HELLO HAMBINI FANS!!! I think this is an inspired business move by EliteWheels. The market is in freefall and effectively the OEM for a lot of wheel brands has put it's foot into the door. Elitewheels started off by furnishing their gear to small UA-camrs (myself included). It's generally a decent product and scores well objectively. I would have little hesitation in running them and have done so in the past. The change for a lot of people will now be a mental one and not a technical one. Soon they'll forget about the origin of these wheels and concentrate on the value for money. I wish them well, I think they make decent wheels at a fair price.
Ahhhh, the masses applaud. First - Decathlon Van Rysel win a World tour event stage now this. The bicycle industry needs this wake-up call. This is one of those videos that will age like fine wine. Its to show that the prices of "high end" kit (borderline self-proclaimed) has become extortionate and I hope it will get those geriatrics that still have that 15 year old mindset of Chinese manufactured products to realize that their top-tier products are mint and you don't need to own one to buy their products. I still have my 12yr+ Yishun frame and wheelset as my winter trainer.
I've been using a pair of EliteWheels SLT 47mm deep wheels for 3 years. They're my first carbon aero wheels (part of a complete bike build from China-bought components). I'm really happy with them - the only problem I've had is corrosion of the nipples - I think due to galvanic action between the different metals of the spokes and nipples with UK wet roads. The freehub is also louder than a 747 on takeoff, even after packing with extra grease! Nice to see GCN embracing a lesser-known brand as a sponsor.
OMG my comment made in on a video! I'm glad you discussed the price - similar spec wheels from Western brands range from £2,000 to £5,000. Please also cover their cheaper ranges for budget projects too, and just show what you can. There are a number of Chinese brands who are building a good reputation for their products and customer service, and like EliteWheels are companies that started out as manufacturing contractors for Western brands. These brands don't have the level of performance R&D that Western brands do, but their knowledge of the manufacturing processes means they can build goods to the same safety and functional standards with less additional costs. Joe from China Cycling has tons of information on these emerging brands, and it is easier than ever to get the performance level that carbon products offer for the price of mid range alumimium. And, let's face it. Look around your house and look at the manufacturing labels. The vast majority of stuff comes from the Far East, and these name brands don't own the factories that produce them. The factories are run by third parties and products are made on an exclusivity agreement, that they will protect the Western brand's designs and Intellectual Property by not offering specific tech to competitors, who get their own stuff made at the exact same factory.
Hi Guys. I just bought a set of Elite Wheels 40v rim brake wheels for my custom Seven. Very impressed with Anthony of Elite who answered all my questions and even provided a substantial discount coupon. I now can’t wait to get the wheels in a few days and test them on the roads of HK. THANKS for the recommendation and congrats on the affiliation.
have multiple gravel and road wheelsets from EliteWheels, excellent value for the performance you get and they look amazing. Ordered the new Velo Six and patiently waiting.
Congratulations on the new sponsor! Hope you also do a video of riding it hard or with races or endurance events then check the condition of the wheels and if they are still true or if needed to be adjusted/trued/maintained
Finally, GCN is advertising affordable, but still high quality products 👍 I'm rolling my Drive 40 rim brake wheels for almost two years, very happy with them.
Because I'm not using this bike a lot, I guess those wheels have 3000 to 4000km. It's my lightweight climbing bike, I'm mostly riding my aero disc brake bike. I've top up those ceramic bearings with the grease in the beginning, from the factory they are greased very lightly. But, so far so great 👍
These wheels are very nice. I am running the G45CS on my gravel bike and I am quite happy with them. Shipping took about 3 weeks and the wheelset arrived in pristine condition. And there where many channels that offered a 15% discount. So keep your eyes open for these if you want to buy.
@@kevinsatzinger2648 Should work fine. Elite-Wheels recommends not to use tires below 28mm. If the wheelset is as aero as a dedicated road wheelset, who knows. But its light and robust.
Can the power of GCN get Elite Wheels to list ALL the spares required to repair and maintain these wheels on the Elite website? If they can 🎉 Until then consider them disposable. 😢
Very lucky you have!! I Have a pair of ENT-DISC 50mm, and now I’m waiting for a pair of EDGE 40mm, ceramic bearings. I’m very happy with my ENT-DISC, but the EDGE are 300gr. lighter
These drive wheels with carbon spokes and their flared hubs are much stiffer compared to the edge. So i supposed they're better for race than the edge.
