Originally Posted by
msu2001la
It's an alloy rim brake wheelset that costs $400 and weighs around 1650g and is built around a narrow non-aero rim profile. They're basically the same weight as a Zonda or Ksyrium Equipe, but a few hundred dollars cheaper.
The Zondas can be gotten for a bit less than $400 these days - I got my set for $380, and I've seen them drop to $326 today. The Zondas are also advertised at 1540g, though truth be told, mine came out to be measurably heavier than that, by about 100g.
I've never tried the RS500, just going by reviews I've read. I wonder if the reviews were dissatisfied given the Ultegra branding? After all, Ultegra drivetrains are upper-echelon, and in a world where carbon wheels are common, RS500s don't quite seem to fit.