Shimano

Dura-Ace WH-9000-C24-TL Carbon Road Wheelset - Tubeless

The big tech innovation of Shimano's Dura-Ace WH-9000-C24-TL Wheelset is the proprietary Carbon Lamination technology. The rims are extruded and rolled with Shimano's carefully guarded process to bring the aluminum's thickness down from the standard 1-1.3 millimeters to a svelte .6 millimeter.

The Japanese manufacturer then fuses carbon layers onto the aluminum to maintain strength while enjoying maximum weight loss. As you'd imagine, high-stress areas are buttressed with additional layers, so the structural integrity of the lightweight hoops is sound. Though we're not even privy to the process' secrets, the result is apparent: a rim that's stronger and lighter than if it were made from aluminum only.

The final bit of initialism in the wheels' title, TL, indicates that these rims are ready to take advantage of the low-hassle, easy-riding fