Investing in a decent wheelset can make a significant difference to how a bike rides, particularly given the budget wheels specced on bikes costing thousands of pounds. Generally speaking, you have three choices: to focus on low weight, aerodynamics or a middleground between the two, and that’s reflected in Scope offering three wheel depths. The deeper you go, the bigger aero advantage you can pick up and at 55mm, the R5c hoops are designed with speed and aerodynamics in mind.

While a deeper wheel often comes with increased stiffness, improved aerodynamics and faster straight-line speed, but there’s also a weight penalty, which in the R5c does blunt acceleration and responsiveness a little. It takes a bit more puff off the line but, once up to speed, the gap we were losing on the way to the town sprint sign, we were making up by the finish, when the aero advantage and ability of the wheels to hold that speed paid off. (We changed our tactic and went from further out, in case you were wondering).

One of the biggest trends for aero wheels is the shift away from flat-sided V-shape profile and towards a toroidal shape. Again, this has had some effect on weight – the new design is often a smidge heavier – but modern rim designs behave infinitely better in the wind.

The R5c is at about the limit of general use at 55mm. Any deeper and a wheel is too specific for anything other than racing and begins to struggle in the wind regardless of the design. However, due to that bulbous rim profile, which measures 24mm externally and 16.4mm internally, we found, compared to flat-sided aero wheels, handling wasn’t the struggle it used to be in crosswinds. Of course, there is a limit and if there’s a strong crosswind gusting off the coast (as is often the case where we do our riding) then you’re going to feel it and may be better off with a shallower wheel, but in typical conditions these wheels behave well.

Conclusion

If you’re in the market for a relatively affordable set of aero hoops to race on, or time trial wheels which remain usable when you’re not up against the clock, then these are a good option. They’re not especially light (and heavier than claimed), but in reality you won’t be buying a 55mm wheelset for outright low weight and long rides in the hills. What you do get is a stiff wheelset which, once wound up to speed, holds that pace very well, with a rim profile which is on-trend and excellent braking, even if the wheels aren’t especially comfortable.

Pros

– Once up to speed, they held it well
– Well priced
– Impressive build
– Good braking

Cons

– Heavier than claimed
– Pretty harsh