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.
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| 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.
