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Shimano Dura-Ace C50: first rides in Wellington
Lively on the climbs, composed on the descents, and beautifully smooth over our coarse-chip roads. Shimano’s latest C50 makes a strong case for one wheelset to do it all.
Wellington’s roads and terrain ask a fair bit of a wheelset. A ride can take in fast sections around the bays with a tailwind, steep climbs, rough coarse-chip roads and gusty crosswinds that arrive without much warning.
I’ve been riding the new Shimano Dura-Ace WH-R9370 C50s through that mix: calm days, windy days, hill repeats and rolling rides. Having ridden the previous generation Dura-Ace C36 and C50 wheels, the immediate impression is familiar quality with a noticeably livelier feel.
What’s changed?
Carbon spokes, a revised rim profile and updated hubs are the main changes. The rims are 50mm deep with a 23mm internal width, and Shimano quotes 1,302g for the pair. They’re tubeless-ready and retain a hooked rim - a detail I personally appreciate.
My setup uses 30mm Continental GP5000 tubeless tyres. At around 68–69kg, I’ve been running approximately 50psi at the front and 54psi at the rear.
The difference is in the acceleration
Get out of the saddle on a climb or lift the pace out of a corner and these wheels feel eager. Compared with the older Dura-Ace wheels I’ve ridden, there’s a sharper, more responsive feel as they get up to speed.
My usual Reserve 57|64 Turbulent Aero wheels, built around DT Swiss 240 hubs, are excellent too. Once rolling quickly on the flat, there’s very little between them by feel. The Reserves might have a slight edge when settling into a fast rhythm, but it’s marginal.
Where I prefer the Shimanos is changing pace: accelerating, attacking a short rise or standing up on a steeper climb. They feel lighter on their feet.
There’s an important distinction here: my Reserves wear 29mm Vittoria tyres with Pirelli TPU tubes. The Shimanos have 30mm Continentals running tubeless, so these are impressions of the complete setups. I can’t attribute every difference to the wheels alone.
Confidence when the road turns downhill
Descending has been a highlight. The Shimanos feel easier to turn into a corner, with a positive response that inspires confidence. My Reserves feel as though they need a little more deliberate lean to initiate the turn. It’s a subtle difference in feel, and the Shimanos’ shallower rim depth may play a part, but I’d give them a small edge here.
Around the bays, their behaviour in crosswinds has also been reassuring. A strong gust still gives a 50mm wheel a nudge, but the response feels predictable. They’re a long way from the sudden steering reactions I remember from older, narrower deep-section rims.
For Wellington, that balance matters. A wheel needs to feel good coming down the hill as well as going up it.
Responsive without the harshness
I wondered whether carbon spokes would make the ride feel overly firm on our coarse-chip roads. So far, that hasn’t been my experience.
With the wider rim and 30mm tubeless Continentals, the ride is smooth and comfortable while still feeling responsive. There’s even a little of that lovely “zing” I remember from a good set of tubulars.
The tyres and pressures undoubtedly contribute, but the complete package works beautifully.
The verdict
For riders who mix hills, rolling roads and fast flat sections, these C50s are a great all-round choice. Think Wellington training rides, weekend bunch rides and the occasional race in the Wairarapa. They feel lively when climbing, attacking or accelerating, with confident handling on the way down.
For predominantly flat courses, a deeper wheelset may be worth considering. My Reserve 57|64s feel particularly settled once up to speed; the Shimanos stand out when the pace or gradient changes. That’s a difference in ride feel, rather than a measured speed advantage.
The hubs feel beautifully smooth. Their cup and cone bearings are fully serviceable, with replaceable parts allowing a full rebuild if required. Regular hub checks and adjustment will help keep them rolling at their best.
Price is the obvious hurdle. At approximately NZ$4,600 per wheelset, based on current New Zealand retail pricing, these sit firmly in premium upgrade territory.
Compatibility also matters: the HG L2 freehub is designed for Shimano road 12-speed cassettes, so this is more than a question of matching the logo to your groupset.
These are early impressions, but for the hills, wind and changing terrain we ride here, they’re a wheelset I’d happily recommend.
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