# Easton EC90 Aero Wheels



## drumbum

Howdy all,
Got a bead on a new set of Easton deep-dish carbon tubular wheels, the EC90 aeros:
http://www.eastonbike.com/PRODUCTS/WHEELS/08/wheel_ec90_aero_'08.html

I've tried searching a bunch, but haven't really found any feedback from cyclocross racers. Only thing I found was a review stating that the wheels aren't waterproof.

Does anyone on here ride/race these wheels, and if so, do ya like em?

Thanks!


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## YetiDan

Can someone explain being waterproof?

I am guessing a tubular problem. 

I am also wanting these wheels, but would like to now more.


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## drumbum

YetiDan said:


> Can someone explain being waterproof?
> 
> I am guessing a tubular problem.
> 
> I am also wanting these wheels, but would like to now more.



From a review posted on this site that I found:

_
http://www.abbots.org//misc/video/ec90-small.avi
http://www.abbots.org//misc/video/ec90-6dayslater.avi
http://www.abbots.org//misc/video/ec90-7dayslater.avi

Weaknesses:
Only usable in dry conditions.
These wheels suck up water like a sponge through the spokes through centrifugal force, but it doesn't come out again, even when you stop.
_


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## Guest

Anyone? I am looking at picking up a set of these as well. 

I have had a similar issue with my Zipp 404s. They retained water after washing and it took a couple of days to fully dry out. Not a huge deal. 

I do not recall this issue with my Shimano Dura-Ace Carbons following a soaking rain followed by a garden hose rinse and wash.

Cheers!


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## wahlummie

*ec90s*

That was my post about the EC90s.

I don't know if the pair I got were defective, but the water problem was a total show stopper.

I emailed Easton and the response was that if I planned to use these wheels in the rain then I should seal the spoke holes with silicon bathroom sealant. I was pretty stunned.

I returned the wheels and swapped them for some Reynolds sdv66t.

I carried out a simple test just to check the wheels without the effort of a ride in the rain. I immersed them in the bath above the spoke holes, tubs on and inflated. After about 30 seconds I lifted the Eastons out and water was inside the rim. I did this same experiment on deep section reynolds and Zipp 404s and no water gets into the rim.

I don't work for any wheel companies or bike shops.


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## Clevor

There is no way you can make any wheelset fully waterproof!!! There are micro gaps between the spokes and spoke holes. If anything, get any bit of water in a wheelset that claims to be waterproof and it will never dry out. It is best to fess up and drill some damn weep holes!

That's the problem with a lot of wheelsets: look real nice and flashy, but functionality sucks! While I don't recall water drainage holes on my 7801 deep dish carbons, I do notice weep holes on a set of WH-R560s I got for $150 and a set of 7850-C24s. Shimano is really good about this.

You can simply drill your own holes using maybe a 0.050" drill bit. But it helps if you have some wheel engineers who know exactly where the hole should be for optimum drainage.

I am a former ATB rider so I like to ride in the rain to break the monotony and practice handling in the wet. Even with the weep holes, took a while for my WH-R560s to dry out unless I did one trick: I used tissue paper pressed against the weep holes, with the wheel positioned so the holes are at 6 o'clock. They would tend to draw the water out in capillary fashion. Worked like magic.


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## jackattack

just got a pair of easton ec 90 aero.
i notice there is a hole on the opposite side or the valve hole, only on the rim bed side.
I am assuming it could be a drain hole? unless it is for balancing??

I guess I will be using it to drain water if i get any in it...easy to find.
I have not tried the wheels yet, just got them 3 days ago.

how are they to ride? anyone, I will have to wait the spring to try them I leave in frozen land Canada.


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## carbonfibrekid

drumbum said:


> From a review posted on this site that I found:
> 
> _
> http://www.abbots.org//misc/video/ec90-small.avi
> http://www.abbots.org//misc/video/ec90-6dayslater.avi
> http://www.abbots.org//misc/video/ec90-7dayslater.avi
> 
> Weaknesses:
> Only usable in dry conditions.
> These wheels suck up water like a sponge through the spokes through centrifugal force, but it doesn't come out again, even when you stop.
> _


Centrifugal force? that doesn't exist... did you ever take physics? the water adheres to the spoke and follows it outward because it has inertia "An object that is in motion will not change its velocity[speed and direction] until an unbalanced force acts upon it[in this case the rim bed]."

The "problem" is incredibly easy to prevent. All you need to do is move the"unbalanced force" inwards until it is outside of the rim. Just take some black silicone tile sealant and put it in a syringe. Then inject it around the spoke in the spoke hole so that water may not enter. Also do this at the valve stem (this will also prevent rattling). I did this and nary a bead of water can be found in my rims. Just touch up the seals when necessary (Every 6 months or so, when you replace a tire, that is a good time to do it.)

Cheers


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## bicmcneal

*A 'Cross Trick*

One way to resolve this is the following.
Place the valve stem at 6:00. Then, press down on the valve stem until a small gap is created. This will allow excess water to flow out through the hole.
Any remaining water will evaporate more quickly this way.
No drilling required!
Also, the hole opposite the valve stem is most likely an "escape hatch" for the bladder used in molding the carbon rim.

Cheers,

Ben


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## dtarrant

Does anyone use these for cross??? Mine do absorb water on the road if riding for a couple hours in a true downpour. But no big deal to drain them and let them dry out. My concern is getting tons of mud in the wheel -- I don't imagine that drains as well. Anyone with any experience and any problems with mud and water with these wheels racing cross? Did my first cross season last year on my Mavic ES wheelset, but would like to do this season on my tubular Easton EC 90's.


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## drumbum

dtarrant said:


> Does anyone use these for cross??? Mine do absorb water on the road if riding for a couple hours in a true downpour. But no big deal to drain them and let them dry out. My concern is getting tons of mud in the wheel -- I don't imagine that drains as well.  Anyone with any experience and any problems with mud and water with these wheels racing cross? Did my first cross season last year on my Mavic ES wheelset, but would like to do this season on my tubular Easton EC 90's.


I did actually end up getting these wheels and racing them for a cx season. I didn't treat them or do anything special to them, and they only ended up getting a tiny bit of water in them, which didn't impact anything in the end. Water came out naturally a couple days after the wet race.

There's nowhere for mud to actually get in there -- it's too thick and dense.


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