[woodys737]

Hey wheel fans. I'm trying to sell my Easton EC90 SLX set of wheels. You can pick up a new set for less than $1000 on ebay. A comparable Edge wheel is around $2000. Why such a difference in cost? If it's the rim, why?

Just looking at the next set of wheels which will be the EC90 SL tubular or an comparable Edge set. I've used Zipp prior to Easton and while they rolled the same, I do think the Eastons have them beat on durability. Wondering if Edge is more durable (which imho) is worth a bit of money.

Thanks.

 

[Zen Cyclery]

Although the Edges are quite a bit more expensive than the Eastons, there are a few considerable differences. First off, Edge casts their spoke holes. Easton drills theirs.
When you are working with carbon fiber, drilling holes here and their is going to make the rim inherently weaker. I like to make an analogy with carbon handlebars. I saw a guy at a Xterra worlds a few years back who had drilled holes in his carbon bars to shave a few grams. Halfway through the bike course his handlebars sheered (shockingly) and he had a massive laceration up his arm/neck and almost died from it. Now, I am not saying that this is going to happen with Easton wheels but you get the idea that drilling in carbon makes it extremely weak. With Edges "casting" manufacturing process it will ensure that the part of the rim that is stressed the most will not crack/pull through, etc. This will maximize long term durability especially if you are a bit heavier. Although the Edge rims do not come cheap, you are paying for season in and season out of low maintainence, high quality riding.

 

[woodys737]

Although the Edges are quite a bit more expensive than the Eastons, there are a few considerable differences. First off, Edge casts their spoke holes. Easton drills theirs.
When you are working with carbon fiber, drilling holes here and their is going to make the rim inherently weaker. I like to make an analogy with carbon handlebars. I saw a guy at a Xterra worlds a few years back who had drilled holes in his carbon bars to shave a few grams. Halfway through the bike course his handlebars sheered (shockingly) and he had a massive laceration up his arm/neck and almost died from it. Now, I am not saying that this is going to happen with Easton wheels but you get the idea that drilling in carbon makes it extremely weak. With Edges "casting" manufacturing process it will ensure that the part of the rim that is stressed the most will not crack/pull through, etc. This will maximize long term durability especially if you are a bit heavier. Although the Edge rims do not come cheap, you are paying for season in and season out of low maintainence, high quality riding.

Good info. Thank you. So a drilled rim, such as the Easton, would need a bit more material to compensate for the inherent weakness? I take it that is why the Edge rims are lighter than most?

 

[valleycyclist]

Take a look at this hole in Hincapie's Easton race wheel:
http://vimeo.com/11797711

 

[Zen Cyclery]

woodys737- Precisely. The fact that the unidirectional bands of carbon are interrupted at the spoke holes means that more material must be used to compensate for this weakness. With Edge the carbon strands simply go around the spoke hole leaving the unidirectional bands uninterrupted. Additionally Edge only puts excess material where it absolutely need to be where as with alot of other rims the same number of layers are used throughout which adds unnecessary weight without improvement of strength.

 

[woodys737]

woodys737- Precisely. The fact that the unidirectional bands of carbon are interrupted at the spoke holes means that more material must be used to compensate for this weakness. With Edge the carbon strands simply go around the spoke hole leaving the unidirectional bands uninterrupted. Additionally Edge only puts excess material where it absolutely need to be where as with alot of other rims the same number of layers are used throughout which adds unnecessary weight without improvement of strength.

If I can sell my Eastons I'll have a big decision to make it appears. I don't think I'll be able to sell them for a decent price though...Thanks for the info!

 

[JimT]

From Competitive cyclist:

$2,400.00 2010 Edge Composites 1.45 Tubular Wheelset Actual Weight:"Actual Weight" means we weighed this item ourselves. 1020.0g

$1800.00 2010 Easton EC90 SL Carbon Tubular Wheelset "Actual Weight" means we weighed this item ourselves. 1250.0g" but can be had for $900.00 on ebay.

The Edge clearly are top of the line and I wish I could afford a set but I am going to have to settle.

 

[woodys737]

From Competitive cyclist:

$2,400.00 2010 Edge Composites 1.45 Tubular Wheelset Actual Weight:"Actual Weight" means we weighed this item ourselves. 1020.0g

$1800.00 2010 Easton EC90 SL Carbon Tubular Wheelset "Actual Weight" means we weighed this item ourselves. 1250.0g" but can be had for $900.00 on ebay.

The Edge clearly are top of the line and I wish I could afford a set but I am going to have to settle.

I hear you. Me too. I've not been interested in the whole carbon clincher movement as they weigh the same as aluminum. However, the Edge 1.45 c-clincher at approx 1250g, is making me think twice! The tubular is a given!

 

[asad137]

I hear you. Me too. I've not been interested in the whole carbon clincher movement as they weigh the same as aluminum. However, the Edge 1.45 c-clincher at approx 1250g, is making me think twice! The tubular is a given!

