What have you bought/upgraded today.

[Tailwind]

I think anecdotes are actually what matters with bikes… how I feel about a product matters more than actual data.

IE - in your experience does it ride well? Are your excited to pull it out of the garage?

Engineering data - sure might be more objective but subjective ‘I like riding my bicycle’ is what I’m chasing on the big bike at least. I product I feel stoked about is a good product.

Less so on the XC race bike which is more dedicated to ‘what’s actually fast’.

That being said, I think you should try some we are ones. Anecdotally, they’re pretty sweet.

I looked a bit and couldn't find any actual data or real testing to support the lack of radial stiffness claimed by WAO and others. There are myriad videos showing an anvil hitting a rim and deflecting it quite a bit without breakage (great for occasional huge impacts). These videos also demonstrate how the spokes are completely de-tensioned, which WILL result in spoke or nipple failure if it happens often.

Please feel free to link to real engineering data that supports the manufacturers' claims. If WAO has "data to back it up" it must be pretty hidden on their website.

Again, for those in the back, I like carbon wheels and recommend that people buy them. But that's because one can build a nice wide rim that is also light and durable out of carbon, not because of anecdotes about stiffness or lack thereof.

[Andeh]

I've found that the bike frame makes a huge difference in how a wheelset feels. My WAO Unions on my uber stiff Guerrilla Gravity frame felt like they kicked me around a lot. Some low tier Roval aluminum wheels that came on my Levo felt really vague on the Levo but pretty comfortable on the GG. The Unions felt awesome and precise on the Levo, which is a hefty boy. Reserve 30 HD ALs felt good on my Nomad 6 which replaced the GG, but the Unions feel more precise laterally and corner snappier. The Reserve ALs seem stiff enough on the Levo but a little bit more forgiving on long, battery draining rides (7,500 ft vert).

I broke a shitload of spokes on the rear wheel of Unions with the GG, like 6-8 within a year, before getting it fully relaced.

[carlh]

Body size also matters. At 6’3” 205 plus gear my unions feel great on my gnarvana. I am still amazed how much better the front end feels with a zeb instead of a lyrik too.

[Roxtar]

I actually prefer a stiffy (Yeah, I said it).
Seriously, I hate wheel deflexion, especially lateral. I get my suspension from my shock and fork, not my wheels. That's why I've put I9 system carbons on my last 4 bikes. They are the stiffest laterally of any wheel I've tried. Those thick 7075 aluminum spokes combined with stiff carbon rims make leaning the bike into a turn so much more stable; even more so with Evil's super boost spacing.
I realize compliance in wheels is really trendy now but they just feel noodly in turns to me.

[jackstraw]

I've only ridden Reserve carbon and I noticed a huge difference immediately. They felt like they tracked a lot better. I came from a Stans alu wheelset which treated me great over the years.

And yeah, I have a Bronson for the downs like the 9 drops in SC and the Blur TR is for the ups and just longer xc-ish rides...and when I want to get a little loose on a descent.

[chicken feathers]

Got some 165mm xt cranks for my wife…Then I reluctantly ordered a park tool lr4 for shimano lockrings when I realized I needed them to remove the chainring from the old cranks.
Added in a specialized mini pump to round out free shipping on the lockring socket.

[J. Barron DeJong]

Blister is working with some engineering profs to measure wheel characteristics, both on a load/deflection machine in a lab, but also using some advanced real world data logging on a controlled course.

Maybe they’ll be able to figure out if the ride different ride characteristics between wheels are placebo or real.

[XXX-er]

in 5 years I watched shop bro buy multiple SC/ yeti/ Ibis/ norco just cuz he could and one set of carbon wheels that he swapped between them,

What he talked about was that with Carbon wheels is he never had to touch them and they stayed straight

he seemed to buy more SC than the others

[jackattack]

I'm on my second set of Ibis carbon wheels. 27.5 then 29". I suck a biking but I can tell the difference between plastic and aluminum. I'm never going back to alu. Ignorance is bliss.