Fuck me that's heavy. I'm 83kg and I'm already an elephant on a bike. Can you go downhill without melting discs? I really hope you're not choosing all your gear based on weight, mechanically you will benefit from extra material pretty much everywhere.
@@pierrex3226 I’m 97kg but the wheels are rated to 125kg. Thus if you wanted to carry some luggage there is a little leeway. Many wheels from big brands tap out at 110kg max rating. Yes I do go though pads fairly quickly and run 160’s front an back. I paired these wheels with an Aethos S-Works frame also rated at 125kgks. So my very lightweight bike supports my big bones very adequately.
Been wanting to get a pair of these wheels. I hope this video/sponsorship doesn't increase its price due to the inevitable increase in demand. This is a brilliant marketing move by EliteWheels though. Glad to see it.
Loving the concept and embrace of the EliteWheels. I'm a second time purchaser of high quality Chinese wheel sets. My latest wheelset are from LightBicycle Wheels and the XC924 wheel set weighs in at 1,192 grams with dtSwiss-240 hubs, Sapiem spokes and 25mm deep wheels built for 110kg rider mass. Great wheels and ride so well.
Thank you for explaining how we get your amazing content because you have sponsors. I enjoy seeing what’s out there and what’s going on in new tech. Keep up the good work!
My rim brake Mavic R-SYS SLRs have carbon spokes, but not on the rear drive side. That side only is aluminum spokes, so I'm pumped about full carbon rear spoked rim brake wheels. But how do the rim wheels break? Any info out there?
This is definitely a great and smart move in terms of sponsorship for GCN. Especially as how the bike industry is going nowadays with insanely overpriced and overstocked "high-end" bikes and components; contrasting against an increasing amount of more affordable brands. Maybe we can see more future sponsorships from the far East, such as the Winspace, Seka, Superteam, Magene, iGPSport, L-twoo and Elves etc. 😉😉
I have a set of Elite 50D Wheels. They are great to ride. The ceramic bearings on my rear wheel went bad pretty quickly but Elite replaced them for free, and I received the replacement bearings in about 1 week. To avoid problems in the future, I recently bought a spare freehub body. They charged $45 for that, but unfortunately they also charge $30 for shipping, which seems kind of excessive. I received the spare freehub body about 3 weeks after I ordered it. My main conclusion from all this is that Elite has excellent customer service, but they are in China, and they don't really have many local dealers in Europe or North America. So, of necessity, the logistics can be a little bit more complicated. On the other hand, in terms of what you get for the money, Elite wheels blow away their Occidental competition.
I've ordered the Marvel 82mm set and waiting for the delivery, for 700 usd that's a steal if I ever seen one. And all the reviews seem super positive too.
Hi gcn, I just switched to sram force and I already have a pair of elite drive 50 on my bike with a shimano freewheel body. I would like to change the freewheel body on my elites drive, do you know which model I should get? And will a shimano ultégra 12 breakaway work on a sram force transimission?
Bought a set 40V in Juli'23 Good comunucation with Elite fast shipping looks amazing braking is good even better with black prins. I am verry happy with my set.🥳
So after much deliberation, looking at costs and reviews, and most importantly, seeing multiple channels now saying good things about Elite Wheels, when I do get a disc build going I'm definitely going to be picking up a set. Probably still one of their stainless spoke models but yeah. Until then though, I'm going to stick with aluminum rim brake wheels because I just still don't trust carbon rim brake rims in the wet, or for that matter in heavy braking descents. I've heard too many horror stories about those situations.
Outstanding value and quality the Elite Wherks, best investment I’ve made in years! Delivery to the states wicked quick, overall what a find! I opted for the black/black logo, very stealth vs the white logo version.
Should I choose the mixed option which is available on their website and go for 50mm in the front and 65mm at the back or should I just stick with 50mm front and back?
I have the Drive 50D wheels and I absolutely love them. Best part however is how I got them from China to Ontario Canada in 4 days. Unbelievable! If I get end up getting a gravel bike, I'm going to look into them straight away. (Also have a set on my Fuel Ex8)
Never been confident before and then bought the Marvel 6 Spokes for gravel riding... Absolutely love them! Gonna buy the cheap Marvel 50 rim brake for my road bike. Nice move from both GCN & Elite Wheels
You're a bit late to the party but welcome nonetheless. It's thanks to the pioneering work of many UA-camrs who have bought wheels from "unknown" Chinese brands like Elite to test for the general public's benefit that more and more people are now prepared to take a "gamble" and part with a not-insignificant amount of money on their products. Testing the actual performance of a manufacturer's wheels is easy but In addition to this, I should like to see the manufacturer's after-sales service put to the test somehow. I hope with the extra exposure and endorsement of GCN that Elite will be able to meet the increase in demand for their excellent products. Here's an idea, add another "sister"channel where you check-out products from China, you could call the channel "GCN Products of the People". I'll get my coat.
