Gravel bike wheels need to be strong, light and suit a wide range of tyres and terrain.

There are many options to consider when looking for a new gravel bike wheel set, which are outlined below. These are the most common / popular / freely available options, but others do exist.

Hubs

Most modern gravel bikes (and disc brake road bikes) use 12mm (or 15mm) x 100mm thru-axles up front and 12mm x 142mm thru-axles in the rear and disc brakes.

Typically these use centerlock discs, although 6-bolt disc hubs will work just fine.

Here are the hub options I work with most, and recommend.

DT Swiss 350

DT Swiss uses a proprietary and well-regarded ratchet system in their freehubs, setting them apart from others in this list which use a 3- or 4-pawl system.

Weight: 136g front / 268g rear (set weight 404g)

DT Swiss 240

This range is the most famous of the DT Swiss range.

DT Swiss 180

The lightest and most expensive hubs in this list, the DT 180‘s use ceramic bearings and DT Swiss’ latest EXP ratchet system freehub.

Currently available only by special order, get in touch to enquire about pricing. These hubs are for those discerning cyclists who consider every gram.

Weight: 92g front / 188g rear (set weight 280g)

Note: DT Swiss 240S hubs are currently not available in South Africa in gravel spec.

Hope RS4 CL

The Hope RS4 CL hubs are regarded as some of the most reliable on the market. They’re made in the UK.

Weight: 126g front / 272g rear (set weight 398g)

Hope Pro5

Hope’s new Pro5 hubs are now available and sport faster freehub engagement and better hub seals.

H-Works 310

H-works make some of the lightest hubs I’ve ever worked with and are surprisingly affordable.

They utilize the proven star-ratchet system of the previous generation DT Swiss hubs and standard bearings for easy maintenance.

Weight: 97g front / 216g rear

Rims

Rims can often make the biggest difference to a wheel set’s weight and performance as it’s the heaviest rotating component except for the tyres themselves.

Both good quality alloy and carbon rims are sound choices for gravel bike wheels(often dictated by your budget), but should be tubeless-ready and have an internal width of at least 19-20mm.

Most important is to match the rims and hubs spoke count – 24 and 28-spoke being most popular.

Some gravel bikes proclaim 700c as well as 650b compatibility, but very few 650b options are available in the aftermarket, so beware.

Nextie carbon

A high-quality Chinese option, rims from Nextie offer many configuration options come in around R7000 per rim at the time of writing (July 2023)

I import these rims, which are manufactured for me on demand – this means you can get whatever you want, but you need to wait about 4 weeks for the rims to arrive plus build time.

The rims have a 3 year warranty and 3 year crash replacement policy of 50% off. They’re available with or without graphics, and in matt or glossy finish. Custom decals are also available at extra cost.

The 700c 30mm deep profile is most popular, delivering a good combination of low weight (360g per rim) and good strength and stiffness. Rim profiles between 25mm and 50mm are available.

A 400g 650b option is also available and is slightly cheaper than the 700c.

Their newest Vista-series rim, the Alpha, weighs in at only 255g and has a 25mm inner rim width – perfect for lower-pressure offroad tyres larger than 35c.

South Industries GX carbon

Hand-made in Cape Town, the rims from South Industries are world-class.

Their 700c gravel rim is 32mm deep by 22mm internal width and weighs 380g per rim.

The recommended selling price is just shy of R9000 per rim, and they boast a lifetime warranty and lifetime crash replacement policy for the original owner.

These are available in 24 and 28 spoke configurations.

DT Swiss GR531 alloy rim

This gravel-specific rim from DT Swiss is designed for the rigors of gravel road riding.

With a 24mm inner width and a 25mm rim depth, it is very versatile with regards to the tyres you can fit. At 535g per rim it’s no lightweight, but will certainly be bulletproof.

Note that these are only available in 24-hole.

Stan’s NoTubes Crest Mk4

For riders with a preference for more mountain-bike-like riding, and using wider tyres, the new Crest Mk4 rims from Stan’s NoTubes fit the bill very well indeed.

The new asymmetrical rim profile ensures better spoke tensions and at a claimed 399g per rim in 29er / 700c form, it equals the low weight of carbon rims, at just over R2000 per rim.

Spokes and nipples

I always use premium quality spokes from brands like Pillar, DT Swiss and Alpina, and warranty them for life, regardless of the build.

I recommend brass nipples for ultimate durability and like using the DSN (square-drive) version from Pillar most of the time.

Double butted or bladed spokes ensure light weight and reliable performance. I’m happy to discuss all available gravel bike wheels options.

Get in touch via email, phone or WhatsApp to chat about these and other options.

Gravel bike wheels photo gallery