Princeton CarbonWorks Dual 5550 Wheels follow in the footsteps of their predecessors in the Princeton lineup. That means the Dual 5550 wheels feature a sinusoidal wave pattern on the rims, which helps stabilize the wheels in winds at various yaw angles.
The question with such an eye-catching design is whether there’s anything to it beyond aesthetics. The Dual 5550 Wheels, like others in the Princeton lineup, answer that question with an emphatic yes.
Price: $3,950
Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★
Weight: 1,440 grams
Specs:
- Hooked rims
- Tubeless-ready
- hole-less rim bed
- Tactic Racing TR01 hubs
- 22mm inner rim width
- 55mm/50mm variable rim depth
- Available in clincher or tubular
- Available in rim or disc brake configurations
What I like: Exceptional stability in crosswinds; very durable; neat-looking; good freehub engagement
What I’d change: Very expensive, especially given how many other wheel brands are significantly lowering prices
My call: The Dual 5550 wheels are very stable in crosswinds and super durable, which earns it four stars. They’re also very expensive, which is the most significant drawback. Serious racers, they’re worth the investment. Everyday riders, they’re still worthwhile, but you can find excellent wheels for less money.
Princeton CarbonWorks Dual 5550 build
For a full rundown of the build and specs of Princeton CarbonWorks’s Dual 5550 Wheels, be sure to check out our “Lemme See That!” article and video here.
That’s where you’ll find all the info you need about that funky sinusoidal shape, and what it’s supposed to do.
One thing I did not mention in the “Lemme See That!” article: kudos to Princeton for keeping the spoke nipples on the outside of the rim! This makes for much easier truing and quick adjustment, no specialty tools necessary.
Dual 5550 testing
Princeton CarbonWorks bills the Dual 5550 wheels as an all-road wheelset. That means they should be appropriate on the pavement and off. The pros have used them on the legendary Paris-Roubaix cobbles, which is probably a pretty good litmus test for the function and durability of the wheels. So I decided to put the 5550 wheels on my gravel bike.
I did this because most of my gravel rides take place in Boulder, Colorado, which means I’m constantly jumping on pavement and off. It’s possible to get up over 30mph or more on the smooth pavement sections. And while most of the gravel is quite smooth and fast, there are opportunities for hitting chunk, too. Singletrack is on the menu whenever I want it to be.
So my Revel Rover seemed like the best test bike for Princeton CarbonWorks’s all-road wheels. I was able to get a sense of crosswind stability at both high and low speeds, and frankly, I was able to beat on these wheels to find out how they stack up to true chunk.
And finally, the Tactic Racing hubs were of particular interest to me during testing. Durability and longevity are always concerns with any hub system, but beyond that, I was very curious to find out if the freehub engagement was noticeably quicker than other systems.
That’s because Tactic uses a conical engagement system that ups the surface area connection between the freehub and the hub shell. I stacked its performance up against Industry Nine’s Hydra hubs, which in my experience, have had the quickest engagement of any other hub I’ve tested.
Princeton CarbonWorks Dual 5550 on pavement and off
First and foremost, the Dual 5550 wheels live up to the claims of stability in windy conditions. I’ve tested other Princeton wheels with the sinusoidal rim shape, as well as the closest competitor, Zipp’s NSW wheels, and both have a noticeable stability advantage over wheels without. Of course, that’s a subjective assessment, but both brands provide lab data that proves at least there’s something to the theory.
The wheels also strike me as quite durable. I sent myself hurtling down some rocky singletrack in Boulder, Colorado, and I was not gentle about it. This section is part of my regular ride, so the Dual 5550 wheels got thrashed on this trail pretty regularly.
After many thrashings, the wheels are perfectly in true. That of course is only subjective, and depending on how graceful (or graceless, in my case) you are on the bike, your results can vary. Any wheel can be damaged if you try hard enough. But in regular riding conditions, as well as not-so-regular conditions, these wheels held their true very well. It wasn’t that long ago that none of us would have dreamed about taking road wheels down such trails. Now it’s a regular occurrence, and Princeton has done an admirable job adjusting to current riding trends.
Photo: Dan Cavallari | SlowGuyOnTheFastRide.com
The Dual 5550 wheels also feel super supportive while cornering. There’s very little flex as far as I could tell, which translates into excellent tracking through corners. These wheels are fun to throw hard into high-speed sweepers and even tighter switchbacks.
So with all that going for it, are there any drawbacks to the Dual 5550 wheels? I can really only think of one: The price. While the Dual 5550 wheels do fit in the same price range of some of its halo competitors, we are seeing a dramatic shift in carbon wheel prices that benefit the consumer. It is absolutely possible to find carbon wheels that perform well, keep weight to a minimum, and even deal with crosswinds effectively — for half the price, or even less.
Princeton Dual 5550 Wheelset: Final Word
The Dual 5550 wheels doe everything that Princeton CarbonWorks claims they will do. They’re exceptionally stable in windy conditions, and if that’s your primary concern, it’s hard to beat the Dual 5550 Wheels. I would go so far as to say they are best in class or darn near it.
The hub engagement is excellent, though perhaps not quite as quick as the Industry Nine Hydra hubs. For most riders, the difference between the two won’t matter much. Point for Princeton: There are far fewer parts within the Tactic Racing hub design, which means less possibility for failure.
The biggest drawback is the price. Since it’s possible to find excellent deep-section carbon hoops at half the price, it’s tough to justify the purchase unless you’re looking to save a few watts here and there and money isn’t a concern. For top racers with deep pockets, the Dual 5550 wheels are an excellent investment thanks to the versatility, durability, and stability in crosswinds.