Sometimes GCN can be fun to watch, especially when they get all Top Gear-y, but it's hard to trust what they say imo and many of their videos are straight up full ads.
No, they became ads-r-us. Rather than take on the thing they eventually are doing: Become a subscription service. Sure it's great to push the product that is sponsoring you, but they aren't a professional racing team. Saying the sponsor of the month's product is better than Cheez-Whiz (a canned cheese product) is one thing, but saying it's better than a known way better (and less expensive) is another.
They can be entertaining and educational, but it's time to close your ears whenever they talk about specific products. I still think there's a lot of knowledge to be gained about cycling and even product categories, but you need to be aware that their marketers first and foremost.
This was the perfect bike tech video imo : It was so objective, your explanation was really well done and you gave the perfect amount of detail. No fluff, just really articulate and satisfying journalism. Thanks :) 🥖🥖🥖🥖🥖🥖🥖🥖
I really, really appreciate how you always seem to go the extra mile to either prove or disprove manufacturer claims. I really trust your opinion. Don't let that change, thanks for all the effort!! It does not go unnoticed! 🥖🥖🥖
Love how you have no background in engineering (assuming?) and no professional tools but still manage to very visually demonstrate wwhy and how exactly you go about your findings. Amazing!
Happy Elitewheels customer. Got two sets that have been flawless so far (3 years- 15-20.000 km and 1 year- 3.000 km of use). But Luke, how can you stand the constant flapping of the backpack straps. That would drive me insaaaaane!! ;-) Keep up the good work.
Well GCN, technically, were correct. Torsional and radial stiffness is very high but Lateral stiffness is so important, as you showed. That test you did to demonstrate is excellent. I would not use those wheels.
I liked how you remained fair and impartial as much as you can throughout this video. You thought the wheel had rubbishly low rim and spoke stiffness, yet you still tried to evaluate it fairly based on your actual riding impression. Your conclusion also was commendable in that you recognized both the strength and the weakness of this particular wheel design and recommended it for correct use while cautioning of its disadvantages. This might just be the most balanced and considerate review I've seen on TH-cam for a while. :) Just a note: the rim deflection test with your fingers might give the wrong impression of safety. When a load is exerted on the wheel while riding, it is always on the surface side (where tire and road surface meet) and the deflection, if any, occurs on the other side (seat stay side). I should think that the deflection on the other side of the wheel should be minimal due to the low rim stiffness and strong torsional stiffness, i.e., this wheel probably won't kill anyone by suddenly locking up. ;)
GCN has changed over the years, time to find a new source of honest information. BTW I subscribed to this channel quite some time ago, always good info about affordable products to build a competitive bike. Keep it up Luke!
Including waxing chains. It's possibly illegal in some areas and it's way more difficult than getting a bottle of the latest Whizz-Bang oil based lube. The claims for life extension are also dubious. I know folks that order chain by the roll and replace every 100 km of riding. They lube the chain once and that's it. And yes, every 60 miles.
@@jamesmckenzie3532 How is waxing illegal, also who are you riddng with that they throw away a chain after one ride also where can you buy a roll of bike chain, so many questions...
@@lunatiy It's not the wax, it's the solutions used to prep the chain. It's illegal in most places just to dump mineral spirits anywhere. They have to be taken to a hazardous materials disposal place. I don't know about the Silca all in one wax package either. It's just a lot of work. As to the person who can toss chains after one use, look at the professional teams. They buy unlubricated chain by the spool. It's not that expensive when you look at it. It's wasteful though but when you want the best performance...
@baconbreadwithbacon expensive stuff only gets so bad. There are exceptions but the reviews that are really important are for mid range and low end gear.
@@nugginusslover476 Doesn't matter, all GMBN does is bash on the budget options and tell us how we're not really biking unless we have the latest geometry, the newest 4 pot brakes ( even on our xc bikes ) and don't forget the 170mm+ suspension you REALLY NEED ( on our XC bikes ).... The only video's I really watch are when Blake is riding on something he built himself
I guess this is the power of sponsorship.. and GCN now need to money and support.. glad you’ve highlighted this dude.. great honest vid as always 😊 Pete 🚴🏻👍🥖🥖🥖🥖🥖
Ive got a set of the Helix 68Ds and Elite have been amazing when listening to feedback, follow ups and always seem very appreciative of said feedback. Their customer service in my experience has been top class.
