About Elitewheels
We at Elitewheels started off doing OEM work and the later officially established our own brand in 2015. Since then, the brand has gained recognition, not only among amateur and beginner cyclists, but also by UCI Continental teams, ProTeams, and WorldTeams. Now, our wheels are trusted by some of the top names in pro cycling. In addition, we have even gained the trust of GCN, of which Elitewheels is now the proud channel sponsor of.
Elitewheels’ Brand Principles
There are four brand principles that we at Elitewheels strictly adhere to: Putting Riders First, Being Transparent, Staying Humble, and Providing Value.
In everything we do, our first consideration is the needs of the riders. We do this by carefully considering all feedback, and providing excellent customer service, warranties, crash replacement, and a worldwide service center network.
We also put emphasis on being as transparent as possible. Choosing the right wheelset is not just about performance, but also quality and safety. We at Elitewheels engineer, manufacture, and test all of our own carbon fiber pre-preg, resin, rims, hubs, and wheels, with as little outsourcing as possible. All of our wheels have passed the UCI Vertical impact test as well as more than 20 of our own longevity, quality, and safety tests, giving us and those who ride our wheels peace of mind.
In addition to being transparent and putting riders first, we see the value in staying humble. As a brand, we realize there are always ways to improve. While it is true that we have come a long way since our founding, we are lifelong learners and see the importance of learning from others and listening to feedback. Our aim is to always continue to improve our customer service and offerings.
Another important principle that we follow is about providing value. In our opinion, it is important to innovate and provide real value to the cycling community, rather than trying to fix a problem that doesn’t exist. We seek to incorporate new tech that truly improves performance. From replaceable carbon spokes and our own carbon fiber, to our innovative hub designs and advancements in carbon fiber layup, we do what it takes to make wheels that are great to ride.
2024 Race Season
2024 marked the first year that we supported six UCI Continental teams, both in Europe and in Asia. Their results included more than two dozen wins, even in some of the highest profile races. The following is a summary of our results.
EQ Mazowsze Serce Polski
Ranked #41 this year by the UCI, this Polish Continental team places above even some ProTeams, showing just how effectively it is managed. Elitewheels has been their official wheel sponsor since 2023.
This year, the team accumulated 17 UCI race and stage wins, a very impressive feat. Perhaps the most impressive result was Marcin Budziński’s performance at the Tour of Taihu Lake, a 2.Pro race. With the help of his teammates, he got 2nd place in the overall GC. This as well as his five first places, 13th at the Tour of Turkey, as well as other results made him the #5 UCI Continental rider of 2024. This puts him in the top 200 riders in the world.
In an interview, when asked what the most important qualities of a racing wheelset were, Marcin told us that “lightness, reliability, and stiffness” are the most important. When talking about the Drive road wheels the team is currently using, he said “There is no time for mistakes in the most important races in the world. During the Tour de Pologne, the equipment never let me down, which proves that in every aspect – including on our wheels, we can confidently compete in the most important starts without fear.”
Pro rider, Tobiasz Pawlak shared his experience with racing the wheels as well, “I can safely say that these are the best wheels I’ve ever ridden. There’s no point in comparing them because all of the others are poor in the light of Elitewheels.” We also talked to Sports Director and former pro cyclist, Adrian Banaszek. When asked about the riders’ opinions on our wheels, he stated that “I haven’t had a single case of complaints about the wheels. This is the best proof that everyone praises your equipment.”
China Glory – Mentech
Being a Chinese brand, we at Elitewheels are proud to be the wheel sponsor of China’s #1 road cycling team, China Glory – Mentech. 2024 marked the third year of this cooperation. The team focuses on fostering talented Chinese riders and getting them into the Olympics. They succeeded this year, as rider Xianjing Lyu represented team China in the road race of the 2024 Paris Olympics. The team mostly focuses on racing in China, but also did some racing in Eastern Europe, Turkey, and Thailand.
Sabgal/Anicolor
One of the new teams we cooperated with this year was Portuguese team, Sabgal Anicolor. While in the past, the team primarily raced in Portugal, this year we raced multiples times in Spain including at the Gran Premio Miguel Indurain as well as in the UK at the Tour of Britain. The main focus of the team this year was on the Volta a Portugal, the longest stage race that isn’t a Grand Tour like the Tour de France.
Victoire Hiroshima
Elitewheels’ other newly sponsored team this year was Victoire Hiroshima. Cycling is an important part of Japanese culture. Japan is famous for its Keirin racing.
The team has mostly been focused on racing in Japan, but this year they have expanded to racing in Turkey. Riders Benjamin Dyball and Leonel Quintero, with help from our team, got a total of five podium finishes as well as a win.
Victoire Hiroshima’s head mechanic, Ryota Takeuchi, provided some insight into our wheels in the races, “we mostly used the Drive 50D because it is versatile, lightweight, and has good aerodynamics.” Furthermore, Ryota stated that, compared to other wheels he has worked on, Drive wheels “are significantly lighter, have lower rolling resistance, and are stiffer, making them very good race wheels.”
Sava Kranj Cycling
2024 marked the second season we sponsored the Slovenian Continental team, Sava Kranj. The team is known for helping develop young Slovenian riders such as Matej Mohorič, who started his career riding for them in 2013 before his 11 years and counting riding for WorldTeams, such as UAE Emirates and Bahrain – Victorious.
7Eleven Cliqq Roadbike Philippines
This Philippine team, just like Sava Kranj, has made significant strides in racing, including a first and second finish at the National Championships.
The Rise of Chinese Brands in Pro Cycling
One of the biggest things that has changed the cycling landscape over the past several years is the growth and acceptance of Chinese brands. Carbon wheels and frames from the majority of brands have been made in mainland China for over a decade, and now many of the OEMs have created their own product lines.
While it can be difficult to know which wheels, frames, and groupsets are reliable and of good quality, there is one indicator that can help point in the right direction, which is whether or not pro cycling teams are willing to use them. The requirements of UCI teams are quite stringent, as the athletes and teams rely on heavily on their equipment.
