Any personal reviews for Bora WTO?

[lavi]

Originally Posted by aharbutt

They're great wheels. Feel solid, braking is great.

The Bora 50s make you feel like you're riding a knife they're so stiff and great for sprinting out of corners. As I don't do that too often anymore the WTOs are the all around better options.

Running Conti GP5000 25 Tubeless and haven't flatted since getting them.

I don't love the look of them with the smaller steel tubes. But they spend most of the time on a rim Tarmac SL6.

Doobie. That’s a great bike!

Pics. I’ll play.

[Duende]

I absolutely love my Bora 35's. Maybe my favorite wheels ever. So for my disc bike I got the WTO 45s.

Have to say, I just wasn't crazy about them until I got them set-up with Tubeless. NOW.... I actually LOVE them too. Don't know why, but they really came to life with Tubeless.

Lastly, I don't think anything comes close to the ride of Campy hubs. Been that way since Nuovo Record imo. You wont regret going Bora.

[2000m2]

Originally Posted by Duende

I absolutely love my Bora 35's. Maybe my favorite wheels ever. So for my disc bike I got the WTO 45s.

Have to say, I just wasn't crazy about them until I got them set-up with Tubeless. NOW.... I actually LOVE them too. Don't know why, but they really came to life with Tubeless.

Lastly, I don't think anything comes close to the ride of Campy hubs. Been that way since Nuovo Record imo. You wont regret going Bora.

Are your Bora 35s tubular or clincher?

[grnrcr]

Just went from Roval CLX55 to WTO 33. Hard to comment on comfort difference because I went from schwalbe pro one 28mm to 30mm tires. At ~50psi, the ride is perfect.

The rovals felt like proper race wheels. Fast, loud, total b*tch in crosswinds. WTOs just feel composed. That’s the word. It behaves like sophisticated top end wheels. All the time.

[Duende]

Originally Posted by 2000m2

Are your Bora 35s tubular or clincher?

Clincher. Haven’t rode tubulars in years

[nmrt]

I appreciate all the glowing reviews for the Bora WTO.

So, from what I gather, the ride is sublime. And this is what almost all of you guys are saying. But would you still choose the WTO 45 as your climbing wheel and not something that is 180 g lighter?

I live in Colorado. And almost right out of my doorstep is Flagstaff mountain -- 5.5 miles and 2200 ft. This is where the WTO 45 (or should I get 33?), will be ridden 80% of the time.

[RiderR]

Either would be great and chances are the performance differences are tiny. For riding in the mountains I went with 33 for weight and friendliest descending in crosswinds. But could easily make the case for 45 for versatility and small aero gain on flatter rides. Have you any preference on which looks best to you?

[JMacII]

Originally Posted by nmrt

I appreciate all the glowing reviews for the Bora WTO.

So, from what I gather, the ride is sublime. And this is what almost all of you guys are saying. But would you still choose the WTO 45 as your climbing wheel and not something that is 180 g lighter?

I live in Colorado. And almost right out of my doorstep is Flagstaff mountain -- 5.5 miles and 2200 ft. This is where the WTO 45 (or should I get 33?), will be ridden 80% of the time.

I’m in Colorado too and planning disc wheels for my new ride next season. Been following all the WTO love here and will be putting campy 12 on new ride. I had pretty much settled on getting the WTO 60s, figured weight penalty was negligible for more aero and, if I’m being honest, think they look better. Thoughts on 45 vs 60 for long days in the mountains? I’m 6’4” 170lbs and new ride will be steel frame carbon fork so a couple ounces isn’t going to make or break for me.

[RiderR]

I’d go 45s for mountains. Admittedly I’ve not ridden Bora 45 (or the disc version). My WTO 60s feel a little less lively than my 33s accelerating/climbing. Amazing once up to speed though. The 60s do very well with crosswinds for their depth but I wouldnt choose to descend on them on a windy day.

[9tubes]

Originally Posted by RiderR

I’d go 45s for mountains. Admittedly I’ve not ridden Bora 45 (or the disc version). My WTO 60s feel a little less lively than my 33s accelerating/climbing. Amazing once up to speed though. The 60s do very well with crosswinds for their depth but I wouldnt choose to descend on them on a windy day.

Even though I am very happy with my Bora 45s, the independent tests show there are only a couple of watts difference between 45mm rims and 33mm, given the same spokes and rim shape, even at 30 mph.

The OP on this thread asked "If you had $2000 to splurge on carbon wheels, what would you buy?" The real answer, I think, is that a person could buy the Shamals and not give up much, maybe 5 watts compared to the Bora 45s. And remember that at 30mph we're pushing 400 watts so that difference is immaterial unless we are riding a long time trial. Show of hands, who does long time trials on a regular basis?

I don't want to give anyone the impression that my earlier praise for the Bora 45s means that they are necessary to go fast. I got a deal on mine that made the decision easy. I'm not sure I would purchase them if I had to pay retail.