@gcntech just bought a Drive 50D Wheelset, and the manual says i should not hang the bike by the rim on the wall.. which is surprising as i have done it before with other wheels without any problem. What do you think?
I need an XDR freehub for my Marvel 50D. Unfortunately my wheels arrived with HG (purchased on Amazon). Are there any recommendations other than ordering one from Elite?
Not bad. Almost tempting me for carbon wheels. Could you please do a tech video on internal (and external) rim width, how to figure out what width is good for what range of tire sizes, how to optimize aero performance at the rim/tire interface, and how it effects things when you put a tire which is too big or small for the time width?
I am not sure about the bearings, but for my ZIPP 303s set, I have to change them every 5000 km, and this cost me about 180 euro every 5000 km. I think we need to listen to others too. In addition I have also, ARC1100, Roval Rapide, DT swiss gravel, I am happy with those ones too, but the price is definitely not the same.
I bought a pair of D50”s a year ago and they are superb. I’ve only run Mavics an DT Swiss before these to compare with but these are 200g lighter than both and handle just as well if not better in sidewinds.
Was not aware of this manufacturer these wheels look stunning and appear to get good reviews.Will defo consider a purchase thanks GCN👍 Can I ask Alex what brand is the rear light you have fitted to seat post ?
👋 Hi! thanks for the comment! Alex is away on holiday this week 🏖️, but, we can let you know that it is a light from Topeak! Check them out here gcn.eu/Topeak 👍
From personal experience I have no concerns using these wheels on cobbles. I have had a pair of SLT range wheels (around £350) for 18 months now, and they have been raced hard, ridden through heavily potholed roads, hopped and kerbed on. They still run as good as the day I bought them.
If you're riding over giant cobbles on tires that are way too narrow at 50km/h like pros on Paris-Roubaix, these will do at least as well as Shimano or Zipp. They do break those left right and center though. For anything easier, they'll hold up just fine.
Alex and Ollie @gcntech , I just have to wonder. When I went online to look at a set of these wheels (Marvel 50D) they list the front as 21 spoke laced 2x:1radial) and the back as 24 spoke (2x:1x). They say that they test the design but are those going to work for a disc setup and riders over 75 kilos? They also seem narrow at 17mm internal and say they are optimized for 23-28mm tires. Seems like targeting a 28-32 would fit better with the target audience. Thoughts?
Interesting and I’m not worried about you be sponsored as GCN is always upfront about that. I am curious if it allows you to do a comparison with other brands e.g. Hunt 40 carbon disc. Im also interested in a comparison of the 40D and 50D Drive wheels. Small weight penalty vs better aero?
I've been looking at elite wheels for a while but scared to make the jump. I've also been considering zzip 303s but they are more than the elite marvel wheel. Any chance you could do a review of the Marvel?
Interestingly I rolled the dice with 50 D's about 2 days before this video came out. I will see how well these handle (and feel) on some of the occasional cobble stone streets I meet here in Flanders. Looking forward to getting them!
Well, well, well, I did not see this coming. 😅 Maybe GCN realized most people don't have $2000+ to spend on wheels? Anyway, this is pretty huge news. I am curious to see how (and if) Western brands will react. I tested many Chinese wheels (DRIVE included) and these ones are my favorite for climbing.
@gcntech, can we expect any promotion codes related to this new wheel sponsorship? 😊 There are some already available online from other cycling media platforms (I found one for 15% for Drive models, but I am sure GCN can do even better 😉)
So a new chapter begins. People will seek more practical upgrades and there will be companies which cannot provide competitive alternatives. Hard times are ahead for them.
hi, thanks for the comment. We don't do product tests at GCN, instead we partner with brands that we would genuinely use, suffice to say, we haven't been able to stop Ollie talking about the wheels when he used them in the past 😂
I have no problem with Made in China wheels. The issue is that if warranty is needed, jt will cost you around 500 USD to ship the wheel to China! This is why I prefer to pay a bit more and buy USA made.
this is a coincidence, when I talked about these wheels two years ago, many people spat and said that this is China, like bad wheels, and now everyone praises them)
Very nice wheels. Pricing is excellent. Not a fan of the "marbled" finish though. Looks a little like leather but looks are completely subjective, obviously. For these Chinese, direct to consumer brands, how do warranty claims work? I imagine sending something large and heavy back to China would be hugely expensive.
