Low Cost, Low Weight Options

Talking wheelset options...
Disc brake, TA, Tubeless
At least 20mm internal width
Tires: 32-36c widths
Now for the challenge:
Under $1000, Under 1400grams 

Go with options!

My $.02: I believe that weight in the rim and tires is much more important than the weight of the hub. Your best bet would be to build your own wheels with relatively inexpensive hubs to keep costs down, then apply the savings to a lighter weight carbon rim, high quality spokes, alloy nips. I'm personally not an expert on wheel components. My go to guy is Dustin Gadis at Southern Wheelworks. If you don't build your own wheels, then consulting with an expert builder like Dustin would be your best path to wheel Nirvana. Recently, Dustin built me a sub-1500 gm wheel set using I9 hubs, and DT Swiss rims that I'm using for high speed pavement romps. They meet your budget, and are close to your weight spec., but not as wide as you would like.  Very fast wheels though. 

I'd have a look at offerings from Europe e.g. r2bike or Slowbuild  https://www.slowbuild.eu/gravel-cx/

e.g. r2 does a few DT Swiss rim builds (the XR331 is 20mm inner-width) with CX-Ray spokes and hubs like Carbon-ti, Tune, Neumann; all around 1330gm (alu nipples) for around 700usd plus shipping.

Use Novatech's lightest straight-pull disk hub D411/412 - which Slowbuild can use - and you'll keep the price lower than using the Italian/German hubs. That Novatech hubset is around 320gm. r2 sells that hubset.

I'd think your best-price/strength option would be Novatech / CX-Ray / DTSwiss XR331.

Have purchased two wheelsets from r2. For my next one, Slowbuild is on my list.

If I could actually get on the DT Swiss site I might be able to check this out.  Is anyone else having trouble viewing their products?

clarksonxc wrote:If I could actually get on the DT Swiss site I might be able to check this out.  Is anyone else having trouble viewing their products?

\nI can get on the site but I don’t see any products.

bobknh wrote:My $.02: I believe that weight in the rim and tires is much more important than the weight of the hub. Your best bet would be to build your own wheels with relatively inexpensive hubs to keep costs down, then apply the savings to a lighter weight carbon rim, high quality spokes, alloy nips. I'm personally not an expert on wheel components. My go to guy is Dustin Gadis at Southern Wheelworks. If you don't build your own wheels, then consulting with an expert builder like Dustin would be your best path to wheel Nirvana. Recently, Dustin built me a sub-1500 gm wheel set using I9 hubs, and DT Swiss rims that I'm using for high speed pavement romps. They meet your budget, and are close to your weight spec., but not as wide as you would like.  Very fast wheels though. 

Here is the first of a 2 part series on wheel components written by Dustin Gaddis for Gravel Cyclist . http://www.gravelcyclist.com/bicycle-tech/tech-custom-disc-brake-gravel-wheel-component-guide-part-i-rims-spokes-and-nipples/
I suggest reading these articles to get a better understanding of wheel components. If you really want to delve into the topic, there are a number of very good books and online guides for DIY wheel builders. Franky, I don't have the time and patience for building my own wheels; but going custom build with a proven builder like Southern Wheelworks is IMHO, the best and long term most economical way to get great wheels for whatever your needs are.

Hey - another small wheel builder from the South East US is Boyd. Boyd also has contributed some interesting articles and interviews on Gravel Cyclist. I can't give your a personal recommendation; but here is a wheel set that comes pretty darn close to your spec's. and budget: https://www.boydcycling.com/shop/road-disc-brake/alloy-with-disc/altamont-lite-alloy-clincher-front-disc-wheel/

Sub 1400 is really light for a disc wheel set. It can be done but there are few alloy rims light enough to get there. An exception is the American classic 101, but I'd steer away if you aren't a pretty light rider. With those rims costwise you have a custom build with some pretty darn nice hubs and stay under 1K. With certain hubs you'd be sub 1400. Others would put you just a bit over.

Second option carbon rims with a more budget hub. Still under 1K.

oleritter wrote:Sub 1400 is really light for a disc wheel set. It can be done but there are few alloy rims light enough to get there. An exception is the American classic 101, but I'd steer away if you aren't a pretty light rider. With those rims costwise you have a custom build with some pretty darn nice hubs and stay under 1K. With certain hubs you'd be sub 1400. Others would put you just a bit over.

