£469.98 Smart, modern budget disc wheels
01 Lots of choice
The RD2’s Halo Supadrive freehub is available for Shimano HG, SRAM XDR and Campagnolo users, all at no extra cost
02 On the limit
Halo gives a 100kg recommended maximum rider weight for the Evaura wheels
3 Rim width
Halo designed the Evaura RD2 rims for use with modern road tyres from 25mm to 35mm in width
The Good
Attractive looks; useful dimensions; decent road performance
The Bad
Opinion splitting free hub noise; not that quick uphill
HALO’S NEW EVAURA RD2 wheels are designed to appeal to riders who prefer larger-volume tyres. Their glossy tubeless-ready rims with black-on-black graphics are described as Stealth Black Anodised and have a strikingly modern look. Their dimensions continue the theme too, as the shallow T10 Nobium heattreated alloy rims boast 19mm internal width and are just 22mm tall.
Both front and rear rims have 24 J-bend, double-butted, black, stainless-steel spokes with black brass nipples. They’re laced in Halo’s 16/8E pattern, with 16 spokes, crossed twice, on one side, with eight spokes, crossed once, on the other, meeting the rim in a 2:1 arrangement.
The Halo RD2 front and RD2 Supadrive rear hubs have generously sized, wellspaced flanges, sealed bearings and Center Lock disc rotor fittings. The Supadrive freehub includes a 120-point pick up, which minimises the transition time from freewheeling to engaging the drivetrain. A front dynamo hub option is also available.
Supplied with tubeless tape already installed, their weight, including the tape and 12mm thru-axle end caps is 771g front and 917g rear, for a 1,688g total. For alloy wheels with modern internal dimensions, this is quite respectable, and tyre fitting was a thankfully simple process too. A pair of 26mm tyres slipped into place without wrecking my thumbs, and then inflated first time with a track pump. With sealant added, they retained pressure well, and were leak-free after the first ride.
Their internal width spread these tyres out to a useful 27.5mm wide, allowing them to be run with a little less pressure. This complemented the RD2’s inbuilt compliance as, when spoke tension allows, a shallow rim will be more inclined to flex in the vertical plane. With larger tyres fitted, this would have been harder to feel, so I kept the tyre volume down, but still found the ride quality better than average over my usual broken roads.
The most obvious trait of the RD2s is how smoothly and quickly they seem to roll, due largely to their hubs. This is countered by the fairly high-pitched buzz of the Supadrive freehub, which is a soprano to the tenor notes produced by the majority of freehubs. I learned to live with it, but it’s an acquired taste.
As a wheelset that aims to offer plenty of compliance, you might expect it to feel a bit sloppy. Yet, on the contrary, the RD2 responded keenly to accelerations and felt positive, if not fast, when climbing.
They’re quick enough to produce a decent sprint, with little lateral deflection, and can sustain speed over lightly rolling terrain pretty well. They slow quickly on longer climbs, though, favouring lowergear spinning to muscular heaving.
Also consider…
Fulcrum Racing 5 DB £399.99
Fulcrum’s updated Racing 5DBs feature oversized disc hubs, each with 24 straightpull bladed steel spokes, laced to 24mm-deep, asymmetric alloy rims. Their 2:1 spoke pattern, with 16 spokes on one side, and eight on the other, equalises the respective forces and maintains rigidity. The tubeless-ready 2-Way Fit rims come pre-taped, and the the weight is a competitive 1,670g. Their 20mm internal width comfortably suits 25mm and larger tyres.
Specialized Roval SLX 24 Disc £735
The satin-black alloy Roval SLX24 rims are 20mm wide internally, and 24mm tall. They sport 24 DT Swiss Competition spokes each, and the hub bodies feature DT Swiss 350 internals, with sealed cartridge bearings that spin beautifully. They weigh an impressive 1,562g. They work well for 25mm or 40mm tyres alike, with great sidewall support, generous air volume, reliable lowpressure security, and great all-round performance.