Elitewheels seems to be establishing local distributions. Im not to sure now but back in the days you can order a fully custom made set of wheels from them which you can request for a finish and decal (or without) of your choice.
Great idea to get this sponsor! It will help making cycling more inclusive and we suppose they will pay you good money that will fund the best videos creation 🤩❤ you could ride the shittiest bike in the world that we would watch you anyway as long as content is good and you make us laugh 😂
🤔 What is your ideal rim depth? Let us know 👇
50mm
disk wheel
50mm
For looks - 50mm
Tyrone says 6 inches
HELLO HAMBINI FANS!!! I think this is an inspired business move by EliteWheels. The market is in freefall and effectively the OEM for a lot of wheel brands has put it's foot into the door. Elitewheels started off by furnishing their gear to small UA-camrs (myself included). It's generally a decent product and scores well objectively. I would have little hesitation in running them and have done so in the past. The change for a lot of people will now be a mental one and not a technical one. Soon they'll forget about the origin of these wheels and concentrate on the value for money.
I wish them well, I think they make decent wheels at a fair price.
Omg 😱 hambini ! Cycling tech UA-cam royalty has spoken
GCN needs to check to see if the pen is working, this could be an imposter.
Two worlds collide!
Is a Hambini/GCN Collab in the works?
Nice one Hambini, whilst I trust GCN, I really trust your opinions as you really tell it as it is!
Ahhhh, the masses applaud. First - Decathlon Van Rysel win a World tour event stage now this.
The bicycle industry needs this wake-up call.
This is one of those videos that will age like fine wine.
Its to show that the prices of "high end" kit (borderline self-proclaimed) has become extortionate and I hope it will get those geriatrics that still have that 15 year old mindset of Chinese manufactured products to realize that their top-tier products are mint and you don't need to own one to buy their products. I still have my 12yr+ Yishun frame and wheelset as my winter trainer.
I've been using a pair of EliteWheels SLT 47mm deep wheels for 3 years. They're my first carbon aero wheels (part of a complete bike build from China-bought components). I'm really happy with them - the only problem I've had is corrosion of the nipples - I think due to galvanic action between the different metals of the spokes and nipples with UK wet roads. The freehub is also louder than a 747 on takeoff, even after packing with extra grease! Nice to see GCN embracing a lesser-known brand as a sponsor.
My Drive 40D rear axel wore out after less than 1500 miles. Customer service got me a new axel and bearings in less than week to Texas.
OMG my comment made in on a video! I'm glad you discussed the price - similar spec wheels from Western brands range from £2,000 to £5,000. Please also cover their cheaper ranges for budget projects too, and just show what you can. There are a number of Chinese brands who are building a good reputation for their products and customer service, and like EliteWheels are companies that started out as manufacturing contractors for Western brands. These brands don't have the level of performance R&D that Western brands do, but their knowledge of the manufacturing processes means they can build goods to the same safety and functional standards with less additional costs. Joe from China Cycling has tons of information on these emerging brands, and it is easier than ever to get the performance level that carbon products offer for the price of mid range alumimium.
And, let's face it. Look around your house and look at the manufacturing labels. The vast majority of stuff comes from the Far East, and these name brands don't own the factories that produce them. The factories are run by third parties and products are made on an exclusivity agreement, that they will protect the Western brand's designs and Intellectual Property by not offering specific tech to competitors, who get their own stuff made at the exact same factory.
you pay for quality control...
This is a nice surprise, well played.
thanks! We're mega excited to be using Elite Wheels!
Hi Guys. I just bought a set of Elite Wheels 40v rim brake wheels for my custom Seven. Very impressed with Anthony of Elite who answered all my questions and even provided a substantial discount coupon. I now can’t wait to get the wheels in a few days and test them on the roads of HK. THANKS for the recommendation and congrats on the affiliation.
have multiple gravel and road wheelsets from EliteWheels, excellent value for the performance you get and they look amazing.
Ordered the new Velo Six and patiently waiting.
Congratulations on the new sponsor! Hope you also do a video of riding it hard or with races or endurance events then check the condition of the wheels and if they are still true or if needed to be adjusted/trued/maintained
what helps the channel grow. more power to you guys!
🫶 Thank you! We've been really impressed with the wheels
Finally, GCN is advertising affordable, but still high quality products 👍 I'm rolling my Drive 40 rim brake wheels for almost two years, very happy with them.
