Pearson Hoopdriver Carbon Road Wheelset

The Pearson Hoopdriver carbon road wheels have a lot to offer, with a smooth ride and plenty of stiffness. They are a decent enough weight, too, although you can get lighter for less money.

• Pros: Smooth-rolling bearings, solid build
• Cons: Not the lightest or cheapest

Pearson describes the Hoopdrivers as a tough and versatile carbon wheelset and that is a pretty fair description I reckon. Based around a high modulus carbon rim that is 23mm wide across its external edges, the wheels will work with up to a 40mm wide tyre according to Pearson, giving you loads of options from fast road riding to cyclo-cross or running gravel rubber.

> Buy these online here

This feels to be a very strong wheelset, so venturing away from the tarmac shouldn't cause any issues. I certainly didn't have any problems with durability throughout the test period, with the Hoopdrivers remaining true and stiff.

The rim depth differs front and rear, with the former being 38mm and the latter 55mm, which gives you a decent balance between aerodynamics and not being whacked around by crosswinds. Pearson has chosen a rim with a rounded trailing edge which it says should 'reduce the 'wing' effect that causes buffeting during crosswind conditions'.

In strong winds I never found the handling to be affected at all, so maybe there is some truth in that.

For the rest of the build Pearson has specced Sapim's CX-Ray spokes front and rear, which is pretty common for this type of build and price point.

Both wheels use 24 spokes laced in a two-cross pattern which, again, is a design we see on many disc brake wheels without issue.

Under hard efforts and heavy braking I couldn't feel any flex or twisting, and the wheels feel stiff without being overly harsh. The comfort levels are pretty good, too, with the build seeming to damp high-frequency road buzz more than the alloy Fulcrum Racing 7s they replaced, with the same tyres.

Speaking of tyres, I had no issues fitting them to the Hoopdrivers, trying a range from 25mm slicks up to 38mm gravel tyres. Getting the last bit on was a bit of a fight but I still managed it with thumb power.

The hubs are large flange options from Novatec which roll smoothly when you give the rim a spin in your hands, and there were no issues with any play. The sealed bearings saw plenty of wet weather during testing and although it is early days, ingress doesn't look to have been a problem.

The disc rotors are secured using Shimano's Centerlock design, which, if you haven't come across it, means you basically slide the rotors over splines on the hub and tighten it using a lockring, like fitting a cassette. It's much simpler than the alternative of six individual bolts.

Fitment to your frame and fork is done via 12mm thru-axles, although there are adaptors to convert them to standard quick release.

All this adds up to a wheelset that weighs 1,687g on our scales, including the PVC oversize rim tape that the wheels are supplied with. Pearson claims a bare weight of 1,550g which is in the ballpark for this kind of wheelset when taking the depths of the rims into account.

They are light enough for general road riding, and even if you spend a lot of time in the hills climbing is never a chore, although when I rode them side by side with the excellent Parcours Grimpeur wheelset, the extra 250g was certainly noticeable.

When it comes to money, the Hoopdrivers are within range of a lot of their competitors, albeit sitting right at the top end.

The very good Token Prime Ventous Carbon Disc wheelset scored highly for their weight (1,479g) and their price of £1,099.99, a saving of £200 over the Pearsons.

Those Parcours I just mentioned are just £819, though, and weigh 1,406g with tubeless rim tape and a rim depth of 40mm; that's impressive.

> Buyer's Guide: 12 of the best disc brake road wheelsets

Overall, the Hoopdrivers offer a decent all-round package of speed, comfort and durability, so it really comes down to price and, as we can see, there are some very good lightweight wheels out there for less money.

Verdict

A decent performing set of disc brake wheels with plenty of versatility but up against some cheaper opposition