Best carbon road wheelset (700c) for $1500-2k?



AuroraBridgeFlyers

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Dec 28, 2015
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I currently ride a Cannondale SuperSix EVO with Fulcrum 5 Racing wheels. Which are fine, but I have been told an upgrade will make a big difference in the overall quality of my ride. Peak season I ride maybe a 100 miles per week, with an average speed of around 19mph. All my riding is done in and around the Seattle area, which is a mixture of rolling hills, flats and city. I don't commute on my bike, it is only used for recreational purposes.
 
First of all whoever is telling that stuff is full of BS!! Carbon wheels require special brake pads which in turn won't allow you to stop as fast as you currently can which is why disk brakes became all the rage was to settle the issue with poor braking performance using CF wheels. And since you're only riding 100 miles a week you'll be throwing away good money you could use to something else with like pay off a credit card debt or some other debt.

Now if you think I'm a joke and it's time to read someone else's reply who will encourage you to spend money then at least don't spend a lot, you can get a really nice set of CF wheels from Flo for about $898 for the pair...that's what I said, for the pair, not each. See: http://www.flocycling.com/store/index.php Go no larger than a 60 deep wheel otherwise the wind will make the bike handle poorly.

But personally I wouldn't buy any new wheels, the one you have are just fine for the limited amount of miles you do. If you were racing and putting in 7,000 or more miles a year than maybe it would be time to get a set of competitive racing wheels and continue to use the Fulcrum wheels for training on. Again this is just my opinion coming from a tightwad mindset.
 
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I currently ride a Cannondale SuperSix EVO with Fulcrum 5 Racing wheels. Which are fine, but I have been told an upgrade will make a big difference in the overall quality of my ride. Peak season I ride maybe a 100 miles per week, with an average speed of around 19mph. All my riding is done in and around the Seattle area, which is a mixture of rolling hills, flats and city. I don't commute on my bike, it is only used for recreational purposes.

Wheels like that won't make any difference unless you're already fit. I've placed in state level races on Fulcrum 5 wheels, they're not great but they don't slow most of us down. I'd be spending my cash on some coaching and a power meter.
 
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First of all whoever is telling that stuff is full of BS!! Carbon wheels require special brake pads which in turn won't allow you to stop as fast as you currently can which is why disk brakes became all the rage was to settle the issue with poor braking performance using CF wheels. And since you're only riding 100 miles a week you'll be throwing away good money you could use to something else with like pay off a credit card debt or some other debt.

Now if you think I'm a joke and it's time to read someone else's reply who will encourage you to spend money then at least don't spend a lot, you can get a really nice set of CF wheels from Flo for about $898 for the pair...that's what I said, for the pair, not each. See: http://www.flocycling.com/store/index.php Go no larger than a 60 deep wheel otherwise the wind will make the bike handle poorly.

But personally I wouldn't buy any new wheels, the one you have are just fine for the limited amount of miles you do. If you were racing and putting in 7,000 or more miles a year than maybe it would be time to get a set of competitive racing wheels and continue to use the Fulcrum wheels for training on. Again this is just my opinion coming from a tightwad mindset.
Thank you for the candid and detailed reply. This is the type of information I have been pinning for, considering my friends aren't avid riders, which forces me to ask the opinions of bike shop owners and employees. Which is not to say they can't be trusted, they're just motivated to sell me stuff.
 
Wheels like that won't make any difference unless you're already fit. I've placed in state level races on Fulcrum 5 wheels, they're not great but they don't slow most of us down. I'd be spending my cash on some coaching and a power meter.
Thanks for the info! Whilst I am not an "elite athlete" I am a life long distance runner who's slowly converting to biking. My girlfriend and I did the Seattle to Portland bike ride (206miles) in one day this summer. We averaged 18.8mph. I guess the question I have - even though it's irrelevant as the STP isn't a race but a ride - is whether or not I would have felt much of a difference with different wheels e.g. CF. Based on the feedback I am receiving the answer appears to be no. Thanks again!
 

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