Carbon Wheelset Comparison • The Honest Numbers
Same depth class, same discipline. No marketing fluff.
| Brand & Model | Rim Depth | Weight (set) | Spokes | Hubs | Carbon | Price (ZAR) | Built In |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Plus Aero CSL | 50mm | 1,070g | Alpina Carbo Lite (carbon) | CS180SL Ratchet | Toray T800 | R24,000 | Johannesburg |
| Plus Aero RSL 50SL | 50mm | 1,080g | Alpina Hyper Lite | RS180SL 60T | Toray T1100 | R24,000 | Johannesburg |
| Plus Aero AXL 20H | 50mm | 1,090g | Alpina Carbo Lite (carbon) | CS180SL 60T | Toray T1100 | R24,000 | Johannesburg |
| Plus Aero RSL 50 V2 | 50mm | 1,450g | Alpina Ultra Lite | RS280 4-Pawl | Toray T800 | R16,500 | Johannesburg |
| ENVE SES 4.5 Pro | 50mm | 1,295g | Sapim bladed | ENVE Pro Innerdrive | ENVE proprietary | ~R69,000* | USA |
| Zipp 454 NSW | 53/58mm | 1,400g | Sapim CX-Ray | Zipp ZR1 SL Ceramic | Zipp 77/177 | ~R50,000* | USA |
| Zipp 353 NSW | 45mm | 1,310g | Sapim CX-Ray | Zipp ZR1 | Zipp 77/177 | ~R43,000* | USA |
| Roval Rapide CLX II | 51mm | 1,520g | DT Swiss Aerolite | DT Swiss 240 | Specialized FACT | ~R42,000* | USA |
| Vision Metron 45 SL | 45mm | 1,510g | Steel bladed | PRS Alloy | Vision proprietary | ~R28,000* | Taiwan |
| Hunt 50 Carbon Aero | 50mm | 1,487g | Steel bladed | Hunt Race Season | Hunt proprietary | ~R18,500* | Taiwan/UK |
*Competitor prices are approximate ZAR equivalents of USD retail (at ~R18.5/$) and exclude SA import duties (20%), VAT (15%), and shipping. Landed cost would be 30-40% higher. Plus Aero prices include all duties and local delivery in Gauteng.
Lower bar = better value. Orange = Plus Aero.
Price per gram = retail price / claimed wheelset weight. Competitor prices exclude SA import duties and shipping. ENVE costs nearly 5x more per gram than Plus Aero RSL 50 for comparable depth.
Beyond the numbers.
Every wheelset built and trued in Johannesburg. Not a factory batch number. A builder who knows your name and stands behind the work.
No shipping wheels overseas for warranty work. Walk in, ride out. Spares, bearings, and truing done at Basement 983.
Same carbon, same depth, same or lighter weight at a third of imported brand prices. You're paying for performance, not a logo.
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