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Italian component manufacturer 3T has a long history of making things we want, and the Discus C35 Team wheelset is no exception. It marries very smart looking 32mm deep, satin-finished carbon rims to solid cartridge bearing disc hubs.
The latter accept Centerlock rotors for maximum convenience, as well as all mainstream axle standards including conventional quick releases; we tested ours with a 15mm front thru-axle and a 142x12mm rear. In this configuration, the wheels weigh a decent but unexceptional 1534g for the pair including rim tape – gravity must have been having an off day in Italy when 3T checked, because that’s a little more than the 1425g claimed weight.
Wide rims are all the rage now because they work so well, and while the 3Ts bulge to over 26mm wide at their fattest and are about 25mm at the brake track, they measure a relatively average 18mm internally – carbon clincher construction means the bead hook area is on the chunky side.
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The build quality of our set was excellent and we took note of the offset rim design, which makes for a more even spoke tension split, a boon for durability. Internal spoke nipples won’t find favour with your mechanic if the wheels ever need truing, but they contribute to a clean and attractive piece of design. We also appreciated the rubber valve hole inserts, which prevent rattling, a common issue with carbon wheels.
There’s nothing shouty about these on the road – they don’t whoosh like deep sections and the logos have none of the billboard aesthetics of some carbon offerings. They do what a good set wheels is meant to: they disappear underneath you and do a damned fine job of getting you where you’re going.
Lateral stiffness is excellent and there’s none of the rawness that sometimes blights the ride quality of racy wheels. Their rounded profile catches little wind and all in all, they’re extremely hard to fault. The only issue with the 3Ts is that they’re really quite expensive, and at the price it’s a little disappointing that they don’t offer tubeless compatibility.
You can read more at BikeRadar.com
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