Deep aero rims - DT Swiss ARC dicut 1400 (80mm) vs BONTRAGER Aeolus RSL (75mm)

Triathlon Forum
1

Hi,

Quite torn between these 2 aero wheelset (deep rim):

  1. latest version of dt swiss arc dicut 1400 disc brake 80mm depth front and rear
    Total weight 1830g
    20mm rim int width / 32mm rim ext width
    Hooked
    DT swiss 240 exp hub
    £500 cheaper than the Bontrager wheelset
    The arc dicut 1100 is totally out of stock everywhere so not a choice

  2. latest version of Bontrager Aeolus RSL disc brake 75mm depth front and rear
    Total weight 1640g (quite considerably lighter)
    23mm rim int width / 31mm rim ext width
    Hooked
    Dt swiss 240 exp hubs
    £500 more expensive than the Dt Swiss wheelset

Assuming carbon quality and aero performance is similar between the two brands (unless I’m wrong), I’m quite unsure about the rim width profile…

Dt swiss must have done lots of research for their latest wheelset to go 20int and 32ext, but Bontrager have increased the int width to 23mm which would be quite good for tyre pressure…

Which one of these wheelsets would be more aero? The one with lower internal rim width but larger external (ie. dts) or the one with larger int rim width and lower ext rim width (ie. Bontrager)?
Is the larger internal rim width (23mm) of Bontrager going to play well with 25mm clincher tyre with inner tube? Or would the tyre pressure drop feel “weird” on the road? I’ve seen a review of the Aeolus rsl 62 where the reviewer wasn’t too impressed with the ride feel at lower pressure on 25mm tyres…

I would be using 25mm gp5000 clincher front and rear (or perhaps 28mm rear) with latex tube.

What about rim/carbon quality and reliability? Is dt swiss better than Bontrager? And what about their aero performance data?

The 3 key factors at play for me are
rim profile width (ie aero performance)
overall weight
Price

Should I stick with the slightly deeper rim at 80mm and get a c. 200g weight penalty, and stick with slightly smaller internal rim width (20mm of dt swiss) and pay for £500 less OR pay £500 more, get a lighter wheelset and larger rim width (although I’m a bit concerned about the aero performance here)?

Quite confused with these two wheelsets so thanks for your help and feedback!

2

I have DT Swiss ARC 1100 and 1400 62mm front and 80mm rear. I use 25mm on the front, and 28mm on the rear, tubeless.

The differences between the 1100 and 1400 are the aerolite 2 spokes on the 1100 and of course the 180 hub on the 1100 (ceramic SINC bearings) versus the 240.

DT Swiss has published extensive data on the aerodynamics of their wheels, including rotational drag and the “sail” effect their design captures. The data is published on their website. I know it’s fashionable to dismiss this kind of data is marketing, but I do think it is a quality of the brand that makes DT Swiss more credible than many others.

As for reliability, I have 5 sets of different DT Swiss carbon wheels, (ARC rim brake, ARC DB, PRC rim brake, and even used a set of the of ERC1100 wheels for a race recently…AMAZING wheels for a road bike). I have had no issues with them. The carbon quality, spokes, hubs are all exceptional. DT Swiss did have a few “teething” issues with the redesign on the ratchet system, but those have been easily addressed and no issues. I live in Taiwan, I know where the wheels are made, and I have 100% confidence in the quality, reliability and service behind these wheels. One thing to note is that the nipples are enclosed in the rims, and so it is more work if there is a reason those need to be adjusted/tightened. I have not needed to do this with my wheels.

As for the weight difference, I think it ultimately depends on the course you are riding and how much you “feel” the weight of the wheels. On most courses, the aerodynamic advantages would be far more important than a weight advantage.

As for front 62/80mm, it really is rider choice. Having ridden with both 80 and 62mm front wheels, I found that the 62mm are faster for me because of the stability in the coastal crosswinds where I do much of my riding. However, the ARC wheels are very good with crosswinds compared to other wheels I have ridden, and I could see some feeling the 80mm wheels are very comfortable even in gusty conditions.

As for the comparison you are asking, I have never ridden those wheels so I cannot say. I know that based on my experiences with DT Swiss wheels and the price advantage they offer, I would have another set of DT Swiss wheels on my bike! :slight_smile:

3

My first question is can you afford either pair? If yes, (sounds like you can), go with what looks best to you. As the previous poster commented, he’s had great success with his DT SWISS wheels. Bontragers newest wheel seems impressive, and I like that they are less than 80mm.

I don’t think you can go wrong with either set. You probably won’t notice the 1mm external difference between the two. Both will be excellent choices and aero. Remember, it’s important to pay attention to the tire/rim relationship to maximize your aero benefit.

Can you get either now, or do you need to wait? If I was buying, and had the cash, I’d be tempted to go with the lighter set.

Have you considered any other brands/ options?
HED Vanquish?
Enve ?

4

Hey thanks for feedback.

Yes I can get both, but Bontrager has a 1-2 weeks leadtime whereas DT Swiss there’s one pair left for next day delivery.

I’ve considered Enve 7.8 (78-71mm) (similar weight to Bontrager at around 1630g) but the outdated 19mm internal width front and rear and tight external width does not convince me too much… also, it would be quite a lot more expensive at around £3000 to have dt Swiss hub 180exp that minimises weight (and £2500 for dt Swiss 240 exp, which is £1000 more expensive than dts).

I’ve also considered HED vanquish Rc8 pro (80mm) but I don’t like the aesthetics too much… a bit too “noisy”. They are fully out of stock right now, delivery would be in February and they come at £2200 for a very similar weight (1760g), so I’d pay more to get - very marginally lighter wheelset, longer leadtime, and worse hubs (that’s the hed in house hub rather than dt swiss). Internal rim width 21mm and external 30mm so not much change from dt swiss either.

Lastly, I’ve considered also the AeroCoach zephyr wheels front and rear (78mm), but again it’s in-house hubs, and even heavier at 1890g. Rim width 19.5mm int and 26.5mm external, so not so aero in my view…

Feels like dt swiss is the way to go… not too convinced about bontrager’s very wide internal rim… I’ve read very mixed reviews about the ride feeling of the rsl…

5

I recently got some Scribe wheels for a new road bike. I got the Aero Wide 60, but they make a 70mm and 70/80mm set as well. Pretty good specs for the money (width and weight). I’m very happy with them. I had them shipped to the US, which took a couple of weeks - not sure of shipping to Europe, where it sounds you are located.

6

I doubt that someone has tested both wheelsets in a windtunnel and even so I don’t think that they would share a testing result. Thus, no one will give you a precise answer.
Also, almost everyone are happy with their wheelset brand; I have bunch of friends who are happy with their Bontrager and DT Swiss wheels, I am personally happy with HED jet 9 on my TT and ENVE 7.8 on my road bikes. If $ price difference is not really import then buy what you think is more cool or what will make your bike looks better.