I definitely think that lighter wheels feel more lively and responsive. I mean, to get to the end of the ride as fast as possible you’re going to have to leave it all out on the road regardless of how your wheels feel, and so to some extent, stuff like liveliness and responsiveness are small potatoes, but at the margins, that’s where those little gains can add up. I think that, sometimes, that first second of throwing down gap-bridging power and whether the bike responds to it, is when I decide if I can do it or not, and particularly as a heavy rider over rolling terrain, I know that losing a wheel can set up a disastrous chain of challenges, so responsiveness is top wheel priority for me, making low weight super important.

Other riding styles and conditions could prioritize something like aero gains, or simply prefer a more balanced set of wheel attributes. You’ll just have decide where on the matrix of cost, depth, width and weight is the sweet spot for your needs.