VeloElite Carbon 240 50mm rim brake wheels

The VeloElite Carbon 240-50mm (Rim) wheels are a high-quality, hand-built option for old-school rim brake users, with some thoroughly modern details – such as the renowned DT Swiss 240 hubs, wide external measurements, and tubeless ready rims. They're not the lightest or the cheapest, but if you want wheels expertly built to your needs with great backup, they're a good choice.

Thanks to the unceasing march of bike tech, there aren't that many high-performance rim-brake wheelsets still available. Most manufacturers, whether budget or high-end, seem to concentrate on disc bikes these days. But capable wheelsets are still out there.

> Buy these online here

One such upgrade is from relative newcomer VeloElite: a company that hand-builds all of its wheels in the UK. The VeloElite Carbon 240-50mm (Rim) is, as the name suggests, a 50mm carbon wheel designed purely for rim brakes (though there's also a disc brake version with a similar spec).

They're hand-made to your specific needs – you tell them your weight and what you're going to be using the wheels for, and VeloElite builds them.

The rims are 50mm deep for some aero gains, though don't expect any kind of wind-tunnel testing – these aren't mass-produced, after all (and even then you might not get any info). The rim bed is 18mm wide internally, which is plenty wide enough for road tyres between 23 and 28mm, and 28mm externally.

Against something like the Hunt 50 Carbon Wide Aero wheelset, VeloElite's are 1mm narrower internally, but 1mm wider externally. They're a hooked design, and ours came with 25mm Continental GP5000 tubeless tyres installed. These sit perfectly flush with the wide rims, which in theory should improve the aero as the wind can flow smoothly over both rim and tyre. The 28mm GP5000 option should be a good match, too.

The carbon fibre has a modest matt finish, and you get subtle VE logos above the valve holes. If you want a low key but striking look, VeloElite's wheels deliver.

Though on paper the £1,200 tag might seem a little outlandish when a similar wheelset from Hunt is just £779, bear in mind that just the DT Swiss hubs, if bought separately, would set you back about £475.

Though it's easy to cost-save on the hubs, they do a lot of the heavy lifting when it comes performance. We opted for the DT Swiss 240 hubs, though for a little less you can have the slightly heavier 350 hubs; or for a little more, the lighter 180s. The 240 is compatible with Shimano, SRAM, XDR and Campagnolo.

The 240 hub is exceptional from a technical standpoint. Its Ratchet EXP freehub – completely redesigned now – offers improved reliability, low maintenance, and high levels of axle stiffness. Its 36 teeth offer a 10-degree engagement for instant responses.

VeloElite hasn't scrimped on the rest of the wheelset either. Spokes are premium Sapim CX-Ray – bladed for better aero performance, and with excellent strength and low weight thanks to their stainless-steel construction. By default, you get a 24/24 pattern front and rear, but depending on your weight this could change – I weigh about 185 pounds, and my wheels came in at 20/24.

Each spoke attaches to the rim with a high-quality Sapim double-ended nipple, and nipple washers ensure stiffness and strength.

VeloElite includes its own specification of quick release skewers – chunky looking items with a very solid closure system – and brake pads designed to work specifically with the directional 3K twill braking track. VeloElite says the braking has been tested up to 255°C.

The wheels are tubeless ready and come with very thick rim tape fitted, as well as good-quality tubeless valves, so all you need do is install your preferred tyres and sealant, and away you go.

Unlike some bigger brands' wheelsets, there are no spare spokes or nipples included. VeloElite does offer a 90-day 'ride and return' option though, so you can send them back if you're not satisfied. You also get a two-year warranty, plus a discount on a new set if you crash-damage your own.

In testing, these performed admirably, and easily equal the (admittedly cheaper) Hunt 50 Carbon Wide Aero wheelset I normally run on my Condor Italia RC. If you want to improve your average speed in a wide range of road riding scenarios, then VeloElite's deep wheels will do the trick.

They're reasonably quick to accelerate, and most importantly they allow you to glide along on the flats with less effort (for a given speed) than shallower rims. They're certainly stiff enough for my 83kg weight, too, even in this 20/24 spoke count, and hill climbs are no issue either, even if they're not all that light.

> road.cc's Best Cycling Wheels of the Year 2020/21

Where the Hunt wheels gain the advantage in price, the VeloElite wheels are simply better-specced. The hubs are super smooth and sound sublime, though they're pretty quiet – no worries about deafening your ride buddies with an obnoxious freehub here.

We measured these at 1631.5g with rim tape and tubeless valves fitted; VeloElite's claimed naked weight of 1545g seems about right. That's certainly not super light, but given the depth and width of the rims it's pretty decent.

The only slight negative during testing was in braking. They stop very well, with plenty of power (and an ability to deal with extreme heat), but don't inspire quite as much confidence in long, steep descents as some, such as the Hunts do. It's trickier to modulate braking efforts, perhaps because of the notched brake track, though I couldn't say for certain.

Value

Hand-built wheels are never going to be as cheap as their mass-produced counterparts. The natural competitor, that Hunt 50 Carbon Wide Aero wheelset, is now just £779 yet still fast, good-looking, and reliable. It also includes some nice extras, such as spare spokes and a spacer, and longer warranty at three years.

It's pretty noisy on the freehub side, though, but while the crash replacement warranty is another £59, taking it means Hunt will cover the full cost of replacement.

For even less, the Prime RR-50 V3 Carbon Clincher Wheelset proves fast, stable and consistent for braking. No, build quality isn't up there with the best, but you do pay just £599.99 – they're a very reasonably upgrade if you're looking for 50mm rim brake wheels on a budget.

On opposite end of the scale, the Swiss Side Hadron Ultimate 485 wheels also have DT Swiss 240 hubs – the older style, but with custom ceramic bearings – and windtunnel data to support the performance claims for £1,950.

Overall

For immediate performance per pound, then, these aren't the best option; there are much cheaper wheels that perform just as well. However, the extra few hundred quid could really pay dividends in the long run. The hubs are really worth having, the (personalised) build is great and every component is high quality. These should serve you for a very long time to come, and I highly recommend them.

Verdict

High-quality carbon wheels for rim brakes, with a hand-built touch – but you do pay a premium