Lightweight is developing a full carbon disc brake wheelset, which should give them one of the lightest options on the market.
One of the challenges that’s somewhat unique to them is heat management. With most hubs, you have an alloy body to absorb any excess heat from the rotor without safety issues. With a full carbon hub bonded directly to carbon spokes, they need to be sure the heat won’t mess with the resin and cause strength degradation. They also need to make sure the spokes are up to the additional torque forces, or design new ones.
This prototype shows a rim from their Meilenstein and is heavily based on that model. That means it has a brake track, but they’re considering a dedicated disc-only rim. The hub is a bit oversized, something that might change, too…
As is, it’s about 100g heavier than their Mielenstein wheelset, but they’re still looking at ways to make it more competitive. That’s for the tubular, and a clincher will come, too. Besides heat management, another challenge comes from knowing the intended use of early disc brake road bikes. Many will find their way onto gravel roads and cyclocross courses, so they have to make it durable enough to handle those things.
They’re working hard on it with the goal of getting it into production and available for sale next year, preferably earlier than later.
