Carbon wheels on a gravel bike worth it?
#76
Thread Killer
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: Ann Arbor, MI
Posts: 12,428
Bikes: 15 Kinesis Racelight 4S, 76 Motebecane Gran Jubilée, 17 Dedacciai Gladiatore2, 12 Breezer Venturi, 09 Dahon Mariner, 12 Mercier Nano, 95 DeKerf Team SL, 19 Tern Rally, 21 Breezer Doppler Cafe+, 19 T-Lab X3, 91 Serotta CII, 23 3T Strada
Mentioned: 30 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 3129 Post(s)
Liked 1,697 Times
in
1,026 Posts
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!
#78
Advanced Slacker
Join Date: Feb 2017
Posts: 6,210
Bikes: Soma Fog Cutter, Surly Wednesday, Canfielld Tilt
Mentioned: 26 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2761 Post(s)
Liked 2,534 Times
in
1,433 Posts
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.
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.
Likes For Kapusta:
#79
Junior Member
Join Date: Mar 2021
Posts: 12
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 7 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 5 Times
in
4 Posts
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.
#80
Occam's Rotor
Join Date: Jul 2013
Posts: 7,248
Mentioned: 61 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2366 Post(s)
Liked 2,331 Times
in
1,164 Posts
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.
Likes For franswa:
Likes For nagakuraruan:
#86
Senior Member