Hi how was the wheel in daily use ? Or its only good for race?
@@senjo24553I'm not racing at all, but they are very light, responsive and stiff, yet still very comfortable with 25c tires on my Time VXS Translink.
How many km? No issues with the bearings?
Because I'm not using this bike a lot, I guess those wheels have 3000 to 4000km. It's my lightweight climbing bike, I'm mostly riding my aero disc brake bike. I've top up those ceramic bearings with the grease in the beginning, from the factory they are greased very lightly. But, so far so great 👍
These wheels are very nice. I am running the G45CS on my gravel bike and I am quite happy with them. Shipping took about 3 weeks and the wheelset arrived in pristine condition. And there where many channels that offered a 15% discount. So keep your eyes open for these if you want to buy.
Are they hooked or hookless rims?
@@mitchrich5015I’m running G45s as well They’re hooked.
@@mitchrich5015 They are hooked and can be used with inner tubes.
Was thinking about G45SS for a road bike meant for 32mm tires, what do you think?
@@kevinsatzinger2648 Should work fine. Elite-Wheels recommends not to use tires below 28mm. If the wheelset is as aero as a dedicated road wheelset, who knows. But its light and robust.
2 years in and it still work like new... rolling smooooothly!
Can the power of GCN get Elite Wheels to list ALL the spares required to repair and maintain these wheels on the Elite website? If they can 🎉
Until then consider them disposable. 😢
Very lucky you have!!
I Have a pair of ENT-DISC 50mm, and now I’m waiting for a pair of EDGE 40mm, ceramic bearings.
I’m very happy with my ENT-DISC, but the EDGE are 300gr. lighter
The Elite Edge wheels are the best of the range IMO. 1320g for 50mm/21mm at £500.
These drive wheels with carbon spokes and their flared hubs are much stiffer compared to the edge. So i supposed they're better for race than the edge.
1314g 40mm*
I just bought a set of the 50D rim brake wheels and if you're after a discount code I used Peak Torques. Cant wait to upgrade from aluminium
Hi question the drive version can I use tires25mm or not ?
I’m a heavier rider and what’s not mentioned is that the D50”s are rated to 125kg which is higher than most yet they weight only 1300g
Fuck me that's heavy. I'm 83kg and I'm already an elephant on a bike. Can you go downhill without melting discs? I really hope you're not choosing all your gear based on weight, mechanically you will benefit from extra material pretty much everywhere.
1:09. I see one of your comments made it to the video.
@@michaelre7556 didn’t spot that must rewatch.
@@pierrex3226 I’m 97kg but the wheels are rated to 125kg. Thus if you wanted to carry some luggage there is a little leeway. Many wheels from big brands tap out at 110kg max rating. Yes I do go though pads fairly quickly and run 160’s front an back. I paired these wheels with an Aethos S-Works frame also rated at 125kgks. So my very lightweight bike supports my big bones very adequately.
For heavier riders, may i suggest Bontrager 37v as there is no wait limit... Trek do price match.. hope this helps?????
I bought d40s last month. Awesome wheels
Been wanting to get a pair of these wheels. I hope this video/sponsorship doesn't increase its price due to the inevitable increase in demand. This is a brilliant marketing move by EliteWheels though. Glad to see it.
Loving the concept and embrace of the EliteWheels. I'm a second time purchaser of high quality Chinese wheel sets. My latest wheelset are from LightBicycle Wheels and the XC924 wheel set weighs in at 1,192 grams with dtSwiss-240 hubs, Sapiem spokes and 25mm deep wheels built for 110kg rider mass. Great wheels and ride so well.
Thank you for explaining how we get your amazing content because you have sponsors. I enjoy seeing what’s out there and what’s going on in new tech. Keep up the good work!
thanks for the kind words 🫶
My rim brake Mavic R-SYS SLRs have carbon spokes, but not on the rear drive side. That side only is aluminum spokes, so I'm pumped about full carbon rear spoked rim brake wheels. But how do the rim wheels break? Any info out there?
i have the edge 50s. no complaints. lighter than more 'premium' ones like hunt
Im using the marvel series on my canyon bike and the value is is really good for the price. Happy to see that yall are partnering with them
Dr. Bridgewood, please review the Elite TT Bundle (Disc wheel and 80mm deep) for your TT setup
I can’t wait to ride them!
