Why Carbon Clinchers?

[54ny77]

because they came with the bike.

[fogrider]

Originally Posted by Mark McM

Given the clear performance weight/aero performance parity of hybrid carbon/alloy rims, as well as their superior braking, I don't understand the apparent snobbery about this rims. Is it because they typically cost less than full carbon rims, and people just assume that price = performance?

I think it's more of a holdover from when they first did this. Then it really didn't save much weight and it came apart. Not sure how well it's going to hold up in the new formulation. I have buddy that broke a spoke and the wheel (rear) went out of true. It had to be rough trued to get home. Last month I broke a spoke on a carbon rim, also on a rear wheel. It barely went out of true. I was able to continue and finish my ride, no problem. I did have to bend my the broken spoke to wrap around another spoke so it didn't hit my frame.


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[pasadena]

Originally Posted by Mark McM

Given the clear performance weight/aero performance parity of hybrid carbon/alloy rims, as well as their superior braking, I don't understand the apparent snobbery about this rims. Is it because they typically cost less than full carbon rims, and people just assume that price = performance?

It's because they are ugly and the two piece design lacks a certain elegance of design.
Superficially, they just don't look as nice. That's probably the largest factor.

Other companies with similar designs don't sell as well either.

I agree, HED makes good stuff

[NYCfixie]

If you are going to add hybrid into this thread, Shimano wheels should be added. The DuraAce and RS80/81/700 hybrid Carbon/Alloy are really hard to beat at their price points. They are damn good clincher wheels.

[beeatnik]

Aesthetics: They look great on modern race bikas

Value/High Opportunity Cost: Spending $60/wheelset or 1 hour gluing tires to rims is a waste of my financial resources (and I ain't Carlos Slim, but an hour spent doing something productive is, ya know...)

Resale: The punters aren't trying to buy tubulars. Compare resale between enve clincher with r45 and enve tubular with r45. One is essentially unsaleable

That said, I did win a race once on a flat tubular. Ya, great for me and my retirement fund.

[Clean39T]

Originally Posted by NYCfixie

If you are going to add hybrid into this thread, Shimano wheels should be added. The DuraAce and RS80/81/700 hybrid Carbon/Alloy are really hard to beat at their price points. They are damn good clincher wheels.

Shimano ones are very different from HED's though. The HED's are literally a piece of flimsy plastic that looks easily destroyed and can fill up with water/dirt.. The Shimano ones are very sturdy and structural - at least the one's I've seen.

[NYCfixie]

Originally Posted by Clean39T

Shimano ones are very different from HED's though. The HED's are literally a piece of flimsy plastic that looks easily destroyed and can fill up with water/dirt.. The Shimano ones are very sturdy and structural - at least the one's I've seen.

I rode the RS-81 C24 and C35 for over a year and loved them. Difficult to compare because everything I owned or rode before them was 32 spoke alloy - most recently DT Swiss 350 hubs to DT Swiss R440 rims before the Shimanos wheels. I only got rid of the Shimano wheels because they were not going wide anytime soon so I got a pair of Boyd Altamonts. And, I only recently sold my BNIB "backup set" of RS-81s to a friend of a forum member.

Shimano, Campagnolo, and Fulcrum wheels are amazing but those Shimano Carbon/Alloys do take it up a notch (apologies to Emeril). Lighter weight and great braking.

[ltwtsculler91]

Originally Posted by Clean39T

Shimano ones are very different from HED's though. The HED's are literally a piece of flimsy plastic that looks easily destroyed and can fill up with water/dirt.. The Shimano ones are very sturdy and structural - at least the one's I've seen.

I believe on the Shimano clinchers the carbon is structural and the aluminum brake track is the add on, whereas for HED it is the opposite: an aluminum rim plus a carbon add on

[biker72]

Is there such a thing as a quiet carbon clincher?? I can hear those coming a mile away.