Summer/Winter Wheels

none of this stuff makes much difference to cat 4 riders or hobbyists in my experience. I often see guys on very basic kit out-riding guys on high-end stuff on club rides and races. couple of summers ago i managed to beat one of the rapha guys on our way up box hill. he was on zipps, i was on 105/open pro/gp4000s trainers.
carbons feel awesome, but at the level most of us ride that's about the only reason to buy them.

I am no riding carbon braking surfaces in the rain after witnessing, for the first time, how much braking fades over a steep decent. Impossibrake.

All right:

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puts another pound in the piggy bank for 808s

What happens if you ride your summer wheels in the winter? Does your head implode?

what happens is that it doesn't rain enough, in spring we get drought, so when it does rain lots we get flood warnings while in the drought.

http://www.tour-qtr.com/epaper_4_2011

Test where the Zipp 101 outperformed across yaw the 50mm deep Mavic Cosmic Carbone SLR wheels. Be concerned about Zipp rear hub .. quick search shows it's reliability hasn't improved

30mm wheels outperformed 50mm at considerable yaw

http://i3.kym-cdn.com/photos/images/original/000/264/615/242.png

none of this stuff makes much difference to cat 4 riders or hobbyists in my experience. I often see guys on very basic kit out-riding guys on high-end stuff on club rides and races. couple of summers ago i managed to beat one of the rapha guys on our way up box hill. he was on zipps, i was on 105/open pro/gp4000s trainers.
carbons feel awesome, but at the level most of us ride that's about the only reason to buy them.

The bottom would fall out of the carbon wheel market. If we bought based on real life gain. The biggest real world gain I get from mine. Is the fact that I find myself compelled to ride at 110% effort, whenever I'm on them. So as not to look like a 'all ther gear - no idea' twat (which is what I am)

Mine also look and feel nice. I like nice things.

true. there's a special feeling that only nice things can give. i guess it's why i hose money at rapha and other high end clothing manufacturers.

so if i were to want a wheelset that did everything would i be right in not going for carbon and going for some solid rims like open pros with some nice hubs?

That Look 595 has a 1080 / 808 combination which is basically the stupidest pairing of Zipp wheels for UK riding. These are sold as a high-end TT wheelset for those not wanting a disc. And they look shite.

so if i were to want a wheelset that did everything would i be right in not going for carbon and going for some solid rims like open pros with some nice hubs?

I'd guess you'd want an alu braking surface, and not too much depth. Which leaves you with little to gain from having a carbon fairing section. Something like a velocity A23 maybe. Budget, wheel taste, rider weight etc. all need to be considered though.

Personal chioce.
A23s laced 28(2x) rear, 24 or 20(radial front), to novatech superlights, with laser spokes front, and ACI rear. £340

Where I live theres no such thing as an all year anything though. Even my car gets new wheels for the winter.

http://www.wheelsmith.co.uk/road-wheels-prices