What's The Difference? - Carbon Fiber VS Aluminum Wheels
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- čas přidán 12. 06. 2024
- Bike riders often wonder what the difference is between carbon and aluminum bike wheels so in this video we'll tell you everything you need to know. What really is the difference? Find out here...
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When we talk about aluminum or carbon wheels, what we are referring to is the material of the rim, as almost all hubs and spokes are made from metal. The vast majority of bikes are sold with aluminium wheels. Generally speaking, only the most expensive road bikes will come with carbon wheels and this means that they are a fairly common upgrade people consider.
Carbon wheels look awesome. And well…. That’s the most important thing right?! Aesthetics are hugely important and Traditionally Most aluminium rims feature an unpainted aluminium rim on the brake track. Most paint finishes would wear off over time, so manufacturers just leave it bare.
An entry level wheel would typically be alloy and weigh around 2kg for a pair without tyres. If you compare that with a premium deep section carbon wheel such as this Vision Metron 55, the rrp is 1950euro and it weighs 1580g a pair without tyres. A half a kilo saving in weight. You can go even lighter too. Some carbon wheelsets are as light as 1 kg a pair.
What wheels do you have on your bike? Let us know in the comments. 👇
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Carbon VS Alu Bikes 📹 gcn.eu/2hY0eto
Music: Epidemic Sound
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Prologue - Brendon Moeller
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"I'd definitely go for an all round wheel" I don't blame him. I've tried the square ones and they're a bit bumpy.
10/10 dad joke
A bit bumpy but in Canada they seem pretty happy with the square wheels.
Let's hope the manufacturer didn't cut corners.
There are deep section aluminum wheels and the additional weight makes almost no difference. You can make a Tour bike out of aluminum with aluminum wheels at the UCI limit so why is there any push for super expensive carbon wheels and frames? Most of the ride quality is the tires. If you like throwing your money away that's fine but I ride steel and if I'm concerned about weight, I ride aluminum. Look up the old 8 speed Campagnolo Shamals. Or the newer Pro Lites.
Carbon rims save "30 secs over 40km at 40kph" - "cor, that sounds a lot!" I don't think so !!! Stop trying to justify carbon rims for any other reason than they look BLOODY SEXY!!!!
Anyone who can keep that speed up for that long deserves them. I'm pretty sure for the vast majority of us that stamina is way out of the question. But Yes, they do look Stella.
If both are 40kph then they'd arrive at the same time :S
@@russ18uk ...How did I not pick up on that one 😞 It should be 40km at X watts.
@@russ18uk Should be more like: They save xxx seconds on xxx km with xxx Watts.
@@russ18uk Ha bang on lol
Recently at the end of this season, I hung up my $2.7k carbon clincher rims and went back to the aluminums that came with the bike. I warped the front carbon during a huge decent so I wasn’t happy but knowing it was covered under warranty I really didn’t care. However only 2 years of warranty exists on most brands. Anyway,, after going back to the aluminums, I did a killer solo 100miler with about 6.5k of hills at around 17.3avg speed, one of the most epic rides of my life. Then, the following week, I took off 1.5min on my PR up a 2 mile climb. Also very important to note that I became a monster in downhill cornering because the braking was that much better on the aluminum. I had gotten so used to inferor braking with the carbon wheels that when i went back to aluminum, i felt like a different rider. Back to the warped one, I got a brand spanking new carbon replacement under warranty, after kicking and screaming, and guess what? I’m not going back to carbon on that bike because of the rim braking. Knowing what i know now from this before and after experiment, I would have not "upgraded" ....If money is tight, stick with the aluminums and don’t invest into carbon, however..carbon hoops and rim braking is a stop-gap combination until disc technology dominates. The carbons feel like velvet however. In the end it’s all just marketing hype to sell merch to the mass consumer market. On the road, I often get blown away by people with entry level bikes and I’m often as strong if not stronger than some that are riding $12k rigs. Genetics and consistency dictate,, where money and gear can’t compensate.
Sometimes it pays to read comments. You answered my question. And I'll be sticking with aluminum. Thank you.
And the difference between the trimax 30 and Metron 55...about £1,200. Yeah, I'll stick to aluminium and get a turbo trainer, and have a couple of cycling holidays.
