Alloy wheels on a carbon bike
06-04-18, 06:12 AM
#27
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Add me to the Find a new Bike Shop Club.
I don't have ANY carbon wheels on my bikes.. I mean, I have Shimano RS81 which are a mix of carbon/Aluminum.. but those only half count.
On my 2016 Wilier Cento1SR, I'm running a pair of Easton EA90SLX Alum Clinchers. and I love them.
Frankly, I'm one of those people that simply doesn't trust full carbon wheels.
I don't have ANY carbon wheels on my bikes.. I mean, I have Shimano RS81 which are a mix of carbon/Aluminum.. but those only half count.
On my 2016 Wilier Cento1SR, I'm running a pair of Easton EA90SLX Alum Clinchers. and I love them.
Frankly, I'm one of those people that simply doesn't trust full carbon wheels.
06-04-18, 07:06 AM
#28
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Not all alloy wheels are created equal and not all carbon wheels are created equal. I certainly question the validity of the LBS's claim. As mentioned above it sounds like a hollow sales pitch. Don't buy carbon wheels for that reason. Buy them when you've ridden thousands of miles and can confidently make an informed decision that will return appreciable value on your investment.
06-04-18, 10:58 AM
#29
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To be fair to the LBS, bike shop employees aren't immune to all the most ridiculous things claimed online about carbon fiber. It isn't like you go to bike shop sales trade school before you start selling bicycles.
06-04-18, 12:33 PM
#30
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Ask the LBS to let you try to change a tube/tire on the Carbon rim VS Alloy. That may influence your decision. My HED's are tough to do a flat repair on.
06-04-18, 12:40 PM
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That's not a difference in material, it's a difference is profile. Your HEDs are probably tubeless-ready, which requires a slightly different technique. That, or you just hit the bad rim/tire lotto.
06-04-18, 02:31 PM
#32
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Yup, gotta get that tire down into the wheel just right. But, who likes to practice changing tubes? I thought all newer carbon wheels were tubeless ready, but can work as clinchers. I'm happy with the HEDs, so I'll have to get the hang of this!
06-04-18, 07:59 PM
#34
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Yep, the Zondas are en route as we speak. That makes me think of a new question, tho. Will I need tp get new brakes? Not sure if brakes are aluminum vs carbon specific. I have no idea what's on there now, except that they're skinny and blue-green in color, lol.
06-04-18, 09:50 PM
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very dark green? Maybe Swissstop green? Aluminum specific pads are cheap, but recommended. Carbon specific pads won’t hurt things, but they won’t last long.
06-05-18, 12:41 PM
#37
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Of course, this is all hearsay because my only carbon rims are specific to my disc brake bike. But I have alloy rim braked bikes, too, and the metal bits in brake pads thing is real. I can't imagine it being good for a carbon rim.
06-05-18, 01:31 PM
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I think the biggest issue is that you don't want to use the same brake pads for both types of rims. Aluminum rims will eventually embed little bits of aluminum in your pads and those same metal bits will eat your carbon rims. Get used to swapping pads when swapping wheels (use inserts, and remember how many barrel adjuster turns it takes to set the width appropriately for the two different rims, assuming they are different widths).
Of course, this is all hearsay because my only carbon rims are specific to my disc brake bike. But I have alloy rim braked bikes, too, and the metal bits in brake pads thing is real. I can't imagine it being good for a carbon rim.
Of course, this is all hearsay because my only carbon rims are specific to my disc brake bike. But I have alloy rim braked bikes, too, and the metal bits in brake pads thing is real. I can't imagine it being good for a carbon rim.
06-05-18, 01:44 PM
#39
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If you look at the Weight Weenies website, low profile CF and Aluminum rims are pretty close in weight. The divergence is only with deep profile aero rims.
Like others, I have a set of alloy clinchers (RS-10) on my CF bike. I suppose I don't know the difference... yet.
CF rims take special brake pads, so you'll probably want to save your current pads for the CF, and get some new pads for your aluminum rim wheels.
06-05-18, 01:50 PM
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It takes less than 5 minutes to swap pads. I just keep them in a ziplock bag with the appropriately sized hex wrench (3mm?) for the stopper bolt.
06-05-18, 02:03 PM
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Conti tubulars are universally crap (for the universe of tires you can buy). They have butyl tubes inside them, which eliminates one of the major advantages of tubulars. Scrap those, regardless.
06-05-18, 02:28 PM
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After a few rides I decided I didn't like the wheels (noisy, not comfortable, hard to ride in strong cross winds). I ordered a set of custom alloy wheels and love them.
Do whatever you want. It's your bike.
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The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love. - Psalm 103:8
I am a cyclist. I am not the fastest or the fittest. But I will get to where I'm going with a smile on my face.
The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love. - Psalm 103:8
I am a cyclist. I am not the fastest or the fittest. But I will get to where I'm going with a smile on my face.
06-05-18, 03:06 PM
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The other thing to keep in mind is that unless you have disc brakes, braking performance is generally better with alloy rims than carbon unless you go out and spend a few grand on wheels.
06-05-18, 04:23 PM
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06-05-18, 04:27 PM
#45
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I just put my first ever set of carbon wheels on my bike. I actually don't know if I even like them. The braking performance is crap compared to alu rims, and are noisy as hell when braking. Not much lighter than my previous alu wheels either. I went with a shallow rim profile, "because climbing", but I think that was a mistake as well. Probably should have gone with a deeper section for the aero, but wanted light light light. At this point, I think I'm gonna ride these for a few years, just to say I used them, and then hang them in the garage, and go back to a good quality set of lightweight alu wheels. Oh, and my bike is carbon too, so I don't know what the fuss is.
06-05-18, 06:52 PM
#46
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My 25mm deep x 23mm wide carbon tubular rims are 255 grams each. I don’t believe there are any aluminum rims anywhere near that.
06-05-18, 07:16 PM
#47
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The Scheeren Weltmeister might have actually been lighter than your rims. They were a fairly bizarre construction, basically consisting of a thin aluminum tube pressed into a rim-like shape, so thin that the spoke holes were reinforced with little pieces of balsa wood. Claimed weight was 220g.
There were a few other vintage rims that had claimed weights in your ballpark, like the Super Champion medaille d'Or, which was supposedly 260g.
I'd guess that rims built like that wouldn't be very well-behaved in a modern rear wheel, though.
Last edited by HTupolev; 06-05-18 at 07:20 PM.
06-06-18, 01:50 AM
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06-06-18, 08:33 AM
#49
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Everything I've read about that ultra-narrow and ultra-shallow rim is that it barely held up for a few races even under lightweight cyclists and even with 32 spokes. While interesting and I am glad you brought it up, I don't think it contradicts my statement that there is nothing close to my rims in aluminum.