Road bikes are about lightweight and aerodynamic frames and wheelsets, which are more aerodynamic in low frames and lighter in high frames. So, the latest generation of climbing wheelsets are more than just light; they also need to be aerodynamically optimized.
ICAN AERO 38 WD Disc
AERO 38 WD Disc
AERO 38 WD Disc are the most cost-effective, high-performance wheels from ICAN. Drawing upon the success of their previous Fast and Light series, the Aero wheels utilize an advanced carbon fiber layup and aerodynamic design to deliver unmatched performance.
The rims employ a blend of top-grade Toray T700 and T800 carbon fibers. This mixing results in an impressively lightweight yet durable rim construction weighing 100g less than the Fast and Light wheels. With a 27.3mm outer width and 21mm inner width, the rims are engineered for minimum aerodynamic drag. Their tubeless compatibility also supports the fastest tires.
Lightweight and efficient ICAN D01 disc brake hubs ensure smooth power transfer under acceleration. Industry-leading Sapim CX-Ray spokes combine strength, durability, and aerodynamics for an incredibly responsive feel. Secure Lock nipples and add further reinforcement.
Princeton Carbonworks Alta 3532 (1094g)
Princeton Carbonworks has just released their lightest climbing wheelset, the Alta 3532, with tubeless tire versions ranging from an impressive 1094 grams to 1202 grams. Princeton Carbonworks is best known for their wavy rims (which were the subject of a patent dispute with ZIPP), and the model number of the wheelset intuitively points out the highest and lowest frame heights. The Alta 3532's frame height ranges from 35mm to 32mm, which is a drop from 5mm to 3mm compared to PCW's other wheels, and the "wave" of the rim is less pronounced.
Featuring the new EVOLUTION rim design, the Alta 3532's rim weighs only 348 grams (hooked, non-perforated bed, and tubeless tire compatible) and utilizes the shape of the rim to balance the spoke angles, with the spokes with the larger angles (rear drive side and front disc brake side) attached deeper into the rim, which allows for more symmetry on both sides of the spokes. As a result, the Alta 3532 also eliminates the need for a large flange to adjust spoke angles and further compress hub weight.The Alta 3532 rim specification is relatively new, with an inside width of 21mm and an outside width of 28.6mm.The larger inside width allows for the use of wider tires, as well as the ability to inflate the tires wider, which results in lower rolling resistance and greater comfort.
The 1094 gram Alta 3532 uses 215 gram Tactic Racing TR01 hubs, which are 50 grams lighter than the DT180 and use CX-Super spokes. The Alta 3532 with DT180 hubs weighs 1202 grams and is also very light.
ENVE SES 2.3 (1197g)
The fourth generation of the SES wheelset released last year joins a brand new member, the 2.3, which is a climbing wheelset, but also belongs to the SES (Smart ENVE System) series, meaning that it is based on the brand's concept of "Real-World Fast. All wheelsets in the SES series have a frame height and shape specifically designed for the flow field in which they are used. The front frame height is smaller than the rear and has a more rounded profile to maximize crosswind stability and control, while the rear frame height is taller, sharper and more streamlined to maximize power transfer and reduce drag.
The SES 2.3 front frame is 28mm tall, the rear frame is 32mm tall, the front and rear rims have an inside width of 21mm and an outside width of 25mm, and a claimed weight of 1197 grams (ENVE hubs, XDR freehub body).The SES 2.3 is lighter because of the use of hookless rims, which limits the maximum tire pressure to 73 psi.Because of the lack of lip hooks and the thin sidewalls of the rims, the outside width is only 25mm, and the tire width can easily be exceeded. The tire width easily exceeds the rim width, which is slightly insufficient. Due to the limitation of the maximum tire pressure, the inner width of the hookless rims is 23mm or more, and the inner width of 21mm is very difficult to control the tire pressure within 73psi for riders who are a bit heavier, so it can be said that this pair of wheelset is built for climbers.
DT Swiss PRC 1100 Dicut Mon Chasseral (1266g)
DT Swiss has designated the Mon Chasseral for their lightest road climbing wheelset designation for a long time. The latest PRC 1100 Dicut weighs in at 1,266 grams (disc brake wheelset, compatibletubeless tires) and uses all of DT's standard components.
