Testing wheels in isolation can be tricky. It's possible to comment on the ride quality, which may be good - but without the benchmark of near neighbours it's impossible to score them very accurately. That's why we've run this group test with seven pairs of similarly specified wheels ridden headto-head over the same terrain for the same amount of time and distance.
In order to make the comparisons as direct as possible, all wheels on test have 24mm or wider internal- width with carbon rims. The same tyres were used throughout: Pirelli 40mm Cinturato Gravel RC, which were run at 25psi on the front and 29psi on the rear.
Terrain was mixed, with some road and road-climb work, fire roads and rough tracks with some more technical sections thrown in. Total distance for each was 500-600km with additional break outs for some finessed head-to-head before arriving at a final decision.
On gravel, comfort is a defining feature and so I considered three levels of trail feedback and how the wheels dealt with each. 'Buzz' is regular surface 'noise' that's minimal and consistent in feel; 'chatter' refers to rougher, more uneven surfaces; and judder describes irregular trail features that are large enough to put you off your pedal stroke or deflect a wheel from its straight-line action.
It's no surprise that deeper rims tended to be stiffer while shallower types were more comfortable. Interestingly, though, light weight wasn't the be all and end all...
Your tester
Russell Burton
● Experienced cycle photographer and keen gravel and MTB rider Russell is also a regular bike-kit tester for Cycling Plus and our sister website BikeRadar.com.
Tyres used
Pirelli 40mm Cinturato Gravel
RC £64
Denne historien er fra June 2023-utgaven av Cycling Plus UK.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent ? Logg på
Denne historien er fra June 2023-utgaven av Cycling Plus UK.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
No limits
Not every adventure needs to be that epic, says bikepacking Scotland founder Markus Stitz
UNBOUND UNLEASHED
Josh Patterson was one of 34 starters for the inaugural edition of Unbound in 2006. Now, with more than 5,000 riders taking part in today's event, he charts the rise of the most important race in gravel
FOREST COMMISSION
Looking for a goal race in 2025 that'll stimulate the synapses and live long in the memory? You'd struggle to do better than ENID CRV in Finland
15 OF THE BEST ADVENTURES
Featuring Yorkshire, the USA, Sri Lanka and more, here are our picks of the world's greatest gravel races and routes
The stuff of dreams
Ned sings the praises of the Paris Olympics road-race course
"I rode 3,000 miles around Britain on a bamboo bike to highlight our climate crisis"
Recordbreaking cyclist and triathlete Kate Strong, 45, took to the road to raise awareness of environmental issues
FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE
We venture into the hidden gem of the glorious Creuse, one of France's least populated regions
STAR TREK
New tube shapes and carbon lay-up makes the eighth generation of Trek's legendary Madone an aero and climbing bike all rolled into one
GOLD RUSH
With conflict around the world, Paris 2024 was a ray of light. Here are our highs of a mighty Olympics
HIGHER CALLING
Pro cycling commentary is a formidable skill that Ned Boulting and Matt Stephens make look easy. Andy McGrath drops in on their booth at this year's Giro d'Italia to learn their secrets
