# Lightest carbon/ alu brake surface wheelset



## Rickard Laufer (Jan 1, 2013)

What is currently the lightest high profile clincher wheelset (50mm+) with carbon rim with aluminum brake surface?


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## mann2 (Oct 16, 2012)

dont really know but the Dura Ace 9000-C50 weighs 1710 grams without tape.


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## Rickard Laufer (Jan 1, 2013)

To heavy, mine is specified 1590g (Fulcrum Red Wind XLR).
Red Wind don't need tape. There is some sort of coating on the tubes surface.


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## Wadl (Oct 8, 2011)

just a question... have you ever weight them or you just assume that Fulcrum would never ever gives a lower weight than actual real life weight ?


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## Rickard Laufer (Jan 1, 2013)

Wadl said:


> just a question... have you ever weight them or you just assume that Fulcrum would never ever gives a lower weight than actual real life weight ?


No, i was stupid enough to mount a red cassette on then mounted them directly on to the bike. Now the bike is in a workshop for the fitting of DA 9000. I have ordered 43g set of skewers as the Fulcrum skrewers were more heavy than those of the original Mavic wheelset. I do not know "real" weight of them. I see Red Wind is 1755g and Red Wind XLR is 1590g. I have peeled off the largest decal and the warning decals and only kept the Red Wind XLR decal. Anyway, they should come in light compaired to compairable wheelsets that i have seen. As is, i have talked to dealer for Zipp (404 firecrest) and Enve (smart 6.7) and the Mad fiber dealer. Mad wheels are actually a growing interest. However, it is most expensive. What annoys me a bit is that the Mad dealer told me all ceramic bearings needs more attention than steel bearings. He adviced against it. I have Red Wind XLR (ceramic). But again, a set of Mad as far as what i have heard, is really making to bike spin up and kick off like a missile (cross winds is another obstacle though).
I am a little weary when it comes to full carbon. Not only for braking power, i also am a little doubting of how durability is compaired to the hybrid versions. Mad is super light though, even for clinchers as i would go for.

Oh, i did however weight the bike with Rival group and Red cassette + Look Blade and Fulcrum wheels. It was 7.8Kgs. I will do it again, with new skewers and DA 9000.


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## mikerp (Jul 24, 2011)

Rickard Laufer said:


> What annoys me a bit is that the Mad dealer told me all ceramic bearings needs more attention than steel bearings. He adviced against it.


Why are you annoyed by this? The dealer was giving you good advice. I would think it is common knowledge these days that ceramic bearings need more attention (cost more up front and have a higher maintenance cost).


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## Wadl (Oct 8, 2011)

Going from rival to 9000 will be pretty nice... I did something similar befor christmas. Going from Tiagra to new RED... oh boy, it is just great !!! 

For your wheels, from what I read, your Red Wing XLR and Zipp 404/303 are probably the lighest possible form of alloy/carbon wheelset. After that, if you want lighter, you will have to go full carbon...

I bought a wheelset of 404 back and 303 front (alloy/carbon) but they had problems with the nipple coming out of the rim... I returned them and I realised that saving a few seconds over an hour of riding was not really for me (or anyone not doing a tt or something) so I bought Eurus instead...


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## Rickard Laufer (Jan 1, 2013)

mikerp said:


> Why are you annoyed by this? The dealer was giving you good advice. I would think it is common knowledge these days that ceramic bearings need more attention (cost more up front and have a higher maintenance cost).


Well, actaully i was told the contrary....


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## aa.mclaren (Jun 25, 2008)

So far as the Campagnolo Bullet / Fulcrum Red Wind wheels are concerned, the advertised weight is always the lightest available configuration.

I purchased the basic entry-level Bullet 50 wheels at a massive discount from Ribble a few weeks ago (I have not put them to use on our filthy late-winter roads yet), and these were about 40 grams heavier than the commonly-cited 1755 g weight (that would be with the USB ceramic bearing option). Front = 800g Rear = 995g, that's still less than Profile, Oval Concepts and other Carbon-Alloy deep clinchers around the price range I paid.

