USE 2.4 carbon clinchers - looking for user feedback

yaya

Saw these at the London Bike show today: http://www.ultimatesportsengineering.com/use-hardware/wheels/road-24-clincher

Seem to be well built with a nice looking hub and sewer design.

Looking for some real world feedback from people who have actually ridden any of USE's carbon wheels, thanks!

ugo.santalucia

As super light wheels go, they seem to be unremarkably "heavy". You don't need fancy carbon rims and a >1000 pounds price tag to go down to 1435 grams. Something like 1100 would be more interesting, if light is what you are after.

Is it a case of carbon for the sake of carbon?

yaya

As said I would like to hear from people who rode/ ride these wheel or any of the other USE carbon wheels. I saw them today and would like to know what they're like to ride and what's their (and the company's) reliability like, thanks!

tonyf34

USE hubs were pretty good BITD, certainly of those that I've used, the rest of it (rims/spokes) are std fayre. That then leaves it down to the machine that built it..
So considering there are better options for the same amount of money you might struggle to find someone on here whom has experience with these USE wheels.
There are cheaper less weighty wheels without sacrificing quality, so you might be better served asking what are the best wheels that fit your budget for what you want to do with them.

As the above poster notes, for 24mm depth rims they are fairly heavy as Carbon hoops go, for example you could get a pair of handbuilt 28 spoke alloy clinchers with good quality hubs & spokes that weigh less for around half the price.

ugo.santalucia

tonyf34 wrote:

... so you might be better served asking what are the best wheels that fit your budget for what you want to do with them.

What? And then run the risk to sound sensible?

yaya

tonyf34 wrote:

USE hubs were pretty good BITD, certainly of those that I've used, the rest of it (rims/spokes) are std fayre. That then leaves it down to the machine that built it..
So considering there are better options for the same amount of money you might struggle to find someone on here whom has experience with these USE wheels.
There are cheaper less weighty wheels without sacrificing quality, so you might be better served asking what are the best wheels that fit your budget for what you want to do with them.

As the above poster notes, for 24mm depth rims they are fairly heavy as Carbon hoops go, for example you could get a pair of handbuilt 28 spoke alloy clinchers with good quality hubs & spokes that weigh less for around half the price.

Thanks for your reply, I'm looking for something that will feel a little different than my Fulcrum 3's, maybe less stiff, a little lighter and a bit wider so 25mm's can sit comfortably. I would like to try carbon (for the sake of carbon as Ugo calls it) if I can find something that's not overly expensive so 2nd hand in good condition can also be an option. I know quite a bit about composite materials design and manufacturing in general but haven't got any specific wheel design experience.
Those USE are fairly wide and talking to one of the guys on their stand, he said they are not super light because they wanted to make them "as strong" as the taller rims by using another layer or two...the lip of the rim did seem quite thick (did not measure it) so maybe he was right...

Cheers!

DKay

yaya wrote:

Thanks for your reply, I'm looking for something that will feel a little different than my Fulcrum 3's, maybe less stiff, a little lighter and a bit wider so 25mm's can sit comfortably.

Different models of spoked wheels riding more comfortably than others is a misconception. Assuming the spokes are tensioned correctly, there will be no real world differences between the vertical compliance of one wheel over another. Lateral stiffness is far more important to how a wheel feels.

I'd look into getting a set of Pacenti SL23s, built onto some nice light hubs and spokes to suit your weight. Will come in well under £500, hubs depending of course.

sloppyschleckonds

yaya wrote:

Looking for some real world feedback from people who have actually ridden any of USE's carbon wheels, thanks!

As these wheels don't have a lot going for them, I'm not sure anyone would admit to spending this amount of money on them.

Grill

Considering you can get Reynolds Attacks for way less, I see no point to buying the USE's unless you have a hard-on for wheels matching your seat post.

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/reynolds-attack-carbon-clincher-wheelset-1/

ugo.santalucia

I wonder if...

http://www.gigantex.com.tw/product-view.php?id=32#sp

USE seem to offer quite a wide range of products, which can only mean they buy from OEM and sticker... if I was to buy some decent quality carbon rims to make some premium wheels, I'd probably give a call to Gigantex...

Thing is, Gigantex rims can be had RRP for 3-400 quid a set... which means 6-700 for hubs and spokes... a bit rich... :?

brettjmcc

where can you buy the rims by themselves though Ugo? Any idea or pointers please?

ugo.santalucia

brettjmcc wrote:

where can you buy the rims by themselves though Ugo? Any idea or pointers please?

That specific model no idea... BHS have something similar and a lot lighter as tubulars

Monty Dog

I have a friend who is sponsored by USE and crashed a pair of carbon clinchers in a race - tyre blowout at speed resulted in the rim directly abrading with tarmac and high speed. Incredibly, damage was only cosmetic and wheel was rideable and true - a pretty good testament to their durability. I have broken/damaged a number of carbon rims simply from hitting potholes. If this was a rim from the likes of a company from Indianapolis, it would have been toast IMO - buy light, and buy twice. I don't believe they're Gigantex rims either.

ugo.santalucia

Monty Dog wrote:

buy light, and buy twice. I don't believe they're Gigantex rims either.

In principle I agree with you... but there isn't a market for heavy and shallow carbon rims. Many have tried to market them, but nobody want them, as you can get the same thing in aluminium for a fifth of the price or less.

At one point last year Kinoko was flogging heavy and shallow carbon rims for 50 quid a pop as nobody wanted them...

brianlescargot

USE have just put these wheels and others on a Black Friday offer as they sell off all of their wheelsets with the 2.4 being sold for £420. Go to say that just over 1400g isn't "heavy" for an off the shelf clincher wheelset and unless you are going to fork out £2k+ for a set of AX-Lightness you'll be hard pushed to find many wheels, tubulars included, at 1100g. I know this is an old thread but it came up second top on my Google search when I got the email from USE today. Looks like they are concentrating solely on the Exposure Lights side of the business. Even so they still offer a 2 year warranty and are throwing in various other goodies since I am a returning customer.

sloppyschleckonds

brianlescargot wrote:

USE have just put these wheels and others on a Black Friday offer as they sell off all of their wheelsets with the 2.4 being sold for £420. Go to say that just over 1400g isn't "heavy" for an off the shelf clincher wheelset and unless you are going to fork out £2k+ for a set of AX-Lightness you'll be hard pushed to find many wheels, tubulars included, at 1100g. I know this is an old thread but it came up second top on my Google search when I got the email from USE today. Looks like they are concentrating solely on the Exposure Lights side of the business. Even so they still offer a 2 year warranty and are throwing in various other goodies since I am a returning customer.

Did you even bother reading the thread?