C50 Clinchers

tdougan
tdougan Posts: 152
edited November 2014 in Road buying advice
Hi All,

I'm about to pull the trigger on some C50 Clinchers. They're to go on my S-works Tarmac SL4.

I did a couple of races last year - mainly crits. I'm looking to do a lot more this year. I have some Campag Zondas at the moment and I use these permanently on it.

I don't want to go over £1250 and would like to stick to wiggle as I have some unused vouchers. I think I've convinced myself to go clinchers so I can use them occasionally for none race riding.

anyone got any thoughts?

Tony
Zesty 2013
S-Works Tarmac SL4
Cannondale CAAD10 '15
Specialized Venge Di2

Comments

  • ugo.santalucia
    ugo.santalucia Posts: 28,312
    Get a pair that are on the UCI list of allowed wheels... that would be my advice... not that it matters in most races, but you never know... you might find the zealous marshal on a bad day
    left the forum March 2023
  • Bobbinogs
    Bobbinogs Posts: 4,841
    I thought the UCI rules only applied to a handful of events in the UK? Showing my ignorance, I thought that if someone was riding a UCI event then they would use the team issue wheels :wink:
  • ugo.santalucia
    ugo.santalucia Posts: 28,312
    Bobbinogs wrote:
    I thought the UCI rules only applied to a handful of events in the UK? Showing my ignorance, I thought that if someone was riding a UCI event then they would use the team issue wheels :wink:

    In theory all races organised by BC should adhere to the rules, in practice, looking at the number of Planet X wheels around, nobody cares.
    The rules are supposed to protect riders in the event of a crash... deep section wheels (rims deeper than 25 mm) need to be tested to see how they shatter... those which are not in the UCI books have not been tested for crash or the test was not accepted by the UCI.

    You might be please to know Archetype are 25 mm deep... :wink:
    left the forum March 2023
  • pippi_langsamer-2
    pippi_langsamer-2 Posts: 1,470
    edited November 2014
    I'd look around and get two pairs of used great wheels for that price.

    I got a used but immaculate pair of C50 tubs last year for £750.
  • imposter2.0
    imposter2.0 Posts: 12,028
    £1250 is a lot of money for some heavy wheels.
  • sandyballs
    sandyballs Posts: 577
    Some Dura Ace C50 clinchers in Classifieds for under £500. I have some and would recommend but would not and did not pay £1250.
  • cycleclinic
    cycleclinic Posts: 6,865
    People crash in races and write of kit. I would not want to race a £1250 set of wheels that I know is not rebuildable at an affordable price. I have this same discussion with a customer and a cat 1 racer yesterday, his opinion and mine you have to put the work in and fancy expensive wheels will not help someone who is struggling not to struggle. Also I know a number of people who I have built for who race on sub £300 wheels and win, one is a cat 1 racer. You don't need to spend £1250 on wheels to perform.

    If your zonda's work for you I would stick with them for racing. If you really want aero wheels for that breakway there are alot of cheaper options that will perform well for racing.

    If you want to race you do not need to have light carbon frame, the most aero wheels and the latest kit. All you really need is a bike in which you can adopt a good positon and train. Training will give you the biggest edge as will learning race tatics. Also for crits lateral grip in the bends is key to carry as much speed as possible through the bends. A wider rim is going to be of advantage.

    so for what you are doing if you really want new wheels try a wider rim and spend a hell of lot less. Or stick with what you have.
    http://www.thecycleclinic.co.uk -wheel building and other stuff.
  • pippi_langsamer-2
    pippi_langsamer-2 Posts: 1,470
    Or grab yourself a pair of the Club Roost 50mm clinchers from http://www.buyabike.co.uk that are on offer now.

    You could get two pairs of brand new 50mm clinchers for the money your talking about.
  • Undertones
    Undertones Posts: 52
    Pippi Langsamer wrote:
    Or grab yourself a pair of the Club Roost 50mm clinchers from http://www.buyabike.co.uk that are on offer now.

    You could get two pairs of brand new 50mm clinchers for the money your talking about.

    They look so bad.
  • ugo.santalucia
    ugo.santalucia Posts: 28,312
    Pippi Langsamer wrote:
    Or grab yourself a pair of the Club Roost 50mm clinchers from http://www.buyabike.co.uk that are on offer now.

    You could get two pairs of brand new 50mm clinchers for the money your talking about.

