New to racing... but used a set of 58mm the week before with 40kph wind gusts on a race, and then used a set of 35mm last week with a 45kph gusts on a race. I can't believe how much of a night-and-day difference it was riding the 35mm even on stronger winds! Yes I still got swept a bit riding the shallower rims, but nowhere near as bad as the deeper rims...
Hey Brendan, totally agree ... there seems to be a huge change in wheel performance in the wind with that extra 10mm of depth. I will add though, the pure straight line speed of the extra 10mm is noticeable (for me) between the 50 and 60mm
Cycling world has to understand that competition and everyday riding are almost completely different worlds. No pro rider in a race has been overtaken by a big bus or truck doing 100 km/h, ever. This is just an example of many for why racing specifications usually do not work that well in real world.
I have both 38mm and 55mm wheelsets and find myself using the 55mm set a lot more despite them being slightly heavier (1517g vs 1397g). That’s probably down to my particular use case though, which is predominantly weekend group rides on Beach Rd in Melbourne (relatively flat and fast) and club-level crit racing. While they don’t have the immediate response of the lighter wheels, they feel faster overall once up to speed. Plus they just look better on my aero road bike, which is an important consideration when parked out the front of the cafe 😂
Hey david, thanks for the comment. I forgot to even mention the most important factor when it comes to this subject ... aesthetics. Hard to beat that aggressive look of the deep section rims on the aero bike
I have come to the same conclusion. Went from a set of hunt Race Aero super dura's (I think they are 31mm....) a set of 55mm carbon rims from ninevelo. The hunts had a lot of punch in out of the saddle sprints and away from traffic lights but started to lose energy the moment I let off the pedals. 55s lacked the punch and the acceleration but once I was up to speed, i'd literally be floating through the air. If I had the budget, Id like to try a 40 and 45mm wheelset to see how much difference it would make and if id be happier with them. Where I live, its pretty flat so that was the reasoning behind the 55's - I do love them but i do miss the acceleration 😅
I ride 69mm Farsports Kaze. I have zero crosswind issues. You don’t need valve extenders. There’s no point in narrower rims. 100g makes 0.3w difference up a 9% hill. It’s in your head and a factor or what you are used to.
I run 65mm Hunt Wheels on my BMC teammachine. I absolutely love them. I'm not trying to win races I'm just riding for fun and these are ultimate fun! Sure I don't absolutely fly up climbs but the noise they make on the flats and the pull that they give you is insane and so much fun! If I had the luxury I would also buy another shallow pair but since I can only afford the one pair...... Aero all the way!
MY Hunt Aero 50s are pretty light at 1.5kg and I feel the aero benefit. Since I got them a couple of months ago, my PRs have been tumbling and my average speeds are up.
How do you still like those wheels? I'm looking at those but also considering the 31s. Not so concerned about the difference in grams, but new to aero carbon wheels and not looking to break the bank on testing the waters. I have mostly flat riding, but some competitive hills too on group rides.
@@kenyan5000 For me, the wheels feel fast on the flat and on descents. For climbing, they're not exactly heavy and I weigh 90kg in any event. I am aware of their depth in strong crosswinds, but have never felt at risk.
As a non competitive rider, I’m loving my 80mm wheel. Yes, it’s gusty etc, but it’s just cool as heck. Why should it’s performance matter, when looks is the singular most important thing to a non competitive cyclist
I'm unstable and wobbly under the best of conditions. In a cross wind look out! I got the shallowest ones offered in the brand I wanted which were 38mm.
Love your show Chris! I don’t like riding wheels deeper than 40 ish. We have lots of mountains in Southern California. As an ultra cyclist I do a lot on my bike one handed or no hands and don’t like a deep front wheel. Crosswinds are always an issue
I run 38mm and I'm quite happy with that depth as a lighter, less powerful rider. I haven't ridden anything much deeper, but I have ridden heavier wheels. I find the heavier wheels simply are more fatiguing, having to spin them up over and over again during a punchy group ride or race.
My answer: have at least two road bikes! I have a CAAD12 set up for climbs with some lightweight Campagnolo Shamal Mille + latex tubes for the climbs and run 60mm/88mm carbon wheels on my aero road bike, a Wilier Cento 1 Air. Each bike has its purpose. It also depends on the type of ride for the day and wind/wet conditions. The other justification for 2 bikes is I would hate changing/adjusting brake pads each time I swap out wheels. Obviously this point is moot if you have a bike with disc brakes. Ride on!
I think I read a study about 45mm was generally best as it did not sacrifice much in the flats and hills while maintaining good stability when there is wind
That’s not an advice. Just train with alloy wheels and then swap on deep rims for the races. Climbing with deep rims is so easy, also out of the saddle if you are a strong rider. They climb faster, i have a set of deep rims on my track bike and they climb so fast if you can climb. If it’s an impossible climb where you have to grind. Then a smaller rim would have less mass for you to rotate. But nowadays is just a matter of cassette ratio.
I already used 62mm(reynolds strike rb), 38mm (Roval c38 db), 45mm (campa bora wto) and now using 40mm (Most Ultrafast/ vision sc40 DB). The problems with crosswinds some Times made me slower when i rode the 62mm cause i lost confidence. With all the shallower rims i had no problem and because of looks and aerodynamics i would go for deeper rims than i have now. I think 45mm-55mm would be fine. Good looks and aerodynamics but no big hassle with instability in crosswinds. I am 183cm or 6' and about 80kg +/- 3kg 😅
I have found the same issue climbing with 58mm+ wheels. I personally prefer a 38mm - 50mm wheel. More recently I’ve been on very stiff and light 50mm and they work climbing, but are marginally not as snappy one a steep climb, but haven’t experienced them to be slower on climbs, but just faster overall.
You certainly feel the extra depth going from one wheel to another in windy conditions. But wind is always relative, and variable. As above, I've found around 40mm (35, 38, 42 etc) offer the best of all worlds. Light enough to climb, aero enough to hold a good speed, and don't get messed up in crosswinds.
