I’m a new TokyoWheel customer and I thought it might be helpful to comment on the Epic 3.4 Clincher Disc Brake Wheelset.
I’ve been riding for 3 seasons now and I bought my first carbon bike earlier this year. I bought a 2017 Cannondale Synapse which came with Mavic Aksium wheels as standard. I hadn’t ridden a carbon bike before and , to be honest, I was disappointed by it. It felt slower than my old cheap, aluminum bike with very cheap wheels. My Strava times were down too on my previous bests. I ride in an area with rolling hills (up to 20% gradient) so it’s often hard to tell how fast we ride because the routes are constantly changing and the concept of “flat” just doesn’t exist! Still, overall I’m sure my new bike was slower than the old one. Not something I wanted to shout about but I was fed up getting dropped earlier on climbs and finding it harder to keep up on faster sections.I was hopeful that new wheels would make a difference and they have!
I was initially drawn to the TokyoWheel 3.4 by their looks and the price: a carbon wheelset with DTSwiss hubs for a simliar price to some top branded aluminum wheelsets I was browsing. I reviewed the TokyoWheel website material and I liked the design principles - the shapes and rim depth arguments and the low weight.
The closest carbon wheels I could find in comparison shopping were the Enve 3.4 disc and the similarities were striking. By my reckoning, the aero and weight differences between the two brands would be negligible to someone of my modest abilities but the Epic 3.4 were less than half the price! I’m not someone who tends to “follow the crowd” and I’m willing to try something new so TokyoWheel seemed to fit the bill.
As well as the money, I saved about 450g in combined weight from the old Mavics (including the tires and groupset). I’m riding 25mm Continental GP 4000 II @ 90 psi/ 6 Bar. The wheels seem to be very well made and finished. I had an issue with a missing end cap but TokyoWheel refunded my costs to get the missing end cap installed by my local bike shop. They spin very smoothly and the DTSwiss 240 hubs are quiet…Riding discs mean that I’m not worried about rim braking temperatures on some of our steep descents where we can easily reach 60-70 km/hr.
When I was finally able to ride the new wheels, I have been blown away by the difference in feel of the bike. It’s much more lively and enjoyable to ride. I was pleased to find that the wheels pretty silent, very smooth rolling, stiff and much faster. I’ve ridden in strong cross-winds and the wheels have been stable, despite the strong tugs. My riding has been in “winter” conditions with wind and cold and yet my Strava times have been faster, especially downhill. I hit PB’s on my last ride without really trying to. The bike feels totally different. I haven’t made it to a group ride yet (we are heading into winter and the season is almost over) but I’m looking forward to it.
I’m very happy with my decision to “take the plunge”. It’s a big investment but it’s changed my outlook on my bike and my eagerness to ride so that’s money well spent in my book.