I like going fast, don’t you? I also like it when my bike sounds like a cross between a thunder storm and a jet engine, which means I that like riding disc wheels. When I test disc wheels for this fine publication, that means that I get to sound cool, ride reasonably fast, and most importantly – I get to be That Guy who trains on a disc around town. Every city has at least one of us shameless nerds, and we’re not going away (stay strong, my fellow brothers and sisters).

Today’s disc wheel is one of my favorites – the Renn 5ive 5ive 5ive (say ‘five-five-five’). We recently covered the in-depth service procedure for current Renn rear hubs - HERE.

Our test wheel for this review is a 2013 model in 650c size and clincher flavor. Let’s have a look:

If you’re not familiar with Renn Multisport, it’s about time you get to know them. Based in Memphis, Tennessee, this small outfit is run by none other than Frank Renhelt. Frank has been around the industry for quite some time, quietly going about his business of making reasonably-priced rear disc wheels. It’s all he sells – no front wheels, no spoked wheels, and no hype.

I originally got in touch with Renn about ten years ago, when my college triathlon club had a ‘pro deal’ sponsorship with them. I bought a 700c clincher disc, then called the 5-7-5. I rode it around for several years, until I went to work for another wheel manufacturer. It stayed true and round, and had zero problems. I’ve been a fan ever since.

Here are the basic specs:

-MSRP: $795
-Rim width: 21mm (@ outside of braking surfaces)
-700c clincher 1,120 grams
-650c clincher 1,020 grams
-Tubular version subtract ~100 grams
-Available in Shimano (9/10/11-speed) and Campagnolo (9/10/11-speed)
-Track version also available

Every disc comes with a serial number, hand etched into the rim right next to the valve hole:

Note that the serial number is smooth and does not require being covered up with rim tape. In fact, you specifically do not want to use rim tape on this wheel – it will make tire installation very difficult (it effectively increases the diameter of the wheel).

The Renn 555 is a real, structural disc wheel. That means it doesn’t have any spokes underneath and it’s not a wheel cover. For lack of a better way to say it – the disc is the wheel. This means that it also needs a valve hole cut out in the side:

Note that the wheel does not include a valve adapter, so you will need to buy one. The most popular one that I’m aware of is the simple design by Silca. The older models were gold and required a presta valve pump; newer designs are silver and require a larger Schrader pump (seen here):

The aluminum rim used for the outside portion of the wheel is pinned, not welded. Some consider pinned rims to be cheap or otherwise inferior; I’m not so sure. It all depends on the execution. Well-made rims work great and function as a rim should. Poorly-made rims have an uneven joint where the two ends of the extrusion come together – resulting in an annoying ‘tick’ on the brake pads with each wheel revolution.

On my Renn test wheel, the joint is certainly visible, but I found it to be smooth and silent.

For the full report on Renn’s rear hub, click the Hub Service 2.0 article linked at the bottom of this page. Full service is difficult and requires a few hundred dollars’ worth of tools (e.g. my full Wheels Manufacturing Wizard bearing press kit plus over-axle adapters). Thankfully, the basic service of lubricating the drive mechanism or replacing the freehub are doable with only allen wrenches. For those that want the full service performed without buying the tools, you can send your wheel back to Renn. The hub design is robust, and I don’t see the average consumer needing full bearing replacement more than every few years.

It is also worth noting that my wheel came with a Shimano 9/10-speed freehub, but all new wheels are shipping with an 11-speed compatible design. The 11-speed design is also available as an aftermarket upgrade.

What about aerodynamic performance? This is an area where we have to rely on other manufacturers’ data for a ballpark figure. Being a very small manufacturer, I doubt that Frank can afford to be flying to the wind tunnel with prototype wheels and fifteen different tires.

Here’s my take. All disc wheels are fast in terms of rotational drag – the drag to spin the wheel without actually moving it forward through the air (e.g. spinning it in your hand). You can also think of this as ‘spoke drag’. On any wheel with spokes, this drag is primarily influenced by the size, shape, and number of spokes – which must continuously cut through the air. With no spokes and a smooth surface, disc wheels get a relatively free pass in this regard.

The trickier part is translational drag – the drag to actually move an object through the air from one place to another. This is generally what we look at with most bicycle parts and wind tunnel data. In terms of wheels, this is where rim width, rim shape, tire size, and tire shape can really come in to play.

Here is a look at the wheel on our 650c Serotta Project Bike:

In overall width, Renn actually does better than I expected, with a 21.0mm braking surface. That is most definitely wider than some of the ~19mm discs of yesteryear. If you wanted to put a number on tire width, you could safely assume that a 20 or 21mm tire would perform very well on the Renn 555.

I used my disc with 650c Michelin Pro 4 Service Course tires, listed at 23mm wide. When brand new, they measured 22.0mm (at 100psi) on my test wheel. The fit – with no rim tape – is what I’d call ‘tight’. It wasn’t unreasonable, but it definitely took some effort. This is consistent with my experience with most Michelin tires (e.g. on the tighter end of the spectrum).

The only feature that is potentially questionable is the slight ‘lip’ between the aluminum rim and carbon skin. It’s too hard to get a good measure on, but it appears that the aluminum extrusion is about 0.5mm wider than the carbon skins on either side of the wheel.

This could be good or bad. Some manufacturers aim for the smoothest possible rim/tire surface, such as Mavic’s CXR series, or Bontrager’s R4 Aero tire. Others, such as Zipp and Reynolds, use small ‘air interrupters’ – dimples, voids, and lips – to create a vacuum or a boundary layer of turbulence. Is the ‘lip’ on this Renn good or bad? I don’t know, but at this price point, I’m not going to lose much sleep over it. Your only other choice in this price range is a wheel cover for your existing spoked wheel, which tends to have a ‘lip’ of its own, too (depending on the fit with the rim it mounts to).

Ride Quality

How does this <$800 structural disc ride? Does it feel half as good as discs that cost twice as much?

In my experience, it rides like a disc. Nothing special. Perhaps more importantly, it has the trademark disc sound. The only other clincher disc that I have significant time aboard is the Zipp 900 clincher ($1,850), and I couldn’t tell you the difference between it and this Renn in a blind test.

Some have accused Renn discs of not being sufficiently stiff, but I didn’t notice this or experience any brake rub. Frank also tells me that this latest iteration (555) is 25% stiffer than the previous models, so perhaps that is the difference.

Wrap up

Overall, I find that the Renn 555 disc is a fantastic wheel. It looks, smells, and rides like other discs that cost two and three times as much. I doubt that the aerodynamic performance with 23mm tires can quite match the newest wide-rim discs, but a narrower tire should yield good numbers. If you’re on a budget or don’t want the risk of dealing with the used equipment market, Renn should be high on your list.

The other market for this wheel should be obvious – 650c riders. There are some fantastic clincher discs available from the likes of Hed, Zipp, and Reynolds – but none that come in 650c size that we are aware of. It’s a relatively small market these days, so it’s refreshing to see companies like Renn stay in the game.

All images © Greg Kopecky / slowtwitch.com