Great video, good to know that the manufacturer actually responded and took out claims that were incorrect. Now everyone will be pulling their wheels to see if it touches the fork ! 😁 I certainly did
Makes sense when you point it out. Bridges have triangles to make them strong. Wheels with spokes is like lots of triangles from hub to rim 😱 🥖🥖🥖🥖 great work Luke love the simplicity of the demo
🥖🥖🥖 great video & thanks for the science lesson too! Seems crazy that Elite didn't realise the design would not provide lateral stiffness! I actually bought a pair of the ENT wheels after you reviewed them and I've been very happy with the vfm they offer. They are very stiff though!
Straight honest reviews, well done. We all need them including manufacturers, makes us all better 🤷♂️💪 cyclists. Do you get to keep the wheels after 😅
Got a pair of their ENT mtb wheels for my XC bike and i love them. They're also my first carbon wheelset. If they last I'll definitely buy again 🥖🥖🥖🥖🥖🥖.
Keep an eye on your spoke nipples. In 3 years or so you may see a spoke break free at the nipple. When this happens you should immediately stop using the wheels and have all your nipples replaced. Otherwise they’ll start letting loose like popcorn. The carbon/steel/aluminum mixture corrodes the nipples internally right at the neck of the nipple. It’s not visually apparent but trust me, it’s there. I recommend brass nipples for replacement. They weigh a bit more but the safety factor is worth it to me.
another banger video 🥖🥖🥖🥖🥖🥖🥖🥖🥖🥖🥖 GCN is great for entertainment but please don't get detailed product info from them folks. Elitewheels is a GCN sponsor after all.
Good on you mate. Demonstrated why they were wrong!!!!!! GCN is just garbage and gave up on them years ago,. At least you actually use the gear and live with it!!! All power to you
Use them for training videos on the trainer now but that's about it. Sad cause they were great back in the day but too much money in the game.for them now.
Great stuff! 🥖🥖🥖🥖 Like a lot of people, I find that GCN can be really entertaining, but it's obvious that they also have to promote specific products. Their being more positive about the Chinese brands that smaller channels you look at might possibly lose them major advertising revenue.
Good to see you debunk some GCN Productplacement. Could you test the Marvel G35 gravel wheels? And.... the 15% discount doesn't apply to the Marvel G35. Thanks for the effort! 🥖🥖🥖🥖🥖
It might be a bit of fluff but definitely no flies on you Luke ……… great job ….reviews based in reality and miles …………. Multiple baguettes for you sir ! 🥖🥖🥖
I discovered that Elite Wheels 50D are also sort of trash laterally, at least on the back wheel. The finger pull test you did I never did once in my life until i got the 50ds because of how noticeably they were laterally loose. No where near as bad as these wheels though...
Depends on the spoke carbon used. Most if not all carbon WHEELS are T800 carbon fiber and its more flexible than T900 or T1100 series. Past T800, things tends to CRACK laterally with any impacts. T1000 and T1100 are also not available to China due to the previous American administration citing it has vast military implications. China has since produced its own T900 equivalent. The point being is lateral flex is the nature of T800 .
I was in the LBS the other day and seen front derailleur clamp hangers for bikes put me in mind of you with the Trifox issue! Maybe get a the clamp for the derailleur to mount to hardly anything to it weight and build ways!
I have a trispoke of the same basic construction, and i found it basically as you describe, laterally not as stiff, and with a surprising amount of radial compliance. I use a disc in the back so really can't comment on torsional stiffness, but feels similar to any other wheel. And as you point out this is about what we expect from the geometry, there jist isnt the triangulation to make it laterally stiff. But im not sure thats a problem, theyre stiff enough to ride well, and as a track rider who pedals pretty straight it doesnt really show up out on the road.
0:33 If you are sent something for free and you say something too negative they probably won’t send you anything again for free. Then you won’t benefit financially from the views on that next product. So even when something is free you have (unfortunately) a financial incentive to speak kindly of the product. (Especially if this is your full time job.)
