Cyclingnews wind tunnel tests prove that expensive wheels are actually faster – you get what you pay for, with one exception

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Cyclingnews wind tunnel tests prove that expensive wheels are actually faster – you get what you pay for, with one exception

Artech6.The road wheel from the Dutch brand range has been crowned by cyclingnews not only the fastest road wheelset in testing but also the lightest of the 18wheelset wind tunnel mega test too.

This result suggests a weight reduction of 50 watts for an entry-level wheelset at propeloton race speeds of 20.6 kph, or a more achievable 30 watts at up to 5.6 kph, or 435g.

By 2024, the latest in a series of lab tests targeting 23 helmets, 11 superbikes, 24 road tires and 15 pairs of bib shorts, the Cyclingnews technical team will test 18 of today's best road bike wheels and a benchmark entry-level baseline. The team brought the bike into a dedicated cycling wind tunnel at the respected Silverstone Sports Engineering Hub in the UK.

They tested for a total of 399 data points across all wheels at 7 speeds over 3 yaw angles. They also captured a number of additional measurements of the day, including real-world weights, tire widths, and more. 

In a 10,000-word analysis of the test, the team not only outlined the aero results for each wheelset, but also examined the correlation between both aerodynamics and weight and price. They calculated the cost per watt saved when upgrading the wheelset and compared it to what was seen in previous tests. 

The test featured a true Christmas wish list for road cyclists, including Princeton Carbonworks Wake6560Evolution, Roval Rapide CLX II, Enve SES6.7, Reserve52/63, Syncros Capital SL Aero, Hunt Sub50Limitless UD Carbon Spoke, and Cadex50Ultra. 

They were each tested on a Reap Vekta exercise bike and each used a 28mm Schwalbe Pro One TLE tire to standardize the results as accurately as possible.

Even though Scope Artech wheels is above the table for the day, there is an important caveat to be explained in the form of statistical errors in the test. Taking into account, a small selection of others can put the claim to the top spot in the wind tunnel.

With that in mind, several other brands also leave the test satisfied. Syncros Capital SL Aero wheels, for example, is a close second in both aero and weight, and actually came out slightly faster at a test speed of 50kph. 

Another big winner of the day was Northern Ireland-based Scribe Cycling, whose core SuperLight60 wheel held its own at all speeds, despite being significantly cheaper than most other wheels and less than a quarter of the most expensive price in the test. 

Hunt, Cadex and Parcours also came out strongly against deeper competitors, although the wheels were all at the shallower end of the test. 

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