Zen Carbon Wheels Xiamen

[ZenCarbonBike]

Bought a set of wheels from Zen and I couldn't be happier.
The rims are the U shape, 60mm depth, normal weight version, 51mm carbon spokes.
The wheels came out beautiful and without any defects, weight is around 1400g as advertised, and I had the option to customize the paint style and decals.

Had no trouble with shipping, they sent them out on time, and most of all customer service was impeccable.
Texted with them on WhatsApp and they always replied as soon as possible, even at late hours for them in China.
Overall couldn't be more satisfied, I'll report back after 100km as well but I can't wait to try them out.

Absolutely recommend them, especially for their professionalism and excellent customer service!

Good Day Sir thanks for the positive feedback

[ZenCarbonBike]

Received the 65mm Vaypor Lite pair weighing 1140g with 3,2mm carbon spokes.

Will make a more detailed « review » soon, so far very pleased.

Good Day Sir

We appreciate the positive feedback and look forward to your review.

[ZenCarbonBike]

Good day forum members,
Please see attached a new trend — 32er MTB and gravel rims, now available.
Following feedback  regarding pricing discussions in the forums, we won’t be posting prices publicly here.
If anyone would like further details, specs, or pricing, please feel free to contact us directly using the details in my signature
We’ve had many customers asking for pricing here on the forum, but we don’t frequent it regularly or have the time to monitor all messages.
For any questions regarding pricing, please contact us directly using the communication methods below in the signature — WhatsApp is best.
Please bear in mind the time difference. If you leave a message, we may not respond immediately. Messages can sometimes get missed, so please don’t hesitate to follow up.

[ZenCarbonBike]

New 18Hole Carbon Spoke Road Hub

Hi all,
We have been developing a new 18-hole road hub platform using a 2:1 spoke layout (front and rear).
The hub is in the testing phase, and we would like to share the current technical specifications and design considerations.

Technical Overview
Spoke holes: 18H front / 18H rear
Lacing pattern: 2:1 (front and rear)
Estimated weight: approx. 250g (set)
Material
Hub shell: AL7075
Freehub body: AL7075
Axle: AL7075
Axle standard:
Front: 100mm
Rear: 142mm
12mm thru axle
Bearings:
Front: 2 × 6802
Rear: 1 × 15267 + 3 × 6802
Freehub system:
Ratchet (36T / 60T)
Flange Geometry
Front: 42mm / 42mm
Rear:
Drive side: 53mm
Non-drive side: 42mm
The larger drive-side flange is designed to support higher spoke load and improve stiffness in a low spoke count configuration.

Spoke Layout
18H with 2:1 lacing:
Rear: 12 spokes drive side / 6 spokes non-drive side
Front: 12 / 6 split
This layout improves tension balance compared to a traditional 1:1 low spoke count design.
Up to 4.2mm Gauge Carbon Spokes

Build Characteristics with reduced spoke count:
Each spoke carries higher load
Rim spoke holes are subject to greater stress
It is more difficult to achieve very low lateral runout compared to 20H builds


Rim Compatibility and Testing
This hub is not limited to a specific rim model and will be available for different wheel builds.
During testing, we are focusing on more reinforced rim structures, as these are better suited to the higher spoke loads in an 18H design.
For example:

The reinforced version provides improved spoke bed strength, structural stability, and long-term durability. For this reason, reinforced layups are recommended for most riders.

Original VaporLite Compatibility

Use with extreme ultralight rims such as the original VaporLite 23/25mm inner (50mm Depth Rim ~330g) is still under evaluation due to the lightweigh nature of this rim. A Lateral runout of 18 holes will be at 0.3mm, but if race ready version VaporLite Rim is used (50mm Depth Rim ~380g) its will be 0.2mm, so suggest heavier layup version in long term using.

For Orginal VaporLite Model in the lightest rim layup the following conditions would apply:

System weight not above 90kg
Smooth road use only
Frequent checking of spoke tension and wheel runout required
User maintenance or professional servicing required

This type of build prioritises minimum weight over durability and long-term stability.


VaporLite II
This hub is suitable for new VaporLite II rims.

Availability
Estimated availability: 4–5 weeks

[ZenCarbonBike]

Good Day Everyone

Polished silver Sapim CX-Ray spokes are now available as an option across the range.

Same CX-Ray aero bladed spoke, same weight and performance characteristics, just in polished silver rather than black. Ideal for titanium, steel and retro-inspired builds where black spokes can look out of place.

[ZenCarbonBike]

Good Day All,

New Rim available.
Ultra Wide Gravel Rim

• 60mm Depth


• internal Width Hooked 37.6mm
• Internal Width Hookless 38mm
• External width 44mm

Wheel Build Examples

Carbon Spokes 3.1mm Width
Hub ZC235Rc 20 spokes from and rear
1318grams

Titanium Spokes
Hub ZC240Rs 24 spokes front and rear
1410grams

Sapim CX Ray Spokes
Hub ZC240Rs 24 spokes front and rear
1480grams

Pillar 1423 Spokes
Hub H-Works SR261 24 Spokes front and rear
1599grams

For more information including prices or alternative configurations including DT Swiss hubs get in touch.
Contact information below
[/list]

[Samuel BMR]

WOA this is AMAZING!!

When I read 37.6mm INTERNAL I thought it was a mistake!!

[ZenCarbonBike]

WOA this is AMAZING!!

When I read 37.6mm INTERNAL I thought it was a mistake!!

No sir 😉

We’re now seeing a shift toward ultra-wide gravel rims, with modern gravel bikes offering increased frame clearance — in some cases accommodating up to 60c tyres.
At the same time, we’re also seeing a resurgence of 32” (32er) wheels, with several Western manufacturers preparing to release new gravel and MTB frames designed around this format.

