i would like some opinions on what is a good aero rim depth for all around road racing/crits. i have a pair of ksyriums but would like a deeper profile for racing. i have been looking at several 66mm depth but don't want a wheel that is overly cumbersome. Also considering 46mm depth. Any insight appreciated. Thx!

have you considered the american classic 420's (34mm rim depth)

Rim depth should be determined by 3 things
1 Your weight
the larger you are the deeper rim you can handle

2 The wind patterns where you live
the windier it is in your area the harder a deep rim will be to handle

3 how much climbing you do
The more you climb the more a lighter, and by nature shallow wheel will make sense

Example
I weigh 190
The winds are frequent and high in Boulder Co
I climb a lot

I ride Edge 68 clinchers for training.

If you respond to 1-3 then we will be able to provide you with sound advice.

Well not to thread jack, but I have the same question. I have an Excel doc I have been throwing wheelsets into to get an idea of the different ones when it comes to price/weight/aero/etc.

1. Weight - 135lbs (Height - 5'9")

2. Winds - Generally have constant wind. I do a lot of riding in farm lands so there can be some pretty good crosswinds at times. Nothing too crazy though.

3. I do climb pretty often, but they are not huge climbs by any means. Not many 'mountains' in Central PA.

I'll be doing a mixture of crits and RRs.

^^^^I would suggest some Edge 45s. A nice mid-depth rim would be perfect for all around riding/racing. The 45 would build up into a very stiff wheel in a 20/24 count.
Tubys would weigh about 1045 grams
Clinchers would weigh about 1325 grams

You would could beat the hell out of them no problem

Thanks for the quick reply and advice! However I think those might be out of my price range at the moment. Any other lower-cost suggestions? Soul 4.0s are 40mm, I was looking at them. I'd say my budget for now (college student) would be around $500 or so.

I loved the old campy aero's light and strong.

I like my 4.0's.

Not terribly expensive. Have served me well in races, and have been fine for training.

College student here as well, which is why I went for them.

Yeah I have read many good things about the Soul wheels. I was debating between them and the 3.0s. I wasn't sure if the extra 10mm of rim depth and my weight would cause me to be blown over.

My experience is that they feel wierd and unstable at first, then you get used to it and don't notice it any more. Just remember not to ride no hands in a gusty side wind.

so now there is a rider weight to rim depth ratio chart...i can't keep up anymore

Yeah that's what I was thinking, eventually get used to it.

So go for the 4.0s even though they weigh a little more? Difference between the 3.0 and 3.0SL is that they have the lighter spokes and also the lighter hubs that Soul offers. I know there have recently been countless threads on aero vs. weight. Seems the consensus is aero > weight. Either way they are lighter than my R500s.

SOUL S3.0 - Price: $350 - Weight (g): 1540
SOUL S3.0SL - Price: $435 - Weight (g): 1390
SOUL S4.0 - Price: $420 - Weight (g): 1680

Actually, it's a complicated 5 factor formula. It can't be graphed by conventional means.

You have to take into account rider weight, climbing feet per 50 mile ride, average windspeed of the terrain, a multiplier that accounts for riding style, and your FTP.

It's a secret formula though, I can't tell you.

this has been a question of mine as well...interested to hear comments on this.

I found the formula. I need a disk front and rear.

404s, or if you're on a budget, some Williams 58 tubulars from the same molds...

me too. i actually did a search earlier today for this exact topic. i'm running aksiums right now so any wheel will probably be a weight improvement and/or aero improvement. to me, the 3.0sl's seem to be the best bet; roughly 2/3 of a pound lighter than the 4.0s and only 1cm difference in depth (assuming i'm understanding the depths correctly). am i off base in my logic? i have a pair of xero xr-1 wheels but am not a fan and will be selling them but i do like the deep rim though.