    Close to 2 Kg for the set... :wink:
    left the forum March 2023
  • Bobbinogs
    Bobbinogs Posts: 4,841
    Good for hills then, down them that is. Trouble is finding a crit cct that is all downhill...
  • DeVlaeminck
    DeVlaeminck Posts: 9,104
    For the OP - purely for racing carbon tubulars are probably the pick if you get on with the braking on carbon rims. If you don't get on with carbon braking or you want wheels for more general use it becomes a bit more tricky. C50s aren't light but you aren't going to get light and aero clinchers with an alloy braking surface. Given that is the case I'd want to see some good evidence the C50s are at least amongst the most aero as you get a fair choice at that point if you shop around.

    The point about them being too expensive to risk is a fair one but it depends on your income I suppose. The old adage is don't race anything you can't afford to replace - I'd add without losing too much sleep over it. Also say you spend a grand on a set of wheels and they last 8000 miles - that means every 80 mile ride you do your wheels have cost you a tenner - so if you are going to use them as general summer wheels you can see how the price adds up.
    [Castle Donington Ladies FC - going up in '22]
  • pippi_langsamer-2
    pippi_langsamer-2 Posts: 1,470
    ugo.santalucia wrote:
    Pippi Langsamer wrote:
    Or grab yourself a pair of the Club Roost 50mm clinchers from http://www.buyabike.co.uk that are on offer now.

    You could get two pairs of brand new 50mm clinchers for the money your talking about.

    Close to 2 Kg for the set... :wink:

    Oooh, that is a bit porky innit... :|
  • cycleclinic
    cycleclinic Posts: 6,865
    edited November 2014
    To be devils advocate my own set of race wheels are 1650g for 50mm deep carbon clinchers (I used fairly heavy hubs, Miche Primato as they are cheap and relaible) and they are not slow so I do not see the weight of the C50's as a problem. In fact they make me as quick as most other aero wheels. Aero trumps weight every time even on hills, oh and they are only quick when I try hard enough.

    The C50 wheels are 22.7mm wide which is good (17mm internal width) but the rim is not U shaped. Those U shaped rims (i.e blunt rounded at the base of the rim) handle side wind better and are a bit more aero. So while the C50 wheels have the perfect hubs I still think Shimano could do better with the shape of the rim. For £1000+ you should be buying the best in every respect.

    Braking on full carbon is fine. The I use even brake quite well in the wet with the right pads. Remember the beluge cuased by ex-huricane bertha I was riding carbon wheels that day braking was fine.

    Tubulars will allow a lighter wheel and if this wheel is for racing tubs are simply superior. I ride tubs all the time.
    I still think £1000+ is alot for wheels. I have yet to build anything that expensive because it is possible to build a performance wheel for alot less.
    http://www.thecycleclinic.co.uk -wheel building and other stuff.
  • imposter2.0
    imposter2.0 Posts: 12,028
    thecycleclinic wrote:
    Aero trumps weight every time even on hills.

    Which explains why all hillclimb competitors use aero wheels. Oh hang on - they don't...
  • ugo.santalucia
    ugo.santalucia Posts: 28,312
    Imposter wrote:
    thecycleclinic wrote:
    Aero trumps weight every time even on hills.

    Which explains why all hillclimb competitors use aero wheels. Oh hang on - they don't...

    He's talking about the Suffolk Ardennes... :wink:
    left the forum March 2023
  • cycleclinic
    cycleclinic Posts: 6,865
    Hills are not mountains you know. We don't have proper mountians in the U.K. Most of our climbs are under 100m vertical a few are more. Proper mountain climbs in my book are 500mm+ vertica almost non of those in the U.K. On the roads we have it far more rolling and aero wheels helps more. If you are doing a proper mountain then maybe a lighter set will help more unless it is light and aero then win win and 250g between the C50 and C24 is not going to turn someone into a mountain goat. There was a thread about this on weight weenies and a Zipp tech contributed some good info on this backing this argument up.

    oh and some of the suffolk climbs are on par with some I have ridden in the ardennes. Suffolk is not flat not were I live anyway. Not mountainous either just very lumpy.
    http://www.thecycleclinic.co.uk -wheel building and other stuff.
  • ugo.santalucia
    ugo.santalucia Posts: 28,312
    thecycleclinic wrote:
    Hills are not mountains you know. We don't have proper mountians in the U.K. Most of our climbs are under 100m vertical a few are more. Proper mountain climbs in my book are 500mm+ vertica almost non of those in the U.K.

    Can of worms... :wink:
    There are a small number of 500+ metres climbs in the UK, not many. There are very many 300-350 mt climbs, which to you and me means around 20 minutes on the saddle. There is no way the already pitiful aero effect of toroidal rims has a measurable impact when you are going at 7-8 mph, while if you shift a pound, you should be able to measure something tangible at the top, even if probably you are looking at less than 10 seconds. It is indeed more likely that once you get close to the top of the moor a strong side wind blows your highly engineered rims sideways, resulting in time lost (at best)
    left the forum March 2023

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