Especially when you can pick up a sub 1500 Gram Ali set for £400
@@chrisoliver6690 Yeah, I have a pair of 30mm Cero alu wheels that weigh about 1,400g. They cost less than £400 and they're brill.
Some people have the money for both you know :D
@@raphaeltiziani7476 The lucky devils 😁
@@jonburnell532 haha yes
Nobody has mentioned the SOUND of deeper carbon rims. It's awesome.
martin brown I’ve had that same thought on my FLO wheels. The surreal moment when you are standing on the cranks and the odd whistle that carbon makes is distinctive. Great observation to describe what makes them worth the price. But the cost of bladed spokes is also a bit pricey. ... Well if you jam the dropout into them at high speed... #whoopsie
And braking on carbon rim brakes sounds like a jet engine
I'm sure that would be something to experience. I'm looking at a pair of carbon wheels myself.
I used to have a bike with titanium spokes that vibrated different notes when I got up to speed.
I never noticed my carbon wheels making sounds at any speed. Maybe you have the hearing of a bat. Or maybe you have a tread on your tires that matches the oscillatory frequency of your wheels.
All the aero gains and aero talk is nothing but a marketing scheme. people who cannot hold average speed of over 30 km/h for 100km should only think about getting a right frame size and proper fit for comfort so they can maximize their power output. instead of thinking about better bikes and carbon wheels or slamming their stem just to be more uncomfortable and possibly slower. honestly if your 5 minutes interval speed on flat road doesn't exceed over 40km/h you don't even need a race bike. get an endurance bike. it would be a better training tool for developing power because it's more upright and comfortable. they exist for a reason.
gotta make that money! the entire bike industry is in a constant frenzy trying to convince you that whatever your riding is old and outdated.
The science says otherwise. Aero gains make a huge difference, even to those that can 'only' average 20kph. You don't have to spend a lot or be uncomfortable to be aero, just make well informed equipment choices. You'll get way more value for money (and speed) than by buying 'lightweight' products.
Haha, totally agree... unless your racing non-draft races and holding 40km/h through out it wouldn't make sense to have deep section wheels. As soon as there is drafting, that 30 second advantage over 1 hour will not mean anything unless your the one pulling everyone the whole time. Just spend the money on a bike fit, get the right set-up to your body and you'll do better than what wheels can give you. Nobody likes snapping wheels in half on a crash, save your money...
rararroro 100 kms that's open ended mind you. If you do a flat ride it's easier to.keep an average of 30 kmh. If I do lots of country hills and busy traffic on the back end my average comes off 30 kmh. If anything my carbon wheels my average. I can buy alloy disc wheels in 24h.but.the sub 1500g sets are getting into cheaper carbon. I.just like the ride feel.If carbon.They just don't flex when climbing.
snowJT if you're worried about snapping.wheel rims don't ride a carbon frame or fork, seen frame and forks crane yet carbon wheels were fine. Tbh if you race or ride fast groups and you aren't well.off.best to ride, alloy, steel or titanium and alloy wheels.
Carbon bike parts, you don't need them, but you want them anyways
But really:
Go for alloy rims. They're better for your wallet and for the environment.
The reason for deep rims being made from carbon is not that the alloy rims would be too heavy, but the fact that it would be hard (almost impossible) to make them (winding deep alloy profile into a circle causes wrinkles).
There are a few deep section alu Wheels, vision has got them and the old mavic cosmics
@@daanhietbrink4207 The Cosmics have deep sections but the edges are flat not rounded at the edges. I have 50mm aluminum wheels.
@@daanhietbrink4207 Velocity rims too.. (great rims)
Jon, dead right mate. Unless you have a budget of over £1k stick to aluminium. For most of us average riders there is no significant performance gain (average speed 40km/hr - right!).
Probably the most informative cycling wheel comparison I've seen. Quick. Informative. Helpful. Thank you!
I upgraded the 2.2kg alloy wheel set on my Giant road bike with 1.5kg carbon Prime wheels from Chain Reaction. The difference on any sort of up hill gradient is night and day. Sure, climbs still hurt, but now I only feel like I’m fighting my own body and my own fitness, not fighting the bike itself.