I’m not sure if its that simple? I will start this admitting I’m a total Campy bigot, been lucky enough to ride quite a few sets of Campy, plus Zipp, Plus Enve. I have Enve7.8, Zipp 303 and WTO 60’s The Enve’s are by far the deepest but also the most stable by a considerable margin and I will happily ride them in strong wind on beach road, which is pretty exposed. If I was to buy for full price, then undoubtably Campy, bang for buck and they are bullet proof! Sadly Zipp hubs failed 3 times In first year and Enve needed a full rebuild in year or so in. Campy, 2 spokes in about 20years
Totally agree. I live in SF and cross the Golden Gate Bridge daily. At a relatively light weight I’m basically riding sideways on 30s. I don’t disagree that aero is faster (even in the Bay Area hills) but if you can’t ride your bike because it’s too windy then it kind of defeats the point of owning them
I run Winspace 50s after pondering the 38s but decided the added aero advantage of the 50s outweighed any negatives as its very rarely windy where I am. If I were into racing then I might keep a 38mm front just incase I suspected wind problems on the course i.e. would run 38front and 50rear if i had wind issues. If I lived in a very windy place then 38s front and back all year round
I've got some deep sections (enve 7.8) I use them everyday for everything and they're brilliant. Only once in 2 years felt threatened I cross winds (50kph+) think its the cross section as well as tha the depth that affects stability. As he mentioned, they feel like cruise missiles on the flat and what's an extra 100g between friends. Go for a wee and lose more. Also the feel of a light wheel is the inertia from a stop. You don't get the same acceleration in normal riding scenarios so the nice feel is really just your brain telling you, rather than it playing out in a real situation
i use a good spread of wheel depths low , medium and high. all campagnolo neutron low, shamal ultra medium and high bora 50s.each has it"s benefits for different courses.
50mm with ceramic bearings for every bearing. carbon cranks, 1 piece carbon bars. vittoria corsa pro tires, tpu tubes. hollow chain. it just never stops spinning lol, but i ride in board shorts and flip flops.
Oh Yeh!!!! Let the bog dog's roll ... I love that you have committed to deep rim. I actually reckon that's half the battle with them, you just have to embrace the power of deep and roll with it 👊🏼
I went with 38's and have to say for my mixed area with some crosswinds and hills I like them a lot.. faster and lighter than my stock wheelset, with only slight crosswind affects.
Nice topic Chris. Hang in there Mate. Sydney will get itself sorted before to long. Living in Tassie seems like a different world to the bigger states. Take care.
With the race wheels I just went with some 50's in the end. Still light enough for the climbs at 1510g's(considering my old shallow section alloys were 1680g's) and helps me hang on, on the flat(not my strong point). Not great at any one thing but good enough for most courses here in NZ which generally don't have many climbs over 400m's. I haven't experienced riding 65's or 80's so would be cool to give them a go when the wind isn't blowing too much.
So here is the question, would you regard 50m as Deep or Mid section? It's right on the boundary for me. I reckon you are just the Mid side of deep and in all honestly, probably where I would like to go.
@@ChrisMillerCycling I agree. 50mm is the deepest of the mid section wheels. If you turn up with new 50mm wheels, nobody bats an eyelid. If you turn up with 60mm or more, everybody says, " Whoa! Deep wheels!"
So Chris, depends on the person I think.... sometimes if a person does not average over 30km/h on a mixed terrain ride 30mm, above 30 on mixed terrain 45mm, if your a sprinter and like flat roads 60mm.
Even slow riders can benefit a lot from riding deeper wheels. When I go up against the North Sea wind sweeping the land with 40mm wheels it improves my pace from 29 to 31/32 kmh compared to shallow wheels. That's a lot. In fact best upgrade ever. Thinking 60mm would produce even better results. As for cross winds I don't think it makes that much of a difference as long as you sit on the hoods for better control and grip.
So I’m 6’0 230lbs so I’m a heavier guy. I’m riding a Domane al4gen4. I’m deciding on the Aeolus elite 35 or 50. I’m riding in suburb town/walking track, sometimes urban city rides. I loved to go fast but acceleration is also important due to stopping a lot. Not for racing or competition but still like to go fast and beat my friends when challenged. Mostly aesthetics, comfort, and performance all rounder. Which would you recommend? Open to all suggestions thanks guys!!
If races are won on a climb and on the flat most riders tuck into the peloton, shouldn’t the answer be 35’s which give the biggest advantage on a climb?
I’m struggling with this issue. Most of my training is on relatively flat roads with a few punchy hills….But, gran condos I compete in are mainly in the foothills/mountains. So yes I think deep shell for the long straight flat road with a head wind….but then think a lighter wheel set going up Skyuka peak is what I need. Maybe I’m in the 45/50mm camp?
Great video, Chris. Suggested topic for a future one: How to not trash and delaminate your nice deep carbon wheels when using rim brakes (e.g braking style, pad/rim compatibility, etc). Painful life experience had there.💰🙈
Hey James, Great suggestion! I had actually recorded a bit about differences in braking performance across the rim depths (cause I do feel there is a difference), but like you mentioned I think it's a stand alone video. Great suggestion thought, I will put it on the list.
Own the WTO45s. Love them. If I did it again though, would get the WTO33 for the crosswinds. I'm light: 68kg. Couple times got a scare. It's like a hand pushing your wheel. Previous to aero wheels was riding Mavic Open Pro rims, never had problem with wind. Thanks for the videos :)
I been thinking dt swiss erc 1400 40mm (DT claims that crosswinds don't affect that much like other brands) also have been thinking Campanolo WTO 45 because having an Italian bike. I'm 63 Kg and thinking a lot of these crosswinds. Can you guess wind speed when it has been uncomfortable to ride with wto45?
