BEST Carbon SPORT 60 road wheels review: a budget race wheelset for speed merchants

BEST is a brand in its own right with a separate direct sales website, but is also described as ‘being backed by Scribe Cycling’s infrastructure’, so could also be considered a sub-brand of Scribe.

Scribe’s founder, Alan, explained that they wanted to make Scribe’s wheel technology available at a lower price point without diluting Scribe as the pinnacle brand. The BEST website says that ‘BEST Bike Carbon Wheels is the ultimate starting point for those seeking their first carbon wheelset’, with a simple line-up that currently consists of 50mm and 60mm carbon road wheels and a 40mm carbon gravel wheelset.

Scribe Cycling itself has long impressed with its dedication to innovation, coupled with prices and weights that are already very good, so the move to even more accessible price points is certainly an interesting one. According to Alan, it's part of a long-term strategy, so watch this space, I guess.

Construction

Yep, you’ve guessed it, the BEST Carbon SPORT 60 is a 60mm deep wheel made from carbon.

Fortunately for me, there are some other details to delve into, though. Most striking is the fact that despite its inexpensive price, the spokes are made from carbon, which in turn contributes to its low weight. 1,578g (claimed, I measured mine at a touch more, but still easily sub 1,600g including rim tape) is decent enough for any wheel, but for a 60mm deep wheel at this price, it is impressive.

The spokes are straight-pull Alpina carbon aero spokes with 21 at the front, 2-cross on the rotor side, radial on the other, and 21 at the back in a 2-cross pattern. BEST says that although they carry all necessary spares and can dispatch them rapidly, the spokes and nipples are standard sizes (for carbon), so replacements should be easy to come by if necessary.

Something that I didn’t realise until speaking to Scribe/BEST is that carbon spokes, even bladed ones like these Alpinas, aren’t as aero as good steel spokes, as they are usually too flat, rather than elliptical. They are, however, much lighter, allowing the deep Carbon SPORT 60s to be a decent weight despite their depth. It would be nice to see some aero test figures for the BEST wheels, but, given the cost of wind tunnel time, it is perhaps understandable that a wallet-friendly wheel misses out.

Following the modern trend for width and shape, the rims have an internal width of 24mm, an external width of 32mm, and a tubeless-ready, mini-hook design. These gave my 30mm Continental GP5000S TR tyres an inflated width of over 32mm, so clearance might be an issue on some frames. The symmetrical, blunt U-shape should help in crosswinds, but 60mm is still pretty deep and only 5mm shy of the UCI’s maximum allowed depth. The profile is identical to that which was used in Scribe's Core 5 and 6.

The carbon used for the rims is a combination of T700 and T800, which is a slightly lower grade than that in Scribe-branded wheels, but still a very commonly-used material within the bike industry - it just means that a little bit more material might be required for the same level of stiffness. The branding is subtle - just gloss black lettering against the carbon rim.

A double ratchet freehub with 10° engagement provides quick take-up when the pedals are pressed and the alloy hub bodies include Ceramic Performance bearings.

Both Shimano and SRAM freehub options are available, and there is a 50mm deep version too. The wheels have a system weight limit of 120kg.

The ride

As the wheels arrived in the middle of winter, my first real chance to get some miles in came on a February trip to Gran Canaria. I was a bit hesitant to take them with me, though, as I was worried a 60mm wheelset and a windy Canary Island might not go very well together, but hey, Gran Canaria is usually fine.

So, of course, having packed the deep carbon wheels, Storm Regina struck, making the plane landing a bit exciting, and the first couple of rides equally interesting. To be fair, none of that is the fault of the BEST wheels; no one would recommend a 60mm deep set of wheels for riding around a hilly volcano in the middle of the Atlantic, but needs must.

In fact, despite some trepidation on my part, the wheels weren’t nearly as unruly in the crosswinds as I had feared they might be. I was very impressed with the stability of Scribe’s CORE 50 SL wheels a while back, and it seems that BEST has pulled off a similar trick with the Carbon SPORT 60s. Which is not to say that there weren’t times when I had to concentrate more than was comfortable, and that a shallower wheel would have been easier to ride in difficult conditions!

Unsurprisingly, given what we know about yaw angles and aerodynamics, the faster I went, the less affected by crosswinds the wheels were, so in some respects, going uphill was harder than going down or along the flat.

None of this should be news, and it is not meant as a criticism of the wheels at all - I was using them in conditions for which they were not designed. They are just some observations that I found interesting about using the wheels in sub-optimal circumstances.

Luckily, after a couple of days, the breeze abated, and the conditions were a little more to the wheel's liking, and they did precious little wrong.

Of course, better weather didn’t mean fewer hills, and at a maximum height of 1,949m, the rides certainly tested the BEST wheels’ climbing ability. The deep wheels give away about 300g compared with my normal wheels, but I was pleasantly surprised by how little I actually felt that difference, even uphill.

The stiffness of the carbon spokes and the deep rims gave the wheels a very direct feel; not harsh or uncomfortable, but direct both in terms of road feel and power transfer. Standing on the pedals uphill produced a snappy, instant response that went a long way towards making up for the extra weight, whilst even with 30mm tyres at 60psi the road surface made itself known at all times. This, plus their performance in breezier conditions, led to a ride that could best be described as a bit fidgety. However, this is fair enough, really, for a wheelset designed for speed, not leisurely coffee rides.

Back in the UK, I had the chance to ride some faster, flatter roads both on my own and on fast group rides - exactly the kind of thing 60mm wheels were made for, and I wasn’t disappointed. Whilst I am in no position to verify or question any aero numbers, the BESTs were great at over 35kph, holding speed with less perceived effort than would be required with a lighter, shallower wheel. In part, this will be to do with the wheel depth, but also the flywheel effect of the deeper, heavier rim that carries more momentum than a lighter rim. Whatever the reason, they felt fast.

Value and conclusion

Value is a no-brainer. £749 for a 60mm deep carbon-spoked wheel that weighs less than 1,600g from a trustworthy brand is exceptional.

For me, the bigger question is regarding what purpose they serve. 60mm is pretty deep and can be a bit of a handful in some conditions. BEST’s mission statement is basically to be the best ‘first upgrade’, and I can’t help but think most 'novice' riders probably shouldn’t be buying 60mm wheels as a first upgrade. BEST’s own Carbon SPORT 50 is the same price and weighs just 1,449g, making it a more relevant product for most folk. Equally, if you are strong enough and experienced enough to be considering a 60mm deep wheel, then would you not be looking at a more premium option like Scribe’s own Elan Ultra 6 wheelset perhaps?

Of course, there will be some budget-conscious riders and racers who live in flatter areas, and the Carbon SPORT 60s will also work perfectly for time triallers or triathletes who want some fast, race-day wheels but can’t justify a higher price for occasional use.

What they do, they do undoubtedly well, offering deep-section performance at a bargain price.

I vacillated between 4.5 and 5 stars for these wheels, but ultimately I think that the few negatives are probably shared with all 60mm deep wheels, and aren’t just a BEST issue. Therefore, as 60mm wheels go, these are an excellent product at a compelling price, so they deserve 5 stars.