You’re just making yourself less powerful. If you’re cycling to be fit and healthy then stop trying to make your bike lighter. If you’re cycling to win races and pay your bills then fair enough
You did well, but you would sense about the same with good alum wheels just a few grams more, you would still make the wheels lighter by 0,5kg, and a hub more effcicient.
GCN has really been pumping out some good videos lately
I've got a 30 deep alu front for stability and reliable braking with a 66 carbon rear for a little bit of aero. Perfect combo for rim brakes if you ask me.
Really appreciate your effort thanks bro
"If you are running disk brakes all your braking is done at the disk " 6:29 Thank you for that unknown information GCN.
Ahh yes. The floor here is made up of floor.
Good morning GCN, It is thought that GCN is one of the best channel for all cyclists! In my view, i just wanna see the subtitles in every video. Thank you!
My beloved Canyon Endurace SL 7.0 Disc - yep that's right, 105 group set baby, and proud of it - came with ever-reliable, durable DT Swiss Alloy wheels. They're friggin' awesome. Are carbon deep-dishes more, ya know, eye-popping? Yeah no doubt. But I'm both happy and impressed with my bike as it came. If I accidentally catch a pothole, I don't worry the way I might with carbon wheels.
Brian Messemer got my eye on that one. Love the ability for bigger tires and more comfortable geometry
In regards to stiffness, rim depth and spoke bed location are very important. For example, my Reynolds 72 Aero wheelset is 72mm deep and the spokes are bedded at the innermost edge of the rim. That means the spoke nipples are located roughly 60-70mm from the outer edge of the rim. Now, on a full carbon rim that aims to be as light and Aero as possible, this is an issue because the wheels become very floppy when sprinting or railing up a climb. In my 25mm aluminum Bontrager wheelset, however, the spokes are bedded very closely in relation to the outer edge of the rim (roughly 10-20mm). This means there is less surface of the sidewall that can flop around under load.
I have Zipp 404 firecrest clinchers rim brakes. Love them.
Someone forgot "includes paid promotion" overlay
Yup, this is obviously paid for by Vision.
Yeah, way too much product placement. Did anybody count how many times they said Vision or the wheels were visible? For me over the verge of being annoying...
@@Bungle2010 id buy that if they didnt namedrop every 15 seconds. Look at canyon for example - they usually just use their bikes and thats about it. This one is definitely paid for.
yes... GCN was really good... but now its just about promotion... a bit too much just
These guys are getting painful with their sponsored segments. They didn’t mention many positives about aluminum which is a shame. Most cyclists don’t need carbon. I have several custom aluminum wheel sets and they are bulletproof and cheap to fix
08:00 Such appropriate roadside furniture following the laboured innuendo.
8 minutes straight explaining how poor i am.
what i would really like to see is a test between an old style Low profile time trail bike and a top of the range new carbon time trail bike on the same course i.e g10/42 like you did before with the other mob,maybe get a lotus 110 to,all ridden at the same power of course with the same tyres.
thank you very much.Quick shipper.Good Product.
Carbon frame and good aluminium wheels is the best mix for a social rider. Would love to have the power for better wheels, but simply a waste of money.
More Fun -> more biking -> getting better and faster -> carbon makes sense
Gcn whats your thoughs on the new racing zero disk wheel set
should I get E11EVEN 50mm carbon wheels or vision team 35 aluminum?
I can also get the E11EVEN 38mm
I have a set of Dura-Ace C24s. The rims are aluminium alloy with a CFRP (carbon fibre reinforced polymer) laminate on the inner surfaces. They weigh in at about 1420 grams, which means they are nearly 500 grams lighter than the stock wheels that came with the bike, so that's huge. None of the aero benefits of a deep section wheel, of course, but I simply do not ride that fast, and there is no question that the lighter wheels have contributed to me to keeping up at speeds I just couldn't manage before. The best bit is that I got them second hand from someone who was upgrading to full carbon deep section wheels so I got them for a little over 50% of the original retail. So yes, the rest of you lot go out and buy really cool wheels and I'll be waiting around for your hand me downs.
