Classified has 3 new carbon road & gravel wheelsets, ready to turn your 1x drivetrain back into a 2x bike. The revamped stock carbon road and gravel wheels make setting up a bike with a Classified Powershift internal 2x gearing hub easier. And now those wheels are wider and faster thanks to the improved aerodynamics optimized for 30mm road tires.
Classified’s wider, faster R36, R50 & G42 wheels for Powershift
An update to their 3 debut carbon wheelsets from 3-years ago, the new road R36, R50, and gravel G42 wheels are all wider, aerodynamically faster and more stable, plus they are just as light as ever. In fact, the new gravel wheelset is even lighter than the original, shallower Classified gravel wheels. And the new wheels get the same pricing as the old ones.
Why get Classified wheels in the first place?
Classified wheels are not a universal fit designed to just drop into any road or gravel bike. What they are is the starting point to put Classified’s uniquely innovative 2-speed internal gear hub onto your bike. The wheels are “Powershift-ready” meaning you get a wheelset, with the big empty oversized rear hub shell, ready for you to pop in the Classified Powershift rear hub, and convert your 1x bike setup back to a 2x, but without a front derailleur.
Read our full, detailed tech breakdown of the wirelessly-actuated, internal reduction gear, virtual-front-derailleur-inside-the-rear-hub Classified Powershift system here. It’s some genuinely cool tech, all made in Europe. And as the cassette options have grown in the last few years, a Classified Powershift setup has become even more enticing than ever.
Upgraded Aerodynamics & All-terrain capability
Core to the overhaul of the carbon Classified wheels was making them wider to better fit modern wide tires. But at the same time, Classified worked to make them more aero than before, too. Both reducing aerodynamic drag, and improving crosswind stability.
Classified shared several aero graphs illustrating that the new wheels are better or pretty much on par with leading aero wheel competition in the market. And they show the clear aero performance improvement of opting for 30mm tires vs. 28mm tire on the new wheels. They also illustrate good relative crosswind stability.
The new R road wheels are also rated for classics cobble riding, and teh G gravel wheels for gravel racing & adventure riding.
Wheel tech details
The new carbon wheels all feature hooked tubeless-ready rims. And they are all laced by hand by Classified in The Netherlands.
The road rims are now 3.5mm wider internally, but just 1.5mm externally to create a smoother transition to wider 28 or 30mm tires. Classified wind tunnel data confirms they are actually aerodynamically faster with 30mm road tires. Not even counting the reduced rolling resistance or improved comfort of the wider tire. Plus, the complete road wheelsets have the exact same claimed weight as the original generation, making them bolt quite light. (Although the weight excludes the Powershift hub. So you might need to add a few tens of grams in your mind to directly compare them to conventional wheelsets.)
The new R36 (a mm deeper than the R35) is 36mm deep x 22.5mm internal and 28.5mm wide externally, at 1315g for the pair. The new 50mm deep R50 is the same width (22.5mm internal, 28.5mm external). And then, just a hundred grams heavier at 1415g.
The gravel wheels are now measurably lighter and deeper, with vastly improved aerodynamics. Plus, they also feature upgraded stiffness thanks to a new asymmetric rim profile. Classified says the 42mm deep hooked tubeless gravel rim itself weighs 415g, with a new 25mm internal width & 30mm outside. Claimed weight is just 1350g, yet Classified rates them for everything from gravel racing to loaded bikepacking touring.
Classified R36, R50 & G42 wheels – Pricing, options & availability
All three new Classified Powershift-ready R36, R50 & G42 carbon wheelsets sell for the same 1500€ price tag with simple black on black graphics. That’s a bit of an increase since Classified first debuted their own carbon wheelsets, but it is the same price across the board for all the wheels they offer – old & new.
Now to actually get a functional Classified Powershift drivetrain setup, you need to add those wheels to a Powershift hub, the shifter, control axle, and the appropriate Classified cassette to match your rear derailleur. That complete Classified setup with these wheels will run you 2600€ in total. Which actually gives you a decent discount on the smart drivetrain bits vs. buying it separately and getting a wheelset from someone else. Really you only buy the 1500€ wheelset on its own, if you already have a Classified-equipped bike. And are looking to get a 2nd set of wheels for it.
Now, the new R36 & R50 road and G42 gravel wheels aren’t quite ready to order just yet. Officially they debut at the Velofollies consumer bike show in Belgium this weekend. So you’ll be able to order a set through Classified’s dealer network, starting next week.