So to sum it up: wherever it should be stiff (laterally) it's very flimsy and wobbly (that demonstration is SCARY), and it's super stiff torsionally and radially: making the ride uncomfortably stiff, probably you feel every single grain o the asphalt. The advantage is that it's speedy, aerodynamic, and quiet. After a cursory view I"m also afraid to see how the rim is clearly separated into 6 segments. I've been to a high speed wobble during high speed descents and I almost laid down. I wonder if an individual climbs a lot with these and torsioning it back-and-forth laterally all the time... how much will it take to break it. Because as we know, unlike spoke systems, carbon wheels can fail catastrophically. With a spoke you'd get a warning and walk home. All I'm saying is this reminds me of the legendary Spinergy Rev X, and not in a good way. As I'm getting older now, I'd like to cherish my life. Maybe this would be good to shake out my kidney stones?
I’ve had these wheels since around the end of January and I freaking love them. I get compliments from just about everyone that sees them. They ride great and with the 15% off (I used a similar code) have a fantastic bang for the buck
🥖🥖🥖 Great stuff! Keep on going Luke! I´m also a fan of Elite Wheels and already were happy with the cheap rim break version. I would love to have a set of 1300g Drive wheels. Just have to convice my wife that I do desprately need them :D
If it is in China, it will be even crazier. You can customize every detail, and it is very cheap. I ordered a set of wheels with sapim cxray front wheel and carbon fiber spokes on the rear wheel, Toray t800, equipped with a Chinese copy of the dtswiss hub, for a total of only $350, including two free tuning services after purchase (if the wheel deflects due to a fall or collision). You can also choose the weaving method, surface texture, brake strip material, everything is customizable, you only need to spend a little money to get something unique. The seller also told me that this is the first time he has encountered a request for different front and rear spokes lol. Because I think the front wheel does not bear the power and the shock absorption at the arm is more important, so I use steel spokes... You can use the consolidated shipping service, wait for a month to be delivered to the EU, and it costs about $50 including tax.just like i did
Very informative ..exact conclusion ..cycling has different disciplines needing different bike designs and components.. perhaps only full carbon rear wheel test .. front spoked each wheel serves a different purpose .. NOW that would be a first
It’s a pity that GCN are such shills. I mean there is a lot of fun content there, and some really good info for new riders, but you just trust any sort of review that they do. Their videos should come with a product placement warning… Good on you Luke for keeping them honest!
SKYWAY Mag wheels on my late 80s Raleigh Burner didnt have this problem... rim brake too. Once buckled, they were hopeless though. Does the freezer trick work? IYKYK
Reminds me of my tuff bmx wheels on my bmx as a kid. They look cool but I think they're too stiff and you want some lateral movement when you corner but that is frankly bizarre. Nice for TT. I think it was Alex Dowsett that trialled the 5 spoked wheelset and he found the ride not to his liking
GCN = Wahoo, AGU, now Elite Wheels etc... till recently the best kit you could buy was from Castelli (their previous sponsor), now it's AGU 🤷♀ Garmin is not even mentioned anywhere, even it's much better then Wahoo. On one of their recent videos (some 500km gravel ride I think), Conor was using Varia, however they mentioned it only as "smart light" and in previous videos they were discussing how bike radars are useless... let's wait what they gonna say when Wahoo finally develop their own :D Luke, you are currently the best reviewer on YT.
Your amount of spokes dictates your lacing, and you can have the same amount of spokes in the front too, it is just done to save weight and look cool if you do radial lace. Ideally 32 or 36 holes for strength then after that it is up to you on how you want them to look and feel. I like the star 24 holes makes.
Before I watched the video I was like, "well Alex is a pro so I trust his judgement" but then I saw you pulling it to the side 😳. Yeah you know your stuff 🥖🥖🥖🥖
Lateral stiffness is easy to measure. Mount the wheel horizontally, then hang a weight off of it and measure the deflection. If you don't have a jig just lay the bike on its side on a table.
