Anyone got any recommendations – I’ve seen the prime black edition ones on wiggle which look ok, but some of the reviews complain about draggy freehub and poor bearings. Might be one offs tho.

Happy to go Chinese if someone can recommend a reputable supplier.

Criteria are: carbon, 40-50mm depth, clincher, disc, less than about 1725g for the pair (what my current wheel set weighs – DT Swiss R24 from 2016).

Any suggestions?

(For the avoidance of doubt, i don’t want any light weight alloy ones, I want cool looking carbon ones – even if the alloy ones are functionally superior)

How about these?

Wife has the RSL versions, with the same rim – seem good so far, and set up really easily tubeless with Pirelli tyres.

https://www.sigmasports.com/item/Vel/50-RL-Carbon-Tubeless-Disc-Wheelset/QS28

Oooo they look good. I notice wiggle has some zips for 799. Slightly lighter than those but hookless which sounds like a pain in the arse.

Handbuilts from Spokesman or go Chinese, either Farsports or Light Bicycle. For your budget I’d be looking at Bitex hubs.

How does taxes etc work with light bicycle? i assume you always get caught these days – do you end up in some post brexit hell hole of delivery?

I’d go for Just Riding Along, can do a few different spec options and the wheels are great.

Light Bicycle and Farposrts have an option to pre pay the import tax so you don’t get stung on delivery.

Id be hard pressed not to buy some zipp 303s’s.

Hookless are nor more difficult than any other tubeless rim. It’s the bead seat that holds the tyre in place, not the hook and almost all tubeless tyres are tight and difficult to fit in the first place. Hookless at least make it a little easier to remove them.

I’ve got 4 sets of hookless road and gravel rims along with 3 sets of MTB rims. None have ever given me any grief.

Speak to Matt at Arrow wheels

Arrow Bicycle Wheels

Hand built bling loveliness and a lifetime guarantee.

I’ve had the Vel RL 50s since October, Sigma is down the road from me so was easy to see them before buying and I can pop in if I have a problem.  I’ve had zero issues with them, tubeless was simple with Pirelli tyres (rims pre-taped and valves included).  I’ve not had carbon wheels before so can’t offer a comparison, but they seem to spin well, not catch the wind badly, the pick up is good and the rear hub makes a pleasing sound (it is pretty loud though).  I also like that they don’t have OTT graphics.

Lightbicycle, had some 56mm built on DT 240 with Sapim CX-Ray…came in around the £800 mark delievered although that was with 10% off for Black Friday. You might be able to blag a discount though, or choose a cheaper hub.

Shade under 1500g, they’ve been spot on…only one issue which was with the rear hub, they helped get it sorted through waranty with DT/Madison.

Would definitely use again.

In true STW tradition I will recommend what I have.
Aero Wide+ 42-D Carbon Wheelset (1,422g)

Good value,
really light,
Been flawless for 2 years.

Only negative is the freehub is rather loud.

I’ll throw Hunt into the ring. Yes, I have a set myself but they also get lots of good reviews too.

I’ve a set of 54’s and they’re awesome. For your budget you could get a set of 50’s which are lighter and cheaper (why didn’t I get them?) or at a stretch get the 44’s. Hub’s proper loud if you like that kind of thing, they’ll even quieten it up if you don’t.

I have the Prime black edition 50’s on my Vitus and I have had no issues with them, not draggy and no issues with the bearings etc.

The hunts are out of stock until August – going to france with my bike in July so need to sort before then.

Only negative is the freehub is rather loud.

See, I’ve written the same review for my Scribes several times before. But recently I tried packing the ratchet with DT grease (rather than generic stuff)and HOLY CRIKEY BLIMEY! What a difference. And so far, it’s staying pleasingly quiet weeks on.

Get a pot of the caramel-y DT grease and go wild. Your friends and neighbours will thank you for it.

And OP, I have scribes and light bicycle AR56 wheels. Both spinny, look good, still straight and sub 1500g.

