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Easton's new EC90 Aero 55 carbon tubulars are wickedly fast and very light(Image credit: James Huang/BikeRadar)
The 52-tooth ratchet ring yields a very quick 6.9-degree engagement speed. Meanwhile, the axle is supported by bearings that are spaced unusually far apart (which bodes well for bearing life) and the freehub body is supported by an enormous angular contact bearing on the inboard side(Image credit: James Huang/BikeRadar)
The freehub body is aggressively machined to trim weight. A knurled steel driveside axle cap on the rear hub should prevent pull-outs under extreme power(Image credit: James Huang/BikeRadar)
Bless you, Easton, for switching to internal-cam skewers. Clamp force is reassuringly high without requiring Popeye forearms(Image credit: James Huang/BikeRadar)
The new Echo hubs aren't just designed better than the old R4 SL ones; they look better, too(Image credit: James Huang/BikeRadar)
It's commonly accepted that blunt rim noses help with handling stability in crosswinds. We can't verify that there's a causational relationship between the two but the Easton EC90 Aero 55 wheels are indeed reasonably easy to manage when things get blustery(Image credit: James Huang/BikeRadar)
The rear hub features 20 Sapim bladed spokes, all laced in a crossed pattern to boost torsional stiffness. Slim stainless steel reinforcement rings bolster the flanges, allowing them to be made lighter while still maintaining strength(Image credit: James Huang/BikeRadar)
The new 'Echo' hub design is a huge improvement over the previous version. Spacer specs are conveniently laser etched right on the freehub body(Image credit: James Huang/BikeRadar)
The new Fantom rim shape is mega-fat, measuring 28mm at the brake track and 30mm across further down on the rim. The width helps with aerodynamics but brake compatibility could be an issue(Image credit: James Huang/BikeRadar)
The small spoke holes improve rim strength but the internal nipples unfortunately mean you'll have to remove the tire to true the wheel(Image credit: James Huang/BikeRadar)
Whereas bearing spacing on most cartridge bearing hubs isn't especially wide, Easton has managed to push the main bearings 95mm apart - wider than even the ultra-durable Shimano Dura-Ace(Image credit: James Huang/BikeRadar)
Easton claims its new EC90 Aero 55 tubular road wheelset is the "fastest 50-60mm wheel on the market". Not surprisingly, we approach such bold statements with more than a few grains of salt. We unfortunately don't have our own wind tunnel data to support or refute that claim but after several months of testing, we can at least confirm that they're very obviously wickedly speedy.
Highs: Super fast at higher speeds, fantastic rear hub, notably stiff
Lows: Questionable front hub durability, frustrating internal spoke nipples, wet braking still just so-so
Buy if: You want to go faster
The EC90 Aero 55's 55mm-deep 'Fantom' rim shape takes the current wider-is-better philosophy to new, uh, widths. The external measurement at the brake track is already monstrous at 28mm but the rim flares out even further to 30mm closer to the midsection (1.5mm wider than Zipp's latest 303 Firecrest tubulars). As with other modern aero wheels, the fat shape terminates in a notably blunt nose, all of which stands in stark contrast to the narrow and sharp V-shaped profiles used just a few years ago.
In contrast to the old V-shaped rims of days gone by, the Easton EC90 Aero 55 profile is very distinctly blunt and fat
Out on the road, it doesn't take long to discover that the EC90 Aero 55s are gloriously speedy, especially when compared with a more traditional, non-aero wheel. Sure, the excellent wheel stiffness, feathery 1,353g actual weight (587g front, 766g rear, plus 141g for skewers), and low rotational inertia make for a quick start off the line and a pleasantly light feel when climbing but, as is always the case with aerodynamics, the tangible effects are much more noticeable the faster you go. What's most impressive here is how much faster you can go with the same amount of effort as compared to something with more drag – or, conversely, how much easier it is to maintain the same speed as compared to a wheel with more drag.
Our bodies aren't as finely tuned as a proper wind tunnel, however, so we can't say for sure if the Eastons are actually any faster (or slower) than comparable aero wheels of similar depth. We can say, however, that the distinctively round shape is impressively easy to keep stable in swirling crosswinds and still feel fast even when the wind conditions are less than ideal.
Easton says the very blunt nose and rounded rim shape helps with crosswind stability – and we tend to agree
One typical ride here in BikeRadar's US headquarters in Boulder, Colorado heads straight north out of town, directly perpendicular to the brutal Chinook winds that regularly pepper the area each winter. Whereas we're usually loathe to head out in those conditions with aero hoops, the EC90 Aero 55s proved to be one of few models we felt comfortable on in nearly all conditions – a particularly important thing to note for interested buyers who aren't going to have the luxury of swapping wheelsets with changing weather conditions.
We were also impressed with the new Echo rear hub design, which now not only spreads the main, outer axle bearings 95mm apart (more than twice the distance of Easton's previous R4 SL hubs) but also supports the new aluminum freehub body with an enormous angular contact cartridge. The new setup no longer includes an adjustable bearing preload feature – but that's just fine, since it's no longer necessary. Our rear hub started out silky smooth and has stayed that way throughout testing.
With the freehub body removed, you can see just how far the main cartridge bearings are pushed apart, which bodes well for longevity
Some – ourselves included – might find the 52-tooth driver ring's quick 6.9-degree engagement speed to be overkill for the road. However, the rim's wide profile makes these wheels a perfect candidate for cyclocross, too, where that responsiveness would be much more applicable. Either way, there's no noticeable additional drag as a result, and as long as you're ok with the slight buzziness that resonates from the rear end while coasting, we have no issues with it.
Unfortunately we can't say the same for the other end. The front hub shares the rear's slick oversized body, stainless steel spoke flange reinforcing rings and wide bearing spacing. However, it wasn't long before our front hub developed a tiny bit of play – not enough to impact overall wheel performance but certainly more than we'd prefer to see in a wheelset that costs as much as it does.
Stainless steel rings reinforce the big aluminum spoke flanges, which not only adds strength but adds a bit of visual flair
