ShimanoWH-R8170 C50-TL Ultegra Carbon Disc Wheelset(Return to Product Page)

What an amazing set of wheels! They are so much fun to ride beause of two factors; one a big surprise.

These are fast as expected for a 50mm wheel and similar to my old WH-7850, also 50mm. BUT these wheels have such great cross-wind control. I can ride with no hands again! A big surprise was how well these wheels corner! They inspire such confidence! They remind me of those stiff Mavic Ksyrium SL wheels with aliuminum spokes that were so good in a criterium. They are a bit firmer riding than most of my wheels: Roval C38, Ksyrium Elite UST Disc with a 22mm rim height, Shimano RS-770 with a 30mm rim height, and the dozens of rim brake Ksyriums I have used in 45 years of racing. BTW-C38s are Terrible in crosswinds, almost as bad as MadFiber wheels.

Overall a very smooth but firm riding wheel.

they're an absolutely phenomenal, unbelievable value.

given they're supposed to have an identical rim profile to the dura-ace wheels used by world tour teams, i assume that the design is aerodynamically sound (this is my first carbon road wheelset, so saying they "feel fast" or stiff or whatever isn't really meaningful).

being compatible with both 11 and 12 speed cassettes is great, aero spokes are a nice feature, and the weight is reasonable for the price.

aesthetically, as someone who appreciates minimalism and doesn't like giant banner-like logos and branding, i love the subtle (in practice almost invisible, unless you're looking for it) logo on the wheels, and the very quiet hubs that don't sound like a kid put a baseball card in his spokes just to be loud.

overall i'd say that at full price they're great wheels with decent value, but if you can get them at a discount then they're really fantastic.

Slices through headwinds and deep enough to sail with quartering tailwinds. Typical bombproof Shimano hubs that are easy to service with conventional tools and no noisy freehub like so many other wheelsets. The quiet freehub allows you to stay stealth before unlashing your sprint.

I was a bit skeptical about these wheels, glad I was wrong. Biggest difference I've experienced upgrading to carbon wheels on a bike. They immediately felt much lighter and faster, and for some reason, more comfortable with bumpy roads (this one may be placebo). Where it shines is at higher speeds, you feel more speed for the same power. Only downside I see is you can't upgrade the free hub to XD, AFAIK.

Money well spent, very happy with purchase.

I love my Shimano WH-8170 C50 Ultegra Wheels. The all black stealth color of carbon and decals looks sexy. Fellow cyclists admire how good my wheels look. But it's not just aesthetics. The wheels are and feel stiff, light, and super smooth. The rear hub is quiet, and the cup-and-cone bearings run so smooth that feel like ceramic. Spokes are bladed but thin. I decided to fit tubeless Contis at low pressure and my rides are most comfortable while road resistance is minimum. My 50 width performs great when cutting through headwind and in group rides, while not affecting much my steering during crosswinds. Also important, this wheelset is remarkably affordable. It is cheaper than other non-brand carbon sets. I was glad BTD had it in stock as soon as they came out in the US market, their price was better than other stores (and I could earn points for future purchases), shipping was fast and trackable, and arrived perfectly in its original packaging. Love them.

I have a variety of wheelsets I ride including Dura Ace C50 Tubulars but this is one is the best. Set-up with 25mm Continental Grand Prix 5000 TT TR tires tubeless (without sealant they holds pressure abut 4 hours) they are by far the fastest in my riding group. Highly recommended in my experience.