![]() I’m testing the 35mm depth with standard aluminum surface, and measured it to be 22.5mm wide, 0.5mm wider than advertised. ![]() Additionally, they have machined braking surfaces, or an all-black “KB” coated rim. Vision hits an interesting mix of options in their aluminum line, with 25mm, 30mm, and 35mm depths. Is this the new performance standard for alloy and ‘stealth aero’? I think so. You can also have the rim in two versions: standard braking surface or ceramic-coated. ![]() It also has a surprisingly light advertised weight of only 485 grams per rim – that’s super light for a rim this deep and wide. That’s a title once held by the Zipp 101, so this rim is in good company. To my knowledge, it’s the only toroidal aluminum rim that’s available today – meaning that it has a bulged shape with angled braking surfaces. The Aforce Al33 is similar to the Kinlin above in that it’s not as well-known in the US market, and is often sold by custom builders. The bonus is that the rear rim is available in an offset version, helping to even out spoke tension (a rarity in this field). Typically available from custom wheel builders, their XR31T rim hits all of the important specs with its 31mm depth and 24mm outside width. Kinlin is a Taiwanese rim manufacturer that isn’t very well known in the US. The weight might not look great on paper, but similar to DT Swiss, you won’t have any headaches to deal with. In addition, Mavic is known for outstanding machined braking surfaces, which stop reliably (even in wet/cold weather, when paired with Kool Stop pads).Īt a price of $549, they’re utterly attainable – and might be found as take-offs (on the used market) from a new bike that’s been upgraded to carbon. While they remained unchanged for many years, they’re now up-to-speed with 17mm internal width and even UST tubeless compatibility (a step beyond the often hit-and-miss tubeless fit with “tubeless-ready” rims). With 30mm-deep rims and Mavic’s good reputation for build quality, I always wanted a pair. ![]() I’ve had a soft spot in my heart for Mavic’s Cosmic Elite since I first saw them 15+ years ago. If you want something that looks good, hits the dimension requirements you want, and won’t cause problems, DT should be at the top of your list. I’ve hand-built many wheels with DT rims and hubs over the years, and have had exactly zero problems. The weight is a little bit burly on-paper at 1,723 grams, but I’ll talk you off the ledge with my real-world experience: DT makes wheels that last. At 32mm deep and 21.5mm wide, it’s right on the border of what you want in terms of width. Somewhat similar to Shimano, they often include a mix of letters and numbers that are hard to remember, which is unfortunate given the quality of the product.ĭT has had several iterations of deep-ish alloy rims over the years, and the current PR 1600 Spline 32 is a hit. If you ask me, it’s due in-part to their product names. If it was my money, I’d stick with the deeper standard Altamont for the improved aero performance (and appearance, in my opinion).ĭT Swiss doesn’t get enough credit in triathlon. There’s also a special “Lite” version of the Altamont with a 25mm-deep rim and 1,530g weight per pair. Note that the ceramic rims include Swiss Stop BXP brake pads, and are said to offer improved stopping in all conditions. They’re tubeless-compatible, and even available in a high-tech ceramic-coated version for a $150 upcharge (for the full-stealth look). The standard version of the wheel is both deep and wide, with a very reasonable overall weight of 1,645 grams. I’ve never ridden Boyd wheels, but their Altamont aluminum platform looks to be a winner. Note that we’re focusing on full alloy rims, not pricier carbon/alloy hybrids. Let’s take a look at a few of your best options today in 2019. Sadly, some of the top historic choices no longer exist – the Zipp 101 and the American Classic 420, for example. *Beware of super lightweight hubs that contain tiny bearings that won’t last. Tubeless compatibility – if that’s your cup of tea.ĥ. Deeper looks cooler and might gain an aero edge – at the expense of weight.ģ. Note that we listed a basic set of basic criteria to look for when shopping for performance aluminum wheels – so let’s recap.ġ. Not all forum members read the front page (and vice versa), so we’re going to put together a list of top aluminum wheels for 2019 and beyond. This expanded into a thread in our reader forum, where some of you chimed in with questions, comments, and your favorite products. Last week, we took a 30,000 foot view of the relevance of aluminum wheels in 2019, and concluded that – yes, they’re still a big player in the market. If you want a mix of performance, low price, and great wet weather (rim) braking, that means you’re in the market for a set of aluminum wheels.
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