At first glance i could tell that the design had inherent flex, even at a heavier 1600 gram+ weight. I rode a pair of Spinergy carbon 26" wheels on my hardtail mtb nearly 30 years ago.... 4 pairs of opposing large fat bladed spokes. * after a minor crash a carbon rim buckled and subsequently i gave the $2000 wheelset to a friend for free. The Spinergy's were stiff, but a lot heavier than my triple butted spoked White Industries hub/Mavic ceramic coated rim race wheels. As pretty and as aero as these Elite wheels are, i personally wouldnt spend the money unless it was for purely asthetic reasons. And a number of people in the past have said to me 'Your so Vain'. So yeh, they might look nice on the old team blue Cannondale.
Sometimes GCN can be fun to watch, especially when they get all Top Gear-y, but it's hard to trust what they say imo and many of their videos are straight up full ads.
Yeah, if they plug it, I'll be checking for other reviews. They do have some funny, entertaining stuff, they should do more of it
I stopped watching them years ago because literally every video was a plug for a brand rather than an actual review or group test.
@@JonnyPsyclo when pirelli were sponsors, they were constantly plugged as great tyres.
@@JonnyPsyclosame..watched the era of the famous trio: the boss, the wig, the cyborg
It was flat out embarrassing when they hyped up the, appallingly inaccurate, Shimano power meter as the best thing ever.
Today Trace Velo takes on BIG BIKE
He buys cheap Chinese components and builds bikes. He takes on big brands from day one.
Yeah that's what he does
Hambini would be proud of Mr Velo.
@@JohnnyMotel99 and Joe Whittingham of China Cycling
Yeah, GCN are sponsored by Elite wheels, so I'd expect them to just regurgitate the marketing material on those.
Good on elite for editing their description of the wheels. Must have been your influence Luke! Keep it up
CGN became more of a shopping channel than anything else.
No, they became ads-r-us. Rather than take on the thing they eventually are doing: Become a subscription service. Sure it's great to push the product that is sponsoring you, but they aren't a professional racing team. Saying the sponsor of the month's product is better than Cheez-Whiz (a canned cheese product) is one thing, but saying it's better than a known way better (and less expensive) is another.
They can be entertaining and educational, but it's time to close your ears whenever they talk about specific products. I still think there's a lot of knowledge to be gained about cycling and even product categories, but you need to be aware that their marketers first and foremost.
This was the perfect bike tech video imo : It was so objective, your explanation was really well done and you gave the perfect amount of detail. No fluff, just really articulate and satisfying journalism. Thanks :) 🥖🥖🥖🥖🥖🥖🥖🥖
Well there was one big bit of fluff...
@@Rieger81😂😂😂
GCN isn't where I go for honest, unbiased reviews. They're given a list of talking points from sponsors.
I really, really appreciate how you always seem to go the extra mile to either prove or disprove manufacturer claims. I really trust your opinion. Don't let that change, thanks for all the effort!! It does not go unnoticed! 🥖🥖🥖
your fluff doesn't annoy me as much as tortional stiffness!
There's a hairdresser joke here somewhere....
@@doublejumpvideogames.... Fluffer is the tea boy in a prawn film
@@Hambini lmao
The bike in the click-pick is a "Chinarello - Fluffer 9.0"
@@HambiniThe Pen is definitely working. 😂😂😂
Changing the industry, one paragraph at a time 🥖. Great episode 😍
My concern about lateral stiffness of these wheels was my EXACT concern. Thanks for articulating so well!
Love how you have no background in engineering (assuming?) and no professional tools but still manage to very visually demonstrate wwhy and how exactly you go about your findings. Amazing!
Thank you for your honesty and truthful review. GCN just can not be trusted they have proven that over and over again.
Agreed. Years ago I watched them. Now I rarely ever do. They honestly lost me.
Happy Elitewheels customer. Got two sets that have been flawless so far (3 years- 15-20.000 km and 1 year- 3.000 km of use). But Luke, how can you stand the constant flapping of the backpack straps. That would drive me insaaaaane!! ;-) Keep up the good work.
Well GCN, technically, were correct. Torsional and radial stiffness is very high but Lateral stiffness is so important, as you showed. That test you did to demonstrate is excellent. I would not use those wheels.
