Bought this to replace a 2-year-old Shimano GRX rear wheel that started breaking spokes. Found out that Shimano uses a proprietary spoke and nipple that my local shops had trouble finding. DT Swiss is the standard - every shop in the country should have spokes/nipples for it. It's a touch heavier than the GRX wheel, but it's been rock solid and smooth for my 195-pound booty. The ratchet freehub feels good, not super quiet - but not too bad. Overall, no complaints here, aside from it costing a little more than I wanted to spend right now...
I purchased these to be my backup racing and everyday training wheels. My racing wheels are narrow tubular rims which don't allow for a quick change should I have a blowout either training or racing. Having a set of quality clinchers gives me a back up and, in the event they experience a flat, the possibility for changing the tube/tire quickly. These are a nice set of true, smooth rolling wheels of high quality that should last a long time.
I am very happy with this wheel. I got it to replace the OE Bontrager rear wheel, which cracked the rim at a spoke nipple
When it arrived, the box was pretty beat up, but the wheel was undamaged. Out of the box it weighed 908 g.
I had to use tire levers to get my GP5000 clincher on, but that's typical.
I swapped over the disc and cassette and put in on my Domane. The disc fit perfectly with no adjustment of the caliper needed. The derailleur needed a little adjustment to shift just right.
A little way into my first ride, I thought something was wrong. I couldn't hear the free hub at all when coasting. But everything was fine, its just the quietest free hub I've ever heard.
The rim is very true. All is good!
And I'm thinking the bladed spokes will make up for my non-aero, upright riding position. :)
I was searching for an aero wheelset for my rim brake bike build, a 2009 Giant TCR Advanced SL, and HED wheels were the best option by far. When it comes to rim brake aero wheels, HED stands out as the best choice. They undergo rigorous aero testing, provide excellent customer service, and feature a black aluminum brake track that offers braking performance comparable to disc brakes. While they are slightly heavier than all-carbon wheel sets (these have a carbon faring over an aluminum rim), I believe the brake track and optimized aerodynamics compensate for this in my opinion. Additionally, the 60mm depth of the wheels is surprisingly stable in crosswinds. Initially, I was considering the slightly shallower version, but I'm glad I opted for the 60mm. One unexpected aspect is the slight noise they produce due to the carbon faring. When you encounter obstacles like rocks, you can hear a distinct pinging and echoing sound. Despite this minor inconvenience, these wheels are truly exceptional.
