These wheels tip the scales at 44g more than stated, but at 1,625g a pair they’re a whisker lighter than the Easton EA50s we recently awarded a full five stars. Are the Xeros worth £25 more?
The quality of finish suggests they are, with the anodised pewter colour rims and hubs matching Shimano's Ultegra SL components. You get 20 spokes front and rear, with the drive side rear ones acutely tangential (at right angles) to the hub flange to help distribute forces.
We gave them a thorough thrashing over the worst surfaces and they remained perfectly round, though we prefer brass nipples to lightweight aluminium ones because they’re less likely to seize up when truing the wheels.
Using those benchmark-setting Eastons for comparison, the Xeros provide the same sense of pace when climbing steep gradients, and the use of aero spokes place these wheels slightly ahead in terms of desirability. They’re available in either Shimano or Campagnolo compatible freehub bodies.