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I've never been in the carbon wheel demographic but I feel that this is the year, or rather this is the year I start saving for next year's new bike 😎
I've always treated myself to good wheels, typically hand built on good hubs with high end alloy rims. I build 28 spoke usually for a bit of robustness out on the trails (I've ridden out routes on a broken spoke before). I've also been prone to dinging aluminium rims but I think a set of inserts has solved that, plus if I got a new bike I'd be sure to go up a tyre size.
So what would carbon wheels offer? I'm assuming the rims are robust enough (or would a ding be a splintered sidewall?) and they'll be stiffer and lighter, can they be too stiff?
I'd only go 30mm deep I think, have felt a few sidewinds this winter with 30mm alloy rims!
Ta
Wieght is probably the biggest benefit of carbon over aluminium. I use carbon rims for both MTB and gravel unless I'm riding somewhere very rocky. Then I put a set of aluminium rims on the MTB. Carbon should be strong enough but I'd rather dent a £400 set of wheels than a £1200 set.
I went for carbon wheels on my Topstone - my first venture. I can't see any cons, other than having to spend some money. They seem to "spin up" really fast so I'd say there's maybe a wee benefit in acceleration. I notice it mostly on undulating tracks whereby attacking each of the wee hills gets me more momentum and therefore require less effort.
There was a weight saving over the stock (Cannondale/WTB) wheels too, always a positive.
In the two years, I've had no dings, breakages etc and I reckon I'm one of those not shy about where I ride a gravel bike.
My wheels are the Vel+ from Sigma but I don't think they're selling them now.
can they be too stiff?
I've certainly ridden too-stiff carbon MTB rims, so this would be my concern - especially as my gravel bike is fully rigid anyway.
Can you borrow a set to try out?
I built some carbon rims from eBay onto second hand hope hubs.
These sellers, but ordered them drilled for 32 hole and a more gravel friendly width.
It was an absolute pain to the the rear to seal tubeless, front went up first time and stayed up for the 2 years I had the bike.
Not mega expensive £180ish for the rims, £100ish for the second hand hubs, strong, light weight, looked cool
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Pros - generally lighter, stiffer, cool factor.
Cons - you can't bend a ding out with a set of mole grips, given they don't ding, price.
roll better, no flex, lighter / stronger. / sin upto speed quicker (placebo ?)
i use rimpact inserts on mine..
check out merlin some right deals on reserve carbon, 21mm wide are £775 with tyress and rotors.
the gravel variants are £1199, but listed at £899, a few weeks back, then got repriced the next day.
i'm running prime orro carbon £135 of the wiggle fire sale, 24 spoke have been superb, still true and tight after 8 months of abuse.
I've hammered my cheapish Prime (Wiggle) 38mm road wheels on all sorts of gravel for the last 2 years. No inserts and no damage... other than where rocks and stones have scratched them. Have gone through 2 sets of bearings in that time, so they've been used enough! Look great, sound great and the bike seems to handle well. Iirc, mine are a 19mm internal width; I've used them with up to 47mm gravel tyres, and down to 28mm road tyres (sportive duties). I find 38mm depth ok in cross winds once you are used to them. Not much worse than a 29x2.5 on standard mtb rims... although usually travelling slower on those. I'd say that up to 40mm depth would be fine for year round use.
I've had Just Riding Along Monitor carbons on my Warbird for 2 years now. They've been (98%*) faultless, and I've smashed them into a LOT of rocks as my local riding is Peak District and I like pushing the "gravel" envelope on tech descents. I run a Rimpact on the front as I initially had a lot of pinch flat issues, despite a 50mm tyre, but the rims are unmarked despite some proper wrist-breaker impacts. They spin up quick and being 24 spoke aren't super stupid stiff. Just feel really nice.
*the 2% deduction is because they're built with bladed CX Ray spokes - once they're covered in clag, the rear wheel creaks slightly when cranking hard in bottom gear where the flat surfaces on the spokes rub against each other. Floss between them and it shuts up. If I ever buy another pair, I'll spec round spokes. (And no the spokes aren't loose - they're the usual JRA FT spec)
MTB I wouldn’t as it very easy to hit against rocks etc
Gravel , I can’t see where you would ever get that kind of scenario
IMO no point going carbon unless going aero carbon ie at least 30mm depth
Harsh ride could be another factor
MTB I wouldn’t as it very easy to hit against rocks etc
Gravel , I can’t see where you would ever get that kind of scenario
I reckon I smash my gravel rims into things way more often than the MTB!
Obviously that's caveated by it depending on where you ride, but 2.6" tyres tend to offer a fair bit more cushion than 38mm, even at half the pressure.
MTB I wouldn’t as it very easy to hit against rocks etc
Gravel , I can’t see where you would ever get that kind of scenario
IMO no point going carbon unless going aero carbon ie at least 30mm depth
Harsh ride could be another factor
I do get rock strikes, when you're surfing down loose rocky landrover tracks it's amazing some of the bangs your wheels get when you just don't notice that one little sniper rock. I think I've even dented the body of my rear rim, between the spokes, from a rock strike. Actually hitting or dinging the rim is happening less now, partially thanks to the inserts.
I think 30mm is my max, I just like the idea of lighter, more maneuverable and in relation to your last point, I just imagine 30mm would be less harsh.
Am reassured by the feedback above, definitely inclined to try them. Fairlight offer the DT GRC1400 wheels with the Secan, or Pacenti can build DT 350 hubs into their rims, I imagine someone like DCR might do likewise (JRA don't offer DT hubs but I wonder if they would consider it). Likely to come with a new bike of sorts so will maybe need to be an off-the-shelf wheelset.
Carbon wheels came with my gravel bike, I'd had them on the road bike it replaced and while I was initially a bit wary but that didn't last long. Managed to get a pinch flat on the OEM tyres with no damage to the rim (it's now on Schwalbe Overland's).
Nowadays I'll ride it on any of the XC stuff I'd ride my MTB on and not give capability a second thought (the bike or mine!), ride wise it's super comfy on road and gravel, obviously riding rough stuff is always going to be less comfy as it's rigid but I certainly wouldn't blame the wheels for that!
I've a set of wtb czr carbon rims on the cutthroat.
Amazing how fast it spins up. Wheels are light even with a Dyno hub front.
860g rear and 800 front
Caveat I run 2.2 tires on the cutthroat. It's had a few rim strikes up in the Cairngorms though.
I thought these were a good price, but only 650b... then I saw the weight! 14.5kg! 😆
. https://www.sigmasports.com/item/Cannondale/HollowGram-G-25-Gravel-Wheelset/10LHR
I thought these were a good price, but only 650b... then I saw the weight! 14.5kg! 😆
Haha, clearly cheap OEM wheels being sold aftermarket, they always say stock wheels are heavy 😆