The Bontrager Aeolus 3 D3 carbon clincher wheelset is wonderfully fast, offers supreme stability in crosswinds, and climbs well, despite falling outside the category of super lightweight climbing wheels.

They proved strong enough to withstand an extended test period beneath your 89kg correspondent without the need for tensioning or truing, and were stable enough even in blustery conditions to prevent our 62kg editor from being blown across the road: a first, in his experience, for any wheel deeper than a box section clincher.

The Aelous D3’s acceleration proved to be its greatest feature and riding it on flat and undulating roads was nothing less than a joyful experience. This single quality we felt was the net result of its excellent construction from well chosen, high-quality components. Let’s take a look at each.