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On test: FFWD F2R-190 Ceramic wheels, September 19, 2008
Crazy light
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Dutch wheel company FFWD ('Fast Forward') is perhaps better known for its discs and tri-spokes but has recently gone in a new direction with a range of ultralight climbing wheels. Cyclingnews' Kirsten Robbins takes a special trip to the western edge of the Rocky Mountains in Utah to find out what these wheels are made of.
Any good climbing wheel's main requirement is light weight and the FFWD F2R-190 Ceramic definitely delivers there. The actual weight of just 1022g for the pair (456g/566g front/rear plus another 100g for the included skewers) puts them in among the lightest available yet they're surprisingly conventional in construction.
The 'TC35' carbon tubular rims are just 20mm tall and claimed to weigh just 250g a piece while the similarly feathery DT Swiss hubs are just 295g for the pair with their aggressively milled-out star ratchets and freehub body and hybrid ceramic bearings.
The remaining weight is taken up by the DT Aerolite bladed spokes and alloy nipples (20/24-hole front/rear) and it's all hand-assembled in Holland by 'master wheel-smith' Zoran Kalaba.
Climbing away
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Light weight is your best ally in the mountains but it doesn't take sixty minutes of climbing to notice a difference in heft with the F2R wheelset installed - just lift up your bike to get a feel for what awaits. The F2Rs are about 200g lighter than even Campagnolo's Hyperon Ultra tubular and though the Lightweight Ventoux and LEW Racing Pro VT-1 both beat the F2R in terms of weight, they're also significantly more expensive and can't easily be trued if/when needed.
Of course, we weren't content to just pick our bike up so climb, climb, climb we did and the F2Rs lit our eyes up, lopping seconds off a hill climb personal best and noticeably easing some of the pain and suffering that often goes along with ascending. The 250g rim weight arguably makes them feel lighter than they are, too, and the high-quality, high-tension build helps in the responsiveness department.
The F2Rs aren't just for climbing though, as they also felt good on flats. In fact, they are reportedly becoming popular amongst cyclo-cross and classics riders thanks to their quick feel and apparent durability. True, the shallow section means they're not as speedy as something deeper but at least the spokes are bladed and the shallow rim section also does well in crosswinds.
What goes up must go down
Nothing beats acceleration like descending in the Rocky Mountains but feeling safe is always important. Thankfully, the F2Rs do better on the plunge back down than their weight would suggest and are pleasantly stable and secure descending at top speed through switchbacks.
Dry braking performance is very good and commendably quiet with the included carbon-specific pads but as with most carbon rims, still not quite on par with an aluminum rim. Braking in the wet was good (but not wonderful) but still better than many other carbon wheels we've used.
To be fair, we fall well under FFWD's stated 80kg weight limit in this case [there's no point in having a non-climber test a set of climbing wheels! - Ed.] and heavier riders might not find the lightweight construction to offer sufficient stiffness or strength.
Even so, FFWD says the weight limit has more to do with braking than structural integrity. "Anyone can ride these wheels on flats or climbing," explained FFWD general manager Roland ten Brinke. "The weight limit is made for the heavy riders because too much braking on high speed descents causes the rim to heat up very quickly."
The verdict
The FFWD F2R-190 Ceramic wheels do just what they promise - help you to climb faster - but they still offer enough all-around performance that they should be suitable for most mixed road events, too. And though not cheap, each set of Fast Forward wheels at least comes with an appropriate level of goodies that include protective wheel bags, carbon-specific brake pads, valve extenders and quick releases.
Braking isn't as good as with aluminum, either, and heavier riders will likely want to look elsewhere for something with a little more beef but if you fit the bill and are looking to head skywards, the FFWD F2R-190 Ceramic might just do the trick.
Price: €1,798
Weight: 456g/566g (front/rear) plus 100g/pair for skewers
Pros: Ultralight weight will improve anyone's climbing, enough all-around
performance to also justify its use in mixed road events
Cons: Moderate 80kg rider weight limit, deeper-section wheels are still
faster in most situations
Cyclingnews rating: 
More information: www.ffwdwheels.com
Photography
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Images by James Huang/Cyclingnews.com
- The FFWD F2R-190 Ceramic offers climbers an ultralight set of hoops.
- The carbon tubular rim is just 20mm-deep and is reported to weigh just 250g.
- Braking performance was good in the dry and decent in the wet with the included carbon-specific pads.
- The clean rim bed offered a good base for gluing tires.
- DT Swiss' 190 Ceramic hubs form the foundation for the wheelset with their ceramic bearings and aggressive milled-out freehub body and star ratchets.
- DT Aerolite spokes hold it all together.
- The rear wheel is laced with just 24 spokes while the front makes do with 20.
- The included high-leverage skewers bear striking resemblance to Mavic's design and work very well.
