The Shimano Ultegra C60 wheels use the very same rim form because the costlier Dura Ace C60 wheelset. The one distinction is the load of the edges and the worth. So how do they fare?
Development
The edges measure 60mm deep because the identify suggests, 28mm exterior width, and 21mm inner width. The whole weight is a claimed 1,659g whereas the load on my scales is 1,676g.
Shimano claims the C60 wheels are sooner than the competitors at 0-15 levels yaw, however doesn’t identify the competitors. A bit of digging exhibits that testing speeds have been 48kph and watt financial savings have been three watts on common however this was as regards to the shallower C40 rim; Shimano says the C60 saves extra.
The 60mm deep rims have a 21mm inner width and a 28mm exterior measurement
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The wheels use 24 spokes entrance and rear, however with totally different patterns for every. The entrance wheel makes use of a 1:1 ratio of 12 on either side in a 2-cross lacing sample. The rear makes use of a 2:1 16 drive aspect 8 rotor aspect with a 3-cross and radial sample. That is what Shimano name OPTBAL (Optimum Stability). It is used to raised distribute the unequal forces utilized on the drive-side of the rear wheel the place elevated torsional stiffness is required whereas sustaining lateral stiffness. The spokes are proprietary so should be bought from Shimano.
The C60 hubs use cup and cone bearings
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The hubs are Shimano’s personal model Ultegra WH-R8170 and use a pawl ratchet engagement system, with cup and cone bearings to permit for preload adjustment with a contact seal. The metal Borozon-treated races are designed to be sturdy and extra resistant. Simpler upkeep can be promised because of a ‘easy-to-adjust’ lockring design.
The hubs solely have a 20-degree engagement, however so long as you’re pedalling this isn’t a problem, and a decrease diploma of engagement can enhance sturdiness. The hubs are additionally solely appropriate with Shimano 11 and 12-speed cassettes, limiting their usability with different groupsets.
The journey
The very first thing I actually appreciated concerning the Shimano Ultegra C60 wheels was how simple it was to get the tyres on. With some wheels stretching of the tyres is required alongside some notably grippy gloves to get them over the rim. On the Ultegras the primary tyre bead obtained onto the tyre very simply whereas the second bead required minimal power to hook on. The tyres then took a bit extra effort to seat, requiring the valve core to be eliminated and a compressor. Nonetheless, after this, they retained their stress with out an preliminary journey required to unfold the sealant. The 28mm Pirelli PZero RS sat on the rim at 28.5mm and prolonged barely wider than the utmost rim width of 28mm.
When it comes to driving, they’re pretty heavy on the rim and this ends in them being fairly sluggish to rise up to hurry. Due to this I would not advocate them for criteriums. The hub engagement angle of 20 levels doesn’t really feel notably spritely both so there may be typically a component of slack earlier than the uptake of energy.
When fitted to the C60 rims the 28mm Pirelli P Zero tyres measured a little bit wider
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The place these wheels shine is their rolling velocity. At 30kph and past, they really feel very snug and it is quite a bit simpler to speed up as soon as they’re already turning at velocity, with the broader profile, deep rims and general weight serving to to carry velocity brilliantly. Which means that as soon as up to the mark they’re harder to decelerate, however not in a method that makes braking troublesome. Even on some steeper inclines, so long as I used to be per my energy the wheels climbed fairly effectively. On the flats and downhills, they have been extremely quick and over rolling terrain I used to be in a position to maintain velocity effectively.
One space the place these wheels do undergo a bit is within the wind. The profile is a bit more V-shaped than the predominate U-shape. For probably the most half, this wasn’t an issue, however in stronger breezes the wheels had a bent to get picked up by the wind, and notably affected by gusts. How the wind caught the wheels was not at all times constant and I discovered on some blustery days that I needed to transfer across the highway fairly a bit, which was not preferrred.
The rear hub runs quietly which can, or might not, be a blessing relying in your desire
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The wheels have a couple of sensible options that I appreciated The rear hub runs very quietly, which I personally favor to having a loud buzz akin to a hive of offended hornets each time I coast. The spokes might be modified with out the necessity to take away the tubeless tyres and tape to entry them. Nonetheless the nipple can solely get replaced with removing of tyre and tape, and solely Shimano hubs can be utilized with the two:1 rear wheel.
The entrance wheel’s 24 spoke, two-cross sample, makes it very secure and stiff for cornering in addition to braking. The rear hub is fascinating because it makes use of a three-cross sample on the drive aspect with 16 spokes however a radial sample of eight spokes on the braking aspect. Whatever the radial sample, the wheel has nice lateral stiffness and the three-cross on the drive-side appears to assist acceleration properly.
The valves for the tubeless tyres additionally characteristic a pleasant addition with a rim profile-shaped washer to supply a safe seal with none impression on the rim, whereas internally the form sits within the rim effectively so it doesn’t twist when tightening externally.
The tubeless valve washers have the identical profile because the rim to assist promote a safe seal
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For the worth, it is a set of wheels that performs very effectively. Nonetheless, for lighter riders I might go for the 50mm variant, primarily as a result of instability in crosswinds that may be skilled. The load isn’t actually a problem if tempo and energy stay constant, however for these driving occasions the place low-speed acceleration issues, a lighter rim can be higher suited.
Worth & Conclusion
The Shimano Ultegra C60 wheelset has virtually similar efficiency stats to the far costlier Dura-Ace wheelset however at a a lot cheaper price.
The wheels are stiff and roll effectively throughout most terrain. Solely on steep climbs or low-speed accelerations does their weight develop into an issue, however 60mm wheelsets typically expertise this. In addition they get caught in stronger gusts due partially to their V-shaped profile. The hubs provide improved serviceability and sturdiness in comparison with many wheelsets, making these an ideal on a regular basis choice. The one subject is that they’re Shimano appropriate solely, however for these with a Shimano groupset, these wheels are an outstanding worth choice.