rim depth - wheel advice

Have to agree. I picked up a set of 2nd hand Mavic Cosmic Carbons last year, because let's face it deep section rims can look cool. But on a windy day they are not great, especially when descending. Found them quite unstable.

Just to give you an alternative take. Modern 50mm carbon wheels are lovely and light, are very pleasurable to ride and in my opinion aren't as unrideable in windy conditions as the other lads have said. So if you'd like a pair, go buy them. 600 is a great deal on those primes. They're lovely wheels.

In many ways it's easier buy carbon wheels these days than aluminium cos there's so much choice out there.

I've been riding 50mm Bontragers on an aero frame all winter with no issue except for one crazy windy day there a few weeks back.

Weight wise, most medium cost carbon wheels seem to weigh in around the 1500 g ish mark which compares very favourably to similarly priced shallower aluminium wheels.

I wouldn't be afraid to buy second hand carbon wheels either, especially from a reputable Boardsie.

I'd say if you like climbing keep it light. I replaced my Mavic Aksiums with Zondas and they transformed the bike. The Aksium is 1,840g and Zonda is 1,590g. Acceleration is light and snappy and the wheels are stiff out of the saddle.

The Vision Trimax 35 KB is 1,530g and 35mm rim. Lighter if you go with their 25mm or 20mm wheels, if you can find them.

Personally I'd take the weight penalty and go for the Prime wheels. At 1,630g they aren't much heavier than a standard aluminium wheel at a similar price so you won't be hurting pushing them uphill but you also have the benefit of carbon and a 50mm profile so it's a bit of an all rounder. If I didn't have to spend €600 on misc things last week I'd probably have picked up a set myself.

Don't worry lad, you're not going to blow up any carbon rims!!

As for benefits of 50mm, it's a proven 65% more "whomp whomp" when you're out of the saddle. Which is the only reason anyone really rides deep section wheels :D

Go Zondas and dont look back. Learn how to service hub and enjoy lovely stiff wheelset. Carbon rims are overhyped. I know as I have few and believe me you will get no advantage by going carbon unless is deep and wide and you're racing (every second counts) and even then it's not a given

+1 for the Zondas. My favourite carbon wheels are Fulcrum Racing Zero. They roll forever, are light, and look amazing too. They are shallow rim but just do everything sublimely. Perfect for hills. These are the last set I had.

[img]https://i.imgur.com/HdPGUZr.jpg[/img]

They're expensive but have seen them heavily discounted in the past. Fulcrum also do a alu version which are fantastic, especially the Nite version. Campag.

I personally don't like the look of deep rim wheels unless on an aero bike. I did get a set of Cosmics for a Colnago I had. Purely for the looks but they were replaced by the Zeros.

[img]https://i.imgur.com/EdEESXT.jpg[/img]

I was probably the one complaining about fitting tubeless tires to those Mavics. I had a pair that never even went on a bike and sold them on again for that reason.

I don't have direct experience but what about Scribe? Someone in my club has them although not long enough to give a long term review. Very similar to Hunt but a bit cheaper (recent price increase aside)

Interesting given the positive feedback they get on here. What kind of problems did the rear wheel have?

I have the Ksyrium Elite’s also and I have to say that for me, the Hutchinson Fusion is the most suitable tire I’ve tried. I find it pretty ok to get on/off and decent value for money. As previously noted, the wheels themselves are bombproof!

I had the cosmic’s but sold them on here, I would have been a Mavic fan but now they don’t do rim brake wheels anymore afaik.

I went with the Prime RR50’s and so far couldn’t fault them.

I have a pair if DT Swiss PR 1600 Spline 32s on the new bike, and can't fault them at all, though haven't racked up huge distance on them yet

I purposely avoided Ksyriums as I've had bad experiences with them over the past few years. Spoke pulled nipple through the rim of one set (roughly 12000km on them), and with the replacement set I could never get the back wheel to stay true. The mechanic in my LBS who builds wheels almost came to regard it as a challenge, but was defeated despite his best efforts - he also had quite a few interesting words to say about Mavics quality control over the last decade. Now, I know they've had their problems, and are under new management, but they've lost me

I like these anecdotes that someone had a problem with these wheels or those. My friend, after my recommendation, bought a Zondas and the bearings died after 6 months of systematic use. I forgot to add that his mechanic told him that the slack in the hub is not a big deal and he can keep cycling 😂. To this day, he has a grudge against me that I recommended him a rubbish wheels.

Btw.

My zondas are already 30k km long and the bearings are turning nice.

It turns out that not everyone can have wheels in which you have to do something more than inflate the tires from time to time 😁

Zondas are great wheels but not for bad mechanics or clueless owners.

Sorry but I've related to my friend and his pseudo mechanic. All the rest... 100% agree.

🤣. No panic. I took it up the wrong way. Apologies