I thought about springing for the lighter Bullet Ultra or Fulcrum Red Wind XLR, but concluded from the comparative weights that most of the weight differential is in the axle, a little bit in the alloy nipples, and that the rotational weight difference between the different grades of these wheels is not that much. Not worth the extra $300 in my case. 

I don't intend to ride these things in mountain goat territory anyway. Got my 11-23 corncob on there and it's all about white line fever at sea level (and slamming the brakes reliably on my way back to urban reality).


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## mikerp (Jul 24, 2011)

Rickard Laufer said:


> Well, actaully i was told the contrary....


There is a lot of hype and opportunity to make more money.
Fortunately some folks are honest and up front about it.
A good read
Boyd Cycling
Last post on the page.


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## looigi (Nov 24, 2010)

The lightest aluminum rim CF wheelset I'm aware of is the Giant P-SLR1: 50mm deep, 21mm wide, 1575 gm, $1600 list


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## Rickard Laufer (Jan 1, 2013)

mikerp said:


> There is a lot of hype and opportunity to make more money.
> Fortunately some folks are honest and up front about it.
> A good read
> Boyd Cycling
> Last post on the page.


Yeah, Boyd is noted,... (ofcourse)


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## aa.mclaren (Jun 25, 2008)

Usually reported wheel weights do not, although Mavic wheels were occasionally quoted including skewers back in the 90s. Not the preferred approach these days. 

More important than overall wheel weight, is understanding how that weight is distributed. A lighter rim with heavier spokes will have less rotational inertia, and accelerate faster, than a heavier rim with lighter spokes. The weight of the skewers is not such a big deal, unless the weight of the entire bike is considered, for extreme amounts of climbing. 

Depending on the frame design (especially with older-style horizontal rear dropouts) I'd rather have a strong (read: slightly heavier) pair of skewers for security.


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## aa.mclaren (Jun 25, 2008)

Mavic have an interesting new wheel announced, the Cosmic Carbone 40C Clinchers.

1545g but carbon extends over the alloy inner rim surface. It won't have braking heat-induced blow outs, the braking surface is carbon but with a surface treatment. 

It's a departure from the usual Cosmic Carbone's fairing design, a bit shallower and arguably no lighter than that 12mm depth difference (The faired Cosmic Clinchers are what about 200g more). The heat-treated bonding between the alloy inner extrusion and the outer rim could be made strong enough just on the inner diameter of the wheel, as with other manufacturers, and maybe future versions of this wheel could have exposed alloy sidewalls.


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## terbennett (Apr 1, 2006)

mikerp said:


> There is a lot of hype and opportunity to make more money.
> Fortunately some folks are honest and up front about it.
> A good read
> Boyd Cycling
> Last post on the page.


+1....... Boyd has been saying this for almost as long as HED. HED wheels also never used ceramic bearings because they claimed that their was no advantage in having them based on their tests. Steve Hed is a speed guru. I doubt he would steer you wrong when he could've been making a killing on ceramic bearing upgrades and replacements. He gets my respect too.


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## stringcatt (Jun 20, 2009)

*Depends*



Rickard Laufer said:


> What is currently the lightest high profile clincher wheelset (50mm+) with carbon rim with aluminum brake surface?


Are you going for bling or for performance? Although I am attracted to 38 to 50 mm profile, here is CA it's either uphill or down. I've lighten up a pair of AC 420's to 1350grams w/ Sapims and a 20 mm tri tires w/ Maxxis tubes, but recently bought 20mm Chinese tubbie rims and coupled them w/ AC 205 rear hub Micro front and Sapim c xrays, < 900 grams for the pair.


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## Trek_5200 (Apr 21, 2013)

this is not a new thread, but my thoughts are if you are looking at a 50 cm wheel weight isn't your goal, but aero. If you are looking for a light wheel go Dura Ace C-24. It sounds like you want your cake and be able to eat it too, but there are trade offs.


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