Granted I ride an old bike by most standards, a 2005 Scott CR1 Pro. A fine bike, one I have ridden almost exclusively – my stable has 4 bikes – with the Scott being my main ride, my road bike. Though she is old, nothing wrong with old if you catch my drift, the frame and fork are topnotch and fit me well. Plus with a few thousand miles of riding each season all the other parts have been replaced at some point, including an upgrade last year to Campagnolo Chorus 11 groupset. All parts except the wheels that is, until recently.
I have put serious miles on the stock wheels and hoped they would need replacing. If something needs replacing it is a repair not an upgrade and easier to rationalize and accept the cost. Anyhow, that wish came true this summer when my rear hub was pronounced toast by the mechanic at my LBS.
Like most cyclists I had heard no upgrade changes the performance of a bike more than wheels and I am here to tell you it is true. Incredibly true. I wish I had done it years ago.
To be fair, I went from the stock Mavic Ksyrium wheelset to Reynolds ARX41 carbon fiber wheelset with tubeless Schwalbe Pro 1 tires so you would expect an improvement in overall ride, climbing, etc., and I did, but I was cautiously hopeful about any improvements I would see.
The wheels have exceeded all expectations and made cycling even better this summer. So if you have been on the fence about upgrading your wheels I encourage you to take the leap. With us entering the off-season for cycling you can probably find good options at a good price.
My Scott pictured above; I opted for the tan Schwalbe tires to complement that beautiful black frame. I like the look. Thanks for reading!
You must be logged in to post a comment.