As a cyclist, the search for newer and better gear is constant — there's always something else out there. Premes, Picks, Promos will highlight both the next big thing and the sleeper deal.
You know what's great about cycling technology? Trickle-down. Sure, other industries have the same sort of progression, but in cycling it gives those with smaller bank accounts a chance to take advantage of top-shelf technology.
Case in point: Shimano's new Ultegra 6700 wheelset. With a retail price of $650, it's tubeless ready and borrows heavily from the Dura-Ace 7850-SL wheelset.
In my experience — I've been racing the 7801-SL tubeless wheelset for two years — the road tubeless system works very, very well. With a bit of sealant, small puncture flats are all but eliminated. And the road feel is considerably better than a clincher, but with far less maintenance than a tubular.
Like all bits of trickle-down, the Ultegra wheelset is a bit heavier — 1,652 grams (claimed; we had a pair in the shop that was closer to 1,700) — than the 7850-SL wheels (1,505g claimed). But think about what you're getting for $650: proven quality of high-end Shimano hubs, a versatile rim system (tubeless or clincher) and — if need be — an inexpensive race wheelset.
Tires
Should you choose to go tubeless, you'll have a growing number of tire options. For cyclocross, there are a pair of choices from Hutchinson — the Bulldog (405g, $60) and Piranha (right, 405g, $60). The only real difference is the tread pattern, so tires could be swapped for the conditions.
On the road, I'm partial to Hutchinson's Fusion 2 Tubeless (290g, $70). For daily use, I don't think they're quite durable enough. But if you keep your race wheels in the bags until race day, you'll easily get a full season — maybe two — out of these. As they get a little older, they do tend to get slick, so keep that in mind.
Other bits
For mountain bikes, tire sealant is a necessity. The same could be said about road tubeless, but I've never actually put any sealant in mine. I think it started by being cheap (yeah, I said it) and then progressed to "Eh, I don't need any." Regardless, I haven't had any problems. Should you go with sealant, Hutchinson's Fast'Air ($14) is the way to go. It's formulated to work with Hutchinson's tires, though Stan's has been quick to point out that its sealant hasn't caused any problems.
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In addition to being GamJams Tech Editor, Bryan Redemske manages the Trek Store of Omaha, is a professional writer and a Cat 3 racer. He drinks a lot of coffee.
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