Buy One Get One Free?? I have to admit I was a little put out getting a wheel set to test that cost less than the tires, brake pads and QR’s I just landed for a separate test. There are 6 sets of top line hoops sitting ‘round here, all lighter than the last beer I downed and still sporting slobber marks from ride partners. So why do I NOT want to send the sub $300 Neuvation M28 Aero’s back?
I met Neuvation’s founder (and long-long-long time bike guy) John Neugent a few years ago when he was introducing a saddle to folks that just had plenty of people interested. You’ve probably seen the “mesh” or “hammock” saddle and John was never alone in the booth, as the product (Saddleco) just made a lot of sense. The next time we met he was still working the saddles, but had the first prototype of his new wheels with him. Over the past couple years, he has tweaked it into one of cycling’s best values.
I hate using words like “best” because there’s only a .02% chance it’s accurate and that dinky percentage will only apply to a fraction of cyclists. That’s just the bike biz, as someone will either make something better or knock off your great design and sell it cheaper (or more frequently both of these things will happen within 6 months of your product being introduced).
That said, I have no problem saying that the M28’s are among the best values on the market and have been for a while. First, they are sweet looking hoops. Ten paces and a quick glance will have you thinking Ksyrium.
CSK are another company looking to make a value splash. More on that later, and click the little thumbnail at the top of the story for a large view…
Closer inspection or a quick ride will remind you that these are not the big K, but Neuvation went to school a bit on simplifying a design that has a few features that some of the big boys like.
Neuvation do use a large blade section spoke, but the spoke to rim attachment is the traditional style, with an average sized nipple.
The spokes join the rim in traditional fashion (holes through the rim bed). And the rim joint is not hard to spot inside the M28’s hoop. I don’t mind the smaller nipples and standard rim fastening at all. In fact it’s nice to have traditionally serviceable rims. It’s also nice to see standard chromed brass nipples here (nice and durable).
The hubs are a very simple design. Nothing flashy, a very standard spoke bend design that is simply quite a bit less expensive to make than hubs designed to have spokes directly threaded into them or to mount in a radial pattern. Neuvation go for paired spokes at the hub to allow for machining away excess material.
Neuvation get very good durability from using a 2.3 dim at the bend of the large bladed spokes. These are also stainless steel spokes, rather than aluminum as is the case with a few other massive spoke wheels. That’s a plus in durability (but also in weight).
And in keeping with the easy going nature of the founder, you can call John and let him know if you brake a spoke and he’ll send you another. Not only are these mounted at the hub and rim in a standard way to make the task go easier, they don’t charge you out-the-butt for a replacement spoke either… (I think he includes a spare with wheel sets now, and you can use a standard spoke in a pinch)
Neuvation go head to head with some wheels costing 2-3 times more are in a couple of key areas.
Inside the hubs are a good quality abec 5 spec bearing set. Neuvation also have a Ceramic upgrade kit available for $100 and the extremely simple design of these hubs make bearing swaps something that just about anyone can do. You can check out their spec page here.
Another nice feature of these wheels is an exceptionally well machined braking surface. The braking track on the M28’s is as uniform as any wheel at any price.
But Do They Go Round?
This wheel set finds a home for very simple reasons. With a solid build, stainless spokes, brass nipples and a solid rim I have no worries running these around in a travel case or logging loads of miles on them. They are a Shimano hub, but thanks to a nice little Shimano to Campy conversion cassette I bought from Interloc Racing I have no hassle swapping these between group sets.
The performance is better than I expected and certainly better than the price would indicate. I am getting used to a couple of sets of clinchers that weigh in under 1300 grams and another set that are the stiffest wheels I have ever tried, so the bar is set higher than the Neuvations jump as far as acceleration goes. Then again, you could nearly buy 4 sets of these for what you would spend on the other wheels I have.
The stiffness is great on the Neuvations. It is a bit more work getting them spun up, but it should be as they weigh a pound more than my other wheels. Still, there’s very little side flex while you hammer away.
These are called M28 Aero but, like lots of top brands that love to use the word “Aero” yet fail to have the depth to width ratio to have real benefit, these are not true deep Aero wheels. They do hold speed once you’re spun up as well as anything at this rim depth though and that’s regardless of price.
Where The Rubber Meets The Road
A great feature is in the sum of the parts and the cost. I would not hesitate at all in running these in the absolute worse conditions, while I would be pretty nervous running some of the high spec kit I have. Only part of that is due to the low cost. Mostly it’s because these are well made and from durable parts. As I weigh in under 150lbs, I don’t have many wheel worries, but I would still not worry much if I were carrying another 20 -30 -40 lbs on these.
Easily the best feature here is the price. These are an absurd $269 bucks (US). (If you can't wait for the end of this review - Shop Here!!)
Take another peak at that… $269 dollars.
A great wheel to compare to would be Ksyrium Elites. That’s a wheel set that sells for $573 and $579 at the two places I looked today on the net. Great features too and a paltry 10 grams lighter, but more than twice the price…
The bottom line for me is that I have lots of great kit. I spend way more on bike stuff than I should, even though I have a pretty cool job at Pez. With that in mind, I love a great part like this because I simply have no worries about thrashing the crap out of it. It’s durable as all hell, cheaper than dirt, looks cooler than inexpensive kit usually does, performs well enough for use as a great travel and training tool and comes from a guy that loves the sport.
And did I mention they were $269.00?
Not everyone logging “real” miles can afford to run expensive wheels day in and day out. These are a great alternative. They are also a good idea for those that simply need to ride on a budget but still want cool durable kit.
Go get a set…
You can find them here Neuvation Cycling. Or give them a call for more info at 877-222-4519.
Note: if you have other experiences with gear, or something to add, drop us a line. We don’t claim to know everything (we just imply it at times). Give us a pat on the back if you like the reviews, or a slap in the head if you feel the need!
PezCycling News and the author ask that you contact the manufacturers before using any products we test here. Only the manufacturer can provide accurate and complete information on proper use and or installation of products as well as any conditional information or product limits that may limit their use.
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