Carbon wheels

mdesbi1

Hi,

I am buying a new bike and have to choose between 2 wheelsets. Both are from Reynolds.

#1: Reynolds Strike: 66mm but 1700g.
#2: Reynolds Assault: 46mm and only 1500g.

I am looking for a polyvalent wheelset and I am not into time trials or triathlon. My prefered terrain is the mountain and long hills.

Do you guys think the 66mm profile of the strike would be worth the additional 200g or should I stick with the Assault?

Anybody got one of these wheelsets? How are you satisfied?

ugo.santalucia

If your terrain are the hills, I would avoid any profile at all, which will bother you when it's windy and hamper you on technical descents.

Don't know how much those wheelsets cost, but have you considered a handmade set with Mavic Open-pros?

Otherwise, DT Swiss Mon Chasseral are a good set of climbing wheels at 1450 g. I have had a pair for 2 years now and I'm happy with them... they hit the wallet though...

osucowboytc

Go with the Assaults. You will be glad you shaved 200g when you are going up a steep incline. Plus, at slower speeds, the aero benefits are reduced quite a bit.

inseine

Buy the Strikes if you like them, but a deep rimmed, expensive, heavy wheel with a carbon braking surface doesn't sound ideal for your sort of riding. In fact it sounds like the last thing you need. The Assults aren't much better. Why these two? For example Dura Ace 7850 cl24 wheels are a good bit lighter, pretty aerodynamic concidering the profile and half the price. They are comfortable too, have great hubs and have an ali' braking surface.

mdesbi1

Both wheelsets are about the same price and same construction (same carbon, hubs, spokes, etc.). Only the rim depth is different. I have to choose between these 2 because this is the only upgrade choices by LBS gives me on the new bike I'm buying.

One thing I did'nt say in my original post is that I also own a nice pair of Easton EA90 SLX (clincher) which are alumunium and weight in at 1398g with ceramic bearings. Love them for climbing, but they are not areo at all.

My intent would be to use the Reynolds as my all around wheel and the Easton on more hilly rides.

But I still want the Reynolds to be light since I live in the hills anyways and will encounter climbs in my day to day training.

That's why I kind of mixed between the 2 Reynolds....I could go with the Strike (66mm) to get a really deep rim to use when I go on the flats or ride alone in the wind and still use the Eastons in the hills, but then I would end up using the Strikes about 10% of my saddle time.

So my choice would be for the Assault (46mm) because of weight. But then I end up with 2 wheelsets of about the same weight (±100g) and lose some aero advantage of the 66mm deep rim.

inseine

I have to choose between these 2 because this is the only upgrade choices by LBS gives me on the new bike I'm buying.

I know that's what you tell the missus, but you can come clean with us
Seriously, it sounds like you've made up your mind, but it's a lot of money if you're wrong.

chriskempton

+1 can't see what benefit you'd get from either.

What standard wheels does the bike come with? can you not keep those for winter and your SLX for summer?

aracer

If that really is the choice, then the Strike every time. In reality you're extremely unlikely to actually notice what's a 0.25% difference in weight for a typical rider and bike, whilst you'll get more aero advantage than that even on drags where you're down to 15mph. That's assuming you do care about speed on the flats when using these, rather than just climbing speed.

top_bhoy

Would it not be better to buy the bike elsewhere and get the wheels of your choice rather than be forced into an upgrade which, from your tone, isn't really suitable for what you want and better alternatives are available and possibly cheaper than the near £950 the Strikes will cost?

Me, based on what you have told us, I'd have a re-think but I also don't know the whole chapter and verse of the situation.

Good luck in your choice.

mdesbi1

Still haven't made up my mind...The bike comes with Fulcrum Racing 5 and cost to upgrade to Reynolds is not really an issue. I will end up paying around 300$ for the upgrade since my LBS is giving me a really good rebate. That's why I'm really incline to take the Reynolds anyway.

I'm still hesitating between the 2 wheelsets though

I'm not familiar with really deep rims like the 66mm Strike and honestly I don't see much around and in races, except time trials and thriatlon which I am not into.

Would the 66mm deep rim be hard to ride in the wind, downhill, etc?

Anybody using deep rims day to day?

Thanks for all the replies!

maddog 2

why would you want deep rimmed wheels if you're not into TTing?

so you can be a 4 seconds quicker on your training rides?

Buy the ones you like the look of. There's no objective reason I can see.