Deep section carbon wheels are currently an area of intense development, with a now bewildering number of options for those in the market for such wheels. It’s hard to ignore their popularity, with many of the pros riding them, in turn leading to an increase in their adoption by many amateur racers.
The main advantage of deep section wheels, of course, is not just how good they look, but also their aerodynamic advantage. Granted, many of us probably don’t ride fast and hard enough to warrant the benefits [speed up then, Dave – Ed.], but that’s beside the point.
Reynolds have expanded their range, with the latest three wheels taking the brand’s total up to 15 models. There’s plenty of debate about the most effective depth of rim, as speed, stiffness, weight, price and other factors need to be traded off against each other.
The SDV66 wheels (available in tubular or clincher versions) opt for a 66mm carbon rim. Reynolds employ a new proprietary lay-up process to achieve a 1,350g/pair weight for the tubular version, and 1,650g/pair for the clincher version. Both models are built onto DT Swiss 240S hubs, customised to Reynolds’ specifications, with 16 front and 20 rear spokes holding the lot together.
SRP for the SDV66 T (tubular) is £1,299, while the SDV66 C (clincher) will sell for £1,599.
For time trials and track racing, the Element Disc T makes use of a unidirectional carbon fibre design with a carbon braking surface, building a 1,100g wheel. The hub is Reynolds’ own design. A clincher version of the Element is due for release next year.
