Swiss Side Gotthard review

“Designed to take on rough roads or the heavier rider,” so goes the sales blurb.

Well, with much of my riding taking place on the battered Surrey lanes and the testing period starting shortly after a ‘comfortable’ Christmas break, I was definitely the man for the job on both accounts.

With such — literally — robust claims, I was expecting this wheelset to be much heavier than its 1,465g claimed weight. So, to roll out on a set of wheels that are lighter than Mavic’s benchmark Ksyrium SL and Zipp’s priy 101 came as a welcome surprise.

The 27mm-deep, 6066-T6 aluminium rims spin up quickly on Swiss Side’s own CNC-machined hubs and hold their speed well, particularly considering their relative lack of depth. Sapim’s CX Delta bladed aero spokes are the icing on the cake; they slice through the air and ensure reliability.

Swiss Side’s founding duo come from Formula One and industrial engineering backgrounds, so it’s perhaps fair to assume that aerodynamics and durability come as standard.