Black Inc

Thirty/Fifty Carbon Road Wheelset - Clincher

Pairing a deeper rear wheel with a shallower front isn't exactly a new phenomenon and several wheel manufacturers offer this as an option with the pros running this sort of setup on certain courses. It certainly makes sense as you get the stiffness and aerodynamics of the deep rear for improved power transfer helping out in the sprints and frequent accelerations with the weight savings, less crosswind affected, and better handling of the lower profile up front. If you live in a particularly windy area, want to emulate to pros, or even simply just like the look of a staggered wheelset, Black Inc's Thirty/Fifty Carbon Road Wheelset is the ticket blending the speed and stiffness you want and need with an overall lighter weight, better handling, and more responsive package. Both rims are constructed from premium carbon fiber that's lightweight and spins up quickly for rapid accelerations with a 30mm deep profile up front and a 45mm profile rear. The rim's width is on-trend with wider is better and helps plump up the tire's volume so you can run lower pressure helping improve comfort, reduce rolling resistance, and improve cornering letting you descend with speed and confidence and stay off the brakes.

The Thirty/Fifty Carbon Wheelset is highly adept on all courses ranging from flat to hilly when the aero properties and low weight both play to its strengths. External rim width sits at a healthy 27mm which is wider than many current offerings pairing better with the new normal of 25-27mm tires letting you get all of those gains we spoke about above without losing aerodynamic efficiency. Pros demand a stiff set of wheels and the Thirty/Fifty deliver with its unidirectional layup offering up unyielding lateral stiffness that keeps the bike cornering on rails and ensures no watt-sapping wagging on high-speed sprints to the line. The straight pull spokes laced up to high tensions further contribute to this get on the gas experience when stomping on the pedals and once up to speed, these wheels hold an edge over keeping speed, relative to lower-profile wheels, and will be a huge asset on those race days when the distance and speed will both be on the high side of things.

The icing on the cake with these wheels is the standard issue ceramic bearings which are almost unheard of at this price point and are usually an upgrade option on wheelsets. Rims are typically the focal point of a wheelset, but they don't mean much if they're laced to some ho-hum hubs and Black Inc. reached for greatness and called on the Danish bearing experts at CeramicSpeed to provide the spinning units that are smooth as glass and are a common hop up on the bikes in the World Tour peloton. CeramicSpeed is the leader in bicycle bearing technology and the ceramic construction, with hybrid bearings using top-grade Silicon Nitride ceramic balls, surpass steel bearings in every way. In addition to the reduction in bearing drag, they require less maintenance so you'll be quicker on race day and spend less time working on your hubs. It simply translates to a quicker, smoother, and faster feeling than standard steel bearings. Not just a race day choice anymore, CeramicSpeed bearings are built for everyday use, with superior durability and lasting performance that doesn't require constant upkeep. Black Inc. fabricates its hubs with a precise dedication to these bearings, constructing hub shells and axle tolerances around the tightest of tolerances so the bearings continue to feel the same season after season as they do the first day you pulled them out of the box.