$482.38

There might not be a more versatile wheel in the Reynolds line-up than the Assault SLG Clincher Wheelset. Reynolds gives it top marks in all forms of riding from time trials and triathlons to gravel and cyclocross. With a 41mm rim depth, you can get the benefits of an aero design while enjoying how durable and responsive the perfect wheel can be.

These wheels have received some slick aerodynamic treatment from Reynolds. For one thing, the SLG in their name stands for Swirl Lip Generator, and represents one of the main reasons the Assaults are so good at cutting through the wind. Adding the SLG made it possible for Reynolds to reduce how deep the wheel’s cross section had to be compared to prior design iterations. That not only improves their aerodynamics, but also their manageability in strong cross winds. The secret is a 0.9mm lip that is placed on the sidewall of the rim near to the spoke face. It effectively minimizes the pressure drag that the wheels suffer. The turbulent air is aided in passing over the wheel and the reattaching at the spoke face. By creating a small layer of turbulent air flowing over the smooth air at the rim, the wheels will be much more efficient about cutting through the wind. Not only will this effect make you less visible to the wind, but it improves the bike’s stability in cross winds.

The rim width is now 25mm, making it possible to run the Assault with 25mm wide tires, or if you want to grab a little extra aero benefit, you can stick on some 23mm tires. The wider tire profile will give you a better ride whether you are on the road or gravel, while running tires narrower than the rim will aid in disrupting and reattaching the airflow over the rim. Though the outside appearance and the weight remain the same as 2014, the 25mm rims have been made tubeless compatible. Reynolds has reworked the inside hook and channel to be able to accommodate the pressures put on by a tubeless set-up. The wheels come with tubeless tape installed, though they are naturally still usable in a traditional tube and tire set-up as well.

For the actual lay-up of the carbon rims, Reynolds turns to their PR3 or Performance Rim 3 technology. It is a precise method of assigning different carbon fiber and lay-ups to five different regions of a rim. The type of fiber, epoxy and resin will be used according to what will be required of each part of the rim to achieve the ideal tensile strength, stiffness and protraction of each wheel. Then to give the Assault and Strike SLGs the best braking track possible, Reynolds has used their CTg technology. CTg stands for Cryogenic Glass Transition. Essentially this is their fully integrated system that pairs the specially designed carbon fiber rim to the proprietary polymer brake pad. These two components work together to result in a cooler braking system compared to carbon rim competition. Reynolds claims up to 53% cooler braking than standard carbon rim-pad set ups. Though that might be hard to quantify when you’re on the bike, what you will be able to feel is just how responsive the braking is, especially if you are careening down and unknown 20K descent, and apt to rely on your brakes a little more than you would around your local stomping grounds. This is possible due to the hybrid carbon fiber laminate used for the brake track, as well as the Cyro-Blue Power polymer brake pads. The acronym CTg might not say much to you, but it concerns how the carbon is layered and angled along the brake track, and the temperature at which the resin that holds the carbon is turned to liquid.  Heat build-up stops being the issues, and your braking will not be compromised.

The Cyro-Blue Power polymer brake pads form the other essential component of this CTg system. They are so integral that they are delivered with every Reynolds wheel, and using any other pad immediately voids any Reynolds warranty. The Cyro-Blue Power are a step ahead of the regular Cyro-Blue pads because they have been designed to improve stopping power. Co-engineered with Brakco Technology, which is an industry OEM brake pad leader, the Cyro-Blue Power pads are sleeker and more aerodynamic with a tapered design that offers 44% greater braking surface compared to the regular Cyro-Blue, which was already a great pad. You’ll notice looking at the pad that there are six angled slots which serve a couple of purposes. The slots are designed to allow air to channel through, aiding in the cooling process while they also work to disperse and channel any water away from the rim, which will keep the braking responsive and accurate even in rainy conditions.

The hub is a Reynolds proprietary straight-pull design. There are sixteen radially-laced spokes in the front and twenty spokes in the rear, with the non-drive side radially laced. The wheels have external aluminum nipples to make maintenance much easier in the event you need to true them; you won’t have to worry about taking the tire off. The wheels are compatible with Shimano, SRAM, and Campagnolo.

Reynolds recognizes that when you shell out real money for a pair of dream wheels, you’re going to want to have some extra protection. So in addition to the limited warranty that comes with the purchase, they have also developed a program by which you can buy yourself some extra piece of mind. Called the Reynolds Assurance Program (RAP), it is wheel insurance that you can purchase on the Reynolds website within 30 days of purchasing your wheels. It provides two years of coverage above and beyond the regular warranty and the crash replacement program, offering a no-questions-asked replacement. RAP costs $250 for this wheelset and you can take care of the paperwork on the Reynolds website.

There aren’t too many things in this world that are perfect. But once you try the Reynolds Assault SLG Clincher Wheelset, you will be more than inclined to think that these wheels couldn’t get any better.  It is a wheelset for all occasions. The clincher version of these wheels weighs a lithe 1515 grams.