Swim Bike Run: BLADE Carbon Wheels

ITU World Champs 2011, Las Vegas.

Since I started my traithlon career in 2010, I've had the opportunity to race on all kinds of different wheels. Clincher, Tubular, Zipp, Sram, Pro-lite, Reynolds, Renn, and my current wheelset - Blade. If you're anything like me, you love new technology that looks fast. If it doesn't look fast, it probably isn't. This post is dedicated to my experience with time trial race wheels and what to look for when getting a good set of race wheels.

My first set of race wheels were a set of 2010 SRAM S80/S60 combo. Steel bladed spokes with structural carbon fibre and aluminum rims. I still think these wheels are one of my favourites, but that could be just because they were my first wheels that I love them so much. The rode excellent and could take a huge beating. I used them at all distances, from Spring triathlon, to 70.3 World Championships, ITU Long Course World Championships, and Ironman Mont-Tremblant. They stayed perfectly true for the 2 years I rode them and looked great.

I painted the SRAMs lime green for IMMT 2012 and turned a lot of heads when I rode by.

I, like most triathletes, wanted to upgrade and get something new. I tried a tonne of other wheels trying to decide what I wanted. First were a set of Zipp tubular 1080/808 combo on continental tires. I only raced a duathlon in these and was somewhat let down. Zipp was supposed to be the best money could buy, but these didn't feel as fast or as stiff as the SRAM set I had before. Certainly lighter and they looked sweet, but I didn't feel like they were worth their dollar value.

Next was an old Pro-lite Padova disc (tubular) with aluminum rims and a front Reynolds deep dish carbon clincher. I had never ridden a disc before this and this wheel convinced me that I needed to get a disc. Not the lightest wheel combo, but I can attest to the pounding the Padova can hangle. There's even videos on youtube of people jumping on the middle of these wheels and it stays perfectly true. Also, the biohazard-like decal is badass. The Reynolds front was good but I feel bladed spokes could significantly improve this wheel.

Pro-lite/Reynolds combo. Got to drive the Subaru lead car after the race in Milton!

Next I was introduced to BLADE wheels through a company called GoRiding.ca. They were certainly affordable so I bought a set of 88mm carbon clinchers. I had choice of decal colour, spoke colour and nipple colour so I chose blue decals, white spokes and red nipples. I bought this set of wheels, but was also able to demo all other wheels BLADE had to offer. The best part is all wheels are made with excellent quality hubs with ceramic bearings. The rolling resistance is non-existent. I was blown away by how long these wheels would keep spinning. The line-up includes:

Front:

Bike set-up that let me ride a 4:54 in Hawaii

Carbon Trispoke clincher/tubular

60mm carbon clincher/tubular

88mm carbon clincher/tubular

Rear:

Carbon Disc tubular

60mm carbon clincher/tubular

88mm carbon clincher/tubular

My first set were a pair of 88mm tubulars in the Guelph Lake Triathlon. I rode a best time on the course, which included a crash and mangled hip for 39 of the 40km bike. Needless to say they were fast and definitely could withstand a beating.

Me with my Rudy helmet on NBC!

Next I raced the clincher version of the same set in Ironman Mont-Tremblant. They felt the same as the tubulars and were super light on the climbs. A+ again for the Blade wheels. I then got debut Blade at the Ironman World Championships in Hawaii. I know it can be extremely windy in the lava fields and I was hesitant about using the 88mm set, so I borrowed a 88mm rear/60mm front tubular set. I brought the clinchers too just in case. Again, super fast and I had my best bike split ever over the 180k ride of 4h:54m. I even got TV coverage on the NBC broadcast, must have been the colours.

This year I still have my 88mm clinchers and have borrowed a tubular disc and trispoke - the coolest combination of wheels one could possible own. They looked bad-ass and the sound they make when you ride them...ugh. Now I was the guy with the whoosh whoosh as I rode passed my competitors.

The first race was a sprint triathlon in Milton Ontario. I was 5th out of the water but had the second fastest 30k bike split of 44 minutes, which included a climb up the Niagara escarpment, and climbed my way to second. They felt fast and awesome and holding 40k/hr felt easier than ever before.

Made it on the poster add after winning the Florida
Intimidator Half Iron Triathlon in Clermont

Next was Ironman 70.3 Eagleman in Cambridge Maryland. It was a perfectly flat 90k course so I thought it would be perfect for this set. I set a new personal best in the bike and rode a 2:15. I was convinced that these could compete with any other disc/front wheel combination on the market.

I would rank these wheels as some of the best on the market in terms of durability, speed, quality, and price. They look great and are well made. I took some pictures during Eagleman with my bike and the four different wheel combinations I could make. Check them out and check out the website www.bladecarbonwheels.com.