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HED Jet 6 Review   Bookmark and Share
images by Nick Salazar   •   Sep 14, 2012   •   hits 18,735

The 6 wheels are 60mm deep. HED also makes the Jets in 5 (50mm), 4 (40mm), 9 (90mm), and disc versions, allowing athletes to pick the optimal wheelsets for any given course or terrain.

 
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At TriRig, we try to take a very broad look at the entire spectrum of available equipment across all categories. Up until now, we haven't done an in-depth review of HED wheels, one of the most established and trusted names in aero hoops. So we got a set of HED Jet 6 wheels, the budget-priced wide-rim wheels built on reliable, durable tech and dressed up in a carbon aero fairing. It's a great set of wheels, and hard to turn down for the triathlete looking for speed on a budget.


The HED Jet 6 wheels are all business, no flash.

Like a couple other big-name wheel makers, HED puts their name on almost every component of the assembly, making their own rims, rim tape, fairings, hubs, and skewers.

HED makes both front and rear hubs, in Shimano- and Campagnolo-compatible versions.

The SCT stands for 'Stability Control Technology' and is HED's attempt to control sidewind forces, much like Zipp's Firecrest tech.

The fairings blend seamlessly into the rims themselves, for ultra-smooth surfaces that are easy for the wind to flow over.

The HED Jet wheels are high-quality hoops all around, and represent an excellent, reliable option for triathletes.

The 6 wheels are 60mm deep. HED also makes the Jets in 5 (50mm), 4 (40mm), 9 (90mm), and disc versions, allowing athletes to pick the optimal wheelsets for any given course or terrain.

The fairings are generally smooth and beautiful. Each one has a small hole presumably to allow for better water drainage.

The Jet series uses rims that are 23mm wide. This is significantly wider than traditional 19mm rims, but doesn't quite reach the width of most cutting-edge wheels like Zipp's Firecrest series or HED's own Stingers. Those wheels use structural carbon and have found that widths of 27mm or more can allow for even better aerodynamics with the right shaping.

Bottom line: HED Jets will give you loads of speed in a no-nonsense package without eating up your life savings.

With decades of aerodynamic experience and know-how, HED has put together a solid performer in the Jet series. They're not as flashy or as light as some higher-end options, but they're not as expensive either.


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