Vision Metron 60 SL: Stunning high yaw performance from a WorldTour performer

As with any of our buyer's guides, we do our best to cover the full range of options in our list of the best road bike wheels. Given that the market consists of a variety of wheel depths and uses, that means that the options represent a huge range of needs. When it comes to modern wheels though, one of the most important segments is that of deep carbon wheels.  

If we narrow our focus a bit, we still have a lot of options but there's a different spread that starts to become clearer. There are premium brands that sit at the top of the market for specs while commanding huge prices. There are also budget options where you can look for great performance with some small sacrifices for price. The Vision Metron 60 SL is one of those wheels that sits right in the middle in the most competitive range. 

There's no headline-worthy feature that immediately grabs your attention but it's just as hard to come up with a negative. Given that middle zone, it's an easy one to overlook. Naturally, that meant I wanted to give them a try and see if they held their own. If you are curious to know what this latest generation of wheels from one of the best-known component brands is like to ride, keep reading. I've put these wheels to the test and come away impressed. 

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Design and aesthetics

I reviewed the previous version of the Vision Metron 60 SL Disc way back in 2020 and I was late to the party. The oldest review I can find is from 2018 and that's likely not when that previous generation first hit the market. Whatever the case, in the world of high-tech modern cycling wheels, they are practically fossils. Except that if you look at those wheels and ride them, you will find they are perfectly reasonable everyday wheels. When Vision announced the Metron 60 SL two years ago the brand didn't come to market claiming to change the industry with a groundbreaking new design. 

What we have with the Vision Metron 60 SL Disc clincher is a solid everyday wheel that's gotten the necessary updates. Foremost among those updates is a new rim shape with a wider internal channel. It's still a hooked rim but it's grown from 19mm to the current informal standard of 21mm. Landing at a claimed 1460 grams for the wheelset, the updated version is also substantially lighter than the outgoing wheelset. 

In fact, that new 60mm depth might be one of the more radical design choices. We've yet to see the full crop of 2023 wheel releases but the theme for 2022 was definitely the same aero with less depth and by extension less weight. Despite that trend though no one is claiming a deeper wheel is slower. Having already "added lightness" Vision was free to also add depth, as well as a slighter wider and blunter profile, to reduce drag. 

From an aesthetics standpoint, that new depth is what drives the visual statement this time around. Last time, Vision went heavy on the flashy graphics. This time things have gotten a big upgrade of subtlety with black-on-black graphics. There's even a distinct lack of raw carbon or carbon weave with a simple smooth black setting the tone. The only highlighted detail is the "SL" text that butts up against the number designating the rim depth of either 60 or 45mm. 

The other new detail is a complete update to the hub system. Pull off the SRAM or Shimano compatible freehub and you'll find a helical clutch ratchet design. On the surface, it's reminiscent of a DT Swiss system but it's unique to Vision. Instead of the more vertical arrangement of DT Swiss, or Cadex, the 72 teeth engage on an angle while the freehub inserts through the centre of the carrier. That likely dodges some patents but, Vision claims it's about faster engagement with the new PRS hub claiming a 5-degree engagement that is 24% faster than before. 

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Performance

When the Vision Metron 60 SLs came to me, I didn't have much time to get to know them. I had a few test rides left before packing the bike and heading to California. The plan was to ride north from Los Angeles to Monterey over the course of two days. That's around 273 km / 170 miles each day and there would be serious headwinds. It was a test of the new FSA K-Force We 12s groupset as well as a test of my ability to do a long early-season ride. I needed fast, comfortable, and aero. 

A big part of that equation, for any wheel, is going to be tyres. On that front I went with my favourite option, the Cadex Race tubeless tyres, and I chose a 28mm width. I would have done this regardless but right away I was happy with the aero charts for the Vision wheels. Not only did Vision design and test for 28mm tyres but there's a significant aero advantage compared to running a 25mm tyre. I'm not going to claim that you can feel that but it's clearly there and I appreciate it. 

The other detail I can't claim to feel is the new hub design. I can tell you that it's about the middle of the road for noise. It will let a pedestrian on a bike path know you are there but other riders won't comment on it. Aside from that though, I can't feel an advantage while riding. What is nice about the new design is that there are no end caps to deal with and there are no tools needed to swap freehubs. For most people that's probably not a huge issue but it's a nice upgrade. 

When it comes to what I could actually feel about these wheels, my first impression was simply how fantastically every day they felt. Training rides leading up to, and after, the big ride demonstrated that these are a set of lively and comfortable deep carbon wheels that go about day-to-day riding without much fuss. They’ve been designed for general use in the World Tour and that’s what they feel like. 

Covering low wind and rolling hills I'd be hard-pressed to claim I could feel any one unique feature of these wheels. On the day of the big ride, when the first big hill came, I spent a while contemplating how good modern wheels are rather than the specifics of what Vision is offering. My scale put the Metron 60 SL wheelset at 1580 grams with tape and valves and if you are still on the fence about deep wheels for everyday use, let these be your lesson. You can find lighter wheels, with a matching price tag, but these climb as well as your legs. Still, that's not where these wheels really shine. 

What most impressed me about the Metron 60 SL wheels was how they performed in the wind. Late in the day I came out of the mountains and hit an absolute wall of a headwind. At moments when the road turned 90 degrees, there was good stability. When I asked, Vision went into some detail about how much the brand had worked on that. Specifically, engineers optimised the pressure zone such that in a crosswind the pressure is towards the back of the wheel where it’s less grabby and more stable.

What I found more unique and impressive though was the ability of the Metron 60 SL to provide a sail effect at high yaw angles. I went looking for data to back me up but, in the end, all I can do is relay what I felt. At times when the road angled me around past 90 degrees, even a little, I'd start to get the effect of a tailwind. It's a phenomenon that I've heard different brands talk about from time to time but the Vision Metron 60 SL seems to do a particularly good job. As much as anything, it's more proof that these are great all-around, everyday, wheels.  

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Verdict

There's a temptation to gravitate towards products of all kinds with attention-grabbing details. The Vision Metron 60 SL isn't that kind of product. From the graphics to the specs, understated is a fitting description. Instead, this is the kind of product that you can ride for years and never think about. Our own wind tunnel testing put these in the middle of the pack for aero performance and the Vision charts say that you'll be faster running a 28mm tyre. My own time testing them showed not only that they can climb just fine but also that they can handle a crosswind without drama. I also found they were good at providing the push of a tailwind even when the wind was way out to the side. 

There's another piece of the puzzle though and that's price. Deep carbon wheels aren't cheap but in the world of what's available, Vision is providing a relative bargain. Out of the wheels we tested, only two were both faster and cheaper and they both sit on the scales at right around 1670 grams with no tape or valves. Hunt does offer the same wheel with carbon spokes but by the time you spec it to match the weight of the Vision, the price is the same. At that point, you'll have to flip a coin but I do prefer the design of the Vision freehub to that of Hunt. 

The only downside I could find is the continued use of a hooked rim. I could probably also drop a 21 mm internal width into the mix but either way, I think you'll notice, these aren't really negatives. There's still a vocal group of buyers who are against hookless wheel designs and 21mm is, as I said above, the current informal standard. Still, big wide hookless wheels are the future so Vision is playing it safe with those specs.