Reynolds Stratus Pro Disc Brake wheelset

Reynolds' Stratus Pro Disc wheels feel nippy and stand up admirably to all sorts of abuse. They're a good bet if you're looking for a set of disc brake wheels for the road with the odd bit of cyclo-cross thrown in.

The Stratus Pros are the 'basic' model in Reynolds' road disc brake range, weighing in at 1,630g for the pair and with more than acceptable specs: a rim designed with computational fluid dynamics for an aero profile, 24 double-butted spokes front and rear in a two-cross pattern, and – with the ones we had on test – hubs that take six-bolt disc rotors, though we've been told that the latest models have a centre-lock disc mount. The wheelset comes with conventional quick-release levers, but everything you need for 15mm (and soon also 12mm) front axles and 142x12mm rears can be bought separately.

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The rim is 28mm deep, with an external width of 21mm and internal width of 17mm; that's wide-ish but not overly so. To put it into context, Mavic Open Pro rims are 14mm internally, while the Reynolds ATR wheelset Dave tested recently is wider at 21mm (the same as the ubiquitous Stan's Crest rim).

As a road wheelset, these are likely to be fitted with 25-30mm tyres, but larger sizes would work too. Having said that, for cyclo-cross, where tyres should be 33mm wide, these rims are a bit narrow – both (tubeless) tyres I tried worked better for me on wider rims, providing more grip in corners at the same pressures.

The Stratus Pros are tubeless ready, and come with tubeless rim tape and valves. As the test pair didn't come with valves and I had a little mishap with the rim tape, I opted for electrical tape, but I'm happy to report that worked just fine. The American Classic tubeless valves I tried were a bit wide, making it tricky to fit tyres between the rim and the valve. Stan's tubeless valves worked much better, and I expect the valves supplied will work just fine.

I fitted three different cyclo-cross tyres relatively easily with a couple of wraps of tape: Vittoria Cross XG Pro TNTs, Bontrager CX3s and Michelin Cyclocross Mud 2s. The latter are not actually a tubeless tyre (I've read that they convert to tubeless relatively easily, so thought I'd give it a go) and I reckon the rear tyre blowout I experienced after a particularly keen attempt at jumping a log in the woods can't be blamed on the wheels.

I also fitted Schwalbe Pro Ones in 28mm (review to come), which needed a couple more wraps of tape to build up the diameter, making the beads on the tyre fit tighter. I am lucky enough to have access to a compressor, which makes mounting tubeless tyres a little easier. I don't think any of these combinations would have gone up with a track pump, but you should be fine with a CO2 inflator.

The wheels also worked fine with Continental Grand Prix 4 Season clinchers, again in 28mm.

So, shod in rubber and pumped up, how do they fare? Exactly as you'd expect from a pair of wheels made by Reynolds that weigh a touch over 1,600g. They're no slouches, and while they're not the lightest, they spin up quickly and, importantly, feel good. They're stiff without being jarring and have stood up to what I've thrown them at.

That includes lanes, rough and smooth roads, and more than a few cyclo-cross races and other off-road jaunts. On the wheelstand, they are still as true as the day they arrived, and the finish on the rims looks surprisingly good after what they've been through. Jez reported that the logos came off the Reynolds Assault SLGs he reviewed in 2014; none of that on these.

When I first got them I thought they were a bit expensive for a pair of wheels that are light, but not that light. Turns out my expectations needed adjusting. If you look at the disc brake-ready wheels we've reviewed recently, like the Reynolds ATR and Assault SLGs and the Zipp 30 Courses, they are all round about the same weight and range from a little more expensive to a lot more expensive. Kinesis CX Disc wheels are quite a bit cheaper, but are also a not insignificant 150g heavier.

> Tubeless, clincher, aero, disc brake... check out our guide to the best road bike wheels here

In summary, I reckon these are really good as a road wheelset, and will be more than adequate for the occasional bit of cyclo-cross. They have proved really quite durable, and get a thumbs-up as far as I'm concerned.

And if anything does go wrong, Reynolds' lifetime crash replacement programme covers all its wheels. No subscription necessary, you can buy a replacement wheel at a serious discount in case of mishaps. It also offers the Reynolds Assurance Program – a no-questions-asked repair or replacement programme for your wheels, no matter how they were damaged – for €189 per year, though sadly this covers carbon-rimmed wheels only.

Verdict

Light, nippy and solidly built road disc brake wheelset, at a fair price for what they are