HED

Ardennes Plus LT Clincher Wheelset - 2015

We make no secret at Competitive of our appreciation for everything Belgian. This includes the cobbled races, the hilly puncheur's classics, and the HED wheelsets built to handle every kilometer of either series. The Ardennes wheels, one of the original pioneers of the "bigger is better" rim movement, have carved out an important niche as a dependable, everyday wheelset since they were first introduced. The HED Ardenne Plus LT Clincher Wheelset continues that forward-thinking tradition with a 25mm external width and a rock-solid aluminum construction that defines the nexus of history and innovation.

This wheelset was once known as the Bastogne, named for the city that marks the halfway point of La Doyenne, the hilliest of the classics and the sole Ardennes race to enjoy monument status. We think Bastogne was a good name because the surrounding roads are more cobblestone-ier than the smooth asphalt typically traversed by the Ardennes races, and that's appropriate because the wheelset is tough enough to handle Flemish stones better than typical racing wheels—though it does still manage to be lighter than the traditional box section alloy rims guys like Boonen rode in Flanders and Roubaix as recently as 2010. The rim is almost identical to the Ardennes SL with one change: the super-light Scandium rim has been subbed out in favor of a heavier, and less expensive, aluminum rim. Despite that material change, the rims look identical, both sporting the black anodization with machined sidewalls.

The original Ardennes were one of the first wheelsets to adopt a wider rim profile, and what was radical then has become considerably less so now. As other wheel manufacturers have realized, a wider rim allows for all kinds of improvements to stability, handling, and ride quality. Wider rims increase tire volume, making for a larger contact patch that increases traction and suffers less deflection over the imperfections of the road, so it reduces rolling resistance and grips with more confidence in corners. The Ardennes Plus series increases from the original Ardennes' 23mm external width to 25mm, but—with careful machining—it doesn't suffer a weight penalty for doing so. While alloy is typically less stiff than carbon, the Ardennes Plus' generous width makes for less torsional flex while maintaining the radial give that has kept aluminum prominent in this age of carbon.

Within the Ardennes Plus line, HED's LT delineates a slightly heavier design than the top-end Black model. A heavier shell material in the dependable three-pawl hub system adds a slight weight penalty to the LT, as do heavier steel spokes. Of course, that gain in weight results in a more accessible price point and an all but imperceptible difference when you're out on the roads. Unless you're gauging on bump-absorbing comfort, in which case this build's slightly more pronounced radial flex marks a readily perceptible increase in road-smoothing ride quality.

To capitalize on this, wrap tires 25mm or wider around the rims, and you'll enjoy improved traction from the tire's wider contact patch as well as a smoother transition between tire and rim. Since the tire and rim are so similar in width, air faces fewer interruptions, flowing over the rim and tire as a complete system for stronger aerodynamic benefits and less unruly turbulence.