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Carbon wheels on a gravel bike worth it?

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Cyclocross and Gravelbiking (Recreational) This has to be the most physically intense sport ever invented. It's high speed bicycle racing on a short off road course or riding the off pavement rides on gravel like : "Unbound Gravel". We also have a dedicated Racing forum for the Cyclocross Hard Core Racers.

Carbon wheels on a gravel bike worth it?

Old 02-25-21, 05:02 PM
  #76  
chaadster
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Originally Posted by dvdslw
Bike came with a set of 42mm Travail Cannonballs (protection model) that weigh 540g ea installed. I ditched the tubes and put them on the Zipps tubeless. Just got home from a 30 mile shakedown ride and the bike felt great. So much easier to get up to speed and they upped the compliance a bit too. I took it down a brick road that I went down last week with the other wheels and it was immediately apparent that there was some added comfort with the new wheels as well. Very happy with my purchase so far!
Brick road? My man, you’re on elite wheels so it’s time to start acting elite: pavé, or at the very least, cobbles.
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Old 02-26-21, 06:07 AM
  #77  
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Old 02-26-21, 06:26 AM
  #78  
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CF rims are not inherently more fragile. They can be a lot stronger than AL at the same weight... or a little stronger at a little less weight... or just as strong for a lot less weight.

This has been pretty well settled in the MTB world.

Not sure if this has been posted:

The fact that some stupid light CF rim failed is not an indication that there is a problem with CF... it is that someone tried to take the lightness thing too far.

Now, is it “worth” it? Depends on your financial situation. The benefit of CF is going to be the same regardless, but the pain in one’s wallet or purse is going to depend on how fat said wallet or purse is.

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Old 03-07-21, 05:12 PM
  #79  
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Originally Posted by shoota
How much do you weigh? At ~185lbs I haven't had an alloy rim survive yet. So I bought carbon Bontragers with a lifetime warranty. Two or three broken alloy wheels and I'm money ahead with the carbon wheels.

I weigh north of 200lbs and have been through 2 velocity blunt 35's in 3 years, both cracking at spoke holes, both hand built by LBS and a qualified builder. out of frustration I'm going to give building a go myself. after reading too much on the subject I'm going to try a 35mm deep, asymmetric hookless carbon rim with dt aero comp spokes. I will reuse the dt swiss 240s hubs and continue to run them tubeless(schwalbe g-one all around). after discovering the alloy velocity's cracking agin (rear drive side and some on rotor side front) I checked spoke tension with park tool deflection gauge and they are within velocity's specs and even across wheel. my assumption is my weight is contributing factor or the blunts just aren't the hoops for me.
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Old 03-07-21, 09:41 PM
  #80  
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Originally Posted by mbpletcher
I weigh north of 200lbs and have been through 2 velocity blunt 35's in 3 years, both cracking at spoke holes, both hand built by LBS and a qualified builder. out of frustration I'm going to give building a go myself. after reading too much on the subject I'm going to try a 35mm deep, asymmetric hookless carbon rim with dt aero comp spokes. I will reuse the dt swiss 240s hubs and continue to run them tubeless(schwalbe g-one all around). after discovering the alloy velocity's cracking agin (rear drive side and some on rotor side front) I checked spoke tension with park tool deflection gauge and they are within velocity's specs and even across wheel. my assumption is my weight is contributing factor or the blunts just aren't the hoops for me.
I'm down to 195 today, but in general I can probably match net weight. My HED Belgium Plus rims have been indestructible. The first set I got (Chris King) was in 2014 and they are still going strong. I beat on them, hard. Rocky coastal Santa Cruz mountains fire-roads and trails, including single-track and stuff I am not technically competent on.
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Old 03-09-21, 12:24 PM
  #81  
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Wheels arrived. 650b adventure carbon, set up tubeless
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Old 03-09-21, 12:59 PM
  #82  
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I got the same wheel set! They're awesome
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Old 03-09-21, 01:53 PM
  #83  
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Originally Posted by nagakuraruan
I got the same wheel set! They're awesome

Still need to install new RD and longer chain to accommodate new cassette before I can take em for a spin, but pretty pumped. About 2 pounds lighter than stock wheelset!
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Old 03-09-21, 03:20 PM
  #84  
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those are nice looking wheels, looks like 24 spoke with a 2 cross pattern? Im gonna have to get me some tan wall tires
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Old 03-09-21, 09:12 PM
  #85  
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Originally Posted by mbpletcher
those are nice looking wheels, looks like 24 spoke with a 2 cross pattern? Im gonna have to get me some tan wall tires

Thanks, there’s 28 spokes
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Old 03-10-21, 07:58 AM
  #86  
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Originally Posted by franswa


Wheels arrived. 650b adventure carbon, set up tubeless
Awesome!!!
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