[jmr_santa_fe]

I am saving and planning for a road rim build later this year, and am pretty sure I will try Campy after several years of Shimano 11 speed mechanical w/disc.

I would appreciate insight on two questions below. For context, my weekday rides are flat (I am in the Long Beach area of So Cal). About once a month I have time for long mountain rides in the San Gabriel Mountains with about 5K to 7K feet (1.5km to 2.1km) of climbing with extended descents.

First question, while the rim Bora WTOs are highly appealing, I am hesitant on carbon wheels with rim brakes, both from a braking power perspective (i.e. during a 13 mile/24km descent) and noise. I have a disc brake road bike and am tired of the hassles and am looking for something less finicky and easier to work on.

Second, not sure about the 33 vs 45. My use case is basically two extremes, either long flat rides or rides with extended climbing and extended descents. So it has been hard to think through the ideal rim profile.

This has been a great thread, thanks everyone for sharing their insight.

[deluz]

Originally Posted by jmr_santa_fe

I am saving and planning for a road rim build later this year, and am pretty sure I will try Campy after several years of Shimano 11 speed mechanical w/disc.

I would appreciate insight on two questions below. For context, my weekday rides are flat (I am in the Long Beach area of So Cal). About once a month I have time for long mountain rides in the San Gabriel Mountains with about 5K to 7K feet (1.5km to 2.1km) of climbing with extended descents.

First question, while the rim Bora WTOs are highly appealing, I am hesitant on carbon wheels with rim brakes, both from a braking power perspective (i.e. during a 13 mile/24km descent) and noise. I have a disc brake road bike and am tired of the hassles and am looking for something less finicky and easier to work on.

Second, not sure about the 33 vs 45. My use case is basically two extremes, either long flat rides or rides with extended climbing and extended descents. So it has been hard to think through the ideal rim profile.

This has been a great thread, thanks everyone for sharing their insight.

I can’t comment on WTOs but I have BTLOS rim brake rims that are 30mm deep and love them. The braking is not as good as my alloy wheels and due to the textured brake track they are louder when braking. It’s something I got used to and I do not often ride long descents. I went with 30mm because I wanted the lightest possible rim and also did not want to have problems in crosswinds.
The 30mm depth is just a bit more than my alloy wheels that I am used to.
Aero was not as important to me because I do not race or ride for times.
Aero is also about more than wheels and you don’t get the full benefit without doing all the other stuff. When I watch pro races I see some riders on 35mm rims while others choose much deeper rims. Not sure why but it’s probably a trade off between weight and aero.

[Kirk007]

It seems the key to carbon wheels with rim brakes and descending is really technique, tire type selection, perhaps rider size and to a degree weather. I find the brake track on the WTOs fine for stopping on flat and rollers but I haven't taken them on long climbs descents yet so can't comment. I've done some long descents on Boyd carbon tubulars and they've been fine. They are louder.

Other options: Campy Shamal Mille with the coated brake track, HED Ardennes Black and Jet 4 Black. I have and really like all three of these. You pay a slight weight penalty, but really not a lot with any of these over say the BORA WTO (non Ultra). The HEDs in particular feel fast and very nonscientific analysis, i.e comparing average speed over same/similar rides over time tend to show higher ave speed on the HEDs than most of my other wheels.

So, piece of mind and a few grams vs. bling and a chance of overheating, perhaps very small, a clincher carbon rim on long steep descents (I recall stories of folks overheating even Boras (non WTO) not that many years on for instance, Levi Leipheimer' Gran Fondo.

I'm sure there will be tons of comments saying that carbon rims are fine for your use case and I wouldn't disagree not knowing more. But only you can weigh you comfort level. For me, on trips to the Alps and Dolomites for instance, I've chosen coated alloy rims over carbon and not regretted it. I'm so slow up long climbs that a 100 gram weight differenc is nada and there are plenty of stiff alloy wheels.

[parallelfish]

JMR…

I am in Lakewood and likely ride the same roads as you, including the San Gabriels (GMR, the ridge, Baldy…etc.). The rim braking on my WTO is as good as any of my alloy rims. I have no qualms riding them anywhere.

If still concerned about the mountains, one could get a set of Zonda wheels to go along with the WTOs. Very affordable, especially when they go on sale, and a really outstanding wheel.

[jmr_santa_fe]

Originally Posted by parallelfish

JMR…

I am in Lakewood and likely ride the same roads as you, including the San Gabriels (GMR, the ridge, Baldy…etc.). The rim braking on my WTO is as good as any of my alloy rims. I have no qualms riding them anywhere.

If still concerned about the mountains, one could get a set of Zonda wheels to go along with the WTOs. Very affordable, especially when they go on sale, and a really outstanding wheel.

Noted and thank you!