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Recently got a new gravel frame and looking at upgrading my current (weighty) alloy wheels to something lighter to complement the new frame.
Had a quick search through the forum and came up with a few suggestions, all of which fit the budget.
Anyone got any thoughts/experience of these 4 options, and also any alternate suggestions around the same price?
1) Zipp 303s - 1558g - around £800 with some discount codes
2) Hunt 35 Carbon Gravel x wide - 1465g - £760 with first purchase discount
3) Scribe gravel wide ++ - 1316g - £799
4) Scribe gravel wide ++ 42mm - 1455g - £799
Most of my gravel riding is fireroads, land rover tracks, with the odd bit of singletrack thrown in. Not a lot of road miles.
https://www.chainreactioncycles.com/p/prime-orra-700c-carbon-gravel-wheelset
Marginally cheaper, marginally heavier (1636g), but I really rate Prime wheels, had a couple of sets. CRC own brand but excellent quality, good reviews, easy availability of spares.
I've got the slightly older and narrower Hunt Carbon Gravel Wides on my Gradient and they've been no trouble at all.
5 rides into my JRA Monitor Carbons (1366g) and they feel lovely. Usual super tight build from Jon.
Came up short gapping over some rocks on Sunday (still learning the new bike) and put a 1/2” slit in the tyre bead - not a mark on the rim. My old ally ones I’d have dinked quite badly.
I've got nothing bad to say about the Roval Terra CL.
https://www.certini.co.uk/components/wheels-spares/roval-terra-cl-wheelset--satin-carbonsatin-charcoal__77302
For an 85kg rider they are ridiculously strong for a 1400g wheelset.
I've got wtb czrs 21s on my cutthroat.
Rear is 860 grams. On a pro4 and the front is 812grams on an sp dyno hub built with sapim db spokes
I have the Hunt 35’s and they’ve put up with a fair amount of abuse and a lot of miles. Highly recommended but I would add it’s my first set of carbon wheels so not much experience of other brands.
These are much cheapness at Ribble but only available in 650b…
https://www.ribblecycles.co.uk/650b-gravel-db-sport-carbon-clincher-wheelset/
Thanks for all the replies.
A few additional ones to have a think about there - more research required!
I have the Bontrager Aeolus gravel wheels, weigh about 1500 grams. 25mm internal, I think it has a rim depth of 37mm.
But I ride my road wheels more. Again they’re Bontrager, but they’ve been fine off-road. I have had the hub serviced at the end of last month as thought I should after a winter of riding.
Ive got the rim version of Zipp 303's and they are by far the nicest wheels I have ever used.
So far they have been bomb proof, accelerate very quickly, surprisingly compliant. The only weird thing on the rim version is that do give quite a bit of brake rub if stomping on the pedals, just encourages you to use better technique !
Tell me more about this Hunt first purchase discount?
Winspace / Lún?
I've bougth a gravel frame from them, which is superb and some mates love their Hyper road wheels.
They have a sale on at the moment too...
@honourablegeorge
Full Member
Tell me more about this Hunt first purchase discount?
When I went on the website it came up with a pop-up saying £40 off first purchase of a wheel set if you signed up to the mailing list
I've got an alloy set from JRA (Monitor), just over 2 years & 2500 miles and the wheels are still straight/true.
A pal has just got a pair from Farsports - he went with 240s hubs but £600 buys a sub 1300g with Bitex hubs, worth a look.
dlabz
When I went on the website it came up with a pop-up saying £40 off first purchase of a wheel set if you signed up to the mailing list
Yep, i see it now - Gonorable Heorge might be making his first Hunt purchase soon
I was going to get the zip 303 but ended up with the prime orra. Saved myself 300 quid and so far so good
The freehub in my other prime wheel sets haven’t exactly been robust, however at 30 quid to replace it’s still way cheaper than other options
The only weird thing on the rim version is that do give quite a bit of brake rub if stomping on the pedals,
Those don't sound like particularly good qualities in a wheelset.
Those don’t sound like particularly good qualities in a wheelset.
Agreed but you read forums and it’s a know thing yet they are very stiff, accelerate very well etc etc (I know it sounds like a contradiction)
So they are stiff yet flexy.
Is this the new vertical compliance ?
I built up pair on Hope Pro 4s using Light Bicycle Falcon AR46's a few years back that have been ace for thousands of km on and offroad. I only built them as I had the hubs in the parts bin and wanted to give carbon rims a try. I'd not hestiate to buy their ready built wheels.
https://www.lightbicycle.com/carbon-road-gravel-cx-disc-bike/wheels/quick
I've a pair of Roval Terra CL here, awesome wheels on my gravel bike, highly recommended. £970 at Certini is very good deal as Rrp is £1400.
1408g, 33mm depth, 30mm width - I've even used mine as a lightweight road climbing wheelset, very good in that respect also.
And you can also get custom DT Swiss 350 hub stickers for £15 to personalise your bike - jungle camo oil slick hubs FTW! 🙂
Been using HUNT bike wheels for gravel without issue. What is worth noting is that I have experienced more than once, superb responsive customer service. Twice I have had oopsies and broken the carbon rims and both times Hunt have taken care of parts and rebuild costs and with minimal downtime. You'll need to make sure you get the 'H-care' scheme for this. Well worth it in my experience. Also this 15% code is valid for another 13 days THANKYOU15 . Not sure if it's shareable but I don't need it so give it a go.
I bought the wife some VEL+ gravel carbon wheels from Sigma for under £400 before Christmas.
They have risen a bit in price now but still seem decent value. The wheels are great and have a nice annoying I9 type buzz to them - which is very marmite understandably.
Personally I have gone for Pro 5s built onto DT GR 531 rims as I'm a fat git - otherwise I'd have had a set of the VELs.
I built up pair on Hope Pro 4s using Light Bicycle Falcon AR46’s a few years back that have been ace for thousands of km on and offroad. I only built them as I had the hubs in the parts bin and wanted to give carbon rims a try. I’d not hestiate to buy their ready built wheels.
Thanks for intel - not heard of them before. In a similar position, but with a pair of hope pro 2 to cut out of some lightly used and now never used 26inch MTB wheels. My hunch is much of these minor brand carbon wheels/rims come from the same factories as the no brand AliExpress stuff. I'm not adverse to aluminium, but still no nearer to working which aluminium rim to buy if I went that way instead. Did you find carbon rim any harder to build with?
@andrewhbws Thank you! Used the code and ordered the Hunt wheels.
Thanks to everyone for all the feedback. Really interesting to see some of the other choices. Now just got to get everything transferred over to the new frame!
Was going to recommend the Hunt wheel as that’s what I’ve got, but I see I’m too late to the party 🙂