- Reviews
- Q & A
Affordable Shimano Quality
- Familiarity: I've put it through the wringer
Purchased the RS500 wheelset on sale at Backcounty in early September and admit to being a bit leary that Shimano was offering it's newest iteration of the Ultegra alloy wheel at this price point. A unique an interesting design eliminates spoke holes in the rim bed so no tape or strips required. The hubs I was sure would be the weak link...not hardly. Smooth as silk and surprisingly quiet Shimano incorporates traditional ball bearing and cup design so servicing compared to removing a press fit sealed bearing is simple and straightforward. Like the other reviewer I chose the Schwalbe Pro One tubeless tires in 25mm and yes mounting takes a little effort but soaping the rims before hand made quick work of it. I like to inflate a new tire to 8-8.5 bar and let it sit on the rim for 24-36 hours before I take it out and was very surprised that both front and rear held full pressure without sealant though doing so would negate one of the main advantages of running tubeless..so don't. I have two road bikes I ride regularly and the RS500 at 90 psi mounted on my 2012 Trek Gary Fisher is the go too for training in the large, hilly urban park close to where I live. I've banged these around now for about 500 miles and they remain true as the day they came out of the box. I'm a muscular 200 lb performance cyclist and very impressed how quickly these wheels accelerate, climb and hold a line in fast descents and corners. Overall at this price I don't know that you could make a better choice. Highly recommended.
Do they come with a spacer for 9 speed?
Compatible with 11-speed drivetrains, or 9- and 10-speed with included spacer
Tried and True Ultegra Wheelset
- Familiarity: I've put it through the wringer
For MY18, Shimano has updated their Ultegra wheelset and renamed it RS-500, not to be confused with a previous lower level R500 wheelset which wasnt super nice.
For an every day reliable, reasonably light wheelset at an excellent value, these are it. They are also tubeless ready, which I'd highly recommend trying. I am able to run a Schwalbe Pro One tubeless tire at pressures as low as 80 psi for a buttery smooth ride, and with sealant inside I have had no issues with flats. If you cant swing the money to go to carbon, I'd highly recommend these wheels as one of the better alloy options out there.
I own a pair of these mated to the same Schwalbe Pro One tubeless tires. I've been riding the RS500's for eight months and they have wildly exceeded my expectations to the extent I'll ride these instead of my pricey DT Swiss 45mil deep CF wheels on days where I climb and descent more. Fast and sure braking, Incredibly smooth, low rolling resistance, and no rear hub chatter. Shimano quality and engineering make this one of the best sub $500 wheelsets on the market. At the sale price they're unbeatable. Buy them, you won't regret it.