 

oleritter wrote:Second option carbon rims with a more budget hub. Still under 1K.

  

To the original poster, I agree w oleritter that a sub 1400g disc wheelset is pretty light.  

Dunno your weight/etc, but presuming you'd choose 28 spokes, laced 2x front and rear for disc brakes, then you would need to get the rims right around 360g each in order to get the whole wheelset under 1400g.  In my opinion, that's asking a lot for a rim intended to be ridden on gravel or bad roads.  

I got the following specs from Bike Hub Store's site:  
Front disc-brake, thru-axle hub = Bitex BX106F (145 g, $70) 
Rear disc-brake, thru-axle hub = Bitex BX106R (245 g, $110) 
Spokes = Sapim D-Light, double butted (~275 g, $84 for 56 spokes)
Nipples = Sapim PolyAx 12mm alloy (~17 g, ~$20 for 56 nipples) 

Without rims, the parts above weigh about 682 g and cost $284, which is a lot of bang for the buck.  And that leaves you with about 360 g weight allowance per rim, and about $720 to spend on rims + shipping + labor to have someone build your wheels.  


Boyd's 28mm carbon rims (18mm inner width and 28mm depth) weigh 390g and cost $575 each.  

Nox's Citico asymmetric carbon gravel/cx rims (23mm inner width and 25mm depth) weigh 380g and cost $480 each.  

Light Bicycle's RG922 carbon gravel rims (22mm inner width and 28mm depth) weigh 380g and cost $270 (not incl shipping from China).  

Nextie's NXT29AS28 asymmetric carbon rims (22mm inner width and 25mm depth) weigh 365g and cost $120 each (not incl shipping from China).  

I'm not trying to make an argument for or against buying carbon rims directly from Chinese manufacturers like Nextie or Light Bicycle, etc, but if you want to stay under your $1000 budget and 1400g weight limit, then your options do seem limited.  

For whatever it's worth, I bought my gravel/cx disc thru-axle alloy wheels from November Bicycles (pretty sure they were spec'd as weighing under 1600g) because November has done a lot of heavy lifting collecting data at the wind tunnel, they post all that info transparently on their website, and those wheels they built are really f'n sweet.   

Seems like a pair of the LB RG922s laced up with some super light spokes (24f/28r) with radial on the non-disc side of the front with some sort of lightweight hubs will be close but at $1000...not sure.  This is whole quality/weight/price pick 2 deal...

I've been looking for similar wheels although not specifically "light", but not "heavy" wheels.  Hunt wheels look like they check off all the boxes.
Hunt 30Carbon Gravel Wheelset. 1479 grams
28 f/r spoke count 2x
Price US is $1186.
21mm inner, 27mm outer rim - tubeless
115kg rider weight limit (so what's that, ~250lbs)

I would like to see if anyone has any feedback on Hunt Wheels.  The few reviews I have read have all been very positive.  I'm tempted to get these for my gravel bike and then a set of the  50's for a new road bike purchase I plan on making soon.

https://www.huntbikewheels.com/collections/road-disc-wheels/products/hunt-30carbon-gravel-disc-road-wheelset-1469g-30deep-27wide-999

kman19348 wrote:I've been looking for similar wheels although not specifically "light", but not "heavy" wheels.  Hunt wheels look like they check off all the boxes.
Hunt 30Carbon Gravel Wheelset. 1479 grams
28 f/r spoke count 2x
Price US is $1186.
21mm inner, 27mm outer rim - tubeless
115kg rider weight limit (so what's that, ~250lbs)

I would like to see if anyone has any feedback on Hunt Wheels.  The few reviews I have read have all been very positive.  I'm tempted to get these for my gravel bike and then a set of the  50's for a new road bike purchase I plan on making soon.

https://www.huntbikewheels.com/collections/road-disc-wheels/products/hunt-30carbon-gravel-disc-road-wheelset-1469g-30deep-27wide-999

You will probably find fairly positive reviews, but why don't you let a US wheel builder (like me) build you arguably better wheels for less?  We've talked about this a few times in a few places on the forum.  I guarantee I can beat that price with better hubs and spokes and a high quality rim.