To go light, the PRC 1100 Dicut has a frame height of only 24mm and an inside rim width of only 18mm, which obviously isn't quite wide enough by today's standards, as climbing wheelsets also need wide tires for comfort. In order to reduce weight, the Swiss-made UD carbon rims do not add a surface coating once they are molded, but instead use a waterproof and UV-stabilized resin.
The PRC 1100 Dicut uses 12 DT Aerolite and 12 DT Aero Comp straight-pull spokes (front brake side and rear drive side) in a 2X braid on a new 180 hub, all with uniquely forged T-heads for improved aerodynamic performance.
Roval Alpinist CLX II (1265g)
The Roval Alpinist is the ultimate in lightweight, with a frame height of 33mm, an outside width of 26.3mm, an inside width of 21mm, a rim profile optimized for the wind tunnel, and a weight of 1,250 grams per pair, 1,265 grams with true-air nipples and cushions. The only shortcoming of the previous Alpinist CLX was that it didn't supporttubeless tires. The new Alpinist CLX II has redesigned the rim's carbon stack to dramatically increase the strength and safety required for a tubeless tire system that supports a maximum tire pressure of 110psi. The same hooked rims now boast a 1.4mm lip tolerance (an increase from the previous generation), making it easier to remove the tubeless tires. As a result the rim weight has increased and the Alpinist CLX II utilizes a new hub design that compensates for the increased rim weight by reducing the weight of the pair by 50 grams.
Super-responsive acceleration, fantastic cornering, smooth road feel on bumpy roads, all further enhanced by the vacuum system.The Alpinist CLX II is a model of functional minimalism.
Zipp 353 NSW (1255g)
Although not positioned as a climbing wheelset, the Zipp 353 NSW wheelset weighs only 1255 grams (580 grams in the front and 675 grams in the rear), making it Zipp's lightest wheelset, and it's no problem at all for conquering steep slopes.The 353 NSW utilizes Zipp's patented Sawtooth bionic rims with a frame-height variant, which is actually equivalent to the aerodynamic performance of a 45mm frame-height wheelset, and it also Reduces weight, improves stiffness and increases crosswind resistance.
The hookless rims on the 353 NSW have an inside width of 25mm and can only be used with 28mm or wider tires, but the greater inside width of the rims easily meets the tire pressure limit of up to 73psi. 28mm tires mounted to 25mm inside width rims have an actual width of 30.6mm so the tires on the 353 NSW will be wide enough to meet the demands of the road to the Gravel.
The Zipp wheelset is based on the concept of Total System Efficiency, which focuses on the fact that on cobblestones or broken surfaces, where vibration becomes the main resistance, the tires absorb more vibration rather than transferring it to the rider, which calculates that the rider is able to save 40-50 watts of power. But surprisingly on smooth roads, perfect tarmac, low tire pressure still saves 3-5 watts.
Mavic Cosmic Ultimate 45(1256g)
The best feature of the Mavic Cosmic Ultimate 45 is the use of Rim-to-Rim (R2R) spoke construction, which is where one spoke connects one side of the rim to the other side of the rim through the hub, providing more torsional and lateral stiffness than traditional spoke design R2R. The Cosmic Ultimate is therefore ideal for climbing, lightweight plus stiffness, and it has a NACA profile based rim that is lightweight and aerodynamic at the same time.
The Cosmic Ultimate features some new technology that combines R2R spoke construction with a U-shaped aero rim. Aluminum pieces are molded onto the carbon rim using Fore technology, and then the spokes are threaded into them. There are no exposed spoke caps, the non-perforated bed is compatible withtubeless tires, and the rim's claimed weight of 403 grams and the R2R construction cuts hub weight dramatically, resulting in a real-world weigh-in of just 1,256 grams for the Cosmic Ultimate with a 45mm frame height. The rim's inner width is measured at 19.6mm, while the outer width is measured at 27.8mm. It would be nice if the inner width could be increased to 21mm, allowing the tire to expand wider for a smoother transition.
All of the above are "climbing wheelsets" up to 1300 grams, and all are compatible with tubeless tires. Each of them has its own characteristics, and they are more than just light. But in reality, the impact of being a couple hundred grams lighter on climbing is not as great as one might think, and we've seen more and more riders using medium or even high frame wheelsets to climb in World Tour races. This further shows that a wheelset that is only lightweight is not enough, but needs to be more aerodynamic. All of the above wheelsets under 1300 grams are more or less aerodynamically optimized, which one do you think is stronger?
