Reynolds 58 Aero Clincher
23mm-optimised wheels 'almost literally jaw-dropping'
Reynolds have put a lot of time into their new ‘Aero’ wheel range – and it definitely shows.
One of the first and most noticeable changes is how wide they are at the rim (26.2mm to be exact) and how they progress down to a point at the leading edge, in contrast to what other companies like Zipp have been doing with the ‘blunt’ Firecrest shape.
One other important thing that Reynolds stress is that the wheels are optimised for use with 23mm tyres, as anything wider will decrease aerodynamic efficiency at the rim.
Out on the road, they spin up to speed very nicely for a deep rim, especially considering the set’s 1,660g weight (claimed 1,580g). There was no problem with stiffness, nor with the related brake-rub issues that can occur, even when we set the brakes millimetres from the rims.
Braking, meanwhile, is excellent and comparable to the similarly superb response of the Mavic 40Cs. Pricewise, they compare well with Mavic and are cheaper than their Enve and Zipp counterparts.
They hold their own ascending, too – we’d be confident riding them on all but the very hilliest of courses. The other outstanding feature is stability – they’re superb in crosswinds.
And it’s that firmness that gives you the confidence to keep on going when, with other aero wheelsets, you might otherwise tread tentatively.
But when you put the power down, these wheels are almost literally jaw-dropping. Obviously, without wind-tunnel testing we can’t say exactly what the aerodynamic advantages are, but at a set intensity and power on our standard test route, the Aero 58s gave faster speeds than pretty much any other similarly specced wheelset we’ve tested.
Jamie Beach
Former digital editor 
