Miche Syntium AXY wheelset

If you're looking to inject a bit of performance into your ride without breaking the bank, the Syntium AXY wheelset from Italian component manufacturer Miche would be a good place to start. These wheels offer stiffness, a decent build quality and a respectable weight.

We've tested a few pairs of Miche wheels over the last 12 months or so, and they've always impressed, so it's no surprise that the Syntiums continue the trend.

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They are quite traditional in relation to the changes we're seeing in wheel design at the moment, with an internal rim width of just 15mm and a shallow 24mm rim depth. Something that is getting rarer with the fashion for wider and deeper.

They certainly don't suffer for it, though – even fitted with 23mm tyres pumped up to 120psi they were far from punishing. In fact the ride was very smooth, even on rough patches of tarmac, probably the shallow rim coming into play, as you tend to find the deeper the profile, the harsher they become.

Weighing in at 1586g (no rim tape or skewers), they are just 32g heavier than the recently tested Mavic Ksyrium Elites and the ride difference between the two is barely discernible, impressive considering the Syntiums are £200 cheaper.

Thanks to that weight, acceleration is pretty brisk and you certainly notice the benefits in the hills. Plus, thanks to the low rim depth, the handling isn't affected by strong crosswinds.

The stiffness is what has impressed me the most, though. You can really whack the power through the Miches without any lateral movement at the rim. To aid this, Miche has created an asymmetric (off-centre) rim for the rear wheel. Because of the width of an 11-speed hub, rear wheels can end up with virtually no dishing on the drive side and loads on the non-drive side, leading to an imbalance in spoke tension. By moving the nipple holes off-centre towards the non-drive side, you reduce that imbalance, making for a stronger wheel.

The Syntiums use Sapim aero spokes, with 18 laced radially on the front and 24 on the rear, radial on the non-drive with a two-cross pattern on the drive side. These are then attached to the rim using alloy nipples. They certainly look cool anodised red, but if you use them in salty conditions make sure you keep them clean as with previous experience I have had them corrode and fail.

The hubs are Miche's own. They have an aluminium alloy body that is precision CNC machined for a tight tolerance before being fitted with SKF sealed bearings. They've seen plenty of rain soaked, mud and grit-strewn country lanes without bother, so longevity shouldn't be an issue.

The hubs are easy to strip down as well. We were supplied with both a Shimano/SRAM and a Campagnolo freehub, with the changeover being a 10-minute job.

Overall, the Syntium AXYs are very impressive wheels and would make a great upgrade, with all-round durability and performance high up on the score card. They also look the business, too, with their red/white/grey logos and matching anodised nipples.

Verdict

Proves you don't have to spend a fortune to get a top performing wheelset