Originally Posted by
cormacf
51 years old, weekend rides usually around 60 miles down the coast (often with a heavy crosswind, which could be annoying if I had super-deep wheels, maybe?). I do centuries now and then, and I'd like to start doing more randonneuring en route to a bucket list 2027 PBP. Hoping to also do an Everesting (probably a slow one) in the next year.
Primary roadie is a Lynskey Sportive Disc with Ultegra 8020 and older (pre-tubeless) Mavic Ksyrium Elite Disc wheels.
Given that I'm not racing and I'm not particularly chasing deep aero shapes, would upgrading to a carbon wheelset be something I'd notice? It would probably be something relatively inexpensive (like a Hunt 30 Disc set) if I did.
Thanks!
If my googling is correct, your Mavic's are 17mm internal and around 1550g. Entry level carbon wheels are all around 1500g, so the weight is basically the same. Aero gains are marginal. Unless you're tracking rides at race speeds, you probably won't notice these gains (and arguably your riding position, clothing, helmet would provide bigger gains).
The main benefits would be wider rims and tubeless. The Hunt 30 disc is 21mm internal width, and 30mm deep. This seems like a decent choice, but those measurements are both fairly conservative. I don't know what kind of tire clearance your frame has, but if it can fit 28mm tires I'd look for wider rims with an internal width of 23mm, and target 45mm as more of an "all-around" depth, which will get you a few more watts of those hard-to-measure aero gains, and also look a little more "bling" but will still be fine in windy conditions.
You should also check out Light Bicycle, lots of similar options for similar money. I think they've got some 23mm internal stuff that is in the 45mm depth range. If you're all-in on tubeless you might consider looking at some of the hookless options from Zipp or Enve, which are just a little more money but come with solid warranty and reputation.
Personally, I wouldn't worry about justifying this purchase in terms of measurable speed gains. Life is short, riding nice wheels is nice, even if they serve no purpose other than looking/sounding cool. Go for it.