Best rear aero wheel under $1500?

[stormer94]

I looked around and didn't see the information I was looking for on the forums so thought I'd start a thread.

I put the $1500 price on in it because I figured if I put "money is no object" somebody would have found some obscure $8000 wheel...

I want a good Aero wheel for some possible flat ground, haul-ass rides I might be involved with this summer. Mostly flat, and slightly rolling 20 mile and 40 mile stuff.

I want a good, the pros use it (for good areodynamic and weight reasons, not because it was free), kick ass wheel. not some $150 left over eBay wheel. Not that there's anything wrong with that. I came close to picking one up a few times and thought, Hmm, $400 for a used 6 year old wheel, or likely $1000 for a new one that is likely to be lighter and faster. I'd be more interested in the new one.

Let me know what you think, I'm gonna buy an aero wheel, and need some opinions before I spend the long green on something I'm only partly familar with.

 

[Chris52686]

Non Disc Options
$580-Hed H3
Here

$1,350-Zipp 303
Here

Disc Options

$659-HED Pro Lite
Here

$549-HED Disc
Here

X Lab Disc-$729 retail

Reynolds Disc-$1,095 retail

And a few a little over your limit

$1,650- zipp 909 disc and front wheel(BUY THIS ONE)
Here

Mavic Comete-$1,900 retail

Campagnola Ghibili-$1,800 retail

Bontrager Race X Lite TT Wheelset-$1,950 retail (lances TT wheel)

 

[stormer94]

Non Disc Options
$580-Hed H3
Here

$1,350-Zipp 303
Here

Disc Options

$659-HED Pro Lite
Here

$549-HED Disc
Here

X Lab Disc-$729 retail

Reynolds Disc-$1,095 retail

And a few a little over your limit

$1,650- zipp 909 disc and front wheel(BUY THIS ONE)
Here

Mavic Comete-$1,900 retail

Campagnola Ghibili-$1,800 retail

Bontrager Race X Lite TT Wheelset-$1,950 retail (lances TT wheel)

Chris, thanks for all the work.

Got any experience with any of those? I should have mentioned that I'm interested in clinchers, 700c.

 

[JohnO]

Chris, thanks for all the work.

Got any experience with any of those? I should have mentioned that I'm interested in clinchers, 700c.

With that sort of budget, I'd go for the more aero Zipp 404's. Around $1350, though I've seen new 404 wheelsets on ebay for <$1k. Campy Boras are even better, at a paltry $2800 a set...

To be honest, unless you're climbing a lot of hills, big bucks lightweight wheelsets aren't going to make that much of a difference. The light weight helps the most on acceleration, something you don't tend to do a lot of on relatively flat terrain.

If you're spending that sort of dough to go faster, take a look at tubulars. More reliable in lightweight wheel setups, and a bit lighter, too. Tubulars are not THAT much more difficult when it comes to puncture repair.

 

[tafi]

Chris, thanks for all the work.

Got any experience with any of those? I should have mentioned that I'm interested in clinchers, 700c.

going into that sort of money youre going to be using tubulars. If you want no-holds-barred speed then tubulars would be the way to go. I have been sold on the idea by one of my riding buddies who uses Velomax Tempest carbon wheels for his races with Vittoria tubular tyres.

 

[rv]

there are plenty aero wheels out there. personally, I'd stay away from the hed 3 if you're planning to use them for road races...but great for time trials and triathlons. I like hed wheels...have a set of alps...good for road races and time trails, and the front is good for time trials paired with a rear disc. I don't like zipp wheels. I've never owned any, but I have ridden a zipp disc many times. my friends that have zipps have all had problems...tires pop off the rim, and bearing problems are or used to be notorious. reynolds seems to make great cf deep rim wheelset - stratus, I believe. some pro(s) have used it for cyclocross racing.

if you want a rear disc, and this might go against everything you believe, get a renn disc at

http://www.rennmultisport.com/~rennmem/store/commerce.cgi

$400 for a new disc, just as good as any $1000 wheel. trust me, I have one; just as good as my hed. or go to

http://forum.slowtwitch.com/gforum.cgi?forum=1

and do a search for renn disc and read what a lot of others think. good luck.