I bought a pair of Drive 50mm/65mm a couple months ago. Love them! I dropped 14.5oz paired with TPU tubes on my Canyon Ultimate
Nice work!
Interesting weight in oz. What is it in potato chips?
This is definitely a great and smart move in terms of sponsorship for GCN. Especially as how the bike industry is going nowadays with insanely overpriced and overstocked "high-end" bikes and components; contrasting against an increasing amount of more affordable brands. Maybe we can see more future sponsorships from the far East, such as the Winspace, Seka, Superteam, Magene, iGPSport, L-twoo and Elves etc. 😉😉
Yes! I got a magene power meter, and it’s just as reliable as a quarq for 1/2 the price. I recommend them to everyone now.
I have a set of Elite 50D Wheels. They are great to ride. The ceramic bearings on my rear wheel went bad pretty quickly but Elite replaced them for free, and I received the replacement bearings in about 1 week. To avoid problems in the future, I recently bought a spare freehub body. They charged $45 for that, but unfortunately they also charge $30 for shipping, which seems kind of excessive. I received the spare freehub body about 3 weeks after I ordered it. My main conclusion from all this is that Elite has excellent customer service, but they are in China, and they don't really have many local dealers in Europe or North America. So, of necessity, the logistics can be a little bit more complicated. On the other hand, in terms of what you get for the money, Elite wheels blow away their Occidental competition.
I've ordered the Marvel 82mm set and waiting for the delivery, for 700 usd that's a steal if I ever seen one. And all the reviews seem super positive too.
Hi gcn, I just switched to sram force and I already have a pair of elite drive 50 on my bike with a shimano freewheel body. I would like to change the freewheel body on my elites drive, do you know which model I should get?
And will a shimano ultégra 12 breakaway work on a sram force transimission?
I like the round ones with a hole and criss crosses in it.
Bought a set 40V in Juli'23 Good comunucation with Elite fast shipping looks amazing braking is good even better with black prins. I am verry happy with my set.🥳
So after much deliberation, looking at costs and reviews, and most importantly, seeing multiple channels now saying good things about Elite Wheels, when I do get a disc build going I'm definitely going to be picking up a set. Probably still one of their stainless spoke models but yeah. Until then though, I'm going to stick with aluminum rim brake wheels because I just still don't trust carbon rim brake rims in the wet, or for that matter in heavy braking descents. I've heard too many horror stories about those situations.
NICE!! Well done GCN. I've been looking at getting a pair for Elite wheels for a while now. Hmmmmmm.........
Outstanding value and quality the Elite Wherks, best investment I’ve made in years! Delivery to the states wicked quick, overall what a find! I opted for the black/black logo, very stealth vs the white logo version.
Should I choose the mixed option which is available on their website and go for 50mm in the front and 65mm at the back or should I just stick with 50mm front and back?
Nice move by both companies, GCN and Elite. Really like my 38s.
I have the Drive 50D wheels and I absolutely love them. Best part however is how I got them from China to Ontario Canada in 4 days. Unbelievable! If I get end up getting a gravel bike, I'm going to look into them straight away. (Also have a set on my Fuel Ex8)
Never been confident before and then bought the Marvel 6 Spokes for gravel riding... Absolutely love them! Gonna buy the cheap Marvel 50 rim brake for my road bike. Nice move from both GCN & Elite Wheels
Good choice!
You're a bit late to the party but welcome nonetheless. It's thanks to the pioneering work of many UA-camrs who have bought wheels from "unknown" Chinese brands like Elite to test for the general public's benefit that more and more people are now prepared to take a "gamble" and part with a not-insignificant amount of money on their products. Testing the actual performance of a manufacturer's wheels is easy but In addition to this, I should like to see the manufacturer's after-sales service put to the test somehow. I hope with the extra exposure and endorsement of GCN that Elite will be able to meet the increase in demand for their excellent products. Here's an idea, add another "sister"channel where you check-out products from China, you could call the channel "GCN Products of the People". I'll get my coat.
Bravo for embracing the times, GCN. been buying wheels from farsports for almost ten years now.
@gcntech just bought a Drive 50D Wheelset, and the manual says i should not hang the bike by the rim on the wall.. which is surprising as i have done it before with other wheels without any problem. What do you think?
I need an XDR freehub for my Marvel 50D. Unfortunately my wheels arrived with HG (purchased on Amazon). Are there any recommendations other than ordering one from Elite?
what did service say?
Not bad. Almost tempting me for carbon wheels.
