These TT hoops follow a remarkably similar template to the already well established Mavic Cosmic Carbone, Zipp 404, and Vuelta Carbon Pro.
They all have lenticular (lens shaped) deep section rims and weigh around 1,700g per pair, but at just £499 for the new Detec wheels, £219 less than the Vueltas and a whopping £500 less than the Zipps, we expected there to be a compromise somewhere.
But after a month of road riding and one cyclocross thrown in for good measure, we were proven wrong as both wheels are running perfectly true.
The Detec rims are a carbon aero section that supports the spoke ends rather than being in effect just a faring attached to a nipple-bearing rim as used on many other wheels.
While it is too early to be sure of their durability, the Taiwanese Renown hubs draw on the tried and tested practice of using oversized components to distribute load more evenly - the main hub bearings can be got at via two 5mm and one 10mm Allen screws and then the cassette body drops out to reveal two further bearings at each end. There is also a contact lip seal and end cap to provide highly effective secondary protection from moisture.
While other wheel manufacturers use straight-pull spokes in the belief that they are stronger, the use of traditional elbow-bend Sapim Laser spokes here is a sound move as they are highly regarded by several wheelbuilders around the UK and can be sourced easily should one ever need replacement.
The spoke count is 20 front and 24 for the rear, built in a radial configuration at the front and left hand rear, and crossed on the drive side rear. Spoke tension is even and consistent around each wheel and adjustments to the nipples can be made without having to remove the tyre.
You have the choice of 500mm depth rim or 600mm depth rims (we tested the 500mm version) and the price includes a double padded wheel bag. Campag and Shimano 10 speed compatible models are available.
In terms of engineering these wheels deserve a '10' for this kind of money, but it's just too early to be sure of their longevity.
