Pros
- Well balanced
- Good engagement
Cons
- Weight
Price as reviewed:
£1,100
The Reynolds AR41 have been a great addition to the Kinesis RTD I’ve been testing recently, which is a racier ultra-endurance style road bike. These updated a more boxy training-style wheelset provided and instantly pepped up the ride.
>>> Best road wheels reviewed in 2019
Reynolds is well known as a high-end wheel manufacturer in the cycling world but despite this offers up a great wheelset for £1,100 which is directly in competition with the more value-orientated brands.
Super-wide internal rim width for super-wide tyres
For that you get a 41mm deep carbon rim with an immensely wide internal width of 21mm. That is a good 2-3mm wider than standard, meaning they are great at supporting wider tyres. The 30mm tyres I tested them with, which stood very proud at 32mm, felt like they hovered over the road.
I did find they rolled nicely without too much effort and didn’t feel laboured especially at speed. They could be teamed up with tubeless tyres – I didn’t on this occasion – with Reynolds providing all you need to make the switch if you wanted.
A small notch in the Reynolds’ performance was stiffness around the hub area. Big out-of-the-saddle efforts forced some brake rub, especially at the front, which I haven’t felt on other wheels used in the same bike but with such a wide profile, are these wheels made to be out-and-out performers?
Centrelock disc attachment for the AR41s
An issue I find with the latest tubeless-ready rims is the hardship of getting tyres on and off, but with the AR41s it was positively a doddle. Although, the supple Challenge Strada Bianca tyres helped in this case.
>>> Buy now: Reynolds AR41 Carbon Clinchers from ProBikeKit for £1,000
Finally the nice, loud 10-degree engagement hub felt like quality too, helping pick-up out on the road, which made these wheels a joy to ride. Despite their roadgoing nature, I think you could enjoy these wheels on some light off-road rides too and they’re probably suited to those looking to explore a little rather than those looking for pure performance.
A solid option with a lifetime warranty thrown in for good measure.
Verdict
These are a great, robust set of hoops, although a little weighty. You'll definitely get a performance boost over your stock wheels.
Details
Weight: 1630g
Spokes: 24 front, 24 rear
Internal rim width: 21mm
External rim width: 30mm
Contact: www.upgradebikes.com
