Campag Bullet Ultra / Fulcrum Redwind XLR / Zipp 404

Dizeee

Hi all;

After opinions please. I have been researching wheels for my summer bike for months, and on the verge of now buying having narrowed down the options. Those are the three options listed in the thread title.

I have come to the opinion that the Bullet 50 Ultra and Redwind XLR 50 are the same wheel just differently branded. Is that a fair assumption or am I off the mark?

Also, I have found a few pairs of 404's going new online, one pair from a local shop, for as little as 1399 hence why I have them as an option. I am led to believe that the Zipp range at this price point is the be all and end all of what a bike wheel should be, so I am wondering whether it is a complete no brainer and I should plump straight for them. Or should I consider something else?

I currently run a set of Fulcrum Quattro's - they run fine but are stock with the bike, I should have upgraded them sooner and I want more from a wheelset. I want aero more than lightness but I don't want over 1650g as that would make them around the same weight as the Quattro's. I don't really see the point in spending this amount on a similarly weighted wheelset.

Thanks

sloppyschleckonds

Merlin have some ENVE 65 Tubular Wheels with a DT 350 hub for £1200.

Weight: 1384g

Dizeee

Has to be clincher, as I won't go tubular.

ugo.santalucia

Dizeee wrote:

Has to be clincher, as I won't go tubular.

You should go tubular. Carbon clinchers don't have the same performance... on average they weigh 200 grams more than the tubular version and are not as safe to ride, so unless you use them for time trialling, in which case one is as good as the other, basically you are paying over the odds for a cosmetic upgrade with minor aerodynamic credentials.

cycleclinic

Over heating of carbon clinchers is not huge risk in the UK our decent are just not long enough. The aero benefit while not huge is real. If you race then it is helpful if you don't .... Also are any of those rims wide and u shaped if not you are not even buying the most aero rims.