Chandne

Since I last posted, it turns out that I need a nice wheelset soon too. I'm leaning towards the ENVEs since I don't think Zipp hubs are anywhere near as good as DT, CKs, or even the I9 hubs, which are my third choice. Well, the CK/DT hubs are tied for first place right now. I just wish the ENVE 3.4s or even the 4.5s were tubeless-compatible. The tubeless ride quality is always eye-opening. The ENVE 3.4 SES would be my first choice. It does get windy/gusty here in the mountains of Colorado at times, so I can't go too deep. I want something faster on the flats than what I have:

Disc NOX A36D 36mm + DT240 + CX Rays (rims are a bit too wide so going on my CX bike)
Rim Pacenti SL23 + DT 240 + CX Rays (on the Roubaix)
Disc American Classic Ardents with bladed spokes (on the Tarmac...super quiet hubs)

Noctilux.95

The decision was based mostly on owning my current 2016 303's and input from cycling budding who ride both. BTW I ride on Enve M50's on my MB.

UnfilteredDregs

I think that's the case with the latest iterations of the wheels.

KantoBoy

=

Your brake pad is the cheese and the grater is your brake track





Can't believe nobody's pointed this out. Nice set of wheels though.

Chandne

I don't think anything but the 5.6 Disc and 7.8 Disc are tubeless-compatible. The 2.2 is, but that is it. The 2.2 is not very stiff and too shallow. The 3.4 is perfect and the 4.5 is max for me. Neither is tubeless compatible though.

noodle soup

ask SpeshulEd about running ENVE tubeless. IIRC, he's running his 3.4s tubeless.

dvdslw

I'm a bit late to the party but for deep, wide, and tubeless Easton is the only choice for me with either the 55mm deep Easton Aero 55's or the shallower 38mm EC90SL's which I own and they've been awesome to ride. As far as I know they are the only two sets of premium full carbon clinchers designed to be certified road tubeless without the need for rim strips. Braking is good, the hubs have a rather quick engagement, and they look killer on the bike. Only downside is their price but I've seen them on sale several times and can be had for around $2,200 per set if you're patient.

Aero 55's--- https://www.eastoncycling.com/produc...-aero55-wheels
EC90SL's--- https://www.eastoncycling.com/produc...ec90-sl-wheels

Chandne

Not sure for rim braking, if I trust anyone but ENVE, Zipp, and maybe Campy. I have read (in the past) of Easton SL90s delaminating under heavy braking. They do say it can withstand 500 degree heat at the track but was it always that way? With rim brakes, I have a bit of a fear with carbon rims so I'm going to be very picky. It is the reason I have stayed away from carbon rims till I got a disc-brake bike. I have more faith in the three I mentioned. The last thing I need is to cook my rim on a multi-mile descent and crash or go off the side of a mountain.

vinuneuro

If you're building or buying a bike today and don't need it to be UCI compliant, I don't why anyone would go for rim brakes.

Chandne

I have a disc Tarmac and a disc Crux. I like disc brakes and have been using them on the MTB for 15 years...like tubeless. I also like the simplicity of rim brakes, and they are (currently) cheaper to build light. So when I saw this BMC SLR01 frame, I just wanted it. Since I have some disc bikes, this is perfect. If I had just one bike, it would likely be disc.

Seattle Forrest

Maybe Zipp should just buy Enve hubs.

noodle soup

Doubtful something like that would ever happen, but I could see Zipp/SRAM enter a partnership with an American hub manufacturer that doesn't also produce a hoop(like Chris King or White Industries).

Dan333SP

Hot. Next time leave it in the big ring and remove saddle bag. Thx.

Chandne

I'm still looking at wheels too, and am flip-flopping between something like HEDs with Sapims and Cks, or the Enve 3.4 SES (the new version). Some builders have said 24x28 for my 177 lbs but heck...the DA C24s are 16x20 and are fine for most riders. I hope if I go Enves, they are faster than the HED/CK combo.

JagR

ENVE unless you are talking about the new NSW's. I have not been on the NSW but hear they are a dream on the road.

Doge

I have older Zipp 404s on a PowerTap (so no hub issues), and a Zipp disc (and have/had Eastons, and HEDs, and Nimbles, and Reynolds and ...).
I'd select Enve between the two.

I'd actually select ax-lightness above all - but that was not your question.

Da Reef

I can confirm

TCR Rider

I second that. I just put a set of 454's on my F8 and so far I am more than happy with them. I live along the coast with a lot of windy exposed riding and the 454's are great in a crosswind. Maybe better than the 303's that I was riding on.
All this talk about Zipp hubs but no one has mentioned that the 454's have the new cognition hubs. I'm loving the rear hub, which has no prawls but magnets. I decided to take a chance and so far so good...plus they sound fast.

Noctilux.95

I went with the NSW 404's that ended up with yes, bad hubs. The wheels flexed so badly, under moderate load, that I had to sent them back to Zipp who promptly replaced them. The new ones are awesome and a delight to ride. The NSW's ended up mounted on my Specialized Allez Sprint DSW with my Giant TCR SL getting a pair of Campy Bora Ultra 50 clinchers. BTW as good as the NSW's are, the Ultras are superior in every way with the exception of braking. Needless to say I'm happy with both wheelsets.

Chandne

I'd never do Zipps, primarily because their hubs are sub-par and cheaply made. I like their rims though. The new NSW ones look/sound like they are better but their track record with hubs is not good. I would only build or buy wheels with DT 240s, Chris Kings, etc. I hear that Alchemy hubs are now being manufactured by Wheels Manufacturing. As far as light hubs go, those would probably be ones I'd try. As for my wheelset for the BMC goes, I decided to build with Chis Kings, CX rays and DT440 rims (since the 411 was not available at the time). They are my favorite wheels so far.

Enve had told me that the Eve-branded ceramic hubs were basically DT 180s. I'd just use 240s. Zipp should give up trying to reinvent the wheel and use 240s, though I do understand that the new NSW hubs are quite fancy and may prove to be more reliable.

trekmogul 

Noctilux .95..Do you actually own one of those lenses..?

Seattle Forrest

I had my Enves built around 240s, because I had to. My frame has a TA/QR system and the next one should be TA/TA. Being able to change the end caps instead of having the wheel rebuilt is a big deal.

That said, the 240s are great. Zipp should definitely use them or something like them. Their niche is making aerodynamic rims. People just want good, reliable hubs.

Chandne

Exactly right. Apparently, not many can build reliable hubs that are not too heavy. As far as everyday hubs go, DT 240s, Chris Kings, and White Industries are the top three, maybe followed by Dura Ace to a degree though Shimano is behind the times with their otherwise reliable hubs. I certainly am leery of using anything else unless building a wheelset that will not see constant use.

noodle soup

DT, CK, and WI are great, but I'm hearing that Hope also makes a hub that rivals those 3.

I haven't personally used them, but Europeans rate them highly as an alternative to costly US hubs.

Chandne

I have used Hope mtn bike hubs and they were reliable. I use Chris Kings now...DT240s do not have enough engagement. The Hope were quite loud but reliable and durable, though not finished as well as the Kings. if they are making road hubs, I think that is another good option.