@@henkka_95 When the avg. wind is 60kph+ I would start getting nervous with the 45s. A steady wind is fine, 60kph, even 80kph. It's the sudden blast doing a descent that gets me. Mind you, I don't have the best bike handling skills, there's lots of riders in the club that are light and seem to handle mid-section wheels fine in the wind. I'm riding Hunt Aerodynamicist 32s these days, never had a problem, even doing the descents on a windy day at speed. Tempted to move up to a 40, if you go for the DT Swiss, would be interested to hear your thoughts.
Thank you! 60 kph is quite high find already steady or not at least in Finland, the country is basically flat with forest without no proper mountain descents. Of course, we have Lapland, huge areas without anything so winds can be quite strong sometimes. Maybe in the future, I will go on Longer bike trips in Europe to see what is cycling in alpine countries :D In near-home cycling, the biggest risks will be Trucks/ bigger vehicles, passing big buildings which are blocking the wind for a few moments... Also find these today, endurance wheels from Campagnolo; SHAMAL CARBON DISC 35 in front 40 on back,1585g 21mm inner width makes it possible to attach a little bit wider tires also. I will let you know how this going to end, now I'm thinking Shamal or WTO45 :D
Soon we wont have any wheel to buy, seeing how big brands are discontinuing Rim brake wheels. I now have Enve 4.5, 5.6 and a nice pain of Dura Ace C24 Aluminum just for climbing and descending. I have no need for disc.
Hey david, it is the safest pick for use. It really wasn't until I was down south last time that I thought I had something to add to this conversation, it really did change the way I rode. Thanks for the comment David.
My opinion, I believe if it's clinchers 40mm Best of both worlds. I have a pair of DA C 50 tubular beneath my 928L.(carbon) And they are doing fine on the climbs and flats. But on my backup Concorde 340(aluminum)I have a set of 40mm clinchers
Hey mate, thanks for the comment. I reckon those DA C Tubulars are the best race wheel they ever made, love those ones. Not really a practical 'every day' wheel, but so nice to put on to give you that extra boost.
@@ChrisMillerCycling thanks for reply and sorry for my late reply, lol. You are right the C50 are light but like you said not an everyday use wheel set. Do you recommend me to purchase a set clincher 50’s, 45’s or 38’s for an everyday use. Cuz one thing I want to keep the lightness and quick response of my bike 😁
Hey Chris, I've just bought the Bora WTO 33. I live in Ireland and I don't race but I ride for enjoyment & fitness on hilly routes so the faster spin up and slow down you get with low weight rims is more important to me than aero gains. I haven't ridden the wheels yet so I'm hoping I've picked the correct wheels? I struggled with the 33 v 45 decision.
@@Jonathan-wj8tc got out on the WTO 33 this weekend and they're fantastic. I've got a set of Fulcrum Racing Zero Competizione (Aluminum) which in theory have better bearings but without doubt the WTO spin up and maintain speed better. The WTO are rim brake and while breaking with the brake blocks supplied with the rims there is a wonderful whine, I wasn't expecting that. The look of the rims though is my favorite aspect, they look special.
I just built a Madone SLR (2019 model not new one) and I have ENVE Foundation 65, mostly because they were cheap, I got them for 1k, $700 cheaper than retail price. I just wonder if there's the right wheelset for me. I don't race, I don't live in in Miami or Texas, D.C. isn't that flat, I just ride for myself, and I'm honestly only averaging 15MPH (25KPH) I'm just hunting for the best everyday wheels for this new bike. Should I sell them for mid deep wheels? 45-50mm?
Fortunate enough to have a pair of 50s and 38s. 50s feel great except in the wind. As a lighter rider I have had some sketchy experiences on the 50s. If the forecast wind is more than 20kph I opt for the 38s. Maybe a video on saddle styles with the growth in popularity of the shorter saddles.
Love my wto33.. Aero enough and light enough but my clx50 is lighter, faster and gets the sailing effect. Switch between both depending on the route and wind. Clx50 is scary as F on the SHB on those super windy days
Chris, I have the millie shamal alloy wheels, and I live in a hilly windy area.... a genuine question, would the campag 33 WTO be an upgrade I am going to benefit from?
Most riders would be slower on a ride with 50mm wheels as the power needed to get them and keep them to their optimal speed is beyond most average riders
Nice one Chris I always love your honesty and real life experiences. I am currently trialing some prototype wheels which I am hoping will be a game changer. 50mm clincher disc brake 1190 grams, 50mm clincher rim brake 1140 grams & 50mm tubular rim brake 1040 grams. They are also pretty stiff. Personally I would only use them as a race day wheels but I am currently testing their robustness. If you were in Melbourne I would love you to give them a going over. If they end up ticking all the boxes perhaps I can post a set up for you & the boys to try if you like.
@@AdventurismPk I have had no issues and I am racing on a set today. I am unfortunately not releasing them due to unreliable stock supply and alleged spoke issues (I have had no issues). In terms performance they are excellent and very light for the hills. I have an ex NRS rider who is very happy with his set.
thanks for this detailed explanation, I have a Colnago C60 coming with Cosmic SL wheels- I had a chance to buy Boras clinchers- 60s for $2k (brand new, super deal!) but think now I might just settle on some shamals for my winter riding/ general training and keep the Cosmics for show pony weekend rides- you just saved me a small packet
Lighter wheels are better because of acceleration frequency and climbing during races or fast group rides, in addition to better stability in cross winds. I am still not convinced that lightweight tubular wheels are not better for criteriums with a hard climb each lap.
I ride 60mm up hill, flat and wind up to 26 mph no problem so far. GCN did a video about this and it was a small amount of different, but what goes up must come down.
Hey Jason, I've seen that video and I certainly wouldn't want to argue with a #GCNdoesscience video 😉. Nah seriously, the point I was trying to get across on this one was more that while the differences in performance are minumal at best, it's more about how it makes you feel and the level of enjoying you get. I fully respect dudes who commit to "going deep" ... I just can't commit
@@ChrisMillerCycling if we had more wind then I would have gone 45 mm but 60 look so good 😊. Also I’m no light weight so would get more benefits by sniffing pounds and continue my training. Already shifted 5 stone through lockdown and using Zwift when weather is poor
I saw that same video. What the science does not take into account is the benefits of acceleration in a race situation. If competitor attacks on lighter rims and you can't make the move to stay on the wheel in time as there is a delay in gathering momentum, its too late, you are off the back or you have to burn an extra match.
