Bjorn has been out again on our test 29er carbon clinchers, here’s his report from the multi day MTB race held in Douro, Portugal. The first retail ready versions will available in November 2012.
The Douro Bike Race is a 4 stage mountainbike race held in Amarante (Portugal), a small town about 40km east of Porto. The town is surrounded by 3 mountains. After an initial prologue through the old town and along the river running through the town on the first day the next days offer a different stage every day. Each stage attacks one of the 3 mountains surrounding the town and each has its own character.
The first 2 stages saw lots of big rock gardens, small rocky drops, … whereas the last stage offered more fast dusty single track with berms.
This was the second time I used Strada’s own brand 29′er carbon wheels. And just as in the previous race they performed without fault.
I knew from the previous race they would accelerate quickly and would hold up fine going round twisty single track. However the first 2 stages were a good test to see the strength of these wheels. The wheels coped brilliantly with the steep rocky descents. I never felt any flex in these wheels which I am sure I would have felt on my aluminium wheelset.
I spent over 20 hours on these wheels over 3 days and they never gave me any concern and the light weight of these wheels made climbing a lot easier.
Again thanks to Jonathan and Darren of Strada Wheels for lending me these wheels and to Cycle Precision and PBscience for their support.