I have 2 sets of them for daily riding and a Dura Ace Carbon set. I'm more and Indian not the arrow kind. Hard work pays dividends. Too light things break. I avoid carbon like it has Cooties now. Ride daily on gravel. Need reliable equip
I just picked up a pair of Hunt alloy wheels that weigh less than those carbon Visions. They're not deep sections, but that doesn't really matter when you live in a hilly area. They feel really peppy when climbing, and they were actually affordable. They have a great freehub sound, too.
Eben Sullivan I just bought some Hunt gravel wheels. Very happy for 900 quid.
@@gdfggggg carbon fibre, right? How are the wheels so far?
I wonder how Eben wheels are going too. I just bought Hunt 4 Season Super Dura wheelset, surprised how loud the freehub is but I love these
@@deivytrajan They're great - just did a slight true on the rear, but they've been an amazing investment. I'm running them tubeless with some GP5000s. I wrecked the front rim in a traffic accident a couple years ago, and Hunt customer service was incredibly helpful in getting me a replacement quickly.
@@deivytrajan they're absolutely spot on. The rear needs a tru up but apart from that they have been 👍🏻
Yup, carbon.
Appreciate the good detail and generally practical approach. I've got deep carbons on my tt bike and alus on my roadie, and I'm perfectly content. Seems like a lot of people out there think they're gaining like 4mph by switching to deep wheels, which is obviously just silly. Nice to see a more pragmatic approach.
Keep your alloy wheels, just loose 2kg in body weight, and that costs nothing.
@man0z haha good point
Quite, a fat old man riding carbon rims is a total pistake yet he's the one with the disposable to drop on a pair 😂
Not possible, I’ll be underweight if I lose 2kg.
@@gdevansh Agreed. I'm already a dry stick. Can't lose weight there it seems
@@gdevansh Gain 2kg and then lose 2kg... Bam, you have lost 2kg!
(not really)
I love the way Carbon wheels look. They are amazing! But i only go to alloy ones. I aim to get a pair of Hunt alloy wheels.
Are you satisfied of vision products ? I've got the metron 40. Nice weels i guess but i've noticed a lateral play on the rear one. Have you never noticed kind of this mistakes on yours ?
Other question : do you think i'm really obliged to reach 40km/h to take a real advantage of these weels (my average cruisin speed is quite around 33-35 km on flat and smooth surface) ? Thanks a lot for your footage. I love your channel ;-)
Hi chaps I have vision team comp 35 as on a Buget cudnt justify carbon rims although I would love a pair. How’s do the 35 compare to a pair of carbon.
Ps if u have a pair of carbons u don’t need feel free to send this way rim brakes. Thanks gcn love the show
I’ve recently sold my Trek Madone 9.8 w/ carbon Aeolus 5 wheels. And, went to a aluminum bike with aluminum wheels, found good success racing. But, nothing beats a Super Bike w/ carbon wheels.
You didn't address comfort. I'm sure in a previous video you said that alloy rims absorbed road vibrations better than carbon ones. Is this true?
How about carbon or alloy rim brake surface?
i have a pair of AL box section with 28s that i use in the early spring and late fall, then a carbon mid section w 25s that i use for the summertime
So carbon or aluminum disk brakes is what I am saving for
Great video guys
Good video guys although, I hate disk brakes and my carbon wheels are from Roval which have excellent braking!!
Carbon wheels are generally stiffer laterally and more compliant radially. Since changing to carbon, I have found the steering to be more precise and the shock-absorption to be better.
It's all in your head buddy the tire is what makes that happen
GCN - Is it possible for me to upgrade an aluminium disc frame bike that has aluminium wheels to carbon wheels? Or is that a no no, would I be better off just waiting until I can go for the full carbon set up?
On the subject of rim braking, you can get carbon wheels with alloy brake tracks if you want the best of both worlds
Hello i am buying for the first time carbon rims for scott addict 20 what do you suggest ffwd ryot 44 or ryot 55
"30 secs over 40km at 40kph"? What if I sit in the bunch for most of the race? I bet the benefit is negligible. It won't affect my positioning in the bunch, and the difference in power required to stay in that bunch with either wheel is also negligible. I will just go for a stiff aluminium wheel, thanks.
GCN would you please make a video on what is the best ALLOY wheelset on the market now, please?
