through a friend i've been offered an amazing deal on new Crank Bros Synthesis E wheel set. My current wheels are the standard Trek Line comp 30s. I know they will be stiffer and will break rather than bend. Do you like your carbon wheels?
Carbon wheel upgrade..worth it?
- Thread starter Id_rather_be_skiing
- Start date
alex_k
Well-Known Member
yes, I like my ibis carbon wheelset but would not pay more than i did: https://www.jensonusa.com/Ibis-742-Logo-Carbon-275-Wheelset-en.aspx
Pearl
THIS CHANGES EVERYTHING
I'm torn on this. I have had Crests forever and my first carbon mtb wheelset on my hardtail/singlespeed. They are XMIPlay china carbon wheels, so if that makes my point invalid, that is fine. I've had a road wheelset for over 2 years (i think) and the mtb one through two cyclocross seasons.
It seems to be just as light and extremely stiff, but something about the Crests always feels better when banging through rocks and hitting sweet jumps. I think I liked the flex of the Crests. I don't think they make me faster or more efficient on the mtb. I'm not sure I would spend over $500 on a set of carbon wheels. The road is different, but for the mtb, I'm not 100% on them as a amazing upgrade over regular light aluminum wheels.
It seems to be just as light and extremely stiff, but something about the Crests always feels better when banging through rocks and hitting sweet jumps. I think I liked the flex of the Crests. I don't think they make me faster or more efficient on the mtb. I'm not sure I would spend over $500 on a set of carbon wheels. The road is different, but for the mtb, I'm not 100% on them as a amazing upgrade over regular light aluminum wheels.
A Potted Plant
Honorary Sod
it depends on your goal
4 me no, I ride for fun having so much money in wheels would stress me out and would take away from the fun, if I broke one I'd be out of comish for a while if I didn't have spares.
4 me no, I ride for fun having so much money in wheels would stress me out and would take away from the fun, if I broke one I'd be out of comish for a while if I didn't have spares.
sundaydoug
Well-Known Member
In my experience carbon wheels are give and take. I ran a set of carbon Reynolds wheels on a long-travel trailbike for roughly 6 months before switching back to my usual set so it was a good comparison.
The added stiffness has both it's merits and drawbacks. Stiffer is better up to a point, but I found when I went back to my aluminum set that the added flex actually helped on flat, loose turns. Just the right amount of flex is the key, too stiff is not good.
Plus, to the best of my knowledge, if the carbon structure is compromised at all they're trash. Unlike aluminum, where you can have dents that either don't affect the ride at all, or are fixable by a skilled mechanic.
Bling factor aside (and I understand it's a considerable factor) personally, I can't justify the upcharge for carbon hoops.
The added stiffness has both it's merits and drawbacks. Stiffer is better up to a point, but I found when I went back to my aluminum set that the added flex actually helped on flat, loose turns. Just the right amount of flex is the key, too stiff is not good.
Plus, to the best of my knowledge, if the carbon structure is compromised at all they're trash. Unlike aluminum, where you can have dents that either don't affect the ride at all, or are fixable by a skilled mechanic.
Bling factor aside (and I understand it's a considerable factor) personally, I can't justify the upcharge for carbon hoops.
I am leaning to agree with @Pearl though I should be no where near Crest. I have banged the living daylights out flows over the years.
Mind you I am easily 2 Pearl's in one body. And I am going by fatbike rim, which is a lot of rim. But i have had many good hits (rigid) with them and had then had the death blow at the right spot on the edge. It is done, part of me wonders if that was AL that I could have been bent it back. Terrible comparison but has me thinking a Bluto like me should stick with AL rims. More better on the wallet.
Mind you I am easily 2 Pearl's in one body. And I am going by fatbike rim, which is a lot of rim. But i have had many good hits (rigid) with them and had then had the death blow at the right spot on the edge. It is done, part of me wonders if that was AL that I could have been bent it back. Terrible comparison but has me thinking a Bluto like me should stick with AL rims. More better on the wallet.
Dave Taylor
Rex kwan Do
Stans Bravo Carbon 29er wheelset
Selling a set of Stan’s Carbon Bravo 29er (the more expensive ones with Neo Ultimate hubs). Excellent condition boost spacing 15/110-12/148. Includes almost new Forekaster 2.35 front and Ikon 2.2 rear. Set up tubeless. This is aphenomenal Enduro or Trail wheelset. A couple cery minor scuffs and...
I think the key is more a very smooth set of hubs. I have 2 mtb and both have DT Swiss hubs, 240’s and 350’s. The 240’s are in carbon and the 350’s on Aluminium. For me I notice how much faster and smoother a set of hubs are as a set of rims. I feel say that their rims are sooo much faster, but are they. You put decent rims on really good hubs and you will feel fast. You put expensive rims on decent hubs and you will not feel as fast.
so for me it is more the hub than the rim. Personally I have no problem with Aluminium, just got an amazing deal on the carbons.
so for me it is more the hub than the rim. Personally I have no problem with Aluminium, just got an amazing deal on the carbons.
Jmann
Never gonna let you down.
Yes- in the sense that nice stuff is awesome. And if you spend a lot of time riding your bike, why not ride the best stuff.
Also, No- in the sense that they won’t change your life, and the cost/benefit ratio isn’t great.
Personally If have a decently engaging hub I’m happy.
Also, No- in the sense that they won’t change your life, and the cost/benefit ratio isn’t great.
Personally If have a decently engaging hub I’m happy.
Talking to another friend and all your comments here has swayed my decision to spend the $ elsewhere on the bike first. Gonna upgrade from an 11spd NX to an eagle XO1.
Thanks all!
Thanks all!
G
It is really hard to justify $600+ rim when a $100 aluminum rim last a long time. It took over 500 hours for me to crack an Arch MK3.
Could go China carbon as long as you do the wheels yourself.
Guess you never read an Enve review.
It is really hard to justify $600+ rim when a $100 aluminum rim last a long time. It took over 500 hours for me to crack an Arch MK3.
Could go China carbon as long as you do the wheels yourself.
carvegybe
Well-Known Member
I recently got a pair of carbon wheels despite all logic pointing the other way. Is there an improvement? Definitely yes. Is it worth the price I paid? Probably not. But if I were higher up the performance curve where incremental improvement was an important objective then I would think differently. Now that it's done, I am liking the trail rides more but still look in the mirror and consider myself an unwise consumer of MTB products.
rlb
Well-Known Member
You will notice a difference going to a lighter wheelset, regardless of material. If you have a heavy stock set new wheels are still worth it. I don't have carbon wheels so I cant give an opinion, but you may want to still consider new aluminum wheels. They will likely give you more bang for your buck than a new drivetrain.
thegock
Well-Known Member
Wait. They make rims that aren't carbon?
In the last six years, riding over 400 hours a year on carbon rims with a lot of chunk, I broke exactly one rim. That was a Nextie Jungle Fox that I cased on a curb while in a hurry and under inflated (user error.)
That's the new as of last June carbon rim on the back, coated with dry mud. The bike had more than 6,220 miles on it yesterday. The replacement was expensive, but I get to choose how to spend the money that I earn.
In the last six years, riding over 400 hours a year on carbon rims with a lot of chunk, I broke exactly one rim. That was a Nextie Jungle Fox that I cased on a curb while in a hurry and under inflated (user error.)
That's the new as of last June carbon rim on the back, coated with dry mud. The bike had more than 6,220 miles on it yesterday. The replacement was expensive, but I get to choose how to spend the money that I earn.
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