I liked how you remained fair and impartial as much as you can throughout this video. You thought the wheel had rubbishly low rim and spoke stiffness, yet you still tried to evaluate it fairly based on your actual riding impression. Your conclusion also was commendable in that you recognized both the strength and the weakness of this particular wheel design and recommended it for correct use while cautioning of its disadvantages. This might just be the most balanced and considerate review I've seen on TH-cam for a while. :) Just a note: the rim deflection test with your fingers might give the wrong impression of safety. When a load is exerted on the wheel while riding, it is always on the surface side (where tire and road surface meet) and the deflection, if any, occurs on the other side (seat stay side). I should think that the deflection on the other side of the wheel should be minimal due to the low rim stiffness and strong torsional stiffness, i.e., this wheel probably won't kill anyone by suddenly locking up. ;)
GCN has changed over the years, time to find a new source of honest information.
BTW I subscribed to this channel quite some time ago, always good info about affordable products to build a competitive bike. Keep it up Luke!
GCN is in the pocket of big bike companies so I don't really take them too seriously on product recommendations because they are definitely biased.
Except for Silca, they're the bomb. I trust everything Oli says about them because I'm a Silca Stan 😅.
Including waxing chains. It's possibly illegal in some areas and it's way more difficult than getting a bottle of the latest Whizz-Bang oil based lube. The claims for life extension are also dubious. I know folks that order chain by the roll and replace every 100 km of riding. They lube the chain once and that's it. And yes, every 60 miles.
@@jamesmckenzie3532 How is waxing illegal, also who are you riddng with that they throw away a chain after one ride also where can you buy a roll of bike chain, so many questions...
@@lunatiy It's not the wax, it's the solutions used to prep the chain. It's illegal in most places just to dump mineral spirits anywhere. They have to be taken to a hazardous materials disposal place. I don't know about the Silca all in one wax package either. It's just a lot of work.
As to the person who can toss chains after one use, look at the professional teams. They buy unlubricated chain by the spool. It's not that expensive when you look at it. It's wasteful though but when you want the best performance...
GCN flat out lies for marketing , they did they same thing on the mtb channel with a fork a few weeks ago
I would say out of fifteen things they rated poorly that I tried, only one thing was bad. After that, I was like nope. I can't trust them.
@baconbreadwithbacon expensive stuff only gets so bad. There are exceptions but the reviews that are really important are for mid range and low end gear.
which fork or video do you mean?
@@nugginusslover476 Doesn't matter, all GMBN does is bash on the budget options and tell us how we're not really biking unless we have the latest geometry, the newest 4 pot brakes ( even on our xc bikes ) and don't forget the 170mm+ suspension you REALLY NEED ( on our XC bikes )....
The only video's I really watch are when Blake is riding on something he built himself
Precisely why I unsubscribed. They are funny etc, but not worth it. And it all comes down to sponsors
Well done on calling out GCN and marketing BS. You're the only source I trust. 🥖
Sadly GCN is not what it used to be. Keep Trace Velo great 🥖
I guess this is the power of sponsorship.. and GCN now need to money and support.. glad you’ve highlighted this dude.. great honest vid as always 😊 Pete 🚴🏻👍🥖🥖🥖🥖🥖
Ive got a set of the Helix 68Ds and Elite have been amazing when listening to feedback, follow ups and always seem very appreciative of said feedback.
Their customer service in my experience has been top class.
It's great to see you're still around Luke, but I do miss those old intros. Those were some of the funniest intros. Around
Great video, good to know that the manufacturer actually responded and took out claims that were incorrect. Now everyone will be pulling their wheels to see if it touches the fork ! 😁 I certainly did
Mr Luke I love seeing every time that upload comes through, keep up the good work :) 🥖
Makes sense when you point it out. Bridges have triangles to make them strong. Wheels with spokes is like lots of triangles from hub to rim 😱 🥖🥖🥖🥖 great work Luke love the simplicity of the demo
🥖🥖🥖 great video & thanks for the science lesson too! Seems crazy that Elite didn't realise the design would not provide lateral stiffness! I actually bought a pair of the ENT wheels after you reviewed them and I've been very happy with the vfm they offer. They are very stiff though!
Straight honest reviews, well done. We all need them including manufacturers, makes us all better 🤷♂️💪 cyclists. Do you get to keep the wheels after 😅
Got a pair of their ENT mtb wheels for my XC bike and i love them. They're also my first carbon wheelset. If they last I'll definitely buy again 🥖🥖🥖🥖🥖🥖.
