These hand-built beauties have been a longtime coming.
Clay is a total crusher, and has put tens of thousands of kilometres on his current set of road wheels. While the stock DT Swiss wheels served him and his Focus Cayo well, he was overdue for an upgrade.
Famed for his exploratory road rides that tend to cover more gravel & dirt than asphalt, Clay needed a set of durable wheels. Bomb proof wasn’t the only required criteria, as these new shoes needed to be built light enough to race on, and to contend in Monday nighter bunch sprints. There was, really, only one solution: Chris King Road Wheels.
We decided on the excellent Pacenti Sl23 rims. These 450g alloy hoops are our new favourite starting place for road wheels. Lightweight, these immaculately constructed rims are stiff, resulting in a wheelset that tracks well on ripper descents while resisting twisting under power. We dig the slightly aero 26mm depth, and the wide 24mm width. Faster in a straight line is a good thing, and the increased tire volume afforded by wide rims inspires confidence when cornering.
Lastly, the braking on these rims rules. Expert machining makes for a smooth & predictable brake track, and paired with good pads these things have real bite.
Chris King R45 hubs make the cornerstone of this build. No road hubs offer the same level of light-weight, durability, and incredible engagement.
These bright pink hubs should nicely compliment Clay’s current carbon ride, and will look even better on a titanium road frame, when that day invariably comes…
We chose Zipp Ti Aero Skewers to keep things secure. At 55 grams, they are a nicely machined alloy nut & lever linked to a very light titanium rod. The brass surface for the cam mechanism should be noted in particular, as it provides a durable interface for repeated use.
Weight? These handbuilt wheels come in at 1586g for the set. Light & strong.