I’d be tempted by some LB falcon pro rims just because the finish looks lovely

I’ve got a set of the old Falcon Pro 45mm rims (before the no paint thing) and they’re very nice and build into a very lightweight wheelset. Mine came in at 1.42kg on a 45mm deep, 31.5mm external rim (25mm internal), CK hubs (not particularly lightweight) and CXray spokes. All in, they were about £800.

HUNT 50 Carbon Aero Disc Wheelset

HUNT 50 Carbon Aero Disc Wheelset

Out of stock until August unfortunately.

Everyone i ride with gets their wheels built by Martin at Arkane:
https://arkanewheelworks.co.uk south london based and you get them delivered by cargo bike if local.

he’s built 3 sets for me and i have no complaints. he uses light bicycle for carbon but will build anything you want unless it’s not a good idea and he’ll tell you why it isn’t.

I’d have thought Zipp 303S would be an extremely solid option assuming you’ll run them tubeless.

Hand built over Zipps everyday.

My light bicycle rims on my gravel bike have been great so far. I had a bit of an arse on with them being delivered but I don’t think it was their fault. I’d buy them again as long as I wasn’t in a rush.

I have a pair of Light Bicycle with DT Swiss hubs. Braking is not as good as on my Zipp 404s but other than that no complaints. If it’s disc wheels then not going to be a problem.

I got them then a couple of years ago just as brexit was happening with all the port delays and chaos and the wheels got caught up in that. They were stuck in a port for a while then the shipping company sent them back to China but Light Bicycle contacted me to tell me this and say it would be an additional delay of 5 or 6 weeks. I wasn’t particularly happy as it had already taken about 5 weeks by this point so they said they would ship another pair of wheels (same hub, spoke choice, nipples and rim as i had selected) asap which they did and i had them 4 days later by fedex. Pretty impressed with that service – i was expecting a lot of hassle when they told me about the delays.

I have the prime black 60mm and they have been flawless. Highly recommend

Hunt linked above are only out of stock for oil slick spokes. Black spokes in stock. My arrived today (ordered yesterday)

I’d have thought Zipp 303S would be an extremely solid option assuming you’ll run them tubeless.

As a ex bike mechanic, I’d say that ‘solid’ and Zipp aren’t generally 2 words you’d find in a sentence as they are notoriously under-built. We had a regular customer who needed a spoke or 2 every week – we’d tension them back up correctly but they’d easily flex in the workstand and he’d be back the next week. I had 2 mates with pairs, but both sold them on after repeated failures.

Well that’s me told.

I was gently pondering getting a pair for the gravel bike but maybe I’ll just stick with Hunt and get some carbon gravel x-wides instead!

Right think i’m sold on the hunts….

Now do I want 40/50 or 50 front and back? Realistically i’m riding on the berkshire downs most of the time. Tho i’ve got a trip to Briancon coming up so i’ll go up the izoard too, and maybe the galibier if i’m feeling keen.

Magic Cosmic 40mm Clinchers. May be able to find if you look around close to your budget in sale / ex display / buying separately. Rode them last week, they seemed very nice.

Nah. I’ve procrastinated enough. Think i’ll got 50/50 hunts – that’ll look cooler and that’s at least half the point!

I have the Prime black edition 50’s on my Vitus and I have had no issues with them, not draggy and no issues with the bearings etc.

I have the Black Edition 28s and would say the same.

Do we know who makes the hubs for them?

My Prime Black Edition hubs are definitely Novatec, although the wheels are the previous model so they may have changed spec. The same hubs were used on previous Hunt wheels as well, just with different logos.

Magic Cosmic 40mm Clinchers. May be able to find if you look around close to your budget in sale / ex display / buying separately. Rode them last week, they seemed very nice.

I do really like the look of the Mavics. Went for Zipp in the end as they were a bit lighter – but the Mavics look really nice…..

My Prime Black Edition hubs are definitely Novatec

Ta, mine are the previous version too.

I have the Zipp 303S and think they’re amazing, I have little to compare them to but find the ride quality sublime. 2 years old, 85kg, no issues with build. “Lifetime” warranty too

Zipp 303s have been fine on the gravel bike for me although I had to change the rear wheel bearings after 6 months.

My wife run’s Parcours Grimpeur on her road bike which have been fine for the last couple of years. Fairly light too.