Got the ENT for road and they're so good!
Keep an eye on your spoke nipples. In 3 years or so you may see a spoke break free at the nipple. When this happens you should immediately stop using the wheels and have all your nipples replaced. Otherwise they’ll start letting loose like popcorn. The carbon/steel/aluminum mixture corrodes the nipples internally right at the neck of the nipple. It’s not visually apparent but trust me, it’s there. I recommend brass nipples for replacement. They weigh a bit more but the safety factor is worth it to me.
another banger video 🥖🥖🥖🥖🥖🥖🥖🥖🥖🥖🥖 GCN is great for entertainment but please don't get detailed product info from them folks. Elitewheels is a GCN sponsor after all.
This is a very easy test we can do in shops. It is shocking how bad some wheels are at destroying rider confidence in pursuit of aero or weight gains.
Great video. These wheels remind me of my 1st pair of Spinergy wheels. Those were very laterally weak as well.🥖🥖🥖🥖
Thanks for the honest video! 🥖🥖🥐🥐 Any word on the new Wheeltop EDS GX? The gravel Groupset?
Now you point the thingy out on your face i can't unsee it anymore
the second he was done mentioning it, I immediately forgot for the rest of the vid
Good on you mate. Demonstrated why they were wrong!!!!!! GCN is just garbage and gave up on them years ago,. At least you actually use the gear and live with it!!! All power to you
Totally agree, I remember waiting for every GCN video, but unsubscribed 3 years ago. They are the gravy train now..
Use them for training videos on the trainer now but that's about it. Sad cause they were great back in the day but too much money in the game.for them now.
Great stuff! 🥖🥖🥖🥖 Like a lot of people, I find that GCN can be really entertaining, but it's obvious that they also have to promote specific products. Their being more positive about the Chinese brands that smaller channels you look at might possibly lose them major advertising revenue.
Good to see you debunk some GCN Productplacement.
Could you test the Marvel G35 gravel wheels? And.... the 15% discount doesn't apply to the Marvel G35.
Thanks for the effort! 🥖🥖🥖🥖🥖
Don't shy away from the dram, and keep the reviews honest. It's why I watch !!
Its weird i didn’t like the looks of these at first now they are growing on me and i might just go for em on my next build.
Nice shots of the windmill wheels in front of Brill windmill 👌 they do look amazing , gives an 80s bmx feel , all ways wanted some mag wheels 😂🥖🥖🥖🥖
Great episode Luke, waiting for the review of the wheeltop EDS groupset 🥖🥖🥖🥖🥖
i love riding spoked wheel because its ease of cleaning. few wipes got the wheel cleaned.
It might be a bit of fluff but definitely no flies on you Luke ……… great job ….reviews based in reality and miles …………. Multiple baguettes for you sir ! 🥖🥖🥖
Probably the only channel I can trust and resonate with. Here you go good sir 🥖🥖🥖🥖🥖🥖🥖🥖🥖
🥖🥖🥖 "Mr Industry Changer" :D Nice one, hope to see some drama and a reply from GCN :D 🥖🥖🥖
Any more "cheap accessories" videos soon?
This is the case for almost all carbon three/four/five spoke designs of other manufacturers. Still good for timetrials.
GCN Is the real fluff.
I discovered that Elite Wheels 50D are also sort of trash laterally, at least on the back wheel. The finger pull test you did I never did once in my life until i got the 50ds because of how noticeably they were laterally loose. No where near as bad as these wheels though...
That lateral stiffness is the weakness of most 1pc Carbon rims. (i.e. Spinergy, which explodes on its peak)
Flexing the wheel to the fork was a very good demonstration.🥖🥖🥖 Three baguettes for this video!!
As always Luke, a very informative video. I myself have a set of elite wheels and I love them. 🥖🥖🥖
Have you ever seen GCN (I love the channel) like anything from Aliexpress?
Depends on the spoke carbon used. Most if not all carbon WHEELS are T800 carbon fiber and its more flexible than T900 or T1100 series. Past T800, things tends to CRACK laterally with any impacts. T1000 and T1100 are also not available to China due to the previous American administration citing it has vast military implications. China has since produced its own T900 equivalent. The point being is lateral flex is the nature of T800 .