Thank you
Try Hunt wheels..great reviews, low weight and competively priced
Campagnolo Shamal for rim brakes. 1450 grams , great bearings, 27 mm front and 30mm rear. great acceleration
Fulcrum Racing Zero !
I like Mavic Ksyrium SLs.
"This unbiased demonstration was sponsored by Vision Wheels."
Not a single con for carbon wheels.
@@Gias1 More expensive and rim breaking isn't as good, especially in the wet. Both mentioned in the video.
Ikr it’s a joke how it’s just an ad
@Nate Dog My point was that the video mentions what they consider to be two cons of carbon wheels, despite the comment above saying that this wasn't the case. Since you mention it though, in my experience (which may be different to yours) disc brakes are indeed stronger, especially in the wet. Cycling is all about compromises though, and rim brakes are considerably lighter, which may explain why the pros still use them. For what it's worth, when I bought my "best" road bike, I made a point of buying one with rim brakes due to the weight (and cost) saving. My cyclo-cross bike has disc brakes though, as they give me more confidence off road, as well as on road during winter months.
The question I need an answer to: How to tell my wife that there’s no summer holiday because I needed carbon wheels?
i recently picked up a pair of carbon dt swiss rc 38c db basically brand new (demo) for a nice price. at ~1425grams they are around 300gram lighter than my aluminium ones. while i can´t verify this they seem to be a bit "livelier" when accelerating. its not night and day of course, but noticable. i wanted to switch back to the stock wheels for winter, but it felt somehow draggy. so they stay on. they are also more comfortable than the OEM Rose ones that came with the bike. but lets be honest, the real reason i bought them was the looks :D
And the sound😋
Waiting patiently for Olie Trek Madone P1 Icon review 😆
how bad are rim brakes with carbon rims in wet/damp conditions ? s it completely no-go ? Imagine i'm riding in a cloud or fog (no rain but everything is wet), can i stop my bike? or for first 10 meters brakes don't slow down the bike ?
Please add your opinion about the differences on fast and or wet descents and rides like Paris Roubaix. Thanks
The cost/benefit analysis of getting a cheap carbon wheelset that weighs just as much, if not more, than the Campagnolo Shamal Ultra wheels I chose wasn’t to the carbons advantage. For less than cheap carbon, the Shamal has ceramic bearings, carbon fiber hub body and bladed spokes that provide a stiff and responsive ride.
Back in the day I was one those crazy city couriers and would destroy wheels all the time, so I taught myself how to build wheels, it's not too difficult and very Satisfying, and a good skill to have.
I sourced the parts on line and built
my own 50mm rim carbon wheels for less than £250. They're light and stronger than I thought they would be. All the info you need is on line. Personally I have found that hand built wheels are stronger and fast as or faster than expensive off the shelf wheels that I've bought.
Do a little research, build your own wheels, it will put a smile on your face.
I always thought about it.. I was always stuck on where to buy the bare rims from, any proposals?
@@kpsig they're pretty readily available to be honest, wiggle & sigma sell rims only. You'll save some change. I'm going to Starr building my own wheels
You should make a comparison of a top tier alloy wheelset around £1k (e.g. Ksyrium SL or a high end DT Swiss PR wheelset) with a comparably priced carbon wheelset.
I have a pair off Fulcrum racing Zero C17 and a Zipp 303 firecrest... I prefer the FR Zero!
I've ridden a set of Aclass cxd4's on my tiagara equipped Spesh Diverge which cost me $250 Cdn. Sub 1600g and have been bulletproof over 2 seasons riding road/gravel/cross. Saved 500 to 600 grams over stock. Feel stiffer and livelier and are the best upgrade. I'm not a lightweight either at 85kg.
How about if you are a heavier rider, would you then go for carbon wheel, or do carbon have a limit regarding wheight?
