ROAD TESTED R I D D E N & R AT E D
BEST ON TEST
NOVATEC JETFLY
THE VERDICT
WINNER › NOVATEC JETFLY Low weight, great responsiveness and a top price
T
he great news if you’re on a relatively tight budget is that our overall experience of these 10 affordable wheelsets was more consistently positive than in some of our cost-no-object tests. Reliability was good throughout, alloy rim braking was consistent in all weathers and while weight and stiffness vary, none of the wheels are wholly uncompetitive. Features include high quality adjustable bearings, butted spokes, steel or steel-reinforced freewheels, the latest tubeless-compatibile wide rims and even sub1500g weights – so there’s very little you can’t expect for under £400 these days. Some wheels inevitably stand out in comparison or for their unique features. Hope pairs its Pennine-made, mountain bike-bred hubs with Mavic’s classic Open Pro road rims to form a super-tough combination. Our long-term experience with their 10-speed predecessors
suggests that Shimano’s updated 11-speed up and if you’re happy not shopping locally Ultegra 6800 wheels are the closest you’ll get they’re the clear winners of our value award. to tightly responsive, tubeless-ready perpetual In fact, the general standard of wheels on motion if you treat the bearings right. But when test has been so high that it’s taken one of the it comes to gaining a place on the hoop, hub and world’s largest hub and wheel producers to spoke podium, the super-tight and lightweight step out of the shadows – with a wheel made CAMPAGNOLO ZONDAS impressed us with under its own name – to take overall honours. their power transfer and ability Novatec has a vast amount to sustain speed to take our of manufacturing experience The Jetfy wheels are race wheels title. and the scale of its production the lightest, most SUPERSTAR’S PAVE 28 has allowed it to produce the wheels skip conventional lightest, most responsive responsive wheels shop costs to keep the wheels on test by a fair on test – and they’re price to a minimum. But margin – and at a cracking a cracking price too they’re a far from cheap and price too. Bang-up-to-date cheerful offering, as their wide profile tubeless rims contemporary wider section, tubeless-ready laced to top quality hubs make the NOVATEC rims and handbuilt quality deliver the sort of JETFLY an outstandingly fast yet friendly and performance you’d expect at twice the price. durable performer and the clear winner of our Add outstanding warranty and customer backaffordable wheelset showdown.
150 | May 2014 | CYCLING PLUS
CYP287.gt2.indd 150
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