Originally Posted by lust4bikes

I rode Mavic ES's for the last 4 years. Then a woman in my club who is usually slower than me became faster than me overnight. The difference: Bontrager Race XXX lite wheels. So I got a pair and now I am faster than her again and a whole lot of others as well. I am amazed at the difference wheels make (even more than the frame). So I bought some sub 1400 alloy hand made wheels and became slower. I can only conclude that it was from too much flex. I weigh anywhere from 175 to 180 lbs.

Is it stiffness that makes a wheel fast? Mavic's are stiffer than most other alloy wheels...I forgot to mention that I rode some carbon 50mm clincher for a short spell (hand made in Taiwan?) They were fast but not nearly as fast as the bonty's . So is it the hub that makes it fast. The carbon wheels had sapim cx rays and the bonties have dt swiss aero , so I figure the spokes are a wash...

Can hand made wheels be as fast as high end production wheels? The Mavic ES sold for $1200 in 2006 and the Bontrager Race XXX lites' goes for about $2700 new...

Are there lower cost alternatives that can match the performance of the Bontragers'?

I will appreciate all thoughts on this... I'm running out of money in testing all these wheels and I don't feel that I'm any closer to being enlightened on what makes wheels fast?