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review

Token Prime Ventous Carbon Disc Road Wheelset

9
£1,099.99

VERDICT:

9
10
Excellent quality full-carbon clinchers with modern design and specs that deliver a great package for the price
Weight: 
1,479g

At road.cc every product is thoroughly tested for as long as it takes to get a proper insight into how well it works. Our reviewers are experienced cyclists that we trust to be objective. While we strive to ensure that opinions expressed are backed up by facts, reviews are by their nature an informed opinion, not a definitive verdict. We don't intentionally try to break anything (except locks) but we do try to look for weak points in any design. The overall score is not just an average of the other scores: it reflects both a product's function and value – with value determined by how a product compares with items of similar spec, quality, and price.

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Token has produced some excellent kit over the years and the Prime Ventous Carbon Disc Road wheelset is no exception. Build quality is excellent, they look great, perform really well and are pretty good value too.

  • Pros: Modern spec, fits both QR and thru-axle, tubeless-ready, quality construction and accessories
  • Cons: Er, none

Something like a full wheelset needs a good test during its review period and this new disc version of the Ventous range dropped just at the right time, a couple of weeks before I rode Land's End to John o'Groats again on the Deloitte Ride Across Britain. That's an almost 1,000-mile journey in just over a week, taking in every road surface (and quality of) you can imagine, in all weathers, with stiff climbs and fast descents adding to the fun.

> Find your nearest dealer here

> Buy these online here

Taking them out of the box when they arrived, I was immediately impressed with the look and finish of the wheels, the matt black with subtle highlights and logos giving a stealthy look.

token_2018_prime_ventous_disc_carbon_wheels_-_rim_detail.jpg

Build quality is very good with the wheels using a full-carbon rim, Pillar Wing spokes and Token's own D1 hubs, backed with a two-year warranty. Also in the box was a neat accessories case with beautifully machined parts to convert from thru-axle (as supplied) to QR; QR is how I would run them, so the first job was to swap the carriers over which was a simple job and done in minutes with only cone spanners required.

token_2018_prime_ventous_disc_carbon_wheels_-_rear_hub.jpg

Tubeless rim tape was already installed so it was just tyres, valves, discs and a cassette to finish the job. I went with my preferred 25mm Schwalbe Pro Ones for rubber, and although they were a tight fit, as expected, they just about went on with no tools though they did take a bit more effort with the thumbs than other wheels I've ridden recently (tools on a carbon rim are best avoided anyway). Discs and cassette were standard Centerlock jobs.

token_2018_prime_ventous_disc_carbon_wheels_-_rim_bed.jpg

With sealant added, they inflated onto the rim easily with a track pump and straight away showed the trend for wider rims, the internal width spreading the tyre out so that it was a nice curve flush with the external 27mm edge. Mounted on the bike they looked great, and spinning the wheels led to a long wait for them to stop on the quality sealed bearings.

In use

With the good weather still holding and time in hand before the big ride, I used the bike and wheels sparingly but first impressions were good – very good. Smooth and quiet (including the freehub), they picked up well and gained speed noticeably quicker that the Ultegra wheels I had been running; the ride was much better.

On to the main event then, and nine days of hard riding on all manner of surfaces and varying speeds. The early couple of days were super-hilly, lots of out of the saddle grinding and fast descents on the other side. The wheels were stiff but did have a little give under pressure – I'm 90kg – but weren't fazed at all and continued on at pace whatever the gradient, the acceleration when cracking on at the base giving a welcome extra bit of speed to carry up.

On the other side, the super-smooth bearings and stiff construction made for a very controlled descent, inspiring confidence (in part to the rubber) on the twistier sections.

token_2018_prime_ventous_disc_carbon_wheels_-_front_hub.jpg

Rough sections of tarmac were dealt with easily too, the wheel absorbing a reasonable amount of buzz and again feeling very composed; even the odd small hole wasn't an issue.

