Pulled the trigger on the Elite Wheel DRIVE wheelset

[1Sigma]

After much humming and hawing, I decided to pulled the trigger on their 2022 Elite DRIVE Wheelset. 

You can find it on their AliExpress storefront, but oddly it is not yet advertised on their official B2C website.
Even on the AliExpress site, its a bit buried: https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005003763694064.html?spm=a2g0o.store_pc_home.0.0.267ed0edTPNtBU
The glossy marble-like design won't be for everyone, but I dig it.

I got 5 sets, which got me some discount but not a ton - since the shipment is small, I can't have them sent by freight.  They are being sent by EMS, in which case I do have a fighting chance at of at least being spared taxes and duties
And, on the plus side, I will receive them faster - probably just before the Spring riding season begins (here in Toronto, good riding doesn't really start until at least all the salt and gravel from winter is swept away...)

Once I get my hands on them, I'll let you all know how they fare!

[Irideslowly]

Besides weight,

What is the advantage of these wheels over their entry level wheels?

[1Sigma]

Besides weight,

What is the advantage of these wheels over their entry level wheels?

So, besides the 425g weight savings, here are the "hard" items you are paying extra for:
- Ceramic bearings (2RS dual-seal bearings. Worth mentioning as most Chinese ceramic bearings are those awful single seal ones)
- Comes with carbon aero spokes
- More advanced carbon lay-up (resulting in increased rigidity and lateral stiffness, and said reduced weight)

As with the weight loss, these all add up to a handful of marginal gains - better power transmission, reduced rolling resistance, increased climbing performance and improved aero properties, increased stiffness and better vibration absorption.   Also, they look cool. 

If you are a moderately healthy cyclist, will you feel these marginal gains?  Probably.  Will you think you will feel the gains? Absolutely.

When you look at all the folks here who chop seat posts, swap out hardware to titanium, you can see how far some people will go to shave a few grams. 
Add to that some non-weight related performance gains for half the price of the closest equivalent (like the Farsports S EVO), and you have a winner!

 

[1Sigma]

Besides weight,

What is the advantage of these wheels over their entry level wheels?

ALSO they are throwing in some free TShirts! Lol

[hazzer19]

After much humming and hawing, I decided to pulled the trigger on their 2022 Elite DRIVE Wheelset. 

You can find it on their AliExpress storefront, but oddly it is not yet advertised on their official B2C website.
Even on the AliExpress site, its a bit buried: https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005003763694064.html?spm=a2g0o.store_pc_home.0.0.267ed0edTPNtBU
The glossy marble-like design won't be for everyone, but I dig it.

I got 5 sets, which got me some discount but not a ton - since the shipment is small, I can't have them sent by freight.  They are being sent by EMS, in which case I do have a fighting chance at of at least being spared taxes and duties
And, on the plus side, I will receive them faster - probably just before the Spring riding season begins (here in Toronto, good riding doesn't really start until at least all the salt and gravel from winter is swept away...)

Once I get my hands on them, I'll let you all know how they fare!

The marble design looks good. Bonus T?! 

[1Sigma]

They are on their way to Canada!

Whats more, Mr. Trace Velo will be reviewing these in an upcoming video.   While I'm confident he'll like them, you never know until you know.

[SCassa]

Damn that's a chunk of change, you selling the other four set's to some friends? Let us know when you get them.
They look interesting.

[1Sigma]

Damn that's a chunk of change, you selling the other four set's to some friends? Let us know when you get them.
They look interesting.

Well, looks like they are coming in tomorrow, duty free (I hope)
I'll do an unboxing for sure.

As I do not have friends, I'm selling the remainder online - either here, or FB Marketplace if you were interested

[Irideslowly]

I can definitely be your canadian friend! If you are ever in montreal, we can ride. 

[1Sigma]

I can definitely be your canadian friend! If you are ever in montreal, we can ride. 

I might have to take you up on that if I am ever in town.
So long as you promise we’re not Everesting Mount Royal…

[StiffWeenies]

At first I didn't pay much attention to this company because I never heard of them before but now they're really growing on me.

The weights are competitive with the best Chinese carbon spoke wheels on the market from Farsports & Vortex who themselves are not far behind the current market leaders in Lightweight and Mavic. Of course I'm not expecting world-beating stiffness and general performance from Elitewheels but the cost/gram value proposition is undeniable.

Elitewheels as a company are also becoming more credible to me since they're sponsoring the China Glory continental team. Clearly there's some money behind them.

