Zen Carbon Wheels Xiamen

[Ludo]

The following specs, didn’t go for full on lightweight

[hillclimber]

I haven't seen a lot of discussion on here about Zen carbon cranks. Specifically, BC03 cranks with 24mm Titanium spindle that come out to 300g. These chinese cranks (Cybrei, Elilee, Leese, Bigrock, etc) all look very similar so I suspect they're made from an open mould design and probably in the same factory. But searching around I couldn't find any that are 300g. Only Zen seems to be offering these and all the other brands seem to bottom out at 310g for this design. Anyways, I've gone ahead and order a pair. Was quoted $290 shipped to the US. Will report back once I receive them.

[ZenCarbonBike]

ZEN Carbon Bike – Current Spoke Options

We have had quite a few questions recently about the different spoke options we can offer on custom wheel builds, so I thought I’d put the current range together in one place.

No pricing here — this is simply a reference showing the different spoke specifications currently available.

Carbon spokes

All carbon-spoke weights below include the relevant nipple.

CS01 – 3.1 mm
3.10 ±0.15 mm wide
0.98 ±0.05 mm thick
Approx. 2.1 ±0.1 g
Destructive tensile test: 350 kgf
Outgoing inspection: 280 kgf
Lateral rigidity failure: 80 kgf
T-head available

CS02 – 3.25 mm
3.25 ±0.15 mm wide
1.45 ±0.05 mm thick
Approx. 3.5 ±0.2 g
Destructive tensile test: 500 kgf
Outgoing inspection: 320 kgf
Lateral rigidity failure: 120 kgf
T-head available

CS03 – 3.95 mm
3.95 ±0.15 mm wide
1.25 ±0.05 mm thick
Approx. 3.5 ±0.2 g
Destructive tensile test: 500 kgf
Outgoing inspection: 320 kgf
Lateral rigidity failure: 120 kgf
T-head available

CS04 – 4.5 mm
4.5 ±0.2 mm wide
1.17 ±0.05 mm thick
Approx. 3.5 ±0.2 g
Destructive tensile test: 500 kgf
Outgoing inspection: 320 kgf
Lateral rigidity failure: 120 kgf
T-head available

CS05 – 5.1 mm
5.1 ±0.1 mm wide
0.90 ±0.05 mm thick
Approx. 3.5 ±0.2 g
Destructive tensile test: 500 kgf
Outgoing inspection: 320 kgf
Lateral rigidity failure: 120 kgf
T-head available

CS06 – 5.9 mm
5.9 ±0.1 mm wide
0.75 ±0.05 mm thick
Approx. 3.5 ±0.2 g
Destructive tensile test: 500 kgf
Outgoing inspection: 320 kgf
Lateral rigidity failure: 120 kgf
No T-head option

Hidden-nipple carbon spokes

CS07 – 3.2 mm
Approx. 2.05 ±0.1 g
Destructive tensile test: 350 kgf
Outgoing inspection: 280 kgf
Lateral rigidity failure: 80 kgf

CS08 – 5.2 mm
Approx. 2.7 ±0.1 g
Destructive tensile test: 450 kgf
Outgoing inspection: 320 kgf
Lateral rigidity failure: 100 kgf

CS09 – 4.0 mm
Approx. 2.7 ±0.1 g
Destructive tensile test: 450 kgf
Outgoing inspection: 320 kgf
Lateral rigidity failure: 100 kgf


Pillar steel spokes

Pillar 1420 Bladed — approx. 4.6 g
Pillar Wing 20 Bladed — approx. 4.6 g
Pillar 1423 Bladed — approx. 6.9 g

Sapim spokes

CX-Ray Super Bladed — approx. 4.3 g
CX-Ray Bladed — approx. 5.0 g
CX-Ray Silver Stainless — approx. 5.0 g
Race Black Round — approx. 6.4 g
Leader Round — approx. 7.2 g

Alpina spokes Black Only

HyperLite Round — approx. 3.84 g
HyperLite Flat / Aero — approx. 3.84 g
UltraLite Aero — approx. 4.54 g
UltraLite Round — approx. 4.54 g
ExtraLite Aero — approx. 5.44 g
ExtraLite Round — approx. 5.44 g
One Aero / Flat — approx. 6.84 g

ZEN TiX titanium spokes NOT INCLUDING NIPPLE TITANIUM COLOUR ONLY

Pro Flat & Aero — approx. 3.7 g
Forge Titan — approx. 3.7 g
Aero — approx. 2.9 g
ZEN TiX titanium spokes can currently be paired with either alloy or brass nipples.

