Shimano Dura Ace C50 7900 Carbon/Alloy Clincher Wheels
The massive 50mm profile of the Dura Ace C50 wheels certainly looks imposing, and if they could talk we're pretty sure they would bark "Get your legs moving, I wanna go faster!". After bolting a set of these deep dish wheels to your bike you'll find it very hard not to ride them at warp speed thanks to the incredible aerodynamic profile and their ability to cut through the wind like no ones business. For the time trialist, criterium racer or triathlete, the C50 wheels are guaranteed to find you extra seconds on the race course and give you the edge on your competition. While an 80/90mm deep rim will still be the fastest choice for flat courses, the intermediate profile of the C50 wheels gets you the best of both worlds; low wind drag in a range of conditions and responsive acceleration and handling for climbing and racing technical courses. Smooth rolling Dura-Ace hubs, bladed spokes and a proprietary in-house carbon construction make these a very special wheelset that also happens to be stunning value for money.
For 2012, the Shimano road wheel range continues to be refined, bringing new technology and sound design features to a range of pricepoints that will satisfy most budgets. With their heralded adjustable cup and cone bearing design, stiff box-section rims, standard lacing pattern and high tension build, Shimano road bike wheels make an excellent option for riders who value ride quality and long term durability when it comes to lightweight wheelsets.
Rims
The biggest drawcard of the C50 clincher wheelset is it's carbon fiber rim set that provides improved stiffness and lower rotational weight compared to previous alloy and Scandium rims. With their proprietary carbon construction, Shimano were able to boost torsional and lateral strength of the Dura-Ace rim to allow for higher spoke tension and less deflection when placed under heavy loads such as high speed cornering. The result is a set of wheels that rides like its on rails, with none of the understeer you can get from other wheels. However, the improved ride quality is most noticeable when you jump out of the saddle and hammer the pedals, where other wheels feel "soft" and "spongy", the C50's respond with near-instant acceleration. Rather than use an all-carbon construction, the C50's get an alloy braking surface that provides more consistent braking in all conditions, without the need for special brake pads. Compared to full-carbon rims, the C50's deliver the same responsive ride quality, light overall weight and a better braking surface, all at a fraction of the cost.
Spokes
Like the Ultegra wheels, the C50's get bladed straight-pull spokes for maximum spoke tension and aerodynamic performance, though the side benefit of using a 50mm deep rim on the C50's is that overall spoke length is reduced, resulting in a stronger and higher tension wheelset. Because of the shorter spoke length, Shimano employ a double butted spoke for both the front & rear wheels, using a 2.0/1.8/2.0 taper to reduce weight. Alloy spoke nipples are also employed to keep rotational mass down.
Hubs
The C50 wheels get Shimanos top end Dura-Ace hubset that is widely regarded as one of the smoothest rolling hubs available, with super low rolling resistance that makes the wheels feel lighter than their 1662 gram weight would suggest on paper. This industry leading smoothness is down to the precision built Angular Contact Bearings that use a highly polished Borzon bearing race. Water and dirt are kept out with a series of Labyrinth and Contact sealing, though if muck ever does work it's way in, you can easily strip and clean the Dura-Ace hubs unlike cartridge bearing hubs where you would be forced to replace the whole bearing. The other advantage of the cup and cone system is that you dial in the exact amount of tension required to eliminate both radial and axial play, while minimising rolling resistance. The Dura-Ace hubs get a Titanium freehub body to keep weight down over steel versions, without encountering the durability issues of aluminum freehub bodies and oversized 7075 Alloy hub axles improve overall wheel stiffness.
The
Shimano Dura-Ace C50 Clincher Wheelset features:
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50mm Deep Aerodynamic rims
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Proprietary in-house carbon-alloy composite construction
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Suited to 19c - 28c tyres
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Rim width: 20.8mm
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Stainless Steel Bladed Spokes (16 front, 20 rear)
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New Digital Bearing Adjustment System
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Angular Contact Bearings for efficiency and lateral support
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Highly polished Borzon bearing race
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Oversized 7075 Alloy axles
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8/9/10 speed compatible
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Titanium Freehub body
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Weight: 1662 grams
Shimano Dura Ace road bike wheels focus on durability, ease of maintenance and lightweight