Could you please do a tech video on internal (and external) rim width, how to figure out what width is good for what range of tire sizes, how to optimize aero performance at the rim/tire interface, and how it effects things when you put a tire which is too big or small for the time width?
All this info is already out there on the interweb, you don't have to wait for GCN to do a video.
I am not sure about the bearings, but for my ZIPP 303s set, I have to change them every 5000 km, and this cost me about 180 euro every 5000 km. I think we need to listen to others too. In addition I have also, ARC1100, Roval Rapide, DT swiss gravel, I am happy with those ones too, but the price is definitely not the same.
5000 is not much?
GCN getting into that AliExpress territory, nice.
I bought a pair of D50”s a year ago and they are superb. I’ve only run Mavics an DT Swiss before these to compare with but these are 200g lighter than both and handle just as well if not better in sidewinds.
I had a 2x 12 carbon long arm ,large wheel groupset , I believe a month or two before a respected brand had theirs out. Works great.
Think youd be surprised how many ‘western’ brands’ rims the Elite factory churn out
They need too, this kind of wheels kost 4500. It's absolutely ridiculous.
I have the EDGE 40 model and there are a very good set off wheels. Bought It under 500$ and weight 1320g
when/where did you buy them? They're currently in the $700-800 range, sometimes on sale for mid $600's
@@antaholics AliExpress with coupons
If a wheel brand sponsors you, does that make you their spokesman?
Was not aware of this manufacturer these wheels look stunning and appear to get good reviews.Will defo consider a purchase thanks GCN👍 Can I ask Alex what brand is the rear light you have fitted to seat post ?
👋 Hi! thanks for the comment! Alex is away on holiday this week 🏖️, but, we can let you know that it is a light from Topeak!
Check them out here gcn.eu/Topeak 👍
Test the ENT model or SLR
SLT !
Well done GCN. This makes you more relatable to everyday folks.
I don't know this brand. Would you ride them in the Flanders or are they too "light" and "weak" for those surfaces?
Thanks
From personal experience I have no concerns using these wheels on cobbles. I have had a pair of SLT range wheels (around £350) for 18 months now, and they have been raced hard, ridden through heavily potholed roads, hopped and kerbed on. They still run as good as the day I bought them.
No doubt, I’ve been rubnibg them in my bike for about a year now and have no doubt that I could put these wheels for some terrible cobbles…
If you're riding over giant cobbles on tires that are way too narrow at 50km/h like pros on Paris-Roubaix, these will do at least as well as Shimano or Zipp. They do break those left right and center though. For anything easier, they'll hold up just fine.
Alex and Ollie @gcntech ,
I just have to wonder. When I went online to look at a set of these wheels (Marvel 50D) they list the front as 21 spoke laced 2x:1radial) and the back as 24 spoke (2x:1x). They say that they test the design but are those going to work for a disc setup and riders over 75 kilos? They also seem narrow at 17mm internal and say they are optimized for 23-28mm tires. Seems like targeting a 28-32 would fit better with the target audience. Thoughts?
Interesting and I’m not worried about you be sponsored as GCN is always upfront about that. I am curious if it allows you to do a comparison with other brands e.g. Hunt 40 carbon disc. Im also interested in a comparison of the 40D and 50D Drive wheels. Small weight penalty vs better aero?
i own 2 different sets from them ....i love them....cant get a better wheel for the price
Same
I'm glad to see carbon wheel manufacturers still providing a rim brake option. 👍
🫶 there's still loads of rim brake bikes after all!
Just bought some elite carbon wheels for my Surly krampus earlier today! Eerie similarities. Are you listening through my phone, GCN?
I've been looking at elite wheels for a while but scared to make the jump. I've also been considering zzip 303s but they are more than the elite marvel wheel. Any chance you could do a review of the Marvel?
I have the drive50 on my pinarello f for a year now and ilove how it rides.
I ride Tune TSR35. Alloy rims 1585 gramm 700€ and damn happy
Been riding Elite wheels for years
yeah? what’s been your experience?
@@GCNuser123 I’m only a weekend warrior but no problems at all
Nice 👍 i bought elite mtb wheels about a year ago and man they are tough i've put a good beating on them and paid less than $650 with a discount code.
Nice!!
This is great news guys! How soon can we expect a review of their new wheels coming out on 3/2?
their review is meaningless now
The best choice, i confirm😊
Interestingly I rolled the dice with 50 D's about 2 days before this video came out. I will see how well these handle (and feel) on some of the occasional cobble stone streets I meet here in Flanders.
Looking forward to getting them!
