Real life benefits of carbon wheels?

[vqdriver]

Dead sexy on the right bike, but it seems a lot of the advances are to get back to aluminum rim performance and weight benchmarks. I get the aero benefits at speed, but is there any day to day benefit for the typical rider? Think neighborhood streets with stop signs and long avenues but nothing epically epic.

[peanutgallery]

If you like creaky wheels with a really limited lifespan, buy em. Otherwise save your dinero. Aero is the only benefit, plan on them lasting less than 5000 miles

[FlashUNC]

Lol.

I love my Shamals, but Hyperons are head and shoulders better.

[adub]

About the same real life benefits of a carbon frame.

[kramnnim]

Originally Posted by peanutgallery

If you like creaky wheels with a really limited lifespan, buy em. Otherwise save your dinero. Aero is the only benefit, plan on them lasting less than 5000 miles

What? Maybe don't buy cheap carbon rims. My Enve rims have been perfectly fine for...I guess I haven't counted, but over 20,000 miles, and will likely be fine for another 20,000.

[benc]

They're fast. Borrow a pair or test out some loaners from your LBS. There will likely be naysayers around here but I suggest you make your own opinion.

I'm 5500 miles in on a pair if Chinese carbon clinchers. 200+\- miles a week of shotty intown Atlanta roads. When I ride other wheels, I miss my carbons. I'm a roadie racer with a 15# bike.

[R3awak3n]

maybe my alloy wheels are not as awesome but my enve wheels spin pretty fast and they are stiff. I do feel faster with them but could just be in my head.

braking sucks but I quite enjoy ridding carbon wheels

[vqdriver]

Originally Posted by benc

They're fast. Borrow a pair or test out some loaners from your LBS. There will likely be naysayers around here but I suggest you make your opinion

Yep. Im curious enough that i will eventually. But its good to have some expectations. thats not a cheap experiment either.

[R3awak3n]

there has been some really great prices on used carbon in the classifieds, great time to give it a try

[fogrider]

Originally Posted by vqdriver

Dead sexy on the right bike, but it seems a lot of the advances are to get back to aluminum rim performance and weight benchmarks. I get the aero benefits at speed, but is there any day to day benefit for the typical rider? Think neighborhood streets with stop signs and long avenues but nothing epically epic.

during the week, I ride on alum rims, weekends, the carbon tubulars come out. and yes I notice the diff!

[beeatnik]

Originally Posted by benc

They're fast. Borrow a pair or test out some loaners from your LBS. There will likely be naysayers around here but I suggest you make your own opinion.

I'm 5500 miles in on a pair if Chinese carbon clinchers. 200+\- miles a week of shotty intown Atlanta roads. When I ride other wheels, I miss my carbons. I'm a roadie racer with a 15# bike.

They're fast if you're fast.

[martl]

Originally Posted by peanutgallery

If you like creaky wheels with a really limited lifespan, buy em. Otherwise save your dinero. Aero is the only benefit, plan on them lasting less than 5000 miles

You can testride my LWs and see if you can make them creak. Also look for any signs of wear other than cosmetic. - good luck with that.
They were made 1998, btw.

@original poster: there are about 50-100 people in the world which actually benefit from light, stiff wheels, those with a chance of winning an important race. For the rest of us, they are just candy. I like candy.

[witcombusa]

They make you faster by lightening your wallet...

[benc]

My carbon clinchers were sub $400 from Baixaing Bike.

[Cicli]

Originally Posted by peanutgallery

If you like creaky wheels with a really limited lifespan, buy em. Otherwise save your dinero. Aero is the only benefit, plan on them lasting less than 5000 miles

Originally Posted by benc

My carbon clinchers were sub $400 from Baixaing Bike.

But are all wheels the same?
Me thinkith not.