@@sdonalds123 I agree on a summit finish but if you have to come down the other side then you can make it back. Also most people don’t race, so if your going to buy one wheel go 50mm
The "mullet" ... so truth be told that seems to be the best performance option, but I can't deal with the look of them. It's something I should have mentioned in the vlog, but the way the wheel looks on you bike and how it makes you feel matters. If you think your bike looks cool, you'll probably ride it more.
@@ChrisMillerCycling agrred, but it does depend on the stagger, the giant propel off the shelf runs 42/65 and looks stupid, but on the other hand enve 5.6 are 54/63 and the stagger is more subtle Deep section for the win once spooled up and over 40km/hr, but more effort required to get them there. I run 55/65 and 60's on each bike, in fairness I came close to dying on the heartbreak descent with the winds on Saturday ......lots to consider and lot of variables/ rider specificity
Love my fulcrum racing zeros. Feel fast in all conditions although didn’t cut it trying to hold on to a flying block bunch in a cross tail at Coota. But that is a high bar.
Overall generally… 40 front and 50 rear and a light as you can afford. This will give you sufficient aero for high-speed pulls at the front of the pack or solo rides and also not be too heavy for climbing if you’re lucky to train in a mountainous area. Also, the 40 front will not disturb your line as much as a 50+ in cross winds. Also, spoke configuration is important for heavier riders (say 170lbs+) … too much lateral deflection will compromise performance out of the saddle and on climbs. Some spoke configurations are stiffer than others.
Hey Brett, great idea but it's not something we'll revisit until we have spent some time riding and racing on discs ... I just don't have the experience of it just yet
isn't like 50 mm the Holy grail as of aero gains above 50 mm are getting diminishing returns and it's still fairly low weight? I have 62mm dt swiss that came standard with my bike and probably buying 42 mm for my gravelbike. Another factor is also looks. who likes a bike with shallow wheels, it just looks meh :D. If I had to buy 1 set and didn't have any wheelsets yet, i'd go for a lightweight 50 mm set
for 99 percent of us it all comes down to marketing driven bullshit.It is the engine on the bike that does it. Paris roubaix fastest ride was on an alloy bike with shallow alloy rims.Milan sanremo same thing
“Why am I buying these wheels” honestly because they look cool, that really is all I care about. Weight and AD are just bonuses
I like the sound.
I hate myself for 100% agreeing with you 😂
If the wheels look fast, you'll be faster. Hahaha its like placebo but more expensive
New to racing... but used a set of 58mm the week before with 40kph wind gusts on a race, and then used a set of 35mm last week with a 45kph gusts on a race. I can't believe how much of a night-and-day difference it was riding the 35mm even on stronger winds! Yes I still got swept a bit riding the shallower rims, but nowhere near as bad as the deeper rims...
Hey Brendan, totally agree ... there seems to be a huge change in wheel performance in the wind with that extra 10mm of depth. I will add though, the pure straight line speed of the extra 10mm is noticeable (for me) between the 50 and 60mm
Cycling world has to understand that competition and everyday riding are almost completely different worlds. No pro rider in a race has been overtaken by a big bus or truck doing 100 km/h, ever. This is just an example of many for why racing specifications usually do not work that well in real world.
I have both 38mm and 55mm wheelsets and find myself using the 55mm set a lot more despite them being slightly heavier (1517g vs 1397g). That’s probably down to my particular use case though, which is predominantly weekend group rides on Beach Rd in Melbourne (relatively flat and fast) and club-level crit racing. While they don’t have the immediate response of the lighter wheels, they feel faster overall once up to speed. Plus they just look better on my aero road bike, which is an important consideration when parked out the front of the cafe 😂
Hey david, thanks for the comment. I forgot to even mention the most important factor when it comes to this subject ... aesthetics. Hard to beat that aggressive look of the deep section rims on the aero bike
I have come to the same conclusion. Went from a set of hunt Race Aero super dura's (I think they are 31mm....) a set of 55mm carbon rims from ninevelo. The hunts had a lot of punch in out of the saddle sprints and away from traffic lights but started to lose energy the moment I let off the pedals. 55s lacked the punch and the acceleration but once I was up to speed, i'd literally be floating through the air.
If I had the budget, Id like to try a 40 and 45mm wheelset to see how much difference it would make and if id be happier with them.
Where I live, its pretty flat so that was the reasoning behind the 55's - I do love them but i do miss the acceleration 😅
I ride 69mm Farsports Kaze. I have zero crosswind issues. You don’t need valve extenders. There’s no point in narrower rims. 100g makes 0.3w difference up a 9% hill.
It’s in your head and a factor or what you are used to.
I run 65mm Hunt Wheels on my BMC teammachine. I absolutely love them. I'm not trying to win races I'm just riding for fun and these are ultimate fun! Sure I don't absolutely fly up climbs but the noise they make on the flats and the pull that they give you is insane and so much fun! If I had the luxury I would also buy another shallow pair but since I can only afford the one pair...... Aero all the way!
HAHA!!! Yes ... let the big dogs roll :) Have to say I'm always impressed by people who just fully commit to deep dish life.
MY Hunt Aero 50s are pretty light at 1.5kg and I feel the aero benefit. Since I got them a couple of months ago, my PRs have been tumbling and my average speeds are up.
How do you still like those wheels? I'm looking at those but also considering the 31s. Not so concerned about the difference in grams, but new to aero carbon wheels and not looking to break the bank on testing the waters. I have mostly flat riding, but some competitive hills too on group rides.
@@kenyan5000 For me, the wheels feel fast on the flat and on descents. For climbing, they're not exactly heavy and I weigh 90kg in any event. I am aware of their depth in strong crosswinds, but have never felt at risk.