Nipple options

Alloy nipple — approximately 0.3 g each
Brass nipple — approximately 1.1 g each
We can offer brass nipples in either black or silver.

Coloured nipples are also available for some configurations if required, subject to availability.

There’s quite a lot of flexibility depending on whether the priority is absolute weight, aerodynamics, stiffness, durability or simply building something a little different.

[ZenCarbonBike]

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[ZenCarbonBike]

ZEN Carbon Bike – Current Hub Options

A few people have also asked what hub options we can currently build with, so here’s a list of the main hubs available.

Weights are for the hubset and can vary slightly depending on freehub body, axle/end-cap configuration and specification.

ZEN / ZSL hubs

ZSL ZC215Rc — approx. 215 g — 20/20H
ZSL ZC235Rc — approx. 235 g — 20/20H
ZSL ZC235Rc 2024 — approx. 235 g — 20/24H
ZSL ZC245Rc — approx. 245 g — 24/24H
ZSL ZC250Rc — approx. 250 g — 18/18H
ZEN ZC240RSL — approx. 240–245 g — 24/24H

THR hubs

THR R2 disc — approx. 285 g — 21/24H
THR R2 rim brake — approx. 245 g — 16/21H
We have various anodised colours avaiblae for the hubs Black/silver/blue/gold/orange/yellow/green/purple/red

H-Works road / gravel hubs

H-Works SR270 — approx. 279 g — 20/20H
H-Works SR288A — approx. 283 g — 20/20H
H-Works SR288C — approx. 291 g — 20/24H
H-Works HW321 Gravel — approx. 336 g — 21/21H
H-Works SR360 — approx. 345 g — 21/24H
H-Works SR350 rim brake — approx. 298 g — 18/21H
H-Works SR262 rim brake — approx. 284 g — 20/24H
H-Works SR330 — approx. 326 g — 24/24H
H-Works SR318 — approx. 291 g — 24/24H
H-Works SR308 — approx. 301 g — 28/28H
H-Works SR261 — approx. 269 g — 24/24H
H-Works SR260 — approx. 253 g — 24/24H, pawl system

H-Works MTB hubs

CM300 Boost — approx. 347 g — 24/24H
M330-6B XC Boost — approx. 333 g — 28/28H
M330 XC Boost — approx. 306 g — 28/28H
M340 AM Boost — approx. 354 g — 32/32H
M340-6B AM Boost — approx. 383 g — 32/32H
M400 DH Boost — approx. 426 g — 32/32H

DT Swiss

DT350

Classic 24/24H — approx. 395 g
Classic 28/28H — approx. 394 g
Straightpull 24/24H — approx. 361 g

DT240

Classic 24/24H — approx. 338 g
Classic 28/28H — approx. 336 g
Straightpull 24/24H — approx. 306 g
Straightpull 24/28H — approx. 311 g

DT180

24/24H — approx. 279 g
28/28H — approx. 288 g


We can also build with a number of other premium branded hubs, including:

TUNE — including Mig45 / MAG150 rim-brake options
Carbon-Ti
Chris King — including R45D
White Industries
Extralite — rim-brake hubsets from around 184 g, depending on configuration

If there is a particular branded or H-Works hub that isn’t shown above but appears in the current H-Works range, there’s a good chance we can source it as well. Just ask and we can check compatibility and availability.

Hub choice obviously depends on the intended build — road, gravel or MTB, steel or carbon spokes, required spoke count, brake type, axle standard and freehub.

[Samuel BMR]

Could you get your hands on the BITEX HUBS with OIL SLICK colorful finish? And with the corresponding OIL SLICK colorful SPOKES ?

[ZenCarbonBike]

Could you get your hands on the BITEX HUBS with OIL SLICK colorful finish? And with the corresponding OIL SLICK colorful SPOKES ?

Have you a product code for this?

[Rolle2k]

Not thinking about making Titanium nipples available for the Titanium spokes? Would kind of make them best choice corrotion-wise, would certainly be first choice for me.

[ZenCarbonBike]

Not thinking about making Titanium nipples available for the Titanium spokes? Would kind of make them best choice corrotion-wise, would certainly be first choice for me.

Hello

You’d naturally think titanium spoke + titanium nipple would be the best combination, particularly from a corrosion point of view, but the bigger issue people often overlook is galling and seizing.

