Jno

The roads near me are going longer between maintenance upgrades so some of my ride is on pristine tarmac, some is on post-apocalyptic tarmac. I have begun to wonder: are quality carbon wheels as likely/unlikely to cope with random cracks, bumps, divots etc of degraded roads as are aluminum wheels? Thanks in advance.

Brocephus

Those more qualified should chime in shortly, but until then........, here's my take. Quality carbon wheels (while admittedly being stronger) tend to be more expensive than aluminum, both to purchase initially, and when buying a replacement wheel.
It sounds like your conditions are not suited to nice, premium wheels, and especially not with thin,higher pressure tires. I'd consider some decent quality, but more robust and less expensive wheels, with some wider tires that will help cushion the impact on them. It sounds like you need to get low-weight out of your head entirely, if conditions are as you describe, and think more along the lines of, "strong, reliable-beaters" (IMHO).
I've read there's better options out there now, but for years one of the best heavy-duty wheels were the Mavic CXP33's, in 36 hole, with a decent but less expensive hub like 105 (that's just an example, but that's the way I'd be thinking). And again, replacing a jacked up wheel like this will be way less painful than half of some higher end carbon wheelset.
Another downside to carbon is that when they slam hard on a pot hole, I'd always be wondering in the back of my mind if I didn't really jack them up, and start them on the road towards a catastrophic failure. Someone will surely be along to take me to the woodshed on all that, but that's my .02, FWIW .

fietsbob

bikes with the capacity to fit fat tires is the first impact absorption step..

Canker

I know in the mountain bike world there are a few carbon wheel manufactures that have a no questions asked for any reason carbon rim replacement deal. You pay for it up front but it is an option. Aren't there any roadie wheel guys offering that?

base2 

Jno

Very reasonable advice, and I thank you for it. I usually need lots of reasonable advice to counteract the very strong but unreasonable impulse to get bike stuff I don’t really need, like snazzy new wheels.

That said, I know they aren’t economical, and they aren’t going to cause significant improvement but a big consideration is - are they as durable?

carlos danger

you will not notice any difference between carbon and alu rims most likely.

However the only times carbon rims make any sense is when used in the highly aerodynamic area. like 30-100mm deep aero rims. since you can make the walls paper thin. so you save weight. its much thinner than you can extrude alu rims. so they weigh less.

but to be honest you really have to punish the crap out of the rims something serious to actually break any rims. alu or carbon. and then you are probably doing it wrong!

I would get alu since you simply have to worry less about it than carbon. alu will last longer i feel. a lot longer. its metal. the other one is plastic.

Cyclist0108

Santa Cruz Reserve rims/wheels now come in 700C options.

Teamprovicycle

ive bent a couple of aluminum rims , and saved one pair , if they where carbon i would have been out 800 plus , if you do go carbon start with a Chinese pair id say ?

TimothyH

Some misinformation in this thread already.

Decent quality carbon wheels will deform and regain its shape where aluminum alloy will bend permanently.

This isn't something I made up. Ask a wheelbuilder such as Psimet...

https://www.bikeforums.net/20740244-post16.html

And an explanation of why spoke count matters...

https://www.bikeforums.net/20741717-post31.html


-Tim-

Hiro11

Modern carbon rims are very, very strong, I have no qualms about riding mine on broken pavement.

chas58

Durable? both should last decades unless you are abusing them or crash. My weak point has been spokes which eventually just wear out - and I get tired of replacing them when they start going...

Dan Burkhart 

I have rebuilt numerous cf wheels that had suffered catastrophes that would have ended even a high quality aluminum rim's life.Carbon fiber has shape memory as you indicated, and makes survival for reuse more likely.

Jno

Thanks for the re-assurances; my dream to get carbon wheels has been fortified. And although nobody said so, I bet that the more I spend, the more forgiving they will be (even if my wife may not be).

Stormsedge

I ride my Carbon wheels all the time (on year 3) on all road conditions...use 32 width tires...no issues.

aclinjury

after that video they probably recycled that wheelset

Kapusta

If they were quality CF rims you would not have bent them to start with.

You might have broken one, but it takes quite an impact to do that. Enough that your Al wheel would have been a twisted taco.

TimothyH

-Tim-

Fahrenheit531 

^^ Well then.

Dan Burkhart 

Even many of the "cheap" Chinese carbon rims stand up to abuse better than aluminum ever could. I deal with large numbers of them, and failures are very rare.

Ironfish653

As far as 'improvement' goes, a lot more depends on things like the rim profile and spoke count than just what the rims are made of.

If we ignore super-light climbing wheels and 60mm deep-dish aero hoops, you're probably not going to see a huge amount of difference if it's say, a typical 20/24 spoke 30mm road wheel. The carbon might have more vibration damping with 23mm, 120psi tires, but your could get the same ride quality with Al rims and 28's for a couple of bills less.

You pays your money, you takes your choice.