Test 2021: Carbon wheels for disc brakes up to €1,200 - Shooting on the cheap: Carbon wheels around €1,000 in the TOUR test
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High aero rims are part of the look of a road bike that you want to be fast on in races. They look sleek and actually add measurable speed - on the flat, downhill anyway, but also on undulating terrain. No other part on a road bike can add more speed. The best news, however, is that the prices for the fast wheels have fallen. The wheelsets in the test would have easily cost twice as much a few years ago. On the outside, there is no sign of the cost-cutting programme and the appearance is of high quality. Inside the structure, however, a cheaper resin presumably holds the carbon threads together, as the disc brake wheels do not have to withstand braking heat. This makes expensive, temperature-resistant resins unnecessary. Numerous suppliers are also stimulating competition, which is also putting pressure on prices.
Our test field covers the entire spectrum of brands, from the small importer Lambda to the global company Trek with the wheel brand Bontrager. The rims are between 45 and 55 millimetres high, with inner widths of between 17.5 and 20 millimetres. The wheels are tubeless-ready across the board and are suitable for mounting both folding and tubeless tyres. For the test, we fitted them with folding tyres; we did not experience any mounting problems. The combined weight of the front and rear wheels ranges from 1,480 grams to 1,862 grams. The wheels are very similar in appearance. All rims have more or less bulbous cross-sections; sharp V-profiles like those from the early days of the aero wheel are no longer to be found. 24 spokes are also standard, as the disc brakes require this number to transmit the braking forces. Matt black is the default surface colour, and stickers or lettering are so discreet that the wheels harmonise with most frames.
We were all the more excited about the measurements in the wind tunnel and the test drives. Are there any relevant differences between these externally very similar products? In the wind tunnel, we measure the wheels as a complete set in the test bike, manned with our pedalling dummy as the test rider. In addition to our 55/55 millimetre test wheels from Lambda, we also tested the following combinations of the Speed Attack model: 45/55, 70/70 and 70/80.
Eight carbon wheels for disc brakes tested
- Aerycs WT 50 - 949 Euro
- Bontrager Aeolus Elite 50 - 900 Euro
- Fast Forward Tyro - 999 Euro
- Lambda Speed Attack 55 - 1,150 euros
- Leeze CC50 Disc Basic -899 Euro
- Mavic Cosmic SL 45 - 1,190 Euro
- Veltec Speed 4.5 Disc Basic - 1,099 Euro
- Vision TC 55 Disc-1,039 Euro
The complete test with all the information on weight, aerodynamics, features and detailed grading can be downloaded below for €1.99.
Why not free of charge? Because quality journalism has its price. That's why we guarantee independence and objectivity. The TOUR tests are based on standardised and reproducible test procedures, which we always disclose. TOUR articles can be bought - TOUR test victories cannot!