I was in the LBS the other day and seen front derailleur clamp hangers for bikes put me in mind of you with the Trifox issue! Maybe get a the clamp for the derailleur to mount to hardly anything to it weight and build ways!
Another extraordinary episode. Thank you for your content . Cheers 🎉🍻
I have a trispoke of the same basic construction, and i found it basically as you describe, laterally not as stiff, and with a surprising amount of radial compliance. I use a disc in the back so really can't comment on torsional stiffness, but feels similar to any other wheel.
And as you point out this is about what we expect from the geometry, there jist isnt the triangulation to make it laterally stiff. But im not sure thats a problem, theyre stiff enough to ride well, and as a track rider who pedals pretty straight it doesnt really show up out on the road.
No drama at all - you showed evidence of the lack of lateral stiffness and pointed out an obvious issue. 🥖🥖🥖
Also, shallow wheels of the same type will corner better as the rim itself is not flexing
Love to see this, the wheels look cool which is honestly their main selling point, but quite crap from gcn to just repeat the marketing blurb! 🥖
Great review 👏 this is type of details you don't get regular advert type reviews 👍 ❤ 🥖🥖
0:33 If you are sent something for free and you say something too negative they probably won’t send you anything again for free. Then you won’t benefit financially from the views on that next product. So even when something is free you have (unfortunately) a financial incentive to speak kindly of the product. (Especially if this is your full time job.)
Can you see if you can borrow a set of the Bike Ahead Composites aero to do a comparison??
So to sum it up: wherever it should be stiff (laterally) it's very flimsy and wobbly (that demonstration is SCARY), and it's super stiff torsionally and radially: making the ride uncomfortably stiff, probably you feel every single grain o the asphalt. The advantage is that it's speedy, aerodynamic, and quiet. After a cursory view I"m also afraid to see how the rim is clearly separated into 6 segments. I've been to a high speed wobble during high speed descents and I almost laid down. I wonder if an individual climbs a lot with these and torsioning it back-and-forth laterally all the time... how much will it take to break it. Because as we know, unlike spoke systems, carbon wheels can fail catastrophically. With a spoke you'd get a warning and walk home. All I'm saying is this reminds me of the legendary Spinergy Rev X, and not in a good way. As I'm getting older now, I'd like to cherish my life. Maybe this would be good to shake out my kidney stones?
I would love to see you built up a tt frame as a road bike with these wheels to see if that's faster than the system six
Wow traces first attempt of being a skillful influencer and react/disagree with another creator!
Great work mate, thats how its done ;)
Nicest bike video’s to watch in my opinion. Looking forward to your next video 💪👌👍
Good for you Elitewheels. Right move to correct the description!
I’ve had these wheels since around the end of January and I freaking love them. I get compliments from just about everyone that sees them.
They ride great and with the 15% off (I used a similar code) have a fantastic bang for the buck
Love it! 🥖🥖 Some Trace Velo vs GCN vs Peak Torque cage fighting 🥖🥖
🥖🥖🥖 Great stuff! Keep on going Luke!
I´m also a fan of Elite Wheels and already were happy with the cheap rim break version. I would love to have a set of 1300g Drive wheels. Just have to convice my wife that I do desprately need them :D
Another great in depth look at a cycling product to give consumers some great knowledge.
Awesome video as always!
I agree with Luke, Elite wheels really are a great deal and have a set of 80mm wheels on my tri bike for training. Just been bullet proof for me.
How does the lateral stiffness compare to the 6 spoke drive gravel version you review a year ago? I recall you liked how those felt.
Superlative vid, as always! Always superior to the lacklustre GCN.
Hey Luke, any word on the updated ltwoo electronic groupset? Wondering if I should wait for it, or go for the current version. Cheers 🥖🥖🥖
I found my pair to be comfortable, especially once you get to the desired speed. No harshness. Something I did not expect.
Hey Patrick! Collab with Trace when?
That lateral flex goes out of play once you get into a smooth cadence and sit into the saddle
The baguette has spoken, and the bike industry is listening. Well done, as always Luke, that was very interesting.
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Nice video, Does the wheel touch the frame during sprinting?
