# Carbon wheel decision (tubular): Reynolds 46 vs. Zipp 303 vs. Enve 1.45?



## bernardez (Mar 2, 2007)

How would you pick between these three?

Anyone test ridden all three?


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## Mdeth1313 (Nov 1, 2001)

I've ridden all 3, owned the reynolds and currently have edge 1.45 built around extralite hubs. Zipps I only rode once and I'll say it up front, I'm not a big zipp fan (except for their cranks). Depending on how serious of a rider you are, you probably won't find much difference between them. I've found my edge rims with edge/enve pads are the smoothest (and best) braking I've experienced w/ any of the carbon rims I've owned/ridden (you can add Hed to that list).


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## bernardez (Mar 2, 2007)

*Where did you get your Enve 1.45/Extralite wheels built?*

were you happy with the build?


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## Mdeth1313 (Nov 1, 2001)

bernardez said:


> were you happy with the build?



Fairwheelbikes. Very happy. I've had them about a year and a half now. They're my main wheelset and they've held up quite well (990g). Most of the roads I ride are just awful as well.


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## Zen Cyclery (Mar 10, 2009)

I am definitely a skeptic of the 303. The durability of the rear hub is sub-par at best, and the radial DS lacing on the rear doesn't transfer power near as efficiently as other lacing patterns. Additionally, it is a bit heavier than necessary. You could easily build up a sub 950 gram build if you were to go with the 1.45.


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## cxwrench (Nov 9, 2004)

how much do you think zipp hubs are twisting when power is applied? good thing all the girls on the team i work for don't know about this problem, they wouldn't be winning nearly as many races if they knew the hubs limit performance. 

i was not a fan of the older zipp hubs at all, but i don't have any problems w/ the new ones. i've only had to adjust a couple of them so far this season. by this time last year i had done much more work on the ( quite expensive american made) hubs our edge rims were laced to. i'm pretty impressed w/ the zipp rims as well. there have been numerous crashes, some resulting in broken frames, and the wheels have held up very well. i own an old pair of 303 tubulars that have been garbage from day 1, but the new stuff is vastly better/stronger/more aero.


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## gospastic (Nov 8, 2008)

I have 303s. I can't stop riding them. They are amazing. I think they are a good buy. I haven't ridden the other two.


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## dcl10 (Jul 2, 2010)

The new 303's are pretty durable. The hubs still are not great, and flex too much in my opinion, but the rim is excellent and I think they've resolved their previous durability problems. The wider rim also corners well. That said they are still by far the heaviest rim of the bunch, and don't accelerate like the DV's and 1.45's. According to zipps test they are much faster, but I really can't feel much difference, and I remember a few years ago Zipp was talking up their 202, saying it was the fastest rim below 38mm. Then velonews tested a bunch of them, and it got spanked by the mv32. As for the others, the Enve's are a bit stiffer, the DV's a bit smoother, but neither significantly so.


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