[bj0rnis]

Ultra Wide Gravel Wheel ordered.

Went for the following specs:

Rims: 60mm Hookless 38mm IW, paintless w. Laser logos
Spokes: 24/24 Alpina Hyperlites w. hidden nipples
Hubs: Z235Rc hub w. Ceramic bearings

Estimated weight: 1417g

Essentially aiming to make a slightly more extreme version of the ENVE G SES 6.7 Pros.

[ZenCarbonBike]

Good Day All,

New Rim available.
Ultra Wide Gravel Rim

• 60mm Depth


• internal Width Hooked 37.6mm
• Internal Width Hookless 38mm
• External width 44mm

Wheel Build Examples

Carbon Spokes 3.1mm Width
Hub ZC235Rc 20 spokes from and rear
1318grams

Titanium Spokes
Hub ZC240Rs 24 spokes front and rear
1410grams

Sapim CX Ray Spokes
Hub ZC240Rs 24 spokes front and rear
1480grams

Pillar 1423 Spokes
Hub H-Works SR261 24 Spokes front and rear
1599grams

For more information including prices or alternative configurations including DT Swiss hubs get in touch.
Contact information below
[/list]

Good Day Everyone

For anyone who is interested plans are now underway for wider gravel rim model like 60mm also in depths
50, 55 and 65mm
Expected release is next month

Have a good day

[ZenCarbonBike]

Good Day Everyone

Attached photo of one of the first completed set of VaporLite II wheelset for customer
UD Paintfree Matt finish
No Decals
3.2mm bladed carbon spokes with hidden carbon Spoke nipples
ZC235Rc hub 20 spokes from and rear ceramic bearimsg and 36T ratchet
Apologies but not scale weight but these came in at the estimated 1019grams for the set 
More finished customer wheels to follow 

[ZenCarbonBike]

Hi everyone,

Just a quick post regarding the rim finishes we offer across the vast majority of our MTB, road and gravel rims.

In addition to our standard finishes:

UD paint-free matte
UD paint-free gloss
Matte black
Gloss black

We also offer a range of special finishes, available in either matte or gloss where applicable, including:

Marble
Butterfly
3K weave
6K weave
12K weave
3K twill
12K twill

Please note that some of these finishes will add a small amount of weight to the finished wheelset due to the additional cosmetic layers.

If you’d like more information on a particular finish or the typical weight difference, feel free contact us using the contact information below

[ZenCarbonBike]

HUB Update

Hi everyone, we’ve got an update on our hubs.

Our previous lightest hub platform, the ZC235Rc (20h front and rear), has been used across a wide range of our builds, including the VaporLite range of wheelsets.

We now have an updated version of this platform — the ZC215Rc — a newly optimised 20h front and rear hub with 20g shaved off, bringing the weight down to just 215g per set!

Alongside this, we’re also introducing a new addition to the range: the ZC235Rc 2024, now available in a 20h front and 24h rear configuration, weighing 235g per set.

As an example, the new VaporLite II will now achieve a claimed weight of 999g utilisimg the ZC215Rc , down from 1019g.

These hubs are now available across our full rim range.

[Grailstore]

Hi @ZenCarbonBike and everyone 👋

I'm building a new 700C aero gravel bike (frame max tire 50C, flat-mount 160mm, 12×100/142). I'll most likely run a SRAM XPLR AXS 1×13 groupset (not 100% decided yet — but if so I'd need an XDR freehub). I've seen the 45mm hooked / 32mm internal / 40mm external superlight gravel rim posted here and I have a few questions before ordering:

Tire range: what's the recommended min/max tire width (ETRTO) for that 32mm-internal gravel rim? My frame tops out at 50C and I'll likely run 40–45C — is the 32mm internal actually meant for wider/"60c" frames? Would one of your 25–28mm internal gravel rims be a better match for me?
Freehub: is XDR available on the ZSL / ZC270 / SR270 hubs (in case I go SRAM 13-speed)?
Spokes: for gravel use at ~70 kg, would you recommend the 24/24 Sapim CX-Ray build over the 20/20 carbon-spoke one? I saw a report here of carbon spokes rotating on the rear under load on gravel.
Hub/spoke combinations you offer for gravel (hole counts, ratchet, bearings) and the weight of each.
Rim bed: is a no-holes (tubeless, no rim tape needed) option available?
Other options / recommendations: is there anything else in your gravel range you'd suggest for my setup that I might have missed? I'm open to advice on the best depth / internal width / hub / spoke combo for an aero gravel build on a 50C frame.
Thanks a lot — really impressed by the feedback in this thread! 🙏

[2wheeledbarbie]

Can you give more information about the impact test. 

Hello Forum Members this is a first release
Zen Carbon Update – New VaporLite II 50mm Rim Now Available

Quick update for anyone following the Zen VaporLite range.
The new 50mm VaporLite II rim has completed testing and is now available for sale.
Key changes vs original VaporLite:

Inner width: 25mm (up from 23mm)
Rim profile: Full U‑profile (Original VaporLite is a mixed U/V profile)
Impact resistance (drop test): 110J (significant increase up from 90J)
Load limit: 120kg system weight (competing rims typically rated around 100kg)

Complete wheelset example:

Rim depth: 50mm F / 50mm R
Spokes: 3.1mm bladed carbon spokes
Hubs: ZC235RC Superlight hub set (235g)
Total wheelset weight: 1019g +/-3g

This is a clear strength, width, and durability upgrade over the original VaporLite while keeping weight extremely competitive for a 25mm internal.
More details available if anyone wants build options or pricing please Whatsapp or E-Mail
RIMS $250usd each Fully Built Vaporlite Ultra II wheelset $999usd
Can still provide customisation on rim/wheelsets diffrent hubs and steel or carbon spokes available for builds