Reynolds Attack Disc Wheelset - $1550

I’ve put this wheelset through the wringer, having been riding them for about a year now. My bottom line is that they’re an excellent road tubeless wheelset, especially considering their price. When a product is good, my best compliment is that I hardly noticed them. They just work. The fact that they’re disc and tubeless compatible makes them endlessly functional, since you’re never wearing down a rim braking surface, you simply replace brake pads and rotors as they wear. There was some initial spoke noise as the wheels broke in, which was a bit disconcerting, but luckily that didn’t last and hasn’t returned. I’ve broken one spoke over the test period, but the wheel still spun true, and I was able to pedal to my local shop for an easy replacement.  I wish I could tell you one way or another that tubeless setup is always easy, because it depends on the tire and it depends on your rimstrip being in good shape. I had trouble mounting WTB tires and gave up on those. I had trouble with Hutchinson, but I later attributed that to my rim strip being compromised. But ultimately, once you find a good tire that goes well with the wheelset, it’s best to stick with it and keep rolling. My best performer has been the Schwalbe Pro One 28c. They seem to be the ideal size for the 17mm internal width. I tried (with some difficulty) to mount a 35c Hutchinson gravel tire as well as a 35c Schwalbe mixed terrain tire and they just didn’t feel quite right, so I’m pretty sure I’ve likely exceeded the ideal tire size for this wheelset and they’re going to suggest their new ATR 700 wheelset with a 23mm internal width. (Those are up next on our testing docket.)

I’ve heard too that the sealed bearings might be a weak spot for the Reynolds. I’ve certainly thrashed mine, but to their credit, I’ve basically ridden them in any kind of weather, and guess what - you have to replace them after a while, so at this price, maybe add a replacement set of bearings into your budget, maybe pop for some Kogels or something nice. (are ceramic bearings actually weather resistant?)

But what about ride quality? Well, they’re light, they’re stiff enough for sprinting performance without feeling soft. I feel like they quiet road noise very nicely, they have excellent damping quality. It’s been a definite ride improvement for the Parlee, which came with an alloy set of Mavics that felt a bit pingy…reliably robust, but a bit harsh on chunkier gravel. Ultimately, the Reynolds are a great road wheelset that should take good care of you provided you keep an eye on the bearings, and keep your tire selection around 25 or 28c. Riders wanting to run 32 or 35c tires should have a look at the ATR700. Great ride quality and performance for those looking to shed some grams on their ride. An excellent value for the pricetag! Recommended, but think hard about what size tires you’ll want to run in the future. Ideal for dedicated roadies looking for a performance upgrade and a better ride quality for their bike.