As a non competitive rider, I’m loving my 80mm wheel.
Yes, it’s gusty etc, but it’s just cool as heck. Why should it’s performance matter, when looks is the singular most important thing to a non competitive cyclist
Cross winds.🤣🤣🤣🤣Staying on the bike IS the singular most important thing to a non competitive cyclist
Agreed...and swap out for your stock wheel on windy days👍
88mm deep wheel only for real strong riders like me who weight around 75-80kg
If u are a skinny talker, don’t advice use real deep rims
60mm here. HED Vanquish RC6. Based my selection on the terrain around my house. Mostly flat/some rolling hills. No real climbs.
I'm unstable and wobbly under the best of conditions. In a cross wind look out! I got the shallowest ones offered in the brand I wanted which were 38mm.
Thanks for sharing!
Valve extensions rather than long valves. Means you can screw your extension on the "borrowed" tube :) And a 45mm user!
Good call Mark!
35 for life
Love your show Chris! I don’t like riding wheels deeper than 40 ish. We have lots of mountains in Southern California. As an ultra cyclist I do a lot on my bike one handed or no hands and don’t like a deep front wheel. Crosswinds are always an issue
I run 38mm and I'm quite happy with that depth as a lighter, less powerful rider. I haven't ridden anything much deeper, but I have ridden heavier wheels. I find the heavier wheels simply are more fatiguing, having to spin them up over and over again during a punchy group ride or race.
My answer: have at least two road bikes! I have a CAAD12 set up for climbs with some lightweight Campagnolo Shamal Mille + latex tubes for the climbs and run 60mm/88mm carbon wheels on my aero road bike, a Wilier Cento 1 Air. Each bike has its purpose. It also depends on the type of ride for the day and wind/wet conditions. The other justification for 2 bikes is I would hate changing/adjusting brake pads each time I swap out wheels. Obviously this point is moot if you have a bike with disc brakes. Ride on!
Simple buy the wheels you can actually afford and have the bike skills to ride in all conditions on whatever depth rim U choose 👍
I think I read a study about 45mm was generally best as it did not sacrifice much in the flats and hills while maintaining good stability when there is wind
That’s not an advice. Just train with alloy wheels and then swap on deep rims for the races. Climbing with deep rims is so easy, also out of the saddle if you are a strong rider. They climb faster, i have a set of deep rims on my track bike and they climb so fast if you can climb. If it’s an impossible climb where you have to grind. Then a smaller rim would have less mass for you to rotate. But nowadays is just a matter of cassette ratio.
I already used 62mm(reynolds strike rb), 38mm (Roval c38 db), 45mm (campa bora wto) and now using 40mm (Most Ultrafast/ vision sc40 DB). The problems with crosswinds some Times made me slower when i rode the 62mm cause i lost confidence. With all the shallower rims i had no problem and because of looks and aerodynamics i would go for deeper rims than i have now. I think 45mm-55mm would be fine. Good looks and aerodynamics but no big hassle with instability in crosswinds.
I am 183cm or 6' and about 80kg +/- 3kg 😅
I have found the same issue climbing with 58mm+ wheels. I personally prefer a 38mm - 50mm wheel. More recently I’ve been on very stiff and light 50mm and they work climbing, but are marginally not as snappy one a steep climb, but haven’t experienced them to be slower on climbs, but just faster overall.
I do feel it has more to do with how windy your area is.
You certainly feel the extra depth going from one wheel to another in windy conditions. But wind is always relative, and variable. As above, I've found around 40mm (35, 38, 42 etc) offer the best of all worlds. Light enough to climb, aero enough to hold a good speed, and don't get messed up in crosswinds.
@@AdamEwart I second that
I’m not sure if its that simple? I will start this admitting I’m a total Campy bigot, been lucky enough to ride quite a few sets of Campy, plus Zipp, Plus Enve. I have Enve7.8, Zipp 303 and WTO 60’s The Enve’s are by far the deepest but also the most stable by a considerable margin and I will happily ride them in strong wind on beach road, which is pretty exposed. If I was to buy for full price, then undoubtably Campy, bang for buck and they are bullet proof! Sadly Zipp hubs failed 3 times In first year and Enve needed a full rebuild in year or so in. Campy, 2 spokes in about 20years
Totally agree. I live in SF and cross the Golden Gate Bridge daily. At a relatively light weight I’m basically riding sideways on 30s. I don’t disagree that aero is faster (even in the Bay Area hills) but if you can’t ride your bike because it’s too windy then it kind of defeats the point of owning them
I run Winspace 50s after pondering the 38s but decided the added aero advantage of the 50s outweighed any negatives as its very rarely windy where I am. If I were into racing then I might keep a 38mm front just incase I suspected wind problems on the course i.e. would run 38front and 50rear if i had wind issues. If I lived in a very windy place then 38s front and back all year round
I've got some deep sections (enve 7.8) I use them everyday for everything and they're brilliant. Only once in 2 years felt threatened I cross winds (50kph+) think its the cross section as well as tha the depth that affects stability.
As he mentioned, they feel like cruise missiles on the flat and what's an extra 100g between friends. Go for a wee and lose more.
Also the feel of a light wheel is the inertia from a stop. You don't get the same acceleration in normal riding scenarios so the nice feel is really just your brain telling you, rather than it playing out in a real situation
i use a good spread of wheel depths low , medium and high. all campagnolo neutron low, shamal ultra medium and high bora 50s.each has it"s benefits for different courses.
That's cheating (like me) ... if you had to choose one, what would you go?
50mm with ceramic bearings for every bearing. carbon cranks, 1 piece carbon bars. vittoria corsa pro tires, tpu tubes. hollow chain. it just never stops spinning lol, but i ride in board shorts and flip flops.
I run Knot64’s, I wouldn’t go back unless I lived at the top of a hill surrounded by hills. They even handle the wind well.