[frorider]

Got a Mattoc Pro arriving tomorrow for my Hei Hei CR. Figure it’ll bring most of what I dig about my Mezzer on the enderpo bike.

[comish]

All this Carbon wheel talk is timely for me. 5'9, 165. older don't huck on a bike, like to climb and trying to get back into riding after surfing and skiing too much to leave any time for biking. Finally have joined the 29er gang after years of holding out w. an old Intense . Bought Rocky Mountain Element Carbon. Looking to upgrade to carbon wheels.

Anyone tried or ride the Roval Control 29? Not the SL crazy expensive, but just the "regular" 1450g version? Any feedback besides you hate the Specialized machine?


My data point for what it's worth, which isn't much: Test rode a bunch of bikes. Tried Epic Evo Comp and Expert. Primary difference to me between Comp and Expert was the Roval wheels. Climbing this short climb behind shop I felt way faster up this small climb w/ Carbon wheels. If I remember actually used a different gear even. I'm a SoCal/Mammoth guy who will climb 1500' easy so appreciated the lightness and feel of that wheel.

When looking at reviews on Pinkbike, Flow, and others, no one has anything particularly bad to so about that wheel and the price/weight seems right at $1k new. I would have to spend $400 to $800 more for a better warranty, maybe slightly better wheelset, or so it seems to me? Talk me off the ledge?

What are OEM alum new wheels worth these days?

[Andeh]

I know a guy who has connections at Specialized. The guts on the hubs are great (DT), and he says the rims themselves are good, but the stock lacing isn't very sturdy. He's had multiple pairs of Spec carbon wheels and starts unzipping spokes on all of them. The last set he got, he just had his buddy take straight into the Morgan Hill HQ shop to get relaced before he even rode them. He said those ones are holding up nicely.

Another guy got a pair of the Traverse carbons on his Levo and liked how they rode (says he prefered them to the i9 carbon 315s he replaced them with), but again has broken multiple spokes.

[beaterdit]

No first hand experience but that seems too light for a general trail wheelset to me. Sounds like the spokes are too thin at best.

[comish]

I know a guy who has connections at Specialized. The guts on the hubs are great (DT), and he says the rims themselves are good, but the stock lacing isn't very sturdy. He's had multiple pairs of Spec carbon wheels and starts unzipping spokes on all of them. The last set he got, he just had his buddy take straight into the Morgan Hill HQ shop to get relaced before he even rode them. He said those ones are holding up nicely.

Another guy got a pair of the Traverse carbons on his Levo and liked how they rode (says he prefered them to the i9 carbon 315s he replaced them with), but again has broken multiple spokes.

Yeah DT350 hubs. I should also add, I have never busted a spoke or wheel. I have a far worse track record bending skis than bike wheels. Says something about my biking lameness likely...

Here is the supposed spoke. pattern etc.:

Spoke Pattern: 28-Hole Two-cross (1:1) Non Driveside Front and 28-Hole Two-cross (1:1) Rear
Spoke Type: DT Competition Race Straighpull - Front Driveside 301mm, Non-Driveside 300mm , Rear Driveside 298mm, Non-Driveside 301mm
Nipple Type: DT Swiss Hexagonal Prolock Alloy
Hub: DT Swiss 350 Straight-pull, 6-bolt, 36t Star Ratchet System, 110x15mm & 148x12mm thru-axle compatible


The uber light ones (1250g or something like that) are 24 hole w/ some uberlight spokes and upgrade DT hubs.

[beaterdit]

I looked a bit and couldn't find any actual data or real testing to support the lack of radial stiffness claimed by WAO and others. There are myriad videos showing an anvil hitting a rim and deflecting it quite a bit without breakage (great for occasional huge impacts). These videos also demonstrate how the spokes are completely de-tensioned, which WILL result in spoke or nipple failure if it happens often.

Please feel free to link to real engineering data that supports the manufacturers' claims. If WAO has "data to back it up" it must be pretty hidden on their website.