The tubular is 1250. Clinchers are more weight.

Asad

 

[woodys737]

The tubular is 1250. Clinchers are more weight.

Asad

Zen has the Nirvana clincher (1.45s, Alchemy hubs, Sapim CX-Ray 20/24) at 1265g. And the tubular at 1065g.

Wheel builder has the clincher 1.45's with (240 hubs, Sapim Cx-Ray 20/24) at 1330. And the tubular at 1143g.

Maybe I'm misreading something?

 

[rruff]

Those #s are in the ballpark. You can get <1100g with the 1.45 tubulars very easily.

Besides the fact that Edge rims are primo cutting edge technology, the Eastons are made in Asia, and the economics are totally different. There are a lot of ok Asian wheels you can buy for <$1000.

I'm not sold on the molded spoke holes being much of a benefit though... Reynolds drills theirs and they don't seem to have issues. I use washers on the Edge rims now because too many times I've had carbon shards from the molding create a grinding paste. They build great with the washers and since they don't have any bladder inside, the washers aren't a total PITA to get in.

 

[Zen Cyclery]

Zen has the Nirvana clincher (1.45s, Alchemy hubs, Sapim CX-Ray 20/24) at 1265g. And the tubular at 1065g.

Wheel builder has the clincher 1.45's with (240 hubs, Sapim Cx-Ray 20/24) at 1330. And the tubular at 1143g.

Maybe I'm misreading something?

Those weight are actual weights of sets the we have built. It seems that the Edge rims get lighter with every batch. I gave them a ring to see what was going on and they said that they refined their manufacturing processes and have streamlined their use of epoxies, resulting in a weight that comes in under what they quote on their website.

 

[JimT]

I guess it all comes down to some wheels are a better than others but the determining factor is what you can afford. I want to get the best that I can afford, unfortunately I can not afford the Nirvana's (they are my dream wheelset, hint to Zen)

I am sure the Eastons will be a significant step up from what I have now (Ksyrium Elites) but if I was to opt for the the higher price Edge I really don't think there would be a very appreciable difference over the Eastons but I may be wrong. The Eastons did get great reviews from bikeradar.com and they are warranteed for 2 years like the others.

I read about Zipps being 20 seconds faster over 40K (or something like that) but at my level as a recreational rider/local club rider I guess shaving seconds isn't really that importaint for me. The fellows can wait for me at the end for that time, they always wait for me now anyway

 

[woodys737]

Those #s are in the ballpark. You can get <1100g with the 1.45 tubulars very easily.

Besides the fact that Edge rims are primo cutting edge technology, the Eastons are made in Asia, and the economics are totally different. There are a lot of ok Asian wheels you can buy for <$1000.

I'm not sold on the molded spoke holes being much of a benefit though... Reynolds drills theirs and they don't seem to have issues. I use washers on the Edge rims now because too many times I've had carbon shards from the molding create a grinding paste. They build great with the washers and since they don't have any bladder inside, the washers aren't a total PITA to get in.

Thanks for pointing that out. Can't believe I overlooked that. I guess that was what I wasn't taking into account.

 

[woodys737]

JimT said: I guess it all comes down to some wheels are a better than others but the determining factor is what you can afford. I want to get the best that I can afford, unfortunately I can not afford the Nirvana's (they are my dream wheelset, hint to Zen)

Yes and hell yes!

JimT said: I am sure the Eastons will be a significant step up from what I have now (Ksyrium Elites) but if I was to opt for the the higher price Edge I really don't think there would be a very appreciable difference over the Eastons but I may be wrong. The Eastons did get great reviews from bikeradar.com and they are warranteed for 2 years like the others.

I think you would be extremely happy with the Eastons v. Elites. I wasn't impressed at all with the Mavic K's. Just about everyone else loves them though. IMHO, not as stiff as what everyone hypes them to be. Went out of true easily. Had to tighten up the hubs constantly. Anyways, I dumped them quickly for a DT Swiss RR1.1 for a training wheel and went with the Eastons for a race set. I currently have the EA50's for a trainer set and while the I (feel) that the EC90's accelerate much faster, once up to speed I can not feel a difference.

It would be great to demo a set of Eastons and a comparable Edge with same spokes, hubs and tires.

JimT said: I read about Zipps being 20 seconds faster over 40K (or something like that) but at my level as a recreational rider/local club rider I guess shaving seconds isn't really that importaint for me. The fellows can wait for me at the end for that time, they always wait for me now anyway

For the money, I like Easton. Even better than Zipp. My experience and impression of Zipp was that they are fragile as compared to Eastons. Others have had the opposite experience!

Obviously, I have no way to know if one wheel is "faster" than the other, but the differences we are talking about are not worth talking about. It comes down to perceived worth. In the end, smart training, sleep, and nutrition are vastly more important.