Support road.cc

Like this site? Help us to make it better.

review

Halo Retro wheelset

7
£239.98

VERDICT:

7
10
Classic looks with modern performance, a good new wheelset for a classic racer or Sunday tourer
Weight: 
1,811g
Contact: 
www.ison-distribution.com

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.

What the road.cc scores mean

Good scores are more common than bad, because fortunately good products are more common than bad.

  • Exceptional
  • Excellent
  • Very Good
  • Good
  • Quite good
  • Average
  • Not so good
  • Poor
  • Bad
  • Appalling

If you want some traditional-looking hoops for your classic road bike or Sunday tourer, then you can get some handbuilt wheels but there's not many off-the-shelf options. The Halo Retro wheelset is one such wheelset, and they're good too: stiff, not too heavy and, maybe most importantly here, good looking.

The rim is designed to ape classic hoops from the 1970s and 1980s but it's a modern, box-section alloy extrusion with stainless steel eyelets. The polished finish lends it a look not dissimilar to a steel rim though, and the laser-etched decals are discreet. The hubs have an open-flange design (except on the drive side of the rear hub) and they're laced up with butted stainless spokes. The freehub has an alloy body and will handle up to ten sprockets. Or as few as seven.

The overall look of the wheelset is undeniably classic and they looked the ticket on my 1986 Raleigh Scirocco. In terms of performance, they feel undeniably modern. The build is tight and the wheels are nice and stiff, and weight-wise they're a very reasonable 1800g all-in. They roll very well and they've stayed true throughout testing. The freehub has a solid-sounding click and looks to be the same as used on the SpinMaster rear hub, which I've put a few thousand miles into now.

The only downside for me is the braking surface. It's swings and roundabouts, this: the polished sidewalls look more classic, but a machined braking surface would massively improve the braking consistency on the wheels. I'd like to see Halo offer the wheelset in both polished and machined versions, personally. That way, everyone's happy.

In terms of value they're not dissimilar in price and weight to entry-level race wheels such as the Fulcrum Racing 5, so I wouldn't say they were expensive. They're well built and good-looking wheels that'll look great on a certain type of bike. If you've got a bike like that, these are worth a look.

Verdict

Classic looks with modern performance, a good new wheelset for a classic racer or Sunday tourer

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: Halo Retro wheelset

Size tested: Silver

Tell us what the product 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?

Box section low-profile lightweight road race rims with stainless eyelets.

Our brand new 700c Retro rims resemble European high quality rims from the 1970s and 80s but are made using modern extrusions and materials to offer high performance and low weight.

The perfect option to finish off your retro classic race machine that warms your heart on a Sunday morning (or anytime when you take a sneaky peek.)

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

Double wall box section.

Heat Treated T10 extruded alloy.

Close-pinned joint.

Polished smooth brakewall.

Stainless Steel single eyelets.

19.6mm wide.

21mm deep.

ERD: 594

High polished finish sealed bearing 32H hubs.

Rims with subtle laser logo.

Front Weight 810g

Rear Weight 1010g

Rate the product for quality of construction:
 
8/10
Rate the product for performance:
 
7/10
Rate the product for durability:
 
8/10
Rate the product for weight, if applicable:
 
7/10
Rate the product for comfort, if applicable:
 
7/10
Rate the product for value:
 
7/10

Tell us what you particularly liked about the product

Look nice, stiff, not over-heavy

Tell us what you particularly disliked about the product

polished brake surface

Did you enjoy using the product? Yes

Would you consider buying the product? For the right bike, yes

Would you recommend the product to a friend? Yes

Overall rating: 7/10

About the tester

Age: 40  Height: 190cm  Weight: 102kg

I usually ride: whatever I'm testing...  My best bike is: Genesis Equilibrium with SRAM Apex

I've been riding for: 10-20 years  I ride: Every day  I would class myself as: Experienced

I regularly do the following types of riding: commuting, sportives, general fitness riding, fixed/singlespeed, mtb, Mountain Bike Bog Snorkelling, track

 

Dave is a founding father of road.cc, having previously worked on Cycling Plus and What Mountain Bike magazines back in the day. He also writes about e-bikes for our sister publication ebiketips. He's won three mountain bike bog snorkelling World Championships, and races at the back of the third cats.

Add new comment

1 comments

Avatar
SamShaw | 10 years ago
0 likes

Lovely looking, plus a decent weight. Would definitely be better with a machined brake surface.

Latest Comments