Oh Yeh!!!! Let the bog dog's roll ... I love that you have committed to deep rim. I actually reckon that's half the battle with them, you just have to embrace the power of deep and roll with it 👊🏼
I went with 38's and have to say for my mixed area with some crosswinds and hills I like them a lot.. faster and lighter than my stock wheelset, with only slight crosswind affects.
Can't wait for my new Bora WTO rim brake wheels to arrive! Thanks for the vid.
Rolling with Hollowgram 35mm. A lot of hills where I live.
Probably the best stock wheels you can get.
For everyday comfort you can't beat a handbuilt low profile rim. Not as fast, but your butt & joints will like you again!
Nice topic Chris. Hang in there Mate. Sydney will get itself sorted before to long. Living in Tassie seems like a different world to the bigger states. Take care.
With the race wheels I just went with some 50's in the end. Still light enough for the climbs at 1510g's(considering my old shallow section alloys were 1680g's) and helps me hang on, on the flat(not my strong point). Not great at any one thing but good enough for most courses here in NZ which generally don't have many climbs over 400m's. I haven't experienced riding 65's or 80's so would be cool to give them a go when the wind isn't blowing too much.
What about a mix, 55 rear and 38 front?
Aero, lightweight, crosswinds control.... Roval Rapide CLX! Best mix of 3.
50mm for me. On them everyday and they do it all pretty well and aren't too heavy
Same.
So here is the question, would you regard 50m as Deep or Mid section? It's right on the boundary for me. I reckon you are just the Mid side of deep and in all honestly, probably where I would like to go.
@@ChrisMillerCycling I agree. 50mm is the deepest of the mid section wheels.
If you turn up with new 50mm wheels, nobody bats an eyelid.
If you turn up with 60mm or more, everybody says, " Whoa! Deep wheels!"
@@ChrisMillerCycling i guess its the deep side of mid, the swiss army knife of wheels and one for the indecisive ones.
So Chris, depends on the person I think.... sometimes if a person does not average over 30km/h on a mixed terrain ride 30mm, above 30 on mixed terrain 45mm, if your a sprinter and like flat roads 60mm.
Even slow riders can benefit a lot from riding deeper wheels. When I go up against the North Sea wind sweeping the land with 40mm wheels it improves my pace from 29 to 31/32 kmh compared to shallow wheels. That's a lot. In fact best upgrade ever. Thinking 60mm would produce even better results. As for cross winds I don't think it makes that much of a difference as long as you sit on the hoods for better control and grip.
@@meibing4912 You can be on the hoods and crosswinds will still move the front wheel with deeper dish wheels.
@@D_in_DC never happened to me, maybe your grip is not as strong or are you talking about wind speeds that make riding any bike a no-go?
So I’m 6’0 230lbs so I’m a heavier guy. I’m riding a Domane al4gen4. I’m deciding on the Aeolus elite 35 or 50.
I’m riding in suburb town/walking track, sometimes urban city rides. I loved to go fast but acceleration is also important due to stopping a lot. Not for racing or competition but still like to go fast and beat my friends when challenged. Mostly aesthetics, comfort, and performance all rounder. Which would you recommend? Open to all suggestions thanks guys!!
Great video and always learning from these videos. Stay safe and healthy guys.
Thanks Blake, send our best to the family and hopefully see you at a West Head before the year is out 🤞🏼
How much faster can I climb at 12km uphill with deeper section ?
Where I ride it’s close which works better, but on flat routes it’s def deeper wins. It also depends if you draft a lot.
If races are won on a climb and on the flat most riders tuck into the peloton, shouldn’t the answer be 35’s which give the biggest advantage on a climb?
Im a slender guy (5'11" 145lbs) and I roll with 45 enve in the front 65 in the back 👍🏼
I’m struggling with this issue. Most of my training is on relatively flat roads with a few punchy hills….But, gran condos I compete in are mainly in the foothills/mountains. So yes I think deep shell for the long straight flat road with a head wind….but then think a lighter wheel set going up Skyuka peak is what I need. Maybe I’m in the 45/50mm camp?
Great video, Chris. Suggested topic for a future one: How to not trash and delaminate your nice deep carbon wheels when using rim brakes (e.g braking style, pad/rim compatibility, etc). Painful life experience had there.💰🙈
Hey James, Great suggestion! I had actually recorded a bit about differences in braking performance across the rim depths (cause I do feel there is a difference), but like you mentioned I think it's a stand alone video. Great suggestion thought, I will put it on the list.
Arrived in four days. Beautiful bike
@4:50 is it me or is the carbon surrounding that nipple eyelet cracked?
Own the WTO45s. Love them. If I did it again though, would get the WTO33 for the crosswinds. I'm light: 68kg. Couple times got a scare. It's like a hand pushing your wheel. Previous to aero wheels was riding Mavic Open Pro rims, never had problem with wind. Thanks for the videos :)
Thanks for the info!
I been thinking dt swiss erc 1400 40mm (DT claims that crosswinds don't affect that much like other brands) also have been thinking Campanolo WTO 45 because having an Italian bike. I'm 63 Kg and thinking a lot of these crosswinds.
Can you guess wind speed when it has been uncomfortable to ride with wto45?
@@henkka_95 When the avg. wind is 60kph+ I would start getting nervous with the 45s. A steady wind is fine, 60kph, even 80kph. It's the sudden blast doing a descent that gets me. Mind you, I don't have the best bike handling skills, there's lots of riders in the club that are light and seem to handle mid-section wheels fine in the wind. I'm riding Hunt Aerodynamicist 32s these days, never had a problem, even doing the descents on a windy day at speed. Tempted to move up to a 40, if you go for the DT Swiss, would be interested to hear your thoughts.
Thank you!
60 kph is quite high find already steady or not at least in Finland, the country is basically flat with forest without no proper mountain descents. Of course, we have Lapland, huge areas without anything so winds can be quite strong sometimes. Maybe in the future, I will go on Longer bike trips in Europe to see what is cycling in alpine countries :D
In near-home cycling, the biggest risks will be Trucks/ bigger vehicles, passing big buildings which are blocking the wind for a few moments...
