Ryan Builds Wheels Club Road/CX Disk Brake Wheelset

The Ryan Builds Wheels Club Road/CX Disk Brake wheelset is an excellent example of a solid and durable set of handbuilt hoops created by someone who knows how a quality wheelset should ride. It's a very good set of all-rounders, at a sensible price.

If you're in the market for a new set, check out our guide to the best road bike wheels for more options at a variety of prices, from £250 to over £2,500...

> Buy now: Ryan Builds Wheels Club Road/CX Disk Brake wheelset for £455 from RBW

Ryan Builds Wheels (who will be known as RBW from here on in, to save the battery life on my keyboard) is based in Bristol and offers a range of handbuilt wheels, in a range of options.

The build

These Club Road/CX wheels are specced with 30mm-deep Club Sprint 6066 T6 aluminium alloy rims with an external width of 24mm, measuring 20mm internally between the hooks that are there to hold your tyres in position.

Anodised black, they look smart, and the finish is durable too. Plus, if you're not into gaudy logos then you'll like the understated clean look. The only place you'll find the RBW logo is on the Bitex BX106 hub body, which is available in plenty of anodised colour options; ours is red, with a 24-spoke J-bend spec, and Center Lock mounting for the brake rotor.

Straight-pull builds are on offer too, and you can also go for 28 or 32 spokes if you are a bigger rider or want to carry kit on your bike. RBW says if specced correctly its wheels can accommodate a rider weight limit of 120kg.

Sapim CX Ray spokes with a bladed profile complete the build, alongside Sapim's 7075 T6 alloy nipples. Again, there are plenty of options on offer, giving you a near-custom build.

All freehub systems are offered, including Shimano HG, SRAM HD and HDR and Campagnolo's standard fitment, though its N3W offering carries a £12.50 premium.

The freehub you see here is a lighter Bitex offering, highlighted by the orange body, as there was limited stock of the standard model at the time our set was built. The standard aluminium model is a few grams heavier but offers longer service intervals and better wet weather performance.

RBW also offers a steel-bodied freehub at no extra charge, to suit heavier and more powerful riders.

As you'd expect with a set of handbuilt wheels, these arrived absolutely spot on straight out of the box. RBW works to build tolerances of a minimum of 0.1mm lateral and 0.2mm with regards to trueness in any direction, although it claims this is often exceeded with ease, with 0.05mm and 0.1mm respectively being more common.

Fitting tyres was a reasonably straightforward affair, with a 28mm pair sitting sweetly once fully inflated to get the beads to locate under the hooks of the rim.

I also tried some 25mm tyres, which were a little tighter to fit, and some 30s that were easier overall, but none of the sizes were difficult to install, and removing them was fine too.

Tyres can be run with both inner tubes or tubeless; RBW supplies tubeless valves for £8.

Performance

Well rounded is a good way to describe the Club Road wheels, I think. They'll suit those who don't want to focus on any one area, but who want a wheelset that can be relied on to tackle all sorts of riding – weekend jaunts, winter training, commuting, the club run and so on.

At 1,680g including valves and rim tape they aren't lightweights, but that doesn't stop them from feeling responsive under acceleration. In fact, even from a standing start they get a shift on without feeling sluggish, and it's the same when you hit the climbs.

Things are good on the stiffness front as well. Climbing out of the saddle or sprinting for the village sign showed no signs of effort-wasting flex and the freehub engagement is rapid. There's no 'slop' either when trackstanding at the lights.

From a speed point of view, a 30mm-deep rim isn't going to bring a huge aero advantage but they do roll well, and the weight means that rolling roads don't take the shine off their performance.

What I liked the most, though, is the stunning ride quality. Some wheels feel a bit buzzy, some hollow, some don't feel anything at all... but these RBWs just feel great. There is plenty of road feedback, and a smoothness to them even with the tyres pumped up to my preferred high pressures.

When riding on rough back roads they take everything in their stride, absorbing the bumps and potholes without complaining, and I definitely didn't feel the need to treat them with respect as I took the odd detour down the local canal path.

At the end of the review period they were still running just as sweetly and true as when they arrived, so I was definitely impressed with their overall durability.

Value

The wheels are £455 in this build, though you can add to the cost with various upgrades – the rainbow effect Oil Slick hub finish is another £30, for instance, or go for straight-pull hubs, or coloured nipples to match your hub finish.

One thing that boosts their value considerably is RBW's warranty: a minimum five-year guarantee for wheelsets made with butted spokes, and 10 years for high-end bladed spoke builds.

And should you crash, or your wheels are stolen, RBW will offer trade pricing on a replacement set.

Looking at how they compare with rivals, they are a little more expensive than the disc brake version of CES Sport's PT26 wheels (I reviewed the rim brake version last year). Those use the same Bitex hubs, although the rims are shallower, being similar to the Club Road Disc rims available as a choice on these RBWs. With Sapim Leader J-bend spokes and brass nipples, the CES set weighs a claimed 1,670g, and costs £400.

We've reviewed many of Just Riding Along's (JRA) wheels over the years and have always been impressed. They are handbuilt in York, and while we haven't tested its MAP Center Lock J-bend wheels, they have a 25mm-deep aluminium rim, Sapim D-Light spokes and black brass nipples, and look to be good value at £390.

Conclusion

Overall, these Ryan Builds Wheels Cub Road wheels are hard to fault. The quality of the components is high, as is the build itself, and as that is the main reason for going down the route of handbuilt wheels, it's very reassuring. It's hugely dependable, a set of wheels that is going to last you a very long time. All of which is backed up by a great ride quality.

Verdict

High-quality handbuilt wheels with a stunning ride