Shimano's mid-price road wheels come with many of the same design features as their more expensive cousins, and plenty of durability to boot.
The aluminium rims are 30mm deep for improved aerodynamics, although this is marginal compared to truly deep-section rims. Still, they’re a whole lot cheaper.
Up front are 16 stainless steel bladed (aero shaped) spokes that are double-butted, straight-pull (without an elbow) and radially laced. The 20 rear spokes are laced two-cross while the rim is asymmetric with offset drillings that make for more even tension between the drive and non-driveside spokes.
The RS30s spin smoothly on Shimano hubs (eight, nine and 10-speed compatible), which use cup-and-cone bearings well protected by labyrinth and contact seals. Getting inside to regrease or adjust them is a simple job and, if past experience is anything to go by, they’ll last ages if you give them some loving from time to time.
Weighing in at 858g (front) and 1085g (rear), including the skewers, these aren’t the lightest wheels out there at their pricepoint but they’re no sumos either. They’re taut and reasonably responsive, if not lightning-fast off the mark.
Our RS30s arrived pretty much perfectly round and true. The rear one developed a slight sideways wobble a few days in but that’s often the way – a couple of minutes adjusting a red anodised nipple or two had it sorted. Several weeks and many potholes later and it’s still rolling straight so we’re expecting to enjoy a long period of service.
With all that in mind, the RS30s are reliable all-rounders that’ll handle year-round training and maybe some racing too. You get a good mid-level performance here at a not-too-crazy price.
