Carbon fiber wheels are the latest big upgrade that many cyclist are opting for. The offer a smoother ride, aerodynamics, lighter weight and an increase in speed. You see more and more carbon fiber wheels on the road, from various manufacturers. The Bontrager wheelsets have the advantage of no rider weight limit, where other wheelsets do have weight limits. I weigh around 175, so weight is not a significant problem, but to me, the lack of a weight limit spoke to the robust design of the wheels. There are stories out there of other carbon fiber wheels delaminating. especially during long braking situations or simply disintegrating on the road.
The first day I had these on my bike, I rode the same route that I had rode the previous week, as I was getting ready for the Ojai Valley Century. The difference in road feel and speed was immediate. The road buzz was damped down, to the point where I thought that my tires were going flat. I also calculated that the uphill speed was 5% faster with this wheels and 10% going downhill. While I was going down Casistas Pass, I had to recalculate all of the turns because I was going into them 3 to 4 miles per hour faster. The muscle memory built up over time was all wrong now and I was flying down the hill than ever before
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