What are your thoughts on these cheap aero commuter wheels?
 

http://www.statebicycle.net/mfarsi/c...ontender31.jpg

Now, I thought it was just a local thing. These aero-styled 50mm rims in many different colors. I live near a shop which sells State Bicycles which produces a lot of them, but then I saw the tons of them everywhere I went. Boston, Los Angeles, and New York. I start to ponder, why are these things so popular?

Anyone ride with them, give me your $0.02 on the matter.

(This isn't about commuting on your $1,000+ aero wheels.)

Looks like a bog-standard track wheelset to me.

Are you sure they're plastic? I'd be surprised if they aren't powder coated aluminum, considering that they offer them with either machined or non-machined sidewalls. As to their attraction, I don't know how they ride, but they look cool. I've got a set of yellow 32mm deep-v rims on my Straggler, 11mm short of the wheels pictured (those are 43mm rims, not 50mm), which I chose because they're bright, eye-catching, and strong (heavy, too, but that doesn't bother me). I get compliments on them all the time, so I guess I'm not the only one who thinks that bright yellow aero rims are cool.

Long valve stems are required, which is fine if you can find them when you need them.

I don't see the word 'plastic' anywhere on State's website referring to their wheels.

If they're aluminum I guess it has more warrant to it. I've seen them in so many colors I'm not sure what to believe anymore. Sometimes they glow in the dark.

Picture is exaggerated so we know what we're talking about. I see them in white, yellow, green, pink, etc. Pictures of your bike? How heavy are they exactly?