You need an electric motorcycle for the cameraman. A silent one, I mean! :D
Wireless lapel is all you need
What i cant believe is they ride behind a motorbike that pollutes them with deadly toxic gases
I’ve said this every video I watch there’s so many electric vehicles now it doesn’t even need to be an expensive one could get a Nissan Leaf film with the boot open
@@asap5594 can't take the leaf on a lot of the paths they take
@@hollywoodundead72 calm down, there's deadly toxic gases all around you
i got a vision trimax 30 disc :D
and a little bit of question for gcn, i have a little trouble on the front wheel where something rattles when the adaptors by the hub was changed to thru axle where i believe the rattle is coming from and the axle doesn't fit thats why im using the older one. i tried bringing it to a mechanic in which he was a little flustered on what to do, he tried tightening it but in the long run, its coming to get loose. #askGCN and a video of how to align tires would be good for beginners like me.
it might have been pertinent to discuss the differences in maintenance and longevity between the two wheel types.
Can i still convert my rim brakes to a disc brake?..coz i hab a expensive wheelset ..i forgot to ask to supplier if it can convert to disc brake..
Anyone know if it's worth the upgrade to go with Mavic Ksysirum Exalith or Fulcrum zero night vs my actual Fulcrum 4 ( quattro)? Also have t he option to go with carbon ,but I do not race so. i m not sure it will make a big difference
That Trek bike looks amazing.
Watching Oli trying not to laugh 7.53 is everything 😂
I have a pair of high end aluminium wheels with titanium spokes on a Columbus steel frame bike with rim brakes and I wouldn’t change it for any carbon manufactured bike.
It’s light, comfortable and incredibly quick.
Yup. my 25yo MAVIC Open SUP rims love laughing amidst a sea of $2k carbon wheels
A lot can be said for simply upgrading from the stock alloys to some alloys which simply weigh less. Little more speed for little less cheddar. Not to discount carbon hoops; they make you go fast and look fast! I have been wanting some Reynolds R4s for a while now!
Have you lot ever heard of a Dura Ace C50? Best of both I've ever ridden on.
are the trimax 40mm good enough for racing ?
My 2 cents. I like to climb. Weight matters. My aluminium wheels are 1410g. Got some carbon wheels as well (1480g). Carbon wheels do not brake well with rim brakes, and less so when it gets wet. Carbon wheels work only well with disk brakes. Disk brakes add between 250g and 500g to the overall bike weight. Why again would I want to do that ? Carbon wheels look sexier. I know. I have enough time looking at them while waiting for my mates riding carbon wheels, slowly, uphill ;-)
Let me shake your hand my friend. Couldn't said better.
Perfect always....
I use a 42 mm high aluminum wheelset and with 1,85 kg the weight is still ok.... but they are tough to ride, have absolutely no suspension and are only made for perfect roads. Fortunately, I have the privilege of having 125 km of the best cycle path in Germany right on my doorstep.
Other than low weight what differences are their between low end and high end carbon wheels built similarly.
Do carbon wheels stay true vs aluminium wheels which require periodic adjustments?
Off topic, but is that a tear in the jerseys left arm at 1min? Not Olly....the other chap (whose name I can't remember...sorry!)
Hii you guys have no vedios on aerospoke wheels?
Will riding with a rear wheel disc on an aluminum wheel be faster?
That Trek is one of the most awesome bikes I've ever seen!
Bontrager Aeolus comp wheels I have are both aluminum and carbon. I live them. Solid, and a little heavier, but I live in a flat area.
The lighter the rotating mass the less gyroscopic action. This can make a huge difference in stability or ride feel. It takes more balancing than with a heavier set of wheels.
If I was a tour de France rider I would want the best, fastest and lightest. My alu rims work beautifully, it's shimano whr550 rims which is not the newest wheel on the market but it works for me, and I'm still on an old raleigh RC 6000 alu frame with 105 groupset... The geometry just works for me. But I respect that carbon is the present and the future. Alu still has a place in cycling
Is there a differents between the comfort?.
Can you does do a comparison between the OEM carbon rims and aftermarket carbon rims. Are they really worth it?
Ya thing is you're better off buy OEM carbon wheels like at Amazon for ridiculously low price, same or lower than high-end alloy wheel. The choice is then easy.
If you go the carbon rims how will you fill in the 40 records you have saved? More time for social media?
I definitely want to get discs my next road bike so that if I upgrade to a pair of carbon wheels I am not constantly wearing the rims down everyone I use the brakes.
Hi team GCN , I just wanted to say I was a bit afraid GCN wouldn't be GCN anymore when all the new presenters came, but I wasn't right at all. The new ones are lovely personalities and the combinations off them work well just like before. I am glad a few of the old bunch sticked though.
