Test long life of the RAR Even 50 wheels and the Even 50/ comboMagnumber 60

In 2023, choosing a pair of wheels is more and more complicated: aero, weight, price, reliability are the main criteria to take into account. We continue the discovery of the RAR wheel range after the lightweight model EXALT EVEN 40 with skates and MagnumThe comparison proposed here presents and compares the EVEN with the two ranges of hubs offered, and two combinations of rim heights.

By David Polveroni – Photos: DR

If you feel like you want to take the Exalted 20 or 40 mm are sold at a price that is not within everyone's reach, you can find at RAR a shoe that fits your foot, or rather a wheel that fits your bike, with the Even for a rather low price entry level at €1399 in the tire version. But how are these wheels worth compared to a more advanced pair of Even with other hubs at €2199? This is what we were able to discover during 10 km, wheels that were mounted on a Factor O2 then an Ostro VAM, on rolling profiles up to a Tour du Mont Blanc (victorious!).

The 50/60 combo (Even/Magnum)

The first pair is the one I used most of the time in training. This is the pair composed of an Even rim at the front and a Magnum at the rear. Or to be more factual, a 50mm rim and a 60mm rim. With First hubs, for a sale price of €1399.

With a weight of 1610 g, it cannot be classified in the category of light wheels, nor in that of heavy wheels. It is equipped with hubs called First V2, a second generation of hubs designed by RAR. The first thing that strikes you is the aesthetics of these wheels, which enhance a bike. And the aesthetic criterion is very important when we know the importance of the psychic on performance…

Many people think that a 50/60 wheel pair is unusable in mytagI tried to take the opposite path by using them on all my training sessions, so on very difficult courses.tagsometimes bored. The trend that is emerging is that yes, these are more wheels difficult to be revived, at least in the feeling compared to a lighter pair, Aerial. A pair that is easier to ride with a 34/30 gear ratio on the train in a pass, rather than to suffer sudden jolts while dancing. But what is the point of lugging these wheels around in passes, you might ask?

Already, I find it interesting to have wheels that are more difficult to make live and then to move on, during a race, to a lighter model (the Even 50/50 for example, or even more so the Exalted). But I have also used this combo in racing like at GF BGY Airport in Italy. Because, depending on the profile, having around fifty grams more in the rear rim can provide additional ease on all rolling or descending sections. The first thing that strikes you with this pair is the easy speed gain in a straight line. Logical you might say, but the logic is perfectly verifiable here. We climb quite easily and quickly on straight lines at 70/80 km/h. They also helped me on this last race for example on a headwind return over 20 km with a descending profile, to return alone to a group of several runners. So these are wheels that can fill your weak points.

This is primarily why there is an interest in choosing a 60 mm wheel at the rear. I have also never had so much fun on a descent of Lautaret, for example, with a bike perfectly held as if it were on a rail and cutting through the air with a few watts saved in anticipation of the climb of Alpe d'Huez for example. I am speaking here for a use montagno, but for those who evolve on the flat, these wheels are pure bliss. You can possibly add a pair of lightweight Eso hubs from RAR, with an additional cost of €800, and for a weight of 60 g less. Is the extension worth it? Eternal question to which I cannot answer even after this test. First hubs are a model of efficiency and solidity. The water cleanings did not harm the bearings and they are like the first day. So if you are hunting for grams and you can treat yourself, go for the high-end model, otherwise the wheels with basic hubs will suffice!

The Even in 50 mm 

The second pair testée, Even 50 mm front and rear and with the higher-end Eso hubs, was rather the one used on the Granfondo and some more muscular training sessions. The transition between the two pairs of wheels always brought out the following feeling: The RAR 50s are easier to ride, more dynamic, but with less easy speed gain on descents.

For the rest, we are essentially on the same type of wheels. This is the pair I used for difficult cyclos like the Marmotte, the Etape du Tour or the Tour du Mont Blanc. Wheels that represent a rather nice compromise. With 1380 g on the scale, they remain relatively easy to live with, less than very low ones for example, but we are not on the same register.

They retain enough aerodynamics for races where you may be alone for a long time and where air penetration is therefore important. Wheels that blend perfectly with today's bikes like the Factor Ostro. Because a relatively rigid frame will crush slightly soft wheels, which is not the case here with the ultra solid design of the RAR Even. Which confirms the importance of matching your wheels to your bike.

Finally, The Even 50 are very versatile wheels on all terrains., even for big riders who send out watts. The 50/60 combo is more precise to use, but can be useful for filling certain gaps during long rolling sections.. In both cases, the price difference between the version with First hubs at €1399 and the version with Eso hubs at €2199 is only justified by the 60 g difference. It remains to be seen whether this is essential for your practice.

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