Williams Cycling is perhaps best known for its direct-to-consumer business model, which allows the Stockton, California-based company to offer carbon and aluminum wheelsets at low prices. But, founder Keith Williams says that his foray into the wheel-making business stems not from a desire to revolutionize the bicycle consumer market, but from his passion for racing. He believes that getting product in the hands of strong racers is key to product development, because they’ll abuse and critique prototypes like no others. And while we’re willing to bet that Williams’ pro riders will opt for tubular wheels in their racing endeavors, clincher equivalents are available for purchase and better suited for the general cycling populace.

Williams offers carbon clincher wheelsets in four different depths: 22mm, 38mm, 58mm and 85mm. All of them are comprised of a fully structural carbon fiber rim manufactured in Taiwan and hand-laced in the same facility with round, stainless steel spokes to Williams-branded alloy hubs. The 38mm front wheels feature 20 (triple-butted) stainless spokes in a radial pattern with exposed alloy nipples, while the rears feature 24 spokes laced in a two-cross pattern on both the drive side and non-drive side. Minimalist hubs feature hybrid ceramic bearings (ABEC 3-rated stainless steel bearings with grade 5 silicon nitrate ball). The wide flange of the rear hub is intended to add a bit of extra stiffness. Retailing for $999, the System 38 wheelset comes with a set of quick releases that weigh 120 grams for the pair and feature oversized levers, Williams-specific brake pads and valve extenders. The wheels carry a rider weight limit of 200 pounds and are available in either Shimano/SRAMor Campagnolo-compatible versions.

Our clincher test set had a straightforward carbon brake track and minimalist hubs that gave it an overall clean look. And although the aesthetics of the bulky quick releases clashed with the minimalist design of the hubs, they proved easy to install and provided a secure fit.

Our first attempt at mounting tires onto the Williams involved a pair of size 23c Kenda Kriteriums with Kenda Super Lite tubes. This proved exceedingly difficult as the combination was extremely tight, and we were forced to use tire levers for the installation. Even then, we were wary of having pinched the tubes, so we opted for a set of 23c Continental GP Force tires with the same model Kenda tubes, and this setup proved only marginally easier to install. We determined that the Williams rim walls are more built-up than other carbon clinchers, and thus tire installation is a bit of a chore. Be sure to bring along a set of tire levers on your ride for easier roadside service, as well as a set of tires that you’ve practiced mounting beforehand. We completed our test build with a Shimano Dura-Ace 7900 cassette with a 12-25 gear spread.

At 1636 grams including quick releases, the System 38 wheelset is not the lightest carbon clincher set on the market, but it’s also not the heaviest. And with that said, its sub-$1000 retail price makes these hoops a great value.

Rolling quite nicely, our Williams weren’t the quickest wheels to get up to speed from a slow pace. But in longer, more drawn-out efforts, they kept up their momentum well—although riders larger than 160 pounds noticed a bit of flex.

As with the sprints, larger riders will notice some flex as they grind their way up the climbs. But these rims roll well thanks to the ceramic bearings, making steady climbs that much more bearable.

The slight flex felt during hard sprints and pedal-mashing climbs proved beneficial while on stretches of chewedup roads. The Williams wheels absorbed a good amount of road chatter and proved a nice match to Continental’s workhorse tires, providing a comfortable ride over a variety of distances and conditions.

We were confident pushing the Williams throughout a variety of corners, but flex is certainly noticeable, particularly when exiting faster turns.

While their stopping prowess is not on par with aluminum rims at the same price point, our Williams 38s never failed to sufficiently slow us down nor caused us to be wary of steep descents. Longer stopping distances were in order, and modulation was also not in the same standard as an aluminum counterpart. The supplied brake pads saw average wear during testing, and we did not notice excessive heat buildup.

No amount of wind would discourage us from taking these wheels out on the road, but the difference between these and standard box aluminum rims in breezy conditions was noticeable.

Our test wheelset stood up to some serious abuse, but always came back ready for more. Regularly a concern with carbon clinchers is an excess of heat buildup and a subsequent loss of braking performance, but we experienced none of that—although aluminum is still the top draw when it comes to stopping power.

Williams’ System 38 carbon clinchers are a great all-around wheelset. For us, they proved reliable and did everything well—if not extraordinarily so. And for $999, they’re a superb value and would make a fine everyday wheelset for anyone a bit under the 200-pound weight limit. Larger cyclists need not worry, for they can procure the same wheels in a 58mm depth with a 225-pound weight limit, and they carry the same $999 retail price. It’s hard to argue with such a nice retail price, but our only trepidation in purchasing a set of Williams is the direct-to-consumer business model. Williams assures us that the generic spoke-and-hub configuration can be serviced at any bike shop. But, if you’re frequenting your local bike shop with maintenance needs, why not make your purchase there as well?