Again, for those in the back, I like carbon wheels and recommend that people buy them. But that's because one can build a nice wide rim that is also light and durable out of carbon, not because of anecdotes about stiffness or lack thereof.

"blah blah blah" huh? Pick a wheel characteristic and be a dick about it? This ain't MTBR and I'm not gonna argue about it. I don't have the data and I'm not gonna go looking for it. For all I know it's 'proprietary' and they don't publish it at all, like many manufacturers leverage curves. I guess you're not buying it and that's your prerogative.

Back to the gear stoke...

[XXX-er]

The CRC order arrived

another DHRII in DD/ another set of ODI lock-ons/ a set of nukeproof disc brake pads/ a 500 ml bottle of Squirt

edit: 69$ for brake padz on 4 wheels is a considerable deal compared to paying the normal 39$ a wheel at my LBS, I got the sintered which i've mounted up and tested, they them seem fine

also i got enough squirt in that big bottle for a couple years, I had all these old small squirt bottles so i just filled them up

[basinbeater]

I grabbed a gravel frame today, get to build it up. Gotta figure out what I want it to be...
Penhale Gypsy.

[Vt-Freeheel]

Location checks out

That looks nice, enjoy the build

[VTskibum]

Comish - I'm about your weight and put a ton of miles on the Traverse Carbon SL (one step up in weight/duty from those I think) on my old Stumpy ST. I did break a few spokes replaced one/two and then had to get the whole wheel rebuilt. Afterward was bomber with a better build and about same spoke. That's a heavier wheel than the ones you're looking at, but getting a wheel rebuilt 1k miles in wouldn't scare me away from them if they're the right fit for you. I know plenty of XC guys running those wheels who don't send but definitely ride rocky PA trails at pretty good clip w/o issues.

I run Aluminum and Carbon wheels, preference for Carbon, but a good Alu wheelset work great. Favorite of the Alu are the I9 1/1 Enduro I got off of smmokan. Run these on my Hardtail w/ XC tires and stiff enough w/o being harsh. My trail bikes get the higher end carbon wheels that are stiff, which I think is a better application of Carbon. The compliance is nice on the HT

[Norseman]

I'm a jong but have enjoyed the Roval Controls for about a year, no spoke issues and still perfectly true. 190lb, don't jump much but do get into some chunk. I think they're appropriate for a lightweight pedally rig (they're now on my Spur) but probably on the light end for a shredder.

[MarsB]

Starting the gradual upgrade of my stock Genius 940: new ENVE M6 bar and I9 Enduro S Classics w/Hydra hubs bolted on this week. Stoked, haven't has a nice wheelset or carbon bars since the mid-2000s. Powder Mt. shakedown to come this weekend.

[Meconium]

I grabbed a gravel frame today, get to build it up. Gotta figure out what I want it to be...
Penhale Gypsy.

Yesterday I think I saw someone walking out of somewhat sketchy looking hotel on 7200 S carrying that frame.

[Jtlange]

I got a set of Nobl TR37s with Berd spokes. Put them on a SB160 and at 220lbs it could have been a questionable decision. They specifically spell out that you will need to re tension after about 20 hours.

After not taking it easy on them including a bike park day, they are still completely true and roll really well uphill and are nicely stiff. I am very impressed and would not hesitate to recommend them to anyone.

[basinbeater]

Yesterday I think I saw someone walking out of somewhat sketchy looking hotel on 7200 S carrying that frame.

I had to take it to a sketchy motel for her first time, I didn't want my other bikes to get jelly.

Based on the serial number I think this is the 12th Penhale made.

[VTskibum]

Replaced ancient Freeriders w some Freerider Pros, then next day pulled a lace through the eyelet of my Shimano AM7 trail shoes. Replaced those w Shimano ME7s which so far have been great.

Also couldn’t help myself when a made in USA Cannondale Chase popped up on FB market for super cheap and 5 min from home. Even though it’s old, it’s in great shape and the 1.5” head tube allows a modern tapered fork. My daughter loves the grey and purple trim, though still a little big for her. Big bro will be able to ride it for a while.


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