Also find these today, endurance wheels from Campagnolo; SHAMAL CARBON DISC 35 in front 40 on back,1585g 21mm inner width makes it possible to attach a little bit wider tires also.
I will let you know how this going to end, now I'm thinking Shamal or WTO45 :D
Soon we wont have any wheel to buy, seeing how big brands are discontinuing Rim brake wheels.
I now have Enve 4.5, 5.6 and a nice pain of Dura Ace C24 Aluminum just for climbing and descending.
I have no need for disc.
and these fools will end up losing out, hopefully one company will focus exclusively on rim brakes- I will never give up my Colnago C60
I personally use 45s for everyday rides, but 60+ for triathlon races on flat to rolling hill races.
Deap in the back shalow in the front
Hey Chris, currently running a pair of 36mm deep wheels. How much of an aero benefit do you think there is moving up to a 50mm rim?
I know run 38mm carbon best all round wheel for me, living in a hilly area and a lightweight rider.
Hey david, it is the safest pick for use. It really wasn't until I was down south last time that I thought I had something to add to this conversation, it really did change the way I rode. Thanks for the comment David.
My opinion, I believe if it's clinchers 40mm Best of both worlds.
I have a pair of DA C 50 tubular beneath my 928L.(carbon) And they are doing fine on the climbs and flats.
But on my backup Concorde 340(aluminum)I have a set of 40mm clinchers
Hey mate, thanks for the comment. I reckon those DA C Tubulars are the best race wheel they ever made, love those ones. Not really a practical 'every day' wheel, but so nice to put on to give you that extra boost.
@@ChrisMillerCycling thanks for reply and sorry for my late reply, lol. You are right the C50 are light but like you said not an everyday use wheel set. Do you recommend me to purchase a set clincher 50’s, 45’s or 38’s for an everyday use.
Cuz one thing I want to keep the lightness and quick response of my bike 😁
What’s your thoughts, both for and against running a 45 front 65 rear? Specifically for light riders that are subject to cross winds etc?
Yeah I was wondering about mix and match especially after si from GCN mentioned a hypothetically using just a disc rear
It would be intersting to test the difference between shallow and deep wheels on the flat vs. Say a 100 or 150 degree bend at the elbow!
Hey Chris, I've just bought the Bora WTO 33. I live in Ireland and I don't race but I ride for enjoyment & fitness on hilly routes so the faster spin up and slow down you get with low weight rims is more important to me than aero gains. I haven't ridden the wheels yet so I'm hoping I've picked the correct wheels? I struggled with the 33 v 45 decision.
So hard for me too. Would enjoy 10/10 if you tell your thoughts when you had the opportunity to test them.
@@Jonathan-wj8tc got out on the WTO 33 this weekend and they're fantastic. I've got a set of Fulcrum Racing Zero Competizione (Aluminum) which in theory have better bearings but without doubt the WTO spin up and maintain speed better. The WTO are rim brake and while breaking with the brake blocks supplied with the rims there is a wonderful whine, I wasn't expecting that.
The look of the rims though is my favorite aspect, they look special.
@@MrJwmurph Thanks very much for your response. May the wind be with you 😉
Get both. Shallow on windy days, deep on no wind.
not the point of the video DT. Most people would like to choose one.
How do 44 mm deep wheels perform in 20 mph crosswinds?
I just built a Madone SLR (2019 model not new one) and I have ENVE Foundation 65, mostly because they were cheap, I got them for 1k, $700 cheaper than retail price. I just wonder if there's the right wheelset for me. I don't race, I don't live in in Miami or Texas, D.C. isn't that flat, I just ride for myself, and I'm honestly only averaging 15MPH (25KPH) I'm just hunting for the best everyday wheels for this new bike. Should I sell them for mid deep wheels? 45-50mm?
I away use 33’s until I rode 50’s. Was hooked and never went back
Fortunate enough to have a pair of 50s and 38s. 50s feel great except in the wind. As a lighter rider I have had some sketchy experiences on the 50s. If the forecast wind is more than 20kph I opt for the 38s. Maybe a video on saddle styles with the growth in popularity of the shorter saddles.
In what kind of location do you ride and how often is it the case that it's to windy for the 50's?
I’m a small guy and don’t want deep wheels for the cross wind factor. I have 35’s on a climbing bike and are perfect
i'm 110kg rider with 50mm wheels, what are cross winds exactly?
serious speed when I get my big 80's up and spinning
ooooh yet .... let the big dogs fly :)
A potential disadvantage for super deep wheels is that they can become too stiff and take the fun out of riding
What is better for all-rounder 40mm or 45mm?
Love my wto33.. Aero enough and light enough but my clx50 is lighter, faster and gets the sailing effect. Switch between both depending on the route and wind. Clx50 is scary as F on the SHB on those super windy days
Mid depth 35-45 for every day all sort of rides
Chris, I have the millie shamal alloy wheels, and I live in a hilly windy area.... a genuine question, would the campag 33 WTO be an upgrade I am going to benefit from?
So is 50mm answer to everything?
What do u think about 45 front and 60 rear?
Roval cl64 in flat Florida. I got them used for a g with a dura ace cassette, came off a 17venge
I agree with Jessie…so many people use excuses and blame their slowness on the fact they don’t have 60mm carbon wheels
Most riders would be slower on a ride with 50mm wheels as the power needed to get them and keep them to their optimal speed is beyond most average riders
Nice one Chris I always love your honesty and real life experiences. I am currently trialing some prototype wheels which I am hoping will be a game changer. 50mm clincher disc brake 1190 grams, 50mm clincher rim brake 1140 grams & 50mm tubular rim brake 1040 grams. They are also pretty stiff. Personally I would only use them as a race day wheels but I am currently testing their robustness. If you were in Melbourne I would love you to give them a going over. If they end up ticking all the boxes perhaps I can post a set up for you & the boys to try if you like.
