Spada Wheels Breva Forgiato Wheelset

Spada Wheels might not be a household name but with the Breva Forgiato wheels they are going the right way about becoming. The wheels are built in their workshops in Tirano in Northern Italy and they are hugely impressive out of the box.

At £599 they are not your entry level set so to offer a comparable experience I have put them up against my regular summer wheels, a set of Mavic Ksyrium Elites. They come in at a lower price point but for the money offer a very decent performance.

The Spada Breva Forgiato wheels are striking for several reasons. Out of the box you are struck by the colour combinations. Around the white hubs you have a predominance of white aero blade spokes with four red ones for contrast with the colours of the Italian flag on one. These are complemented by the anodised red aluminium nipples and skewers. The rear is laced with 24 spokes to provide strength where it's required and 18 up front.

The Forgiatos are a 32mm clincher and are tubeless ready thanks to the plastic rim tape. They weigh in at 1580g for the pair. To top the wheels off you get a lovely set of skewers in red to match the spokes. The decals on the rims are not quite so subtle and stand out loudly distracting from the good looking wheels. All the decals are stickers so the longevity here may be an issue but hasn't proven to be in the test period. The hubs have sealed bearings so again should prove to be durable over time and against the less the clement conditions.

The wheels out of the box were ready to ride. The spokes were taut and the hubs spun true. With some big rides on the horizon I would have plenty of opportunity to put them through their paces. Initially they were shod with 23mm Schwalbe Durano S tyres. I fitted a 10 speed Ultegra 11-28 cassette to give me enough options for the fast approaching Dragon ride, the Devil. They are also suitable for running an 11-speed cassette if you choose to.

The Breva Forgiatos spin very smoothly and the rear hub has a very pleasing buzz when you free wheel. The gear changes were smooth and swift which given the challenges ahead was very satisfying and reassuring. There is no need for rim tape and they are tubeless ready.

Fitting tyres was straightforward, with no need for levers. Once in place, inflating them was a piece of cake and the tyres were solid and reassuringly fitted despite the ease at which they went on. After the Dragon ride, I switched to 25mm Gatorskins, which also fitted with no problem.

The initial pre-Dragon ride was a pleasant experience. The hubs whirred smoothly. Just as well with a 300km ride around the corner. With everything in place for the longest ride of my life I felt confident that the Spada Breva Forgiatos would get me round, coping not only the with distance but allowing me to climb and descend without missing a beat.

The ride was memorable not only for the sheer length but the climbing, severe in parts, and the descending were truly awesome. I'm not one for getting all mushy over climbing, quite the opposite generally but the mountains in this part of Wales are sublime. The Forgiatos allowed me to climb with ease and despite not being the lightest wheelset available I felt no hinderance on the Welsh ascents. They rolled smoothly and descending the long and occasionally twisting roads offered great reassurance to hit decent speeds. The rims are aluminium and deep enough to cope with any brake blocks. They felt smooth at the start of the test and have not altered in any way shape or form. No rough edges to cause an issue.

Not only did this help with confidence but helped to make this a truly memorable day in the saddle. Post Dragon the Forgiatos have contuinued to excel. Back on Sussex roads they have been put through their paces and accumulated over 700km without missing a beat.

That was until one Friday ride home when I noticed a slight ticking noise coming from from the front wheel. One of the white spokes had worked itself loose. It did tighten but the wheel will need checking to ensure it remains true.

This last note could be the harsher punishment on the less than fine roads of Sussex but not a game changer. The ride quality and performance of the Spada Breva Forgiatos has been top class. For the money you get an eye catching wheelset that spin effortlessly regardless of the terrain or which way the road is pointing.

Verdict

Eye-catching wheels that spin effortlessly and won't break the bank; a decent upgrade option