Velocity A23 Wheel Review - Strada Handbuilt Wheels

Note: This is a follow up post on my recent Velocity A23 wheel set purchase and build from Strada Handbuilt Wheels.  If anyone is interested in looking over a view unboxing pics then please, head over in this direction.

Summary

To cut a long story to something shorter, I’m highly impressed with these wheels and their associated build.  In fact I’m willing to go a little bit further.  These A23’s are the best feeling and most comfortable clinchers I’ve ever ridden.  For me, they are an ideal if not the perfect choice for everyday training, racing and Sportive riding.

The Build

Perhaps the most obvious and well known product for people looking for a wider than normal rim would be something from within the HED Ardennes range which have been around for a good number of years and are generally well respected and thought after.  In truth I was quite ready to pull the plug on a set of these wheels before a work colleague suggested I could have a bespoke made to measure build for a similar price.  This got me thinking….

After a few evenings trawling through Google, bike magazines and the usual Internet Forums I found myself on a phone call with Strada discussing the A23 rim and what sort of build would be most appropriate for me.   We discussed my weight (69kgs), riding style and likely riding scenarios which in this case was a wheel set for every occasion built around using a PowerTap rear hub that I would be supplying.

Above: My Canyon Ultimate AL '11 with the A23's

Having discussed the many available build options (see the web site for more details) we opted for using a 20 hole PMP front (solid & reliable for the cost) with a 24 hole PowerTap rear laced to the A23 rim with black Sapim CX spokes (for strength and aerodynamic benefits).  This all came out at a grand total of 1,556 g which I'm more than happy with.

The Ride

From out of the box I fitted the A23s with a pair of Continental Gator Skins paired with a set of standard Continental inner tubes.  Taking to the road it became immediately  apparent how comfortable and smooth the ride felt. 

My winter bike, a Canyon Ultimate Al, with its aluminium frame usually offers somewhat of a firm ride over our rutted British roads although shod with the A23s it offered a totally different experience.  With my previous wheels, a set of Mavic factory standards, any ride over 4 or so hours had me feeling I’d done as much and yet with the A23s I’ve managed 4, 5 and even a 6 hour trip around what seemed most of Berkshire without getting the bodily soreness I would have previously expected.

Through a little bit of experimentation and advice from Strada, I settled on using 85 – 90 psi which is far lower than the 110psi minimum I would tend to use with my narrower rims.  Perhaps naturally I spent the first few rides a little worried that running the wheels on this relatively low pressure would up the risk of pinch flats.  Thankfully thus far I’ve been puncture free so such fears have been thus far allayed. (edit - 1st such pinch flat took place on the 8/4/12...... typical)

In addition to the improvements in comfort, there’s a noticeable increase in my perception of how much grip I have while cornering.  I’ll put this down to the wider rim offering a greater surface area between the tyre and the road which in turn has made me faster and more confident tackling the few longish sweeping descents close to home. 

In particular, close to home there’s a section of road with a 1km decent with a nasty left to right hander with a gradient of 8%.  Usually as a safety precaution I’d tackle this bit of road with fingers on the brakes.  Not so with the A23s which gave me the confidence to roll through the turns without any such worry.

As the weather and road conditions  improved I ditched the Gator Skins for a couple of longish Sunday rides with the  A23s coupled to a set of Continental 4000s and a pair of latex tubes.  Put simply, the ride with such a setup is incredible.  Fast, smooth, comfortable and bucket loads of grip.

With rims offering this level of experience, I’m starting to wonder I’ll ever seriously consider using tubs as these A23s seem to offset most of the supposed benefits they offer while giving the ease of use we all know and love about clinchers.