HED Ardennes FR

ClaudeH
ClaudeH Posts: 78
edited March 2015 in Road buying advice
Hello

I currently have a set of Ksyrium SL wheels. I damaged the rear wheel on a pothole and try as I might (with advice from another thread) I can't get it right so I am looking at a replacement.

Does anyone have any experience of the HED Ardennes FR? They are touted as being HED's top of the range alloy wheel and are pretty light (c.1400g) but are certainly not cheap (about £1k). I would be interested in anyone's experience. I know for that money I am getting to carbon clincher territory but I don't want to go that route.

Claude

Comments

  • paulmon
    paulmon Posts: 315
    I have the Belgium+ which I believe are the same rim but with different graphics. I had mine built up as robust wheelset with Hope hubs, standard spokes and brass nipples. They weigh just over 1600g for the pair without skewers and cost me just over £500 from Justridingalong. They feel indestructible compared to my C24s. I'm currently running them with 25mm pave tyres and latex tubes inflated to 85 rear and 80 front and the ride is superb.

    Take a look at the custom wheel builder on the Justridingalong website and you will get an idea of what the cost would be using lighter hub/spoke combo's.

    P
  • max1234
    max1234 Posts: 71
    I have these wheels and think they're great. Combined with Schwalbe one tubeless the ride is excellent. It took a bit of experimenting to get the right pressure (about 75/80 psi - i'm 72kg), but once that was sorted it's an amazingly smooth ride. That's really noticeable on bad roads where you seem to glide over the bumps rather than jump up and down. They're also quick to accelerate, light for the hills and hold speed well.

    I'm not sure that the FR level is that much better, but it's lighter, has blingy carbon hubs, and it's always nice to know you have the best option.

    I have a set of Zipp 303's but am not too keen to put them back on even for the summer. They maybe hold speed better on long straight roads, but that's of limited benefit where i ride. Braking in the wet is dodgy and the flex in the back wheel is annoying.
  • ClaudeH
    ClaudeH Posts: 78
    Thanks for the feedback. I will have a look at the justridingalong website.
  • ugo.santalucia
    ugo.santalucia Posts: 28,310
    Ardenne and Belgium are not the same rim... they use a different alloy and the Ardenne is a bit lighter too. The profile is the same the rim isn't.
    Also, the Ardenne front is a different rim from the Ardenne rear, in terms of material... it is quite complicated.... :roll:
    left the forum March 2023
  • paulmon
    paulmon Posts: 315
    ugo.santalucia wrote:
    Ardenne and Belgium are not the same rim... they use a different alloy and the Ardenne is a bit lighter too. The profile is the same the rim isn't.
    Also, the Ardenne front is a different rim from the Ardenne rear, in terms of material... it is quite complicated.... :roll:

    Interesting. I was told different by justridingalong and they are saying such on their site http://www.justridingalong.com/hed-arde ... -rims.html . I'd be interested in pointing this out to them as I asked for the Ardenne+ but they sold me Belgium+ on the basis that they are one and the same.
  • FatTed
    FatTed Posts: 1,205
    Not sure they have the Belgium and the Ardennes ( a different ally and a little lighter) and then the Ardennes flame Rouge which is a scandium rim but only available in 20 hole and only for the front wheel?
  • ugo.santalucia
    ugo.santalucia Posts: 28,310
    This is now probably 18 months old, but what Joseph at HED Uk told me this

    ARDENNES Rims Hole Count Weight RRP
    Ardennes Scandium Rim 700c clincher 18 & 20 425g £199.00
    Ardennes Standard Rim 700c clincher 18, 20, 24 & 28 450g £149.00
    Ardennes "Belgium" Rim 700c clincher 18, 20, 24 & 28 460g £109.00
    left the forum March 2023
  • jon2
    jon2 Posts: 5
    Those are the pre - plus rims Paulo. The new Ardennes and Belgium Plus come in one version only (thankfully) and they are the same apart from a few drilling options.

    Jon
  • ugo.santalucia
    ugo.santalucia Posts: 28,310
    jon2 wrote:
    Those are the pre - plus rims Paulo. The new Ardennes and Belgium Plus come in one version only (thankfully) and they are the same apart from a few drilling options.

    Jon

    Thanks Jon... my information does indeed refer to the 23 mm rims, not the 25 mm plus ones.
    You should post more often than once every two years... :mrgreen:
    left the forum March 2023
  • cycleclinic
    cycleclinic Posts: 6,865
    edited March 2015
    Hed wont sell the ardennes rim after market. Only availble in wheels from hed or for a rebuilt to be done by hed.

    The belgium+ rims are 490g and cost more than £109. Hed told me the belgium + and the ardennes are the same rim. They are only making 24h 28h and 32h available and then you have buy 10 rims. Every time i call they keep telling me they are a wheel manufcaturer not a rim supplier they even mentioned they might pull the rims from after market sale. Its like they are trying to out me of buying any.
    http://www.thecycleclinic.co.uk -wheel building and other stuff.
  • ugo.santalucia
    ugo.santalucia Posts: 28,310
    thecycleclinic wrote:
    Hed wont sell the ardennes rim after market. Only availble in wheels from hed or for a rebuilt to be done by hed.

    The belgium+ rims are 490g and cost more than £109. Hed told me the belgium + and the ardennes are the same rim. They are only making 24h 28h and 32h available and then you have buy 10 rims. Every time i call they keep telling me they are a wheel manufcaturer not a rim supplier they even mentioned they might pull the rims from after market sale. Its like they are trying to out me buying any.

    If their wheels were more reasonably priced in line with the competitors, that wouldn't happen
    left the forum March 2023

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