Price: $695.00
Weight: 1550g (clamined)
Rim Material: Alloy
Rim Profile: 24mm
Spokes: Bladed Aero, 2.0/2.5
When I actually received the wheels, I was amazed with the quality of the machining and attention to detail. The rims where aesthetically pleasing, which is always a plus in my book. The black bladed spokes paired with the black rims were a great touch. My only complaint is the color selection of the spoke nipples. I would have liked to have seen either a black or an anodized blue nipple to match the hub and company's designated color, blue. While this may not bother a lot of people, some of us are all about the bling!
The rear hub is a jewel, unfortunately it will be hidden behind a greased or grimy cassette for most of its life. The blue anodized color pops and draws your attention straight to the most important part of the rear wheel. The hubs and bearings are very smooth and the freewheel gives an awesome note when spinning. I've always been a fan of "loud" hub, but this is a personal preference.
While the front hub is not as "fancy" looking, it is solid and just as pleasing looking. The hub and bearings are smooth and spin for quite some time. The subtle addition of gold on both hubs is an excellent touch. Props to the engineer/designer who added this!
To my pleasant surprise Cole decided to gift me and the other consumers with an awesome bag. At first I just thought it was a sweet addition to the wheels, but inside where the skewers. I'm always happy to get an additional item with a cycling product. Usually I have to settle for a sticker, but Cole went above and beyond and added a skewer bag.
Since I always keep my skewers attached to my wheels, I've already started using the bag to carry other items to races. It really is a versatile bag and so far I have dedicated the bag to gels and shot bloks. While many of you may not share my excitement for the bag, the quality skewers will likely illicit a smile.
While the skewers looks similar to most on the market there is one difference, the width. The Cole skewers have a wide lever, which I find to be a big asset. The wide profile makes it extremely easy to open and close the skewer. The skewers are also decently lite.
Sure 105g is not on the level of pure WW (weight weenie) skewers such as the KCNC or Far Near skewers, but compete with most standard skewers such as Mavic and Easton. In the end they do a great job closing and opening and do not weigh a terrible amount.
In the end, I am completely satisfied with the wheelset. For the price and weight, Cole delivers a solid wheelset that is great looking and well built. It is ashamed that they will be ridden through some of the worst mud in Western Pennsylvania. I will report on the ride quality and durability after the race.
