New wheels - FFWD FR4 C any good

dan45a

Looking at a set of FFWD F4R C carbon/alloy clinchers as can get a pretty good price for the DT swiss 240 hub version. Around £800.

How good are these? The 42mm aero profile doesn't seem to much for windy days, weight seems respectable @ 1635 grams as I will use them for everything ( climbing and flatter rides).

Most importantly I do like the look of them!

Anything else to consider around that price?

sloppyschleckonds

People buy alloy rim/ carbon fairing wheels for the look.

janesy

I don't know what the above meant. but yes they are good. very stiff and good hubs. I've upgraded mine with the 38t dt ratchet. I was on the fence as to get rid of them, but decided to keep.

I've also wrapped them with Stans tape and running 25c tubeless Schwalbe ones.
mine are the newest 45mm rims with DARC.

ivanoile

Tubulars before c/a clinchers.For the look,weight or ride quality.

Anonymous

SloppySchleckonds wrote:

People buy alloy rim/ carbon fairing wheels for the look.

And yet they look bloody hideous. The look is only really achieved with a carbon brake track.

dan45a

Thanks for the reply's, unfortunately full carbon isn't going to work with the budget, agree the black surface looks better.

Janesy, Thanks for the feedback, is there an aero advantage with the wheel? Not sure if you have any comparison? I run fulcrum R3's now.

Anonymous

Think again:

Amp Hoops
Superstar Components
Club Roost
Zuus

To name but 4. All come in around 650. I have the Amps and v happy.

janesy

Aero advantage, who knows? I probably get more of an advantage using my Specialized Evade compared to the wheels. But good wheels in any case.

they are stiff so good for climbing. 1600g though if that matters to you.

dan45a

Thanks Coriordan for those suggestions, prices are much lower. Zuus S50 look very good. Just wonder why and how are they so much cheaper?

Thanks also Jansey for the response. Good to know the FFWD is a very solid performer, and can climb.

With the cheaper aero/deep carbon alternatives above, I looked at what else is out there and also really like the Fulcrum Zero Nite (all alloy), these are also coming in at a good price of under £700 now.

So for a Bianchi Oltre frame would you go with the FFWD FR4 C or perhaps the Fulcrum Zero Nite.

I live and ride in the welsh hills if that is a key factor. I'm light and can climb, but I do struggle to hold higher speeds on the flat, that's perhaps why I was looking at the deeper/aero wheels in the first place.

jgsi

Just buy the wheels you feel meets your needs.
I have both the Zero Nites and F6Rs for differing situations. You will need carbon pads for the Nites, so if you swap with normal alloy wheels, might be a pain.
But it is all in the mind and down to fitness and natural ability when it comes to it - no 'doping' tech is going to get you quicker at Bike Radar forum level.

86inch

dan45a wrote:

Good to know the FFWD is a very solid performer, and can climb.

Please remember its YOU doing the climbing... Unless you're Chris Froome/Alberto Contador/<other pro's available> i doubt you'll notice any advantage in so-called "climbing wheels".

Don't believe any of this hype about climbing wheels, its utter rubbish!

Anonymous

I would buy the ones you like the look of the most. I can see the rationale regarding swapping brake pads, but frankly, it takes all of 5 minutes to pop them out (Shimano brakes with the little grub screw).

As always, the rider is the limiting factor (except for elite cyclists in race conditions) and unless you are descending alpine passes, the aluminium brake track only makes the wheels look pants, and probably weigh more.

Carbon pads and brake surfaces are now pretty good and I have no trouble stopping on mine with the cheap lifeline pads from wiggle, although the ones my wheels came with (the amps) were even better, although very soft.

ugo.santalucia

dan45a wrote:

Thanks Coriordan for those suggestions, prices are much lower. Zuus S50 look very good. Just wonder why and how are they so much cheaper?

Because they are assembled on older technology rims. There has been a lot of R&D in carbon clinchers, in the attempt to make them reasonably safe to ride even for heavier riders and even on hilly terrain. When you buy from one of the big brands, you generally know where you stand in terms of technology, which is at the forefront. Each one use different solutions, but each one have gone through significant testing to give you the best you can buy.
When you buy cheaper assemblies based on Chinese rims you don't know where you stand, as there is no clear technological claim... high TG means nothing if you don't know how high compared to Zipp's for instance.
Is a pair of Zuus rims as technologically advanced as Reynolds was in 2011 or you have to go back to 2007 to find something similar? When you brake down a twisty 10% descent it might make the difference between hospitalisation and not

clazza

I have these wheels with the FFWD Hub. They are nice and stiff, ride well up hills.

They have a reasonably wide rim (22.4 ext, 16.6 internal) and have brass, external nipples - good for the wet and truing when needed. I did quite a bit of research and there isnt really much choice if you want a wide carbon / alloy wheel - there were some 3T ones but a bit heavy and had internal nipples

richjturner

dan45a wrote:

Thanks Coriordan for those suggestions, prices are much lower. Zuus S50 look very good. Just wonder why and how are they so much cheaper?

Thanks also Jansey for the response. Good to know the FFWD is a very solid performer, and can climb.

With the cheaper aero/deep carbon alternatives above, I looked at what else is out there and also really like the Fulcrum Zero Nite (all alloy), these are also coming in at a good price of under £700 now.

So for a Bianchi Oltre frame would you go with the FFWD FR4 C or perhaps the Fulcrum Zero Nite.

I live and ride in the welsh hills if that is a key factor. I'm light and can climb, but I do struggle to hold higher speeds on the flat, that's perhaps why I was looking at the deeper/aero wheels in the first place.

Hi, where are you finding these for that price?

jgsi

Bought mine from Starbike Euro Deutschland... that was £700 in Jan... now a few quid cheaper, cept they have no stock anymore.....

richjturner

Awesome, thank you. They do have them, 964€, pretty much the same as Bike Discount DE.

How do you like 'em? Looked for reviews but there's very few.

jgsi

Suffice to say having paid good money.. I love them..
In reality, they feel bombproof... over engineered in the spoke department.. try and and flex them with yer power.. no way Jose...
Clinchers for common sensical day to day training usage...
The all black.. (which keeps its all blackness unlike some of its slightly cheaper rivals.. not Mavic though) brake track and rims performs for me.. using £2 carbon pads (needed because of the coating) off Ebay... yes you can get them so cheap.. I aint paying £35 a set for flippin Swisstops.. but our Alpine descending fiends will probably be having kittens reading that.. but I dont do hills thank Christ. All in all if you are happy with Fulcrums over Mavics, then all is good. They are understated... unlike Mavics.. that I like.

richjturner

Thanks, sound good. I prefer these over the Mavics - I like the discrete look, as you say - understated. Plus, TBH I like having something I don't see everywhere.

The only thing I can't decide on is whether I'm happy with the shallow section - everyone's all about deep profiles, but without spending a fortune, they're so much heavier. The zeros would save nearly 500g over my stock Shimano RS30s, that's a fair wack. The other thing is I'm scared of carbon - there's sooooo many potholes around here I really can't see them lasting. The RS30s, to give them their credit, are as true as they were new, and I imagine the Zeros would be the same.

jgsi

Deep sections nice to have.. but not in all and every condition. potholes not good for any wheel in the long run.
The Zeros and RS30s ?
Like night and day to sum it up.

dan45a

I pushed the button for the FFWD fr4's they arrive tomorrow, came in under £790 delivered which was a big saving. I was so close to going for the fulcrums though as they look awesome and the weight so low. Think it came down to me already having a set of shalow rim fulcrums so wanted something different.

Thanks for all the comments.