Nice review and explanation of wheel stiffness. Cool wheels, but I'm not sure I would like them for any kind of climbing. 🥖🥖🥖🥖🥖🥖🥖🥖🥖🥖
If it is in China, it will be even crazier. You can customize every detail, and it is very cheap. I ordered a set of wheels with sapim cxray front wheel and carbon fiber spokes on the rear wheel, Toray t800, equipped with a Chinese copy of the dtswiss hub, for a total of only $350, including two free tuning services after purchase (if the wheel deflects due to a fall or collision). You can also choose the weaving method, surface texture, brake strip material, everything is customizable, you only need to spend a little money to get something unique. The seller also told me that this is the first time he has encountered a request for different front and rear spokes lol. Because I think the front wheel does not bear the power and the shock absorption at the arm is more important, so I use steel spokes...
You can use the consolidated shipping service, wait for a month to be delivered to the EU, and it costs about $50 including tax.just like i did
Ztto alloy road wheelset test when?
Very informative ..exact conclusion ..cycling has different disciplines needing different bike designs and components.. perhaps only full carbon rear wheel test .. front spoked each wheel serves a different purpose .. NOW that would be a first
It’s a pity that GCN are such shills. I mean there is a lot of fun content there, and some really good info for new riders, but you just trust any sort of review that they do. Their videos should come with a product placement warning… Good on you Luke for keeping them honest!
🥖🥖🥖 Proper video from a proper TH-camr.
SKYWAY Mag wheels on my late 80s Raleigh Burner didnt have this problem... rim brake too. Once buckled, they were hopeless though. Does the freezer trick work? IYKYK
Reminds me of my tuff bmx wheels on my bmx as a kid. They look cool but I think they're too stiff and you want some lateral movement when you corner but that is frankly bizarre. Nice for TT. I think it was Alex Dowsett that trialled the 5 spoked wheelset and he found the ride not to his liking
GCN = Wahoo, AGU, now Elite Wheels etc... till recently the best kit you could buy was from Castelli (their previous sponsor), now it's AGU 🤷♀
Garmin is not even mentioned anywhere, even it's much better then Wahoo. On one of their recent videos (some 500km gravel ride I think), Conor was using Varia, however they mentioned it only as "smart light" and in previous videos they were discussing how bike radars are useless... let's wait what they gonna say when Wahoo finally develop their own :D
Luke, you are currently the best reviewer on YT.
Your amount of spokes dictates your lacing, and you can have the same amount of spokes in the front too, it is just done to save weight and look cool if you do radial lace. Ideally 32 or 36 holes for strength then after that it is up to you on how you want them to look and feel. I like the star 24 holes makes.
Before I watched the video I was like, "well Alex is a pro so I trust his judgement" but then I saw you pulling it to the side 😳. Yeah you know your stuff 🥖🥖🥖🥖
What you could do to measure the firce is to somehow place a scale under your thumbs as you pull the wheel towards the fork.
Lateral stiffness is easy to measure. Mount the wheel horizontally, then hang a weight off of it and measure the deflection.
If you don't have a jig just lay the bike on its side on a table.
PT will be all over it for his own videos.
Nice video trace. That is crazy flex!!
Quality and on point review, thanks
Wow that is super flexy!!! Would not have guessed that.
At first glance i could tell that the design had inherent flex, even at a heavier 1600 gram+ weight.
I rode a pair of Spinergy carbon 26" wheels on my hardtail mtb nearly 30 years ago.... 4 pairs of opposing large fat bladed spokes.
* after a minor crash a carbon rim buckled and subsequently i gave the $2000 wheelset to a friend for free.
The Spinergy's were stiff, but a lot heavier than my triple butted spoked White Industries hub/Mavic ceramic coated rim race wheels.
As pretty and as aero as these Elite wheels are, i personally wouldnt spend the money unless it was for purely asthetic reasons.
And a number of people in the past have said to me 'Your so Vain'.
So yeh, they might look nice on the old team blue Cannondale.
Hey luke can you try the sensah quantum shifters paired with shimano tiagra rd? The quantum was made for tiagra
Top vid as always 🥖 🥖🥖 I couldn't find a 'fluff on face' emoji
honesty is the hallmark of good journalism.