the spokes are hard to find. Trued the wheels only 5 times, the hub only had to be repacked once (freehub is shot however)

Strengths:
looks, looks, looks; matte-black rim, brushed-aluminum brake contact, matching black blade-spokes...does it get any better than these?

Weaknesses:
hard to find parts

Similar Products Used:
Shimano's WH-R550 - an uglier replacement wheel :(

Price Paid:  $0.00 at Freewheelin' Bikes

Favorite Ride:
Yorktown, VA Battlefield Roads

Bike Setup:
Mostly Shimano 105 components.

Summary:
These wheels came new with Diamondback Master 2002 road bike. I have put about 6,500 miles on them and no problems at all other than a broken rear spoke at about 5,500 miles. They have reamined true and seemingly indestructible. I ride mostly in urban setting with potholes and bumps galore, and I am amazed they have held up so well.

Strengths:
Looks, speed

Weaknesses:
Hard to find replacement spokes. Tire changing can be difficult.

Similar Products Used:
None

Price Paid:  $0.00 at Came w/bike

Favorite Ride:
Silver Comet to the end and back

Bike Setup:
Specialized Allez Comp 02, ultegra group

Summary:
Ride these mostly training, without any serious climbs. They have held together through a few tri's as well. I got them with my 02 Specialized Allez Comp, used, and have since put 2k+ miles on them. The rear wheel started to make typical spoke pinging noises, and finally popped 2 as I rode up my driveway. Typical shimano support, I have been waiting well over a month to get replacement spokes/nipples since they use non-standard hub centric stuff. I managed to replace one spoke with a stock bladed spoke after managing to get the broken bit of old spoke out (just threaded in the new one, it managed to push the old one out), but the other broken spoke bit is lodged in the other nipple and wont come out, so Im down one spoke. Seem to work well otherwise, respond decently, roll fast, etc, but I havent ridden many other sets...

Strengths:
Somewhat stiff, aero spokes/rims, cheap

Weaknesses:
spoke nipples are special, and you have to wait for shimano's lack of customer service to replace them, as most shops dont stock them

Similar Products Used:
Mtb wheelsets on various mtn bikes, Mavick equipe

Price Paid:  $0.00

Favorite Ride:
My County Roads

Bike Setup:
1997 Tommassini Prestidge, Columbus Brain Tubing, Dura Ace and Ultegra mix.

Summary:
I just recently got these wheels. They were used and are probably 5 years old. They were severly out of true when I got them. Bike shop trued them up. I think they are great wheels. When I overhauled the hub, they were hard to get right. People have been complaining of the hubs. They where difficult to adjust properly. So far these wheels have been great everyday wheels for me. They feel solid. I have not noticed any flexing. Although I have not been sprinting. But climbing hard out of the saddle I have not experienced any flex. This may be due to the fact that I took the wheels in and had them tensioned. I am an experienced wheel builder but I took them into a shop where they had a tesionometer to make sure the spokes where tensioned to specs. When you have a wheel with sofew spokes it is important to keep the wheels up to specs. So far they have been great.

Strengths:
Solid 16 spoke wheelset

Weaknesses:
People have said the hubs but I have not experienced that yet.

Similar Products Used:
none

Price Paid:  $299.00 at Internet

Favorite Ride:
Long Country Roads without dogs

Bike Setup:
Klein Quantumm pro with Campy Chorous

Summary:
I biught these as a low cost replacemtn for a set of Rolfs. I liked the paired spoke design on the rolfs and found this set to be of similar strength and road feel. The V rims and the pried spokes gave me the sense of riding on rails like the Rolfs. I have had no problems with these rims. The only negative issue has been that geting a new tire on the rim is tougher than say open pros.

Strengths:
Strength ( I am a big guy 6'4" and 300 lbs and had no problems)

Ride - like riding on rails.

Weaknesses:
Tougher to get a new tire on the rim.

not the lightest wheelset - but still pretty good and light for training.

Similar Products Used:
Rolf Vector Comp
Mavic Open Pro
Shimano WH-R550