On the flatter, faster days the wheels came into their own, being designed for quicker riding where the aerodynamic profile and rim width properties work best. Punting along at decent speeds was a breeze (literally most of the time with a tailwind), making my job easier when needing to catch groups on the road. On the days we didn't have a tailwind it was a stiff crosswind, and here the wheels did need a bit of managing. Despite only being 36mm deep they did catch the wind somewhat, but not to the extent that it was a big problem; a little forward planning and road positioning negated the issue.

token_2018_prime_ventous_disc_carbon_wheels_-_rim_detail_2.jpg

As the days wore on the wheels continued to impress, with a growing confidence in their abilities and, importantly, quality. We had days of warm sun and torrential rain, with one particular day taking us down one of the filthiest, pot-holed roads I've ever ridden. By the end of the event – they weren't washed at all – they looked atrocious, but still spun smoothly and were as true as the day we started the adventure, with zero issues at all over the nine days. Not even a puncture – thanks Schwalbe.

After a good wash back at home they looked tip-top once more, the finish holding up well with just the odd stone chip on the rim surface.

> Buyer's Guide: 203 tubeless wheelsets

They're pretty competitive when it comes to price too: Hunt's tubeless-ready 50 Carbon Wide Aero Wheelset is cheaper but heavier at £919 and 1,537g (claimed); Mavic's Cosmic Pro Carbon disc brake wheelset is very similar at £1,049 (1,479g) but isn't tubeless, while Zipp's 302 disc brake wheelset is £1,299 (1,695g), and again not tubeless.

Overall, I was super-impressed with these Token wheels and would gladly ride them every day after the punishment they endured with ease. They look good, perform well and are great for the money, with the quality of the components and competitive weight justifying the cost against competitors in the sector.

Verdict

Excellent quality full-carbon clinchers with modern design and specs that deliver a great package for the price

If you're thinking of buying this product using a cashback deal why not use the road.cc Top Cashback page and get some top cashback while helping to support your favourite independent cycling website

road.cc test report

Make and model: Token Prime Ventous Carbon Disc Road Wheelset

Size tested: 12x100mm Front & 12x142mm Rear thru axle built in.

Tell us what the wheel is for and who it's aimed at. What do the manufacturers say about it? How does that compare to your own feelings about it?

Token says, "VENTOUS Disc shares the same rim profile and spec as the VENTOUS wheelset and delivers the same light-weight, aerodynamic performance for your disc brake bike."

I found that they were a great all-round set of wheels when you want something a bit special – likely kept for Sunday best or racing.

Tell us some more about the technical aspects of the wheel?

From Token:

TYRE TYPE: Clincher

Tubeless Ready

WEIGHT 626 g (f) / 778 g (r), total: 1404 g (claimed)

RIM DIAMETER 700c

RIM MATERIAL Carbon Fibre

RIM WIDTH (EXTERNAL) 27.4 mm

RIM WIDTH (INTERNAL) 20 mm

RIM HEIGHT 36 mm

NIPPLES External

CASSETTE COMPATIBILITY Shimano / SRAM 10-11s or SRAM XD

SPOKE LACING 2 cross (f) and 2 cross (r)

SPOKE COUNT 24 (f) and 24 (r)

SPOKE TYPE Pillar Wing 14G

HUB TYPE D1

BEARING COUNT 2 (f) and 4 (r)

BEARING TYPE Premium

DISC BRAKE COMPATIBLE Yes

INCLUDED EXTRAS Skewers

Adapters for QR

Rate the wheel for quality of construction:
 
10/10

Straight out of the box they exude quality; the finish and machining is top notch with buttery smooth bearings and a tidy conversion kit for axle types.

Rate the wheel for performance:
 
10/10

As you would expect from a wheelset at this level, they spin up quickly and maintain speed well. The aerodynamic design seems to work well and they are happy rolling along at speed, quietly in a tubeless setup too. Stiffness is expected from a carbon wheel and my 90kg barely bothered them except when really charging on a steep climb, and even then it was almost unnoticeable.

Rate the wheel for durability:
 
10/10

For the distance they have done over a multitude of road (and mild off-road) surfaces, plus everything from baking sun to monsoon-like rain, they still look like new, the bearings as smooth now as when out of the box.

Rate the wheel for weight
 
8/10

Token claims 1,404g for the pair, which sits well with other carbon wheelsets in the price range; road.cc's scales put them at 1,479g but I suspect Token gives its weight without any of the axle type adaptors fitted.

