These carbon clinchers offer stunning performance. They’re handmade in Germany using a modified DT Swiss rear hub – Shimano, SRAM or Campagnolo compatible – and Lightweight’s own model at the front.
The full-carbon rims are 48mm deep and, according to Lightweight, use a resin that helps control the temperature during prolonged braking. There’s a computer magnet hidden inside the front rim so you don’t have to fit one to a spoke.
Speaking of which, the spokes are all-carbon and they’re bonded in place at either end so there are no nipples to come loose. You get 20 at the rear and a choice of either 16 (with a rider weight limit of 110kg/17st 4lb) or 20 (rider weight limit 120kg/18st 12lb) up front.
Our set hit the scales at 495g (front) and 585g (rear) without quick release skewers for a combined weight of 1,080g – pretty amazing for such a deep-section design.
If you want Lightweight’s own skewers they’ll set you back an extra £84.99 but, on the plus side, they hit the scales at an unbelievably feathery 30g for the pair. You do get carbon-specific brake blocks as part of the package – they’re a high quality compound from SwissStop.
So, how do they ride? These are simply incredibly fast wheels. They accelerate ridiculously quickly and give you the feeling of a constant tailwind on the climbs – ‘nimble’ doesn’t begin to cover it.
They’re equally impressive on the flat where the excellent aerodynamics allow you to keep your speed topped up with the minimum of effort and they’re stiff with it. We were throwing ourselves into the corners of our fastest descents and the Lightweights didn’t flinch.
Downsides? You can’t pump your tyres beyond 116psi (8 bar) and if you damage them they’ll have to go back to Lightweight to be repaired. But, in terms of performance, these wheels are hard to fault. For the price, that’s just how it should be.