Share the post "Review of Topwheels Light Bicycle Wheels"
In France, a few exceptional artisan wheel builders are making a name for themselves. François Feyt is one of them with his brand Topwheels, founded in 2010. We had the opportunity to test an extraordinary model—very lightweight and comfortable—featuring Light Bicycle rims.
By David Polveroni – Photos: DR
At age 34, with a passion for engineering and science in general, François Feyt began by building wheels for his own use, then for a few friends. “Then, one thing led to another, and I gained expertise in this area, followed by a reputation among my friends and family. With the help of online forums, I made a name for myself, and that allowed me to turn it into my profession,” he tells us.
That’s how Topwheels was born. It started in the Vaucluse region before the brand moved to the Pyrénées-Orientales, specifically to Prades. That’s where Topwheels wheels have been assembled since 2015. Running his business single-handedly, François Feyt is regularly assisted by young people in training. Currently, a young part-time apprentice working toward his vocational high school diploma is benefiting from Topwheels’ expertise. Passing on knowledge is also important to François Feyt.
Very Wide Rims
The wheels we tested are a bit out of the ordinary. As soon as we unpacked them, it was immediately clear that this pair of wheels was something special. While the Michelin Power Cup tubeless tires have a rather distinctive profile due to their design—we’ll cover that in more detail soon in a dedicated article—they’re perfectly suited here to the 28 mm-wide, 40 mm-tall rim. A Light Bicycle WR40 rim, the Light Flyweight model weighing 400 g per rim. This rim features the X Flow profile, inspired by Zipp. This shape offers aerodynamic benefits, though we won’t comment on them here, as we lack the resources to conduct quantitative tests. According to the manufacturer, this design also boosts lateral stiffness. The final weight of this build comes in at 1,350 g, which is very impressive.
The rim is compatible with standard tubed tires as well as tubeless tires, as fitted for this test. In this configuration, the tire is very wide: 32 mm as measured. These aren’t the wheels Ganna used for his hour record. But these are the wheels I used on my Factor O2VAM for a 2,500-km test ride through the French, Swiss, and Italian Alps. That was more than enough to put the product through its paces. So, 2,500 km covered mainly in mountainous terrain, in weather ranging from spring-like to very cold, with occasional light snow or freezing rain.
Comfort Guaranteed
The first few meters immediately put us in the Pullman mood: it feels like sitting in an armchair. This is mainly due to the shock absorption provided by the wide tires, which also fit perfectly with the rims. Aesthetically, it’s also very well done; the whole setup blends well together, doesn’t form a bulge around the rim, and remains aerodynamic—and therefore high-performance.
High-performance, yes—the first few fast sections give us a very smooth ride feel, similar to what we already experienced on the 25 mm model that I’d had the chance to test extensively. Ah, that faint hissing sound, just like a tube—and yet the pressure is very low here. With 32 mm tires at 4 bar for my 56 kg, I’m already well-inflated while still maintaining good comfort.
Comfort, certainly, but on many mountain passes—especially in Italy—the roads are far from being as smooth as a billiard table. The volume provided by this tire-and-rim combination offers very appreciable traction: so better efficiency, that’s for sure!
Better efficiency + great comfort = better performance
It’s up to you to determine your needs. These wheels on my Factor O2 provide just the right amount of stiffness: not too soft, not too stiff—they pair really well with the bike. On a stiffer bike, soft wheels often result in a poor ride feel. But don’t forget that with a custom build like this one, stiffness also depends on the builder’s approach—and therefore on the discussion you have with them.
These weren’t test wheels intended for my bike. But the build using Pillar Wing20 Rainbow spokes on my O2 is quite unusual and rather successful. Then again, everyone has their own tastes… It’s always a plus, because the beauty of craftsmanship is customization: if the model we had had Duke Mad Max hubs, I wouldn’t have been very satisfied with that setup. The front hub made noise in hot weather (I’d been warned), and after numerous rides in wet conditions, the rear hub started to make a slight squeaking noise. That’s really annoying for the rider when it’s not a natural sound… This slight noise is sometimes found on other hubs used on custom-built wheels. It might just be bad luck, but a build using DT Swiss 240 hubs would be a safer option for me.
The key takeaway is the comfort of these wheels, thanks to their very wide rims, and their light weight, which makes them ideal all-around wheels for a wide variety of terrain. For a truly customized build, Francois Feyt will be happy to advise you. Remember, he has a strong background in engineering and science, in addition to a passion for cycling. His advice on choosing a particular rim, or pairing a specific component with a certain tire at a specific pressure, will be invaluable for anyone who wants to ride fast and for long distances.
TOPWHEELS LIGHT BICYCLE wheels at a glance… Rating: ***** Pros: weight, comfort, stability Light Bicycle rims with 28 mm internal width and 40 mm height – Hubs: Duke Mad Max – Spokes: Pillar Wing20 Rainbow spokes – Weight: 1,350 g – Price: €1,180 to €1,750 (€1,635 in the test configuration) Contact: http://topwheels.fr |
=> SEE ALSO: All our Equipment articles
Share the post "Review of Topwheels Light Bicycle Wheels"
