Best answer:

Ask some of your cycling friends if you can borrow their fancy wheels for a day.

Decide for yourself. For some folks the difference is very modest and barely there. Other folks find it significant.

If possible see if you can keep the tires and PSI the same so you have an apples-to-apples comparison.

If you don't have any cycling friends with fancy wheels, join a local bike club and make some.

/thread