These wheels are easy to overlook going by the spec sheet alone, but these wheels are much better than the specs would suggest. They are super responsive and more comfortable than I expected, certainly not to the level of something with a 25mm internal width, but they handle rough pavement surprisingly well. The stiffness is really impressive, I'm able to put out about 1000 watts in short bursts and I don't notice any lateral flex or spoke deformation at all. They hold air better than any wheels I've previously used, I think that is partly due to the GP5K AS TR tires, but Shimano definitely made this wheel the right way. These are probably the most stable wheels in crosswinds that I've ridden and they hold speed nicely as well. Shimano might have a more modern design in the works at this point, but these wheels are still really solid performance wise and the ride feel is amazing, they feel fast even at lower speeds which makes them a lot of fun to ride. When they are on sale it is a great value.
Vision Metron wheels are used by the pro peloton. This 40mm depth version is the predecessor to the Metron SL 45, which I've been lusting after for the past few months. However, considering I wanted to upgrade the (aluminum) DT Swiss R460 wheelset that came stock on my 2018 Ridley Carbon X-Trail, I was super stoked to see this 40mm Metron wheelset on sale for an incredible $845. Sign me up. The unboxing told the story I wanted to hear. Wheelbag? Check. QR skewers and adapters (in case you need these)? Check. Tubeless valves and tape? Check. The wheels themselves were wrapped in a fabric protective case, and then inside a plastic bag, and then safely ensconced in a side-by-side cardboard and foam board carrier inside the sturdy cardboard shipping carton. Everything arrived to my address in Texas in perfect condition. These wheels will save me almost 16 ounces of rolling weight on my Ridley, and I can hardly wait to test them out. Oh, one last thing: my Ridley wheels were setup with 6-bolt disc brakes vs. centerlock, which is what these new Metron wheels feature too. So, it saved me even more time and money. Truly a 5 star product and deal.
When it comes to wheels, there are few brands that actually produce a QUALITY wheelset where when you say the brand name, nothing else needs to be said and Enve is truly one of them. Are they pricy, yes. Are they quality, definitely yes. They are hookless, keep that in mind, however most tires that are coming out these days are all hookless compatible so finding compatible tires really is not a problem anymore.
They are very responsive wheels, and I have this set and a set of 4.5 SES and to be honest, I mostly use the 2.3s on a day to day basis. Yes, the 4.5s are faster, you can feel it on the flats and the downhills however with the 2.3s you never really have to worry about fighting the bike in crosswinds so from a day to day perspective it is a lot more realistic of a wheelset to use.
I have a steel frame road bike that is set up for rim brakes & a 9 speed Shimano gear train, so there aren't too many options out there for me to upgrade my wheelset. These HED wheels were compatible with my rim brakes, and also with the 9 speed Shimano cassette currently on the bike. The reviews of the wheels made them sound incredible, and when they went on sale for a significant discount I jumped at ordering a set. It was a bit difficult for me to convince myself of the value of the upgrade because the cost of the HED wheels (even on sale) was more than I'd paid for my entire bike back in 2020. I was also concerned that there would be issues with frame clearance and compatibility with the bike for the chainrings to line up. But it all worked out, and after the first ride with the new wheels I knew I'd made the best decision ever on the upgrade. I could spend thousands of $$ to go to carbon fiber on almost all my components. But because of the rim brakes, I am limited in many ways. I think the HED wheels improved the bike even more than if I'd gone to carbon fiber in all the other components.
