Cadex 42 Disc wheelset review

The rim of Cadex's 42 Disc wheel is, as you might expect, 42mm deep, and has a slender 23mm outer width and a 19.4mm inner: dimensions designed to work optimally with 25mm and 28mm tyres. So far, so normal.

• What’s the deal with hookless rims?
• Will tubeless take over in the pro peloton?

The rim itself is a clever design: a hook on a rim is designed to ‘catch’ and hold the bead of a tyre ensuring proper retention, but this hookless design relies on the air pressure pushing out and forcing an air-tight seal, it’s how tubeless works best.

These are among the stiffest wheels I’ve ever tried. Drop your shoulders and lay them into a corner and on exit the bike wants to stand up, forge ahead and go straight. At first it feels odd but when it clicks the 42s are devastatingly rapid.

The lack of mass is most telling when you get to the hills. A light set of wheels is a boon to any climbing task but combine lightness with the solidity of the 42s and it’s an amazing feeling, as if every ounce of your energy is finding its way to the tyre’s contact patch.

I’ve ridden plenty of light wheelsets before, but these tyres with their lack of lateral flex feel incredibly efficient. Weight-wise, the bare wheels tip the scales at an impressive 1,327g and with tubeless valves and tape fitted that rises to 1,430g.

• Front: £1,100 / $1,400 / AU$1,800 / €1,200
• Rear: £1,400 / $1,800 / AU$2,320 / €1, 400