I’m looking at a replacement set of wheels, and the velomax/easton products seem to get good reviews.
Can anyone tell me what the major difference is between the Vista and Circuit models? They look very similar, but the Circuit is a couple hundred $ more. Any difference in hub type, or durability?
Is it worth paying a little more for the Circuits?
thx!
Yes, the hubs are different and that is the major difference. The rims aren’t identical, but I’d call it insignificant there. The Vista uses standard cone/bearing type hub and the Circuit has a sealed cartridge bearing. I have both sets of wheels and the difference in smoothness between the hubs is striking. Otherwise they are both excellent wheels. I have a set of Circuits from early 2002 that are getting close to 10,000 miles and both wheels are straight as the day I got them and the hubs are still butter smooth. My Vista wheels have more than 5000 miles on them and they are still straight, but the front hub got a little crunchy (probably from sweat), but it was never as nice as the Circuit hub.
what kind of wheels are you replacing. The vistas must be decent enough training wheels, Cervelo specs them on the P3. But you know, you get what you pay for. With wheels I’d spend the most I could afford if I were you. I just bought some vistas but haven’t ridden them yet.
Actually, I think the Vista now has a sealed bearing also. The major difference between the Vista and Circuit is the Vista uses J-bend spokes while the Circuit uses T3 (threaded spokes).
I’ve never ridden the Circuit or Vista, but I suspect you’d be better off to spend a little more coin and move up to the next level and get one of the wheels with the R3 series hub.
Thanks for the replies!
I’m replacing a set of Spinergy SR-3 wheels which were spec’d on my 02 Soloist.
I certainly don’t mind paying a bit more for an upgrade, as long as I know if the upgrade is worthwhile (hence the thread).
So far, it seems that the only difference between the Vistas and Circuits may be spokes, which I wouldn’t think would merit an extra couple hundred bucks… surely there must be something more tangibly different about the two sets.
Hmm… Did they just change the Vista hub in 2006? My Vista’s are 2005s and they definitely are not sealed.
Check out these:
http://www.rolwheels.com/sl28.html
Email Sean the manager and he’ll quickly respond to you about the wheels. Ask about the hubs.
Reviews: http://www.roadbikereview.com/mfr/rolwheels/wheelsets/PRD_366180_2490crx.aspx
I got a pair and they’re great. Especially at this price!
Chris
my sl28s just arrived. man are they good looking. the bladed spokes , the black finish. these are going to look stellar on my dual.
i’ll let you know how they ride later but they look to be very well made.
So you went with the Rols. Great. I really have liked mine. They do look great and performance has been flawless so far. Another friend of mine got a pair and he agrees. Great wheelset.
Chris
I have Vistas on my road bike and Circuits on my tri bike for training. Bot ride very nices and you wouldn’t go wrong with either one.
Something that might make you feel good about your prospective purchase…this weekend I was riding the tri bike after it had rained and hit a water-disguised pothole hard enough to rotate my front end down about 10-degrees (and wasn’t THAT a lovely sound). I checked the bolts holding the base bar afterwards and they were tight so you know I hit it pretty hard. My circuits are still perfectly round and straight. So I think you can check off bonb-proof as an attribute.
I’ve had a set of the Circuit wheels for 3 years now. At least 25k miles on them and I’ve trued them once. They’re bombproof and will require very little maintenance. The hubs are nice and quiet too.
That being said I’m sending the rear back today to have a spoke replaced. Someone was drafting off me and I didn’t know he was there. I turned and his QR got caught in my spokes breaking one of them. That’s another thread though…
Buy the Vistas as a cheap pair of everyday training wheels. You can’t go wrong. Get something else for racing if you need it. I know plenty of super fast guys who train on the Vistas and haven’t had any problems.
The Circuits are great wheels. Stiff and reliable, never had to true mine in 2 1/2 years. They’re fast too. Great speed per dollar ratio.