Review: Stans Alpine ZTR / Just Riding Along Wheelset

Since July 2010 I have been riding a wheelset from Just Riding Along made up of Stan’s ZTR Alpine rims and ZTR hubs. The first thing you notice about these wheels is the weight. The official weight is 1372g which was pretty accurate for my pair. When compared to my Hope Pro2/Mavic 717 combo the improvement in acceleration is noticeable. They are also significantly stiffer than my old wheels while not quite as stiff as Crankbrothers Cobalt wheels which are my current stiffness benchmark. You do get the occasional twang if you catch a rock at an angle as with many lightweight wheelsets but the wheels are surprisingly resilient, still running perfectly true and the rims are ‘ding’ free. The spokes have also held up admirably and I have not even had to tighten them, let alone replace. As for the hubs, they have 30 point engagement, which is nothing compared to the 72 in a Chris king hub, but compares favourably to the 24 on a Hope Pro2. They feel quick to pick up and I have never felt like I am missing the extra 42! They run almost silently which I found a bit disconcerting initially after being used to the volume of my Hope’s. Some will like this, some won’t, but it shouldn’t be a deal breaker. The bearings in my hubs are still smooth and play-free after 18 months of use for training and racing which I am very grateful for after my Hope hubs have needed a complete overhaul at least once a year.

This was also my first foray into the world of tubeless wheels but the system was surprisingly easy to set up. I got everything I needed from JRA including the Stan’s sealant and valves and set them up successfully on my first attempt using standard non tubeless tires. To be honest, it was a bit of a risk setting these up when I did because my first substantial ride on them was 24hrs solo at Sleepless in the Saddle, where the golden rule is don’t try something new on race day! Fortunately the risk paid off and I went puncture free, and in fact I am still puncture free after 18 months of riding.

In summary, these are a great set of wheels, from the individual components to the build quality and service from JRA. The other great thing about these wheels is the price. At just over £400 for the complete build, they are relativly affordable, and a steal compared to the competition from Mavic, Crankbrothers, Fulcrum and Specialized.

Additional Note: Since writing this I have had 2 punctures! Apparently going tubeless breads complacency and I had run out of sealant in my tyres.