I'm a little puzzled by the pricing of rims vs wheels on AliExpress. Maybe I'm searching wrong, but it seems like often it's the same price, sometimes actually cheaper to buy a complete wheelset from Elitewheels as it is to buy a pair of unbuilt rims with similar specs - and the brands of rims are more confusing, in terms of what is trustworthy and good quality (Elitewheels has a good reputation but doesn't sell rims alone).

Am I looking in the wrong places or is this just the cost of buying parts a-la-carte?

This thread comes up in a lot of google searches on the topic, so just posting here to hopefully help the next person:

EliteWheels AliExpress models (at least as of early 2026) use rebadged Goldix hubs, so the ratchet type you want is one that works with Goldix hubs/freehub bodies. Goldix sells these, they are easy to find in various tooth configurations. The Goldix ratchet design is different from either the new (EXP) or classic DT Swiss ratchet, although it has some elements of both.

Anyone saying you can use an actual DT Swiss (or compatible) ratchet in an EliteWheels hub is repeating incorrect info they read online. While the ratchet splines are the same as the classic DT Swiss ratchet, the rest of the unit is different and will not work.

TL;DR: Goldix ratchets are what you need to replace/upgrade EliteWheels, because they use Goldix hubs.