How did it go? Is 50mm the answer to everything?
@@AdventurismPk I have had no issues and I am racing on a set today. I am unfortunately not releasing them due to unreliable stock supply and alleged spoke issues (I have had no issues). In terms performance they are excellent and very light for the hills. I have an ex NRS rider who is very happy with his set.
thanks for this detailed explanation, I have a Colnago C60 coming with Cosmic SL wheels- I had a chance to buy Boras clinchers- 60s for $2k (brand new, super deal!) but think now I might just settle on some shamals for my winter riding/ general training and keep the Cosmics for show pony weekend rides- you just saved me a small packet
Certainly the best commentary I have seen!
Enve 6-7s 'cause I sound like a freight train when I pass people, and they were so expensive I must be going faster, right?
Lighter wheels are better because of acceleration frequency and climbing during races or fast group rides, in addition to better stability in cross winds. I am still not convinced that lightweight tubular wheels are not better for criteriums with a hard climb each lap.
My local 40km route has 730m of vertical gain so yeah 33mm for me 😰
I went with vision team 35s for my upgrade from stock. I'm a heavier rider, so I feel like the deeper section allow would be more robust for me
Is it ok to run 35mm tyres on 19mm rims?
I ride 60mm up hill, flat and wind up to 26 mph no problem so far. GCN did a video about this and it was a small amount of different, but what goes up must come down.
Hey Jason, I've seen that video and I certainly wouldn't want to argue with a #GCNdoesscience video 😉. Nah seriously, the point I was trying to get across on this one was more that while the differences in performance are minumal at best, it's more about how it makes you feel and the level of enjoying you get. I fully respect dudes who commit to "going deep" ... I just can't commit
@@ChrisMillerCycling if we had more wind then I would have gone 45 mm but 60 look so good 😊. Also I’m no light weight so would get more benefits by sniffing pounds and continue my training. Already shifted 5 stone through lockdown and using Zwift when weather is poor
I saw that same video. What the science does not take into account is the benefits of acceleration in a race situation. If competitor attacks on lighter rims and you can't make the move to stay on the wheel in time as there is a delay in gathering momentum, its too late, you are off the back or you have to burn an extra match.
@@sdonalds123 I agree on a summit finish but if you have to come down the other side then you can make it back. Also most people don’t race, so if your going to buy one wheel go 50mm
The deeper rims do look cool.
How about mixed depth wheels? 38/50 or something like that.
The "mullet" ... so truth be told that seems to be the best performance option, but I can't deal with the look of them. It's something I should have mentioned in the vlog, but the way the wheel looks on you bike and how it makes you feel matters. If you think your bike looks cool, you'll probably ride it more.
@@ChrisMillerCycling agrred, but it does depend on the stagger, the giant propel off the shelf runs 42/65 and looks stupid, but on the other hand enve 5.6 are 54/63 and the stagger is more subtle
Deep section for the win once spooled up and over 40km/hr, but more effort required to get them there.
I run 55/65 and 60's on each bike, in fairness I came close to dying on the heartbreak descent with the winds on Saturday ......lots to consider and lot of variables/ rider specificity
Does a 36mm deep rims provide enough speed to justify the weight penalty
for all the roads you recommend WS 38mm or 45mm ? please answer thank you

"That doesn't mean just chopping off in a state handicap in Wogga". Haha! Love it.
HAHA! It's funny what comes into your head when you think of bad cross wind days
run 35 alloy climbing wheel for training. Maube I'll buy some 45 or even 60 for racing.
Good video. Given your advice, I plan on doing just one thing different. Buying 2 wheels. Cheers!
Love my fulcrum racing zeros. Feel fast in all conditions although didn’t cut it trying to hold on to a flying block bunch in a cross tail at Coota. But that is a high bar.
Would not trade my Fulcrum Racing Quattro's for anything! all purpose and they fly!
I also own the Zeros Competizione, but I would like to experiment with a set of carbon 50s. I have the Hypers in my shopping cart right now !
Overall generally… 40 front and 50 rear and a light as you can afford. This will give you sufficient aero for high-speed pulls at the front of the pack or solo rides and also not be too heavy for climbing if you’re lucky to train in a mountainous area. Also, the 40 front will not disturb your line as much as a 50+ in cross winds.
Also, spoke configuration is important for heavier riders (say 170lbs+) … too much lateral deflection will compromise performance out of the saddle and on climbs. Some spoke configurations are stiffer than others.
What about revisiting Disk v Rim with technology advances would you still stick with rim or switch, if you have only one choice to choose from?
Hey Brett, great idea but it's not something we'll revisit until we have spent some time riding and racing on discs ... I just don't have the experience of it just yet
isn't like 50 mm the Holy grail as of aero gains above 50 mm are getting diminishing returns and it's still fairly low weight? I have 62mm dt swiss that came standard with my bike and probably buying 42 mm for my gravelbike. Another factor is also looks. who likes a bike with shallow wheels, it just looks meh :D. If I had to buy 1 set and didn't have any wheelsets yet, i'd go for a lightweight 50 mm set
Thanks for another great and informative video.
Thanks for watching!
for 99 percent of us it all comes down to marketing driven bullshit.It is the engine on the bike that does it.
Paris roubaix fastest ride was on an alloy bike with shallow alloy rims.Milan sanremo same thing
35mm all the way!!
Nice topic! Hope i see your new video everyday! Haha anything 40 to 50 mm would work for me
Thanks mate, trying to balance the the content a bit at the moment, love to hear you are learning something from it ... 40mm's for the win
Nice it help me allot in choosing the wheels ill buys.. more powers, have a niceday.
My frame is a climbing one so naturally 35s make sense
A 1.4kg shallow carbon wheel or a 1.4kg light weight aluminium wheel?
38mm for the mix of everything
I’m going with 25mm caden rims
Good wheels ... Jordan Louis raced on the back in 2019, he liked them