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So far it’s a solo ride.

Lightweight Wheels

Lightweight wheels have long been the recognised authority in crafting the most boutique, ultra exotic wheels in cycling. It's a pretty audacious move to take an adjective as ubiquitous as Lightweight and claim it as your brand name. Bold as it may be, Lightweight's unique and daring wheels have always proven worthy of the title. And it speaks volumes that countless pro teams and athletes have paid out of pocket and risked breach of sponsor contract, all so they can benefit from the performance advantage of Lightweight wheelsets.

Lightweight Wheels

A FAST START

Like many things in cycling, Lightweight's origins can be traced back to automotive racing. Back in the 1980s, Rudolf Dierl and Heinz Obermayer worked for a German motorsport company building aerodynamic components for race cars. They produced in small batches, working with high tech fiberglass and plastic materials. As a strange offshoot from their usual performance, it had been suggested that they use their composite expertise to build plastic wheel coverings for bicycles. What for? The intent was to protect children's feet from getting caught in the spokes when riding on the back of their parents' bike, quite the contrary to the Lightweight we know today. As it would turn out, the two of them coincidentally found themselves at a triathlon to discover riders had attached these covers to their race bikes to gain an aerodynamic advantage.

A RACING HERITAGE

After a stint building wheels for trotting, a form of racing where horses pull jockeys in small carriages, Rudolf and Obermayer finally brought their focus to performance bicycle wheels. In 1990 they introduced their first disc wheel, the Ultec, made of carbon fiber wrapped around an inner foam core. A few years later, they would unveil their first spoked wheel made entirely of carbon fiber - the genesis of the lightweight wheels we know and love today.

German engineering is synonymous with quality, and Lightweight is a proud standard-bearer for that deserved reputation. With thirty plus years of success at the highest level, Lightweight continues to be the benchmark of boutique racing wheels. Of course, they've evolved along the way and expanded their offerings to an array of different purpose-built carbon rimmed, carbon spoked, carbon hubbed super wheels, yet their classic design has proven to be as timeless as it is sublime.

AC ESSENTIALS

Since the inception of Above Category, Lightweight wheels have been a staple of our offerings. Every model, every generation, we've mounted up on our daily drivers and race day steeds alike. Even after all these years, there isn't anything else quite like them on the planet. The latest Meilenstein Evo Schwarz Edition wheels continue to be one of the absolute best road wheels out there - take a look through our gallery pages, and you'll see they make regular appearances on our client builds. For the truly aero conscious, the deep section Fernwegs are a formidable choice. Want a slightly smoother ride without sacrificing that signature LW response? Look no further than the low profile Wegweisers.

We're proud to be one of Lightweight's longest-standing partners. So if the thought of owning a pair of iconic carbon spoked wheels has turned your head, drop us a line to learn more about getting a set of wünderwheels of your own.