Vision TriMax T42 wheels

The Vision Trimax T42 is a versatile alloy/carbon wheelset that's suitable for everyday use as well as racing.

Okay, first the essential info... when Vision describe these as 'carbon alloy clinchers' they mean that they're alloy with a carbon surface on the deep section of the welded rim. They call this Carbon Structural Integration, or CSI for short, and explain it like this:

'Once an aluminum component is wrapped in carbon fibre, the fibre becomes an integral part of the structure and increases the overall stiffness of the component.'

So the whole of the rim, including the braking surface, is alloy but the V-section is covered with carbon fibre for reinforcement. Of course, the unidirectional carbon finish doesn't hurt in terms of giving a high-end look.

As the name suggests, the rim is 42mm deep and it's 21.2mm wide. Vision's own CNC-machined hubs are black anodized and they contain sealed cartridge bearings (two in the front wheel, four in the rear). The alloy cassette body comes in both Shimano/SRAM and Campag versions.

Everything is laced up by hand using straight-pull Sapim aero spokes – 18 at the front (radial) and 21 at the rear (seven radial on the non-driveside and 14 two-cross on the driveside).

The weight is okay rather than something to get excited about. Ours hit the scales at 804g (f) and 966g (r). That's a total of 1,770g (including rim tape) plus a combined weight of 110g for the quick releases. That's not mega-light but it's certainly comparable to similarly priced rivals.

In use these feel really tight; they're extremely well built. I've been using them for [checks calendar] four months now and I've not had to tighten a single spoke, which says a lot for Vision's construction methods and quality control.

The rims don't slice through the air as well as something a little deeper but they're still impressive and the advantage is that you can use these in most conditions. You don't struggle to maintain control in a strong crosswind like you can with a rim depth of say, 50mm+. Okay, if it's blowing a gale you might have a bit of a fight on your hands but if you want to buy just one set of aero wheels (rather than having the luxury of two or three pairs and swapping them around according to the conditions), these are worth considering.

They climb fine too. They're not electrifying on the slopes but they're not a bad weight for their depth and price. Plus, the alloy braking surface is far more predictable than any carbon model out there.

If you want some versatile aero wheels that are going to put in a solid performance, give these some serious thought.

Verdict

High-quality aero clinchers that are versatile enough for everyday use or racing; decent price too.