I wouldn't be surprised if some of their techs who make EliteWheels, also make some of the high-end western wheels too...
Ximen is a lovey place. Been there a few times from my home in Hong Kong.
Of course I mean Xiamen -- all thumbs today. :)
Well, well, well, I did not see this coming. 😅 Maybe GCN realized most people don't have $2000+ to spend on wheels? Anyway, this is pretty huge news. I am curious to see how (and if) Western brands will react. I tested many Chinese wheels (DRIVE included) and these ones are my favorite for climbing.
At last , gcn may be able to turn the oil tanker around starting here.
Drive wheels are well known brand here in Philippine, and its a good selling brand.
Wheel torture test? Or a tour of the factory?
will see what we can do.
Factory tour at their OEM YuanAn would be great!
I would like to gift to my gravel bike the Marvel G35. What do you think of them? It would be interesting to see a road test done by GCN.
Nice,good rival to the hypers from winspace 😎
But do they offer bike shop employees discounts? If so they would get a lot more shop people recommending them. Hence more sales.
@gcntech, can we expect any promotion codes related to this new wheel sponsorship? 😊
There are some already available online from other cycling media platforms (I found one for 15% for Drive models, but I am sure GCN can do even better 😉)
So a new chapter begins. People will seek more practical upgrades and there will be companies which cannot provide competitive alternatives. Hard times are ahead for them.
I can understand why you did it. But what about when you compare wheels? And the group test includes these wheels?
hi, thanks for the comment. We don't do product tests at GCN, instead we partner with brands that we would genuinely use, suffice to say, we haven't been able to stop Ollie talking about the wheels when he used them in the past 😂
I have elite wheels but woah gcn should I be concerned?
About?
I wonder what GCN would say about the Magene DB ultra wheels if they were their sponsors 😊
kinda funny how it says drive on bicycle wheel because you don't really drive bicycle but yeah other than that these are pretty good wheels. 🙂
Perhaps they are so called because these wheels will provide the "drive" that sees you perform better ?
@@joystation1 maybe 🤔
I really love this brand and this channel 👌❤️
Happy to hear that! Thanks for the love!
Take a shot every time Ollie says “Taiwan KOM Challenge”. 😂
We would have alcohol poisoning
@@gcntech haha so true.
such a mega event though! ❤😂
@@GCNuser123 agreed. I’d be putting that on my resume. Haha.
Do they have any 650 Drive wheels? Need a BD prezzie for my wife!
What do you do when a spoke breaks? Are they easily replaced???
The spokes are laced, not bonded, so can be replaced with standard spoke tools. Extra spokes are included with the wheels.
Can we have elitewheel explain why their official website range is different to their aliexpress range ?
Market segmentation. But the wheels are different . The drive vs edge key difference is the carbon vs steel spokes
How does it compare to Hyper?
I have no problem with Made in China wheels. The issue is that if warranty is needed, jt will cost you around 500 USD to ship the wheel to China! This is why I prefer to pay a bit more and buy USA made.
I've been looking at getting a drive set... right price
this is a coincidence, when I talked about these wheels two years ago, many people spat and said that this is China, like bad wheels, and now everyone praises them)
The gravel wheels with a 28c tire?
Very nice wheels. Pricing is excellent. Not a fan of the "marbled" finish though. Looks a little like leather but looks are completely subjective, obviously. For these Chinese, direct to consumer brands, how do warranty claims work? I imagine sending something large and heavy back to China would be hugely expensive.
Elitewheels seems to be establishing local distributions. Im not to sure now but back in the days you can order a fully custom made set of wheels from them which you can request for a finish and decal (or without) of your choice.
@@bingbing3464Awesome. Thanks BingBing.
Il faut faire un très attendu test roues chinoises vs Roval ,Dt,envee etc qu’on sache enfin !!!
Oui, d’accord… mais, c’est difficile pour nous sponsors, parce que nous ne pouvons pas etre impartieux 👍🏼
I misread the heading "breaking news..." Thought it was "breaking wheels"
I would have expected Winspace 😅
2:27 Ollie and his £999999999999 - have you applied for a second job with GCN Germany? 🤣🤣🤣
hahahahha
I thought the new drive wheels is the new Edge wheels ?
Great idea to get this sponsor! It will help making cycling more inclusive and we suppose they will pay you good money that will fund the best videos creation 🤩❤ you could ride the shittiest bike in the world that we would watch you anyway as long as content is good and you make us laugh 😂
aww thanks!
Love the Ali G reference 😂