chickenfarmer70

I am considering buying one of the following wheelsets from Easton and would like some advice. I weigh 155 lbs and am 5'9". I race mostly crits and do many centuries and several 200 plus ride throughout the year. Here are the sets i am considering:

Ascent II
Orion II
EA 90
EA 90 SLX
Tempest II

I have had countless problems with my two sets of bontrager race lites (four warrantied rear wheels and I don't repeat don't abuse them; unless you consider pushing as much power to them as I physically can, abuse). I have a brand new set of x-lites that I will not ride for fear of having the same problems and then not being able to ebay them as new. I would love to hear some experiences and advice on these wheels. I like the fact that these wheels are handbuilt as well.

NoGaBiker

I bought a set of used Orion IIs off the 'Bay; they arrived yesterday. My tires should arrive today. My experience so far has been great. They have not failed, even though they rode home in the fairly hot front trunk of my Porsche for nearly seven miles last night. They didn't even break a sweat.

I did weight them to see if the claims were accurate. I got 680 and 820 without skewers. Can't vouch for the accuracy of my electronic scale, plus it only moves in 20g increments and I don't know if it moves up from, say 660 to 680 when it gets to 661g, or when it gets to 670. But I'm happy! Just wish I wasn't too lazy to pull the tires and tubes off my DA/Open Pros to see how much weight I'm saving by changing wheels. Maybe someday.

Matt

Matt

R900

I don't know about RaceLites, but RaceXLites are sweet!

Will G

Had a set of Tempest II's for just over a year now. Maybe 4000 miles on them with no problems and I'm 6'3", 190lbs.

chickenfarmer70

Ooops...Clarification: By handbuilt I meant the Easton wheels.

BigSean

I have a set of Orion II's and Ascent II's. Both are great wheels. No problems and they stay true. Im also 195 lbs, they are durable. I replaced my RaceLites with the Orions. You will notice a huge difference.

3MTA3

the orions & ascents are the same wheels, only the orions are built with more spokes for more of a clydesdale... you're the same height/weight as i am so go with the ascents. i have them & love them. probably the best hubs i've ever ridden. seriously.

oilman_15106

IF you are buying the Eastons from a mail order or LBS call to see about avilablity. Easton seems to be having some kind of production issues. Have had a set of Curcits on backorder for going on a month +. Easton can not seem to give the retailer an answer as to when they will be avaliable.

cmh

Not one of the wheelsets on your list, but my Easton Vista SLs have been pretty nice wheels. I have about 8k miles on them without no problems.

reef58

The thing about Easton wheels that makes me a fan is the hubs. They are the smoothest hubs I have owned.

Richard

NoGaBiker

Okay, I rode my new wheels this morning for 30 miles. WOW! Love them! I was able to stay with a guy I've not been able to keep up with ever. I weighed the wheels/tires and, completely shod, they save me 320g over the DA/OpenPro setup I've been riding (and the Panaracers on the Eastons are supposed to be 20g heavier than the Conti Force/Attack on the Mavics). This morning after the ride I got to looking at the wheels closely and realized that the fronts were 18 spokes. Hmmmm. Then I read the label (duhhhh). I have an Ascent II front and an Orion II rear! (I bought them from UsedBikeParts on eBay). I was elated because that was exactly what I was wishing I could buy, but since I decided to go used I knew there was no way to find a mixed set like this! And the vendor "failed to disclose" the difference, either through inattention (I missed it too for 24 hours, while cleaning, mounting tires and installing the wheels) or because he thought no one would want a mis-matched set. I'm just a little mad because prolly I could have gotten them for $100 cheaper if he had disclosed.

Oh well, I'm not really mad. Love the wheels, love the staggered types.

Matt

bailcash09

Wonder why everyone owuldn't feel like you nogabiker. Why pay less than orions are worth because one wheel is an ascent. Unless Easton's website lies, the ascents are better.

yump

just finished up my first ride on some new Tempest IIs for 70 somewhat hilly miles. Smooth, strong, and seem to spin up well. I rode a set of Easton Circuits for about 3k miles with absolutely no problems before these. 6'2 170 here.

NoGaBiker

Oh, you know; the whole matched-set thing. Same reason somebody wouldn't want a Record crank in their Dura-Ace gruppo.

And as to "better", the Ascents aren't better; they're the same wheel with fewer spokes. Saying they're better than the Orion is like saying a 52cm frame is better than a 56, since it weighs less. So I figure most people would either want both Ascents ("I don't want to carry the extra weight of the Orion in the back") or both Orions ("I don't want to risk a failure in the front"). Since I weigh 178, which is kinda borderline, I figured I could get away with one of each.

Matt

bailcash09

I wouldn't want a record crank because I think hollowtech II is sweet looking. Otherwise I wouldn't care. But whatever floats their boat

Oh...

chickenfarmer70

I have been checking around on the web with companies that have the orions and ascent at below msrp prices and have been getting a "not in stock" or no response at all regarding availability of these. Does anyone know any web based companies that currently have these in stock in the 600 to 650 dollar range?

ryanhulce

I really like my Easton Vista's that came on my Cervelo. Very Very Smooth. Hubs don't make a sound either.

DrPete 

Easton makes some damn fine wheels. I have yet to hear of anyone who has had a problem with them. I raced a pair of Vista SL's last year and while they were on the heavy side they were a rock-solid, reliable wheel. No problems at all with the hub internals, and I think I had the rear trued once for a 1-2mm wobble. I have teammates who are on the Tempest II, Orion II, and Circuit and are all very satisfied.

Cromulent

I race, train, commute, and go out for fun on the Vista SLs. I like 'em just fine.

BigSean

This is close

https://cgi.ebay.com/EASTON-2007-ORIO...QQcmdZViewItem

RiPHRaPH

love the Circuits, though not sure how the manufacturing process has changed after bought from Velomax. Everyone loves them though.

Gromit

I'm 6'0" - 158 lbs and ride Orion IIs. Great wheels. No problems and, for the money, a great value. I suppose I could have gone with the Ascents but the few extra grams are no big deal to me for what I believe is a stronger wheel.

blue_nose

I'm 5' 10" and a touch under 150 lbs. I have ridden Ascent II's for the past year. Originally I got them just for climbing, but liked them so much I ended using them for my everyday wheels.

Kirkdig

I won an auction for a new set of EA90 SLs on eBay last night for $494, including shipping - I'm psyched. I'll give a ride report next week.

From https://www.cyclingnews.com/tech/2006.../interbike0610
"Easton’s road wheelsets all receive substantial revisions. Last year’s Ascent II becomes the EA90 SLX, the Orion II transforms into the EA90 SL, and an all-new EC70 SL carbon clincher joins the Easton family. All wheels receive a new R4 hubset, which abandons the long-standing dual-threaded T3 spoking system in favor of a more conventional straight-pull design. Rear freehubs get an upgrade from 24 to 32 ratchet teeth for faster engagement, and larger diameter aluminum axles front and rear increase lateral rigidity and bearing durability."

I opted to go for the extra spokes and durability in the SLs instead of the SLXs.

oilman_15106

My email to Easton on the fact that they can not give their retailers a delivery timeframe has gone un-answered. This is unacceptable in my book. Having come from a manufacturing background, it is death to them that can not tell their customers when a product will be available. Even if it is an unacceptable delivery time the customer needs to know what is going on.

I would love for someone who works for Easton to pipe in on this issue. My money is green and I want answers!