Carbon wheels on a gravel bike worth it?
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I am curious about carbon wheels, but have been afraid they wouldn't hold up as well. Maybe my fear is misplaced? I thought of getting some Santa Cruz wheels because of the warranty and because SC is where I live. But I have hesitated.
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I weigh about 200 lbs, and have two sets with HED Belgium + rims. One set I got in 2014 and the other I think a year later. Both have stayed round and true, and I beat the living shi'ite out of them.
I am curious about carbon wheels, but have been afraid they wouldn't hold up as well. Maybe my fear is misplaced? I thought of getting some Santa Cruz wheels because of the warranty and because SC is where I live. But I have hesitated.
I am curious about carbon wheels, but have been afraid they wouldn't hold up as well. Maybe my fear is misplaced? I thought of getting some Santa Cruz wheels because of the warranty and because SC is where I live. But I have hesitated.
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Last edited by shoota; 01-29-21 at 09:23 AM.
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Anyone thinking about buying the Santa Cruz Reserve wheels should watch the video of Danny MacAskill trying to break them. Sure they are mountain bike wheels, but carbon is very strong.
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I'd spend the money on carbon bars and a flexy carbon seat post. Not sure what's out there for Giant component wise, since Giant uses a proprietary seat post (D fuse). But these two items will be like half the cost and for sure some carbon endurance bars will help lessen vibrations.
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SwampGrinder you should take a look at Spinergy wheels, which use unique, fiber spokes rather than metal. They’re claimed to damp vibrations better than conventional wheels, and you can get them in either carbon fiber or aluminum rims.
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Anyone thinking about buying the Santa Cruz Reserve wheels should watch the video of Danny MacAskill trying to break them. Sure they are mountain bike wheels, but carbon is very strong.
Danny MacAskill Tests Santa Cruz Reserve Carbon Wheels
Danny MacAskill Tests Santa Cruz Reserve Carbon Wheels
NB: He did break the wheel eventually.
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Anyone thinking about buying the Santa Cruz Reserve wheels should watch the video of Danny MacAskill trying to break them. Sure they are mountain bike wheels, but carbon is very strong.
Danny MacAskill Tests Santa Cruz Reserve Carbon Wheels
Danny MacAskill Tests Santa Cruz Reserve Carbon Wheels
Carbon ftw! Danny MacAskill is pretty cool too.
Dave
Last edited by bonsai171; 01-29-21 at 06:17 PM.
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This is the video that got me to buy Bontrager Pro 3v's (plus the lifetime warranty):
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I'm not saying every alloy wheel will explode after 2 years, I'm just offering my anecdotal evidence.
I guess I'll just say this, I haven't seen any carbon wheel in my group of local riders fail any faster than an alloy one (or at all really). Carbon is really pretty strong.
I guess I'll just say this, I haven't seen any carbon wheel in my group of local riders fail any faster than an alloy one (or at all really). Carbon is really pretty strong.
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Either BTLOS or Light Bicycle both of which have cheap custom carbon wheelsets and good reputations.
I'm looking for a hooked tubeless wheelset and about 1,500 ish is the max I'd like to spend. The Reserve is just about in that region and I have a soft spot for Santa Cruz.
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I live in Santa Cruz...
They assemble them here. They are machine-built but finished manually. The bike I want to put these on is quick-release, and both Santa Cruz and Chris King (who also build with those rims) no longer do QR.
I think only their 700c rim is hooked, BTW.
They assemble them here. They are machine-built but finished manually. The bike I want to put these on is quick-release, and both Santa Cruz and Chris King (who also build with those rims) no longer do QR.
I think only their 700c rim is hooked, BTW.
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I live in Santa Cruz...
They assemble them here. They are machine-built but finished manually. The bike I want to put these on is quick-release, and both Santa Cruz and Chris King (who also build with those rims) no longer do QR.
I think only their 700c rim is hooked, BTW.
They assemble them here. They are machine-built but finished manually. The bike I want to put these on is quick-release, and both Santa Cruz and Chris King (who also build with those rims) no longer do QR.
I think only their 700c rim is hooked, BTW.
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I should have said 700C road. I think the gravel ones are hookless (hard to tell from the new web-site), and their prices sure have gone up a lot.
I'm looking at November and Jones.
I'm looking at November and Jones.
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Would buy again if I need to.
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CX46 laced to Onyx Racing hubs. Hubs have been amazing, they should be. I had one rim develop a spoke-hole crack, LB was very chill about getting the rim replaced--had my shop do the rebuild locally....for the trouble they comp'd me a swag shirt and cap with the replacement rim.
Would buy again if I need to.
Would buy again if I need to.
Dave
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I have hooked LB rims laced with xray spokes to DT Swiss 240 hubs - less than 1500 grams. About 11 months old with no problems.
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Only hitch was RMA shipping...I had to pay them for a USPS label, as USPS no longer would ship wheel boxes internationally from consumers....and UPS/FedEx was wanting $200USD. They were chill
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Oh, they were surprised and turned it around quickly. They actually advanced RMA'd me the rims, I had both rims unlaced, and they x-ray'd them and confirmed only one was cracked. They refunded me the broken rim, and I paid for the other new one.
Only hitch was RMA shipping...I had to pay them for a USPS label, as USPS no longer would ship wheel boxes internationally from consumers....and UPS/FedEx was wanting $200USD. They were chill
Only hitch was RMA shipping...I had to pay them for a USPS label, as USPS no longer would ship wheel boxes internationally from consumers....and UPS/FedEx was wanting $200USD. They were chill
I read on one forum that someone bought carbon rims from BTLOS and it arrived with some very minor extra material around where the mold junction was. It was nothing at all that affected the way the wheel operated and was barely noticeable but they complained until BTLOS sent them a replacement rim for free and they still kept the original rim that was sent. I would never do that, but it shows how far BTLOS was willing to go for the customer.
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Oh, they were surprised and turned it around quickly. They actually advanced RMA'd me the rims, I had both rims unlaced, and they x-ray'd them and confirmed only one was cracked. They refunded me the broken rim, and I paid for the other new one.
Only hitch was RMA shipping...I had to pay them for a USPS label, as USPS no longer would ship wheel boxes internationally from consumers....and UPS/FedEx was wanting $200USD. They were chill
Only hitch was RMA shipping...I had to pay them for a USPS label, as USPS no longer would ship wheel boxes internationally from consumers....and UPS/FedEx was wanting $200USD. They were chill
Dave
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I have a great set of carbon rims. I generally do not think they are worth the expense for gravel. But The Santa Cruse wheels above are admittedly interesting!
I'd like to see how they do in a loose baby head garden where they roll around and bash into the sides of the rim too...
I'd like to see how they do in a loose baby head garden where they roll around and bash into the sides of the rim too...