Titanium-on-titanium threads are particularly prone to galling, so without the correct surface treatment and assembly preparation the nipple can effectively seize onto the spoke. That is actually a bigger practical concern for us than corrosion.

With titanium spokes and brass nipples, corrosion really isn’t something we consider a significant issue in normal wheel use when the wheel is assembled correctly with suitable lubricant/anti-seize. Brass also avoids the titanium-on-titanium galling problem, which is why it’s currently our preferred nipple option for TiX spokes.

Alloy nipples can also be used, although with titanium you need to pay more attention to correct preparation because of the potential for galvanic corrosion between dissimilar metals.

There’s also the commercial side. We’re still a small company and titanium-spoke wheelsets are a relatively low-volume product for us. Titanium nipples have high MOQs and are extremely expensive — the nipples themselves actually cost more than most of the steel spokes we offer. Holding a large quantity of them in stock for something we don’t sell in huge numbers simply doesn’t make much sense at the moment.

So although Ti + Ti sounds like the obvious premium option, in practice Ti + brass is the more sensible long-term combination for us: reliable, serviceable, corrosion-resistant in normal use, and without the same galling risk.

[ZenCarbonBike]

Hello Everyone

For anyone looking for new 32er rims/whewlsets  have small selection available for both MTB and Gravel but we can build all these rims on MTB, gravel or road hubs with Steel, Titanium or Carbon spoke.
Please contact us directly for more information our contact information is below.

[Samuel BMR]

Have you a product code for this?

HUB-F Bitex BX312F Oil Slick 12 / 100mm

With Pillar Wing 20 in Oil Slick.

What rims do you have for ALL ROAD / ENDURANCE something between 26mm to 32mm internal width and 36 to 40mm external width?

[hillclimber]

Seeing the great feedback on this thread, I've decided to order a pair of Zen Carbon Wheels from Zara. So far the ordering experience has been great. Zara has been very responsive to my queries.

This is the configuration I went with:
* Rims: 25mm IW, 50mm depth, UXL weight 380g, UD paintless gloss finish
* Hubs: H-Works SR261, steel bearings, weight 269g
* Spokes: Sapim CX Ray, weight 4.9 x 48

Total expected weight: 1264.2g

Could've gone lighter with the SUXL rim at 350g and carbon spokes, but I was worried about reliability being a heavier rider at 85kg. Zara shared the lead time is about 4-5 weeks so I'm looking forward to when these ship to the West Coast here in the US.

Received my wheelset, installed and went on 20 mile test ride. First impressions I'm quite impressed by the quality. Firstly, thanks to everyone on the forum for sharing all the useful info on Zen. I'm sharing some of my thoughts after my first ride with them. To prefix my thoughts below I must say that I consider myself a casual rider and these are my first set of carbon wheels. My FTP hovers around 240w-280w (based on the time of the year lol), I don't race and I don't really have a sprint to test stiffness.


Pictures
Box


Packed wheel


Weight


On Bike


Unboxing and Installation
The wheelset came well packed in a cardboard box which included rim tape and tubeless valves. There was no damage to the box or any of the contents. These came out to exactly 1264g on my scale which was exactly what was discussed with Zara. I measured internal width of 25.23mm (vs 25mm advertised) and widest external to be 33.45mm (vs 34mm advertised). Imo the UD matte finish is more satin than matte and it glimmers very nicely when it catches the light just right. Tire installation for my 28mm GP5000 was quite easy and didn't require tire levers. 28mm GP5000 measured 30.37mm when installed and fit on my Tarmac SL6 with >= 4mm on each side (measured with a hex key). My Cyclami TPU tubes with 60mm metal valves have no issues with these 50mm deep rims. There's plenty valve showing to mount my track pump.

Rims
When doing my research on various carbon layups and wheel types, I found some info about T1000 and T1100 rims flexing when trying to press them with a finger (for ex about the XMCS 26mm rim) but on this wheelset which is also advertised as T1100, there is no flex at all. Keep in mind I went with the "Race" or "UXL" layup and not the "Extreme Ultralight" or "SUXL" layup.

Hubs and Spokes
The R261 hubs seem very well made and imo aren't loud. I didn't measure spoke tension but they seem consistent and the wheel is properly balanced.

First Ride Impressions
I went on a 20 mile ride with some rolling hills with these. It was quite a windy day today and I must say I noticed the 50mm depth catch the wind at times. But it didn't feel unsafe or I was being pushed into traffic. I guess the U shaped rim is helping with that? I've never ridden 50mm deeps before so can't comment whether this wheelset is better than others with crosswinds. In terms of comfort I didn't feel any harshness when compared with my old alloy rims.

