Ere Research Explorator GCR40
£499 Weight 1,893g (with rim tape) Depth 40mm Width 21mm internal, 24.5mm external
It’s rare to see an alloy rim deep enough to be considered an ‘aero wheelset’. A 40mm depth, as with the Explorator’s hooked rims, isn’t super-deep, but is a good compromise between aerodynamic efficiency and handling stability. It does, however, weigh a portly 1,893g, with rim tape.
The Explorator’s rims are 21mm wide internally and 24.5mm externally, and are designed for up to 40c tyres, with 26-32c as optimum. This is narrower than many modern carbon aero rims, but may have been done to save weight.
The rims are made of heat-treated ‘Niobium’ alloy, designed to up durability, and maximum rider weight is 130kg. The rim comes taped, and with eight spare spokes and nipples.
The hubset is an in-house design, the Ere Iona X12, which features a four-pawl freehub system, and gives a 10˚ engagement angle. The steel bearings can be upgraded to SKF steel or ceramic options if you pay more. The wheels feature straight-pull, round stainless steel Sapim Leader spokes and black alloy nipples.
You can buy these wheels with a Campagnolo N3W, Shimano HG or SRAM XDR freehub body, and a crash replacement policy offers a 50 per cent discount on a replacement rim for the lifetime of the wheelset if it’s not safely rideable.
Weight is the main drawback for this wheelset. It feels adequately stiff for me (as a just-above-average rider), but there’s not quite the same reactivity at slower speeds as lighter options around this price. On long, steep climbs, the wheelset can feel a little bit sluggish too, but this fades on shallower ascents.
This was the easiest wheelset in this test to hold at 30-35kph in stable conditions. And at these higher speeds, it felt taut and sharp when I put the hammer down. It also felt very stable, and remarkably unperturbed in windy weather (perhaps due to its fairly high weight).
The generous internal rim width may help boost ride quality. I inflated the test tyres to 28.6mm at 80PSI, which was (marginally) the widest on test. The relatively deep rims could also help the wheels smooth out road buzz. In fact, the wheelset gives a composed and quite forgiving ride, allowing you to take light gravel shortcuts between road sections (especially if you opt to run it tubeless with slightly lower tyre pressures).
This wheelset’s a pleasant break from the norm. It feels efficient, stiff and responsive at speed, and has a rim profile similar to contemporary carbon wheelsets. However, as it’s heavier than similarly deep carbon options or shallower alloy rims, it may best suit those who live in a flat area or tend to avoid steep climbs.