Rate the wheel for value:
 
7/10

These sit at a competitive price for the quality and features. Tubeless, and the ability to run on thru-axle or QR are nice bonuses over other options.

Did the wheels stay true? Any issues with spoke tension?

After 1,000 miles they are as true and taut as the day they were fitted; considering the roads in the UK that's impressive.

How easy did you find it to fit tyres?

I ran them tubeless and the setup was straightforward but not overly easy to get the tyres on, but it was possible (just) without tools – strong hands required.

How did the wheel extras (eg skewers and rim tape) perform?

The wheels arrived with well-fitted and airtight tubeless tape. The included QR adaptors were excellent quality and well machined, easy to swap over and worked really well.

Tell us how the wheel performed overall when used for its designed purpose

The wheels were excellent all-round. They probably weren't designed for 1,000 miles in just over a week in the UK but they performed brilliantly. Take them into their comfort zone of fast Sunday rides and racing and you definitely won't be disappointed.

Tell us what you particularly liked about the wheel

The design and finish appealed a lot, and once on the bike the ride feel and performance were superb – lots to like!

Tell us what you particularly disliked about the wheel

Nothing, can't fault them; even the cost is reasonable.

How does the price compare to that of similar products in the market, including ones recently tested on road.cc?

Mavic's Cosmic Pro Carbon disc brake wheelset is £1,049 (1,479g) but isn't tubeless; Zipp's 302 disc brake wheelset is £1,299 (1,695g), again, not tubeless; Hunt's 50 Carbon Wide Aero Wheelset is £919 (1,537g) and is tubeless ready.

Did you enjoy using the wheel? Yes

Would you consider buying the wheel? Yes

Would you recommend the wheel to a friend? Yes

Use this box to explain your overall score

Their smart looks and super-high build quality that stood up to a proper test left me really impressed: they spin up quickly, ride really well and still look the business after some abuse.

Overall rating: 9/10

About the tester

Age: 46  Height: 190cm, 6'2  Weight: 185lb, 84kg

I usually ride: Boardman AirPro Di2  My best bike is:

I've been riding for: 10-20 years  I ride: A few times a week  I would class myself as: Expert

I regularly do the following types of riding: road racing, time trialling, cyclo-cross, commuting, club rides, sportives

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3 comments

Avatar
rjfrussell | 5 years ago
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Interesting-  I was on Enve 3.4 disc wheel set (38mm deep at front, 42mm at back) and 28mm tyres (Conti 4 seasons) and had no problems with the winds at all that day.  Maybe this is an area where different wheels really do make a difference. 

Avatar
paulrattew replied to rjfrussell | 5 years ago
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rjfrussell wrote:

Interesting-  I was on Enve 3.4 disc wheel set (38mm deep at front, 42mm at back) and 28mm tyres (Conti 4 seasons) and had no problems with the winds at all that day.  Maybe this is an area where different wheels really do make a difference. 

 

The 3.4s are lovely wheels. Different rim shapes will make a difference, as will the whole rest of the package. For me it was the combination of deepish rims, big tyres massively adding to the wheel depth, a small bike frame with big bottles filling a lot of the inner frame space (adding to the sail effect), me physically being a rather wind catching shape (fat) and my general nervousness. 

The market for carbon wheels at the ~£1k price bracket is starting to get really competitive, which can only be a good thing. There's obviously a massive gap between wheels like this and the 3.4s (retail over 2 and a half times as much). I still wouldn't personally trust rim brake carbon wheels at this price, but its great to see the available range of disc brake wheels really improving in both number and quality at more affordable prices

Avatar
paulrattew | 5 years ago
0 likes

The really strong gusty crosswinds on the final day of RAB caused me issues - a few of the descents after Bettyhill were downright scary with the gusts. I remember being a bit envious of your slightly shallower rims - I was on 40 deep rims with 28mm tyres which ended up being a handful with the gusts when they were really side on. It's amazing how much the tyres can change the crosswind handling characterics of a set of wheels - with 25mm tyres my wheels catch the wind far less and are so much less stressful. 

Good to hear the token's stood up to the abuse well

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