scott8888 wrote:
The benefits of carbon fiber over other materials are massively dependent on the fine details of the layup process. Laying carbon in a mould needs to be done by hand so its expensive but is also hard to see which means companies will cut corners to reduce costs. A cheaply build carbon wheel will be no better than a less expensive alloy wheel even if it looks similar to high end carbon wheels. The details on the Btols website indicate they are really cheaply built. Specifically they indicate the carbon weave has little impact on the product. From their website:
Different weaves can either give varying amounts of strength and looks. The rim strength and weight are almost the same. The 3k / 12k / UD / 15k / 18K / 3k twill / 15k twill / silver 18k/ Marble is the choice of cosmetic appearance. In short, just choose what you like. When ordering, if you need an appearance other than UD / 3K / 12K, you can email us directly or contact us online. For the above statement to be true the rims have to have been engineered in a way which do not take advantage of carbon fiber. Basically they are building the rims with enough carbon to ensure that no matter the layout the rims hit their strength requirements which means you are better off buying alloy or alloy with a carbon fairing. Similarly the brake track treatment choices are also very suspect as it suggests the only difference between the brake track and the rest of the wheel is a thin surface treatment. In the world of bike parts just because something is carbon doesn't mean its good.
Agree and disagree!
You're absolutely right. Their comments suggesting weave is a matter of cosmetics indicates that either the marketing is completely untrustworthy or the wheels are not properly engineered as an optimised functional component - probably both. Based on the text in your quote alone, I wouldn't touch these wheels with a barge pole!
I slightly disagree with your comment that a
"cheaply build carbon wheel will be no better than a less expensive alloy wheel even if it looks similar to high end carbon wheels". That's because it implies that an alloy wheel is clearly inferior to a high end carbon wheel and I think that's very debatable - at least for rim brakes. Disc brakes get rid of some of the biggest problems for carbon and may put them out in front.
But I absolutely agree that
"just because something is carbon doesn't mean its good". If I was the OP, I'd steer well clear of these and get something that's a known quantity. HED Jets being a superb example, or if they are determined to go full carbon, go with something reputable with known aero advantages and known reliability.