Conclusion
All in all, I'm quite pleased with this purchase and am looking forward to see how they hold up over time. I've also purchased a pair of cranks from Zara and will share a review on them when they're here.

[ZenCarbonBike]

HUB-F Bitex BX312F Oil Slick 12 / 100mm

With Pillar Wing 20 in Oil Slick.

What rims do you have for ALL ROAD / ENDURANCE something between 26mm to 32mm internal width and 36 to 40mm external width?

Hello Sir

We cannot Supply those hubs or spokes.
We can supply H-Works SR261 24/24 hole 269g or SR318 24/24 hole 291g hub in silver
and silver polish Sapim CX Ray spokes as an alternative if that’s of interest

We have Rims

25mm inner /35mm @ bead.  (rim 36mm @35mm depth) (rim 36.5mm @40mm depth) (rim 37mm @45&50mm depth)

29mm inner/ 35mm @ bead.  (rim 36mm @35mm depth) (rim 36.5mm @40mm depth) (rim 37mm @45&50mm depth)

32mm inner / 40mm external @40&50mm depths

32mm inner / 38mm at bead
39 external at rim @49mm depth,
39.5 external at rim @54/59/64mm depths

32mm inner / 38mm at bead
40 external at rim @44mm depth
40.4 external at rim @49mm depth
40.8 external at rim @54mm depth
41.2 external at rim @59 & 64mm depth

[Samuel BMR]

Hello Sir

We cannot Supply those hubs or spokes.
We can supply H-Works SR261 24/24 hole 269g or SR318 24/24 hole 291g hub in silver
and silver polish Sapim CX Ray spokes as an alternative if that’s of interest

We have Rims

25mm inner /35mm @ bead.  (rim 36mm @35mm depth) (rim 36.5mm @40mm depth) (rim 37mm @45&50mm depth)

29mm inner/ 35mm @ bead.  (rim 36mm @35mm depth) (rim 36.5mm @40mm depth) (rim 37mm @45&50mm depth)

32mm inner / 40mm external @40&50mm depths

32mm inner / 38mm at bead
39 external at rim @49mm depth,
39.5 external at rim @54/59/64mm depths

32mm inner / 38mm at bead
40 external at rim @44mm depth
40.4 external at rim @49mm depth
40.8 external at rim @54mm depth
41.2 external at rim @59 & 64mm depth

Ok thank you.
Can you tell me more about the bearings of your ZSL ZC235Rc ? What size are they for ceramic?

[ZenCarbonBike]

Ok thank you.
Can you tell me more about the bearings of your ZSL ZC235Rc ? What size are they for ceramic?

Hello sir,

The ZSL ZC235Rc uses the same common bearing sizes found in most of our lightweight carbon-spoke hubs, including many of the H-Works models.

The bearing sizes are:

Front 6802 X2
Rear 6802 X2 & 15267 X2

The ZC235Rc is supplied with TPI ceramic bearings.

So if you are looking at replacement ceramic bearings, these are the bearing sizes you would need to match.

Yes — I’d remove the mileage examples completely and change “I would personally choose” to “we would recommend” so it reads as ZEN advice.


As you are also appear to be considering an all-road wheelset, there is one other point worth mentioning regarding the bearings.

For predominantly smooth road use, the TPI ceramic bearings are a good option where low rolling resistance and performance are the priority.

However, for a wheelset that will regularly be used for all-road, rough-road or gravel riding, we would generally recommend good-quality steel bearings where durability and ease of maintenance are the priorities.

Mixed-surface riding can expose hub bearings to more impact, vibration, dust, water and contamination. In these conditions, bearing sealing, lubrication and maintenance become particularly important.

It is also important to remember that bearings are a consumable component. Their service life cannot realistically be predetermined, as it depends on many variables including rider/system weight, riding conditions and surfaces, impacts, weather and water exposure, contamination, washing and cleaning methods, maintenance, correct installation and bearing adjustment.

This is why we do not give a specific expected lifespan for bearings. Two riders using exactly the same hub and bearings can experience very different service lives depending on how and where the wheels are used and maintained.

For a dedicated performance road wheelset, the TPI ceramic bearings are a good option. For regular all-road, gravel or poor-weather use, we would generally recommend quality steel bearings for longevity.

Best regards