Sonder Alpha 700C Aero wheelset

The Sonder Alpha Aero wheelset certainly looks the business with a shiny black finish and bold white graphics that make the wheels appear much more expensive than they actually are. That bling finish isn’t there to hide a sub-par wheelset either, as the Alpha Aeros are robust, stiff and smooth rolling. That durability comes with some added weight, though.

Online and high street outdoor gear company Alpkit is the brand behind Sonder, offering framesets, full bikes and components like the Alpha Aeros which join quite a large line-up of wheels.

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Based around 31mm-deep KLM14 (6061 grade) aluminium alloy rims, the Aero wheelset is aimed primarily at the road, although considering the 28-spoke front and 32-spoke rear builds, you don’t have to worry about how well or badly surfaced those roads happen to be.

I hate using the word ‘bombproof’, but I can’t really think of any other way to describe the Sonders. With a 28mm tyre pumped up hard, I’ve been smashing them through the broken back lanes, and I even fitted some 38mm (a bit outside of Sonder’s recommended range) Panaracer GravelKing tyres to really push the wheels on some of the harsher tracks that I have locally.

The Alpha Aeros haven’t missed a beat. They started off true and tight from the box and this is exactly how they have remained after about 450 miles.

With this amount of robustness comes some weight, though, with this set tipping the scales at 2,019g, including the pre-fitted tubeless rim tape, which tallies with Sonder’s claim of 1,950g naked.

That’s 229g heavier than the similarly built (rim depth, spoke count) Scribe Duty-D wheelset, for instance. That said, while the Sonders can feel a touch sluggish off the line, they don’t exactly feel like they are slowing you down once rolling, unless you are tackling a very steep climb.

For the type of abuse these can take, it wouldn’t be a reason for me not to buy them.

On the flat, where weight is largely irrelevant, they sing along nicely, and on rolling terrain they carry plenty of speed from the downhills into the next incline.

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If you’re type of person who likes to load their bike up, then the Alphas will bring plenty of confidence. Sonder makes no mention of a weight limit and I’d have no qualms taking these out into the back of beyond. As I’ve already said, they’ll take plenty of abuse and they are stiff too, so even when you are out of the saddle climbing when loaded up with kit, you aren’t going to feel any lateral movement.

Build-wise, the 31mm-deep rims have an internal width of 19mm and 24mm external, which Sonder reckons is best paired with tyres from 25mm to 35mm wide.

As you’d expect, in this day and age, the wheels are both tubeless and tubed compatible, with the rim retaining a hooked design.

I tried them with both setups without issue, and various tyres went on without too much manhandling. Basically, if I had to remove a tyre at the side of the road I wouldn’t be swearing.

For the spokes and nipples Sonder has gone down the Pillar route, with bladed spokes arranged in a two-cross lacing pattern on both sides of the front and rear wheel.

The large flanged, aluminium-bodied hubs are Sonder branded and run very smoothly straight out of the box. Sometimes you can get a bit of drag when hubs are new, but there is none of that here.

The freehub body uses a six-pawl design which Sonder says has just 3 degrees of movement before engagement. As a fan of trackstanding at the lights I don’t like a lot of slop in a freehub, so this suits me just fine.

When freewheeling there is a bit of a click, but it’s pretty standard I’d say – not too loud or buzzy, so it shouldn’t become irritating.

You are limited to a Shimano HG freehub, though (which is also compatible with standard SRAM cassettes). If you use Campagnolo or SRAM’s XDR then you are out of luck.

Value

When it comes to value, the Sonders are very well priced at £299.99.

That’s about £90 cheaper than the aforementioned Scribe Duty-Ds, and 50 quid less than the highly rated but not currently available Prime Baroudeur wheelset.

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The Mason x Hunt 4 Season Disc wheels, which perform well as a set of general road wheels that’ll take plenty of abuse, aren’t quite as deep at 26mm and are currently £379 a set.

Conclusion

Overall, I rate the Alpha Aero wheelset for a real mix of riding. While they are on the weighty side, it doesn’t affect the actual ride that much, especially when you take in the kind of terrain their durability allows you to explore.

Verdict

Well-priced, stiff and durable set of road wheels ideal for the adventurer, commuter or weekend warrior

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