Don't be racist
Well that was all the convincing I needed.. I'm sold !💵💵 Get those carbon deep section disc brake wheels in the cart🛒! Okay, so on a more serious note it is cool to have a comparison but its not totally fair as you cant do the same thing both materials. There are limitations to both... Carbon is at its best using it for deep section aero wheels with disc brakes and aluminium are best for hard wearing wheels for roubaix or nice climbing wheels with excellent braking....horses for courses 🐴
I'd really love to get my bike a set of carbon wheels, but it would be quite a big financial burden for me - So I'm worried about the durability of those carbon wheels, since I heard about them to break quite easily. Is that true? Or are they at least as stable for normal road riding as alloy wheels? Please help! :D
Carbon wheels crash better especially in the rain.
Most can get best overall performance with the good old aluminum quality rims.
My son started cylcing Jan 2019 he races and on average does 180-250 M a week he is 15 he has a Specialized Allez sprint Got him a pair or cosmic elite alu ok, saved 600g over the standard wheels but dropped on a pair of little used second hand American Classic 38mm carbon tubulars what a difference they are generally kept for the races with the cosmics as back ups but in total 1.1KG weight saving over the standard wheels, if your still on rim brakes look out for second hand ones as people change to discs
I got my bike with an optional 'superduper' Scope carbon ( € 1.400,-) wheelset. I am not gonna say here what I think of them, but fact is that in a few weeks I will be riding alu DT Swiss 1600's 32mm (€ 500,-). Looking forward to it.
Speaking as someone who is not a skilled rider, I have just switched to a carbon frame bike with carbon rims, and I have noticed that the new bike is a little less stable than the old one, and I believe it’s at least partially due to the lower moment of inertia of the rims. This may be less of an issue for a more skilled rider.
I have a basic Giant TCR Advanced with stock wheels and I'm looking for an upgrade. I was looking for some carbon wheels but I was shocked to find out how much do they cost. I was looking for a 35 to 45 mm deep ones. While the carbon ones start from 800 euros, the same deep alloy ones start around 200. I was looking specifically at Vision Team 35 Comp. Would you recommend these ones? Would be the same size carbons be that much better? I'm riding mostly on flats, and occasionally attend some local races for fun.
Gabor Lehocky Hunt wheels seem to be getting good reviews and good value
I haven't seen Ollie's Madone in a good while. I haven't heard from Trek much from GCN at all to be honest
What about climbing? I guess deep sections are not as good for step roads. Isn’t it?
I bought into the carbon wheel hype. I picked up a pair of 2nd hand set of Bontrager XXX Lite's. I was running a set of Pacenti SL23's. I am a casual rider the only reason for getting the XXX's was the $200.00 price. The wheels are similar in depth 24mm but the SL23's are 23mm wide vs the XXX's 19mm wide. Both fitted with the same 25mm rubino tires I didn't feel or notice any real difference. The SL23's weighed appx 1500g and the XXX's 1200g. I didn't even feel the weight difference. The braking on the XXX's with bonti cork pads is surprisingly not much different than the SL23's with basic shimano pads.
Please note this only my layman observation on non aero wheels.
I miss the "swoosh" sound my SRAM S60 made, when sprinting. Currently riding a pair of Fulcrum Racing Zero, a really good aluminium wheel.
Fulcrum are very good wheels, at every level, from the basic 7 to the highline ones 0.I have bought the 1in alloy, Second-hand, as training wheels and they are very good.. Strong and with low-weight.Made in Italy..🇮🇹
Cost is a big issue for me and while I was using rim brakes, used wheels were never and option for me but now I have disk brakes I am looking to buy a used (within reason) carbon wheel set
Stiffness. Can it be that a deep section rim can be stiffer at same spoke tension with same brand spokes and hubs? Because you have shorter spokes? Not mentioned in the video. My experience is in that direction.But I still prefer aluminum rims.
What ever comes in my mind. You guys already made a video about that 😉
Prime RR-38 wheels from chain reaction cycles are excellent bang for the buck
So for $1000 more do I buy an al bike and upgrade to carbon wheels or buy the carbon frame with al wheels?