Here's my rudimentary working list of carbon spoke wheelsets (40-50mm range depth, disc tubeless) if anyone's interested:
Cadex
   42 / 1327g, 42mm depth, 23mm external
Unaas
   50 Supreme / 1344g, 51mm depth, 26.2mm external
Winspace
   Lun Hyper / 1455g, 50mm depth, 26mm external
Speeder
   SLP / 1400g, 45mm depth, 28mm external
Elitewheels
   DRIVE 40D / 1260g, 40mm depth, 28mm external
   DRIVE 50D / 1300g, 50mm depth, 28mm external
Magene
   EXAR DB45 Pro / 1400g, 45mm depth, 27mm external
Vortex
   No Compromise / 1280g, 40mm depth. 26mm external
Farsports
   Ventoux S4 EVO / 1295g, 45mm depth, 26mm external
HUNT
   Aerodynamicist / 1352g, 44mm depth, 29mm external
Scribe
   Elan Wide+ 42 / 1370g, 42mm depth, 30mm external
   Elan Wide+ 50 / 1415g, 50mm depth, 30mm external
Mavic
   Cosmic Ultimate UST Disc / 1225g, 45mm depth, 27mm external
Lightweight
   Obermayer Evo Schwarz Ed / 1230g, 48mm depth, 24mm external
   Meilenstein Evo Schwarz Ed / 1380g, 48mm depth, 24mm external

[1Sigma]

At first I didn't pay much attention to this company because I never heard of them before but now they're really growing on me.

The weights are competitive with the best Chinese carbon spoke wheels on the market from Farsports & Vortex who themselves are not far behind the current market leaders in Lightweight and Mavic. Of course I'm not expecting world-beating stiffness and general performance from Elitewheels but the cost/gram value proposition is undeniable.

Elitewheels as a company are also becoming more credible to me since they're sponsoring the China Glory continental team. Clearly there's some money behind them.

Here's my rudimentary working list of carbon spoke wheelsets (40-50mm range depth, disc tubeless) if anyone's interested:
Cadex
   42 / 1327g, 42mm depth, 23mm external
Unaas
   50 Supreme / 1344g, 51mm depth, 26.2mm external
Winspace
   Lun Hyper / 1455g, 50mm depth, 26mm external
Speeder
   SLP / 1400g, 45mm depth, 28mm external
Elitewheels
   DRIVE 40D / 1260g, 40mm depth, 28mm external
   DRIVE 50D / 1300g, 50mm depth, 28mm external
Magene
   EXAR DB45 Pro / 1400g, 45mm depth, 27mm external
Vortex
   No Compromise / 1280g, 40mm depth. 26mm external
Farsports
   Ventoux S4 EVO / 1295g, 45mm depth, 26mm external
HUNT
   Aerodynamicist / 1352g, 44mm depth, 29mm external
Scribe
   Elan Wide+ 42 / 1370g, 42mm depth, 30mm external
   Elan Wide+ 50 / 1415g, 50mm depth, 30mm external
Mavic
   Cosmic Ultimate UST Disc / 1225g, 45mm depth, 27mm external
Lightweight
   Obermayer Evo Schwarz Ed / 1230g, 48mm depth, 24mm external
   Meilenstein Evo Schwarz Ed / 1380g, 48mm depth, 24mm external

Great list! Just needs MRSP.  I would say its worth starting it's own thread

[1Sigma]

They arrived!

The set on the box I opened came in at 1,287g
It came with rim tape, levers, and a pair of cycling socks.
Valves were missing though. I've let the factory know

Its hard to capture the finish in a photo, but its somwhere between a leathery? and fibrous look to it.  However, it's subtle and hard to catch on some angles.  At some angles and lighting, it just looks glossy black.  In photos it just appears roughly textured, but in person it clearly looks smooth and slick

The hubs appear well-machined, and are titanium colored.
The hub body though, could benefit from a bite guard

They stickers for storefronts and a couple hideous 3XL polo shirts for the dealer (me)

[1Sigma]

Confirmed valves should have been sent, along with the manual (which i am assuming contains warranty info) 
I'm going to get Elite to send those bits along,  so I can forward them to whoever buys the wheels.

Also,  should have come in their slick new box (attached). I received the older boxes. Neither here nor there, but it would have been nice

[kbike]

Thanks sigma1 for hooking me up with a set.  I'm very excited to have them.  I was planning to build a set of light bicycle with all the weight savings and no nipple holes.

I decided to go with the drive wheels.  They look different, sub 1300g disc, Wide enough inner, cheaper.

I have rims for wider tires and for nasty roads weather. So these just need to be good in the 25-32 tire range. These will only be 200g heavier (rotors) than my lightest rims brake wheels (1309g with 50mm) which is super close. These could bring my 168 close to 7.1kg