Wheel Options

Some brands in cycling have an aura about them, a feeling everything they do is that little bit special. Enve are a brand that would definitely fall into that category, and their reputation for excellence and innovation is as well founded as the look of their products is slick.

The SES 4.5 clinchers are what Enve call their everyday racing wheelset, and they were launched last year to fit that very gap in Enve’s line-up.

Owning one set of wheels that can do everything is pretty much the dream for a cyclist, and while finding something to cope as capably with time trials as they ascend mountain passes is not going to happen, Zipp have given things a pretty good shot with their 303s.

Sure, the 303s are a few years old now, but the fact they’re still just about the best all-round wheels on the market should tell you something: you don’t mess with wheels when they’ve been crafted this well. Eventually, Zipp will update the 303s, but for now the current set are good enough that the Indianapolis-based company have decided not to change them.

With 45mm rims, the 303s strike a sensible balance between aerodynamics and weight, with the clinchers weighing in at a claimed 1,625g – although you can drop the best part of 400g from that if you want to go tubular.

The name Reynolds is forever entrenched in cycling history thanks to the company’s iconic lugged steel frames, and Reynolds Cycling is an American division created in the early 90s for the purpose of creating carbon components. It’s fair to say that Reynolds are equally at the top of the game in carbon as they once were in steel.

Reynolds introduced the world to the carbon clincher wheelset, and a long standing partnership with engineer Paul Lew means the company are still producing wheels to compete with the very best today. Exhibit A being their 46 Aero wheels.

For 2017, Mavic have dropped the aluminium insert previously found in old carbon clincher models, while also introducing an updated aero profile and a patented laser treatment technique to offer ‘industry leading’ wet weather braking performance.

If you’re not familiar, Mavic’s Cosmic and Ksyrium ranges cover a number of wheelsets, with the Cosmic line being pitched as ‘fast and light’, combining low weight and aerodynamics, while the Ksyrium line of ‘endurance road wheels’ (see below) are designed to marry durability, reliability and performance.

These new carbon-rimmed wheels are designed for climbing although a lot of effort has been put into making the braking performance as good as possible. What goes up must come down, after all.

The clincher versions borrow the construction method of the Cosmic Carbone 40 wheelset. It's not a full carbon rim: there's an 80g alloy insert that forms the bed and the hooks for the tyre bead. This is designed to ensure an even fit for the tyre and dissipates braking heat through the structure of the wheel.

Mavic’s extensive wheel range covers everything from high end carbon like the Cosmic Ultimates to their entry-level Aksiums, and it’s the quality they offer at both ends of the scale that really makes the Annecy-based brand stand out.

The Ksyrium range sits one up from the Aksium and is an immediately obvious option for anyone looking to swap out their training wheels or ditch the set that came with their bike. They’re representative of Mavic’s innovation, having been the first to use the ‘Fore’ concept – a spoke nipple mounted on the inside of the rim rather than externally, using less material and leaving a neater finish with the valve hole being the only visible intrusion.

We're happy to discuss your needs whatever the budget so please email info@panaguabikes.com for a no obligation chat.