Wheels
Hand-built carbon disc wheels for road, gravel and MTB. Start from your terrain, then look at what you feel on the bike: the rim when you accelerate and in the wind, the hub at pickup.
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ELITEWHEELS Gnar SL SS steel-spoke MTB wheelset -
ELITEWHEELS Drive G50 SS steel-spoke gravel wheelset -
ELITEWHEELS Drive SL SS steel-spoke road wheelset -
ELITEWHEELS Drive II carbon road wheelset -
ELITEWHEELS Velo Six II carbon road wheelset -
ELITEWHEELS Helix SS carbon road wheelset -
ELITEWHEELS Drive SL CS carbon-spoke road wheelset -
ELITEWHEELS Marvel II carbon road wheelset -
ELITEWHEELS Pro36 carbon MTB wheelset -
ELITEWHEELS Drive G42 carbon gravel wheelset -
ELITEWHEELS Drive G36 carbon gravel wheelset -
ELITEWHEELS Marvel G36 carbon gravel wheelset -
ELITEWHEELS Drive G50 CS carbon-spoke gravel wheelset
What carbon changes, and where
Mass on the rim has to move forward and spin at the same time: when you accelerate, it takes almost twice the energy of the same mass on the frame; at steady speed, it counts only once. On a steady climb, the difference matters little: 160 g more rim, at 15 km/h on an 8% gradient, costs about 0.5 W. Carbon is mostly there to mould a deep rim that cuts through the air: the Marvel II weighs 1,500 g a pair at 50 mm deep. Depth, internal width, spokes: the three choices behind a wheelset are explained on the carbon wheelsets page.
Road, gravel, MTB: three families
Road wheels have rims of 21 to 25 mm internal width for 28 to 32 mm tyres, and depths from 36 to 68 mm, like the Helix SS. Gravel wheels widen to 25 to 30 mm internal, for 30 to 60 mm tyres. MTB wheels are 29-inch Boost, with a 30 mm internal hookless rim, like the cross-country Pro36. All of them are disc wheels: the rim no longer heats up under braking.
The hub: what you feel at pickup
Between the pedal stroke and the wheel there is the ratchet's free play, and the more teeth it has, the faster it engages. With chainring and sprocket the same size, a 60-tooth ratchet, which engages every 6 degrees, lets about 18 mm slip at the end of a 170 mm crank; a 36-tooth ratchet, every 10 degrees, nearly 30 mm. On the road, on the outer chainring, the difference becomes almost invisible. On an MTB, when you accelerate between two roots, you feel it: that is why the Gnar SL SS has 60 teeth.
A wheel is built and checked
Elitewheels builds every wheel by hand, then loads it laterally sixteen times so that it stays under 0.2 mm of lateral runout. For the Drive SL CS, the brand publishes its figures: 120 to 130 kgf of tension on the rear drive side. Any workshop with a tension meter can therefore check it.
Frequently asked questions
Are carbon wheels worth it?
On the flat and when accelerating, yes: a deep carbon rim cuts through the air, and mass at the edge of the wheel is felt with every acceleration. On a steady climb, a few dozen grams matter less than you might think.
Do carbon wheels brake well?
All our wheels are disc brake: braking happens on the rotor, not on the rim, which doesn't heat up. It is the same as with an aluminium disc wheel.
Can a carbon wheel be repaired?
A steel spoke can be replaced in any workshop. Carbon spokes are specific to the brand: the wheelsets that use them come with four spare spokes. A rim that has taken a hit is checked before it is ridden again.