# H Plus Son Archetype v. DT Swiss RR 440 Asym v. Pacenti SL23 v. HED Belgium C2



## jhk (Mar 16, 2014)

I'm building up a rear wheel for a Paul Component Disc WORD that I intend to run fixed with a belt drive as a 4 season commuter/alley cat/trainer.

Basically, I want it bullet proof, light weight, and not to cost more than a third the price of the my actual bike (Civilian Le Roi Le Veut D'lux, $1500) so about $500.

So right now I'm looking at the Archetype (currently my leading contender), the DT RR440 Asym, Pacenti SL23, and the HED C2. All seem like great rims within a few grams of each other.

I can't seen any reason not to go with the Archetype as it's the least expensive and apparently just as good as it's competitors. However, I'm not unwilling to spend an extra $50 if it means less trouble down the road.


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## Enoch562 (May 13, 2010)

Most of the Archetypes I've built have been in the 480 range. I have yet to find anything negative about them. They build up extremely round and true. The flat finish is great. My only wish would be labeling that was easier to remove.


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## jhk (Mar 16, 2014)

I actually love their logo font so I'm totally cool with the label. They are definitely getting points in my book for being the prettiest.


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## bikerjulio (Jan 19, 2010)

All I can say is that the Archetypes, at about 1/2 the price of the others, seem fine to me. They can be had for $50 or so.

And I like the logo too.


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## Zen Cyclery (Mar 10, 2009)

The C2 and SL23 have the nicest finish IMO. The Archetype is a great rim too but the SL23 is wider, deeper, and still lighter. If you can find the H Plus Sons on a good deal I'd go with those, but if not the SL23s are worth the extra $40.


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## jhk (Mar 16, 2014)

I guess I'm just wondering what I'm buying for my extra $40 beyond 20-30 grams and a millimeter extra in every dimension. Assuming that extra width doesn't come at the expense of durability which is hard to say given how new to the market they are, what would I be gaining in this or the even more expensive HED? I figure I'd rather spend that money on some CX-Ray spokes where I'll probably see more benefit in terms of aero and durability.

FWIW, I've heard that it's incredibly difficult to get a tire on the Pacenti, but I'm not sure how concerned I should really be about that. I'm running disc so I'm not too worried about the quality of the anodized finish, unless you are referring to overall build quality in which case I'm curious what that really translates to in terms of performance. Durability, aero, cornering? If it matters, I also plan to be running 28mm GP 4-season tires.

This guy is gonna be my daily driver year round, that means 20-30 daily miles of winter city riding dodging traffic, potholes, snow, and ice. Then, when the whether gets nice, 40-60 mile recreational/training rides out on country roads.

H Plus Sons Archetype (best price found $66 - shipping included):
Weight: 472 grams
Depth: 25mm
Width: 23mm
Internal width: 17mm

Pacenti SL23 (best price found $105 - shipping?):
Weight: 449 grams
Depth: 26mm
Width: 24mm
Internal width: 18mm

Source: http://fairwheelbikes.com/c/forums/topic/2013-rim-roundup/


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## changingleaf (Aug 20, 2009)

Bulletproof and lightweight don't typically go together but these are both good quality rims. The Archetype is a little heavier than the RR440, which means more material and usually more strength. If you don't mind wearing the ano off the sidewall the Archetype is a good choice. An even tougher rim and one that's wider for larger tires would be the DT Swiss TK540. It has double eyelets and a thick sidewall to resist dents.


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## bikerjulio (Jan 19, 2010)

Archetype 24H 28H or 32H $51 w free shipping for 2

Rim, Rims @ eBikeStop.com - The online supplier for all your cycling needs...


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## Jay Strongbow (May 8, 2010)

Zen Cyclery said:


> The C2 and SL23 have the nicest finish IMO. The Archetype is a great rim too but the *SL23 is wider, deeper, and still lighter*.


And that's the reason I would NOT consider it (until it's been on the road long enough where long term durability can be verified).

To be bigger and lighter than similar rims which aren't exactly 'heavy' I fear something has to give and it could be around the spoke holes. Only time will tell though.....I'm not trying to imply I 'know' this.
I don't totally dismiss all the reports of people having problems mounting tires either.

Anyway OP, I have a set with Archetypes and a set with C2s. Functionally I can't tell any difference. Both have been great.


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## jhk (Mar 16, 2014)

Thanks for the link. $50 is a killer deal, plus I can pick up the hard anodized grey which I hear holds up better to wear.


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## jhk (Mar 16, 2014)

I pulled the trigger. $62 shipping included was too good to pass up for a rim that, from what I've heard here, is nearly indistinguishable from it's pricier competitors. I'll post back once I've got it built. I'm starting to think this may be the first front and rear disc brake, fixed gear, belt drive bike out there given how hard it's been to find any info about similar builds.


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## bikerjulio (Jan 19, 2010)

jhk said:


> I pulled the trigger. $62 shipping included was too good to pass up for a rim that, from what I've heard here, is nearly indistinguishable from it's pricier competitors. I'll post back once I've got it built. I'm starting to think this may be the first front and rear disc brake, fixed gear, belt drive bike out there given how hard it's been to find any info about similar builds.


You should do a write up with pictures - sounds interesting.

I got zero Km on my new Archetypes because the weather has been so poor. Soon though.


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## Z'mer (Oct 28, 2013)

Nice choice on the grey Archetype, those rims will take a beating and hold up nice for a long time. 
Color can certainly be a consideration, so limits it a bit with other models, unless black is all you want. This bike is pretty wild with the belt drive 
LE ROI LE VEUT d?lux - Civilian - Civilian


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## jhk (Mar 16, 2014)

I actually ended up going black after all. I decided I liked the idea of all black wheels more than I care about the longevity of the finish given I don't intend to use rim brakes on them.

I'm a bit too excited about the bike. It's my first new bike since I was a little kid. I've been riding a diamondback road frame that's as old as I am (1989) for the past four years until the rear derailleur failed catastrophically last Fall.


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## bikerjulio (Jan 19, 2010)

Here's my build. 

Done 2 months ago and waiting for the weather to improve.


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## jhk (Mar 16, 2014)

Yep, definitely made the right choice.


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## charlox5 (Jan 31, 2011)

I like the archetypes, though I haven't built up a set. Good luck with the build. I've built SL23's and the HED's and liked my HED build much better than the SL23's. Built up truer with more even spoke tension, but the SL23's not bad. I also prefer the HED graphics over the SL23, but maybe i just need to de-sticker the pacenti's. 

Though, with all of this said in favor of the C2's, I'm not sure i'm willing to pay a $40/wheel premium over the SL23's for the extra quality. And I might have just gotten lucky with these 2 particular hoops.


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