Giant SLR 1 50 Disc WheelSystem review

Giant’s SLR range of carbon wheels offer wind tunnel optimised performance at a much lower price point compared to its in-house premium parts and accessories brand Cadex. 

The range broadly consists of two tiers, SLR 1 and SLR 2, with the SLR 1 being the upper level. 

There are 36mm, 42mm, 50mm and 65mm depth rims in the SLR 1 line-up, and it’s the 50mm versions I’m reviewing here. 

If you’re after all-out speed the 65mm option might be more up your street, or you could mix and match with a 65mm rear to balance speed and stability. 

But for now, will these wheels from Giant make it into our list of the best triathlon wheels?

Design

Giant’s latest carbon disc brake wheels are now all hookless, so you’ll need to use tubeless-ready tyres listed on Giant’s compatibility chart (Giant says its hookless wheels work best set up tubeless). 

This does limit your tyre options, however Giant’s choice of a 22.4mm inner rim width means you can run tyres from 25mm up to 32mm on the SLR 1 50s. 

Giant also says the thick 3.8mm rim bead enhances its stiffness, “offering increased support for better cornering”. 

If you had any reservations about the safety of hookless wheels, Giant appears to have addressed those concerns admirably. 

The wheels weigh 1,518g for the pair, which is competitive for the price (£1,199.98 / $1,599.98 for the pair). 

Bonus features on the SLR 1 range compared to the SLR 2s include a premium ‘low friction hub’, said to eliminate excessive bearing load and lower rolling resistance, and slightly lighter Sapim CX-Ray spokes as opposed to Sapim Sprint on the SLR 2. 

My test wheels came fitted with rim tape and 25mm Cadex Aero Tubeless tyres, set up tubeless, and as per Giant’s tyre pressure recommendation calculator I pumped the tyres up to around 82psi before heading out for my test rides. 

Ride performance

On the road, the SLR 1 wheels roll nicely and feel impressively stiff, with a strong buzzing sound coming from the rear hub. 

I was particularly pleased with how well they handled in crosswinds on a very windy day, not noticing the 50mm depth when strong gusts hit. 

Stability on descents was also superb, and on the flats these wheels undoubtedly offer a tangible speed benefit over shallower hoops. 

The ride experience isn’t particularly zippy and compared to the Cadex Ultra 50 the hub isn’t quite as quick to engage, with some slight dead spots in the pedalling stroke when stamping down on the pedals during explosive efforts. 

However, at more than half the price of Cadex’s offering, I wasn’t expecting them to be. 

The bottom line

I’d say these wheels excel most on descents, on long sustained efforts and in crosswinds. 

Consequently, these qualities are what I’d look for when choosing a set of wheels for long-course triathlon. 

The SL1 50 wheels are decent all-rounders, offering a good balance between speed, crosswind handling and stiffness. 

They appeared to lack some of the premium ride feel of more expensive wheels in this grouptest, and the performance wasn’t noticeably better than more affordable options from the likes of Hunt and Parcours, but overall they’re easy to recommend.

For more speed gains, see our list of the best aero helmets for triathlon.

Price:	£1,199.98 / $1,599.98
Available from:	Giant
Spokes:	24 SAPIM CX-Ray spokes
Rim depth:	50mm
Internal rim width:	22.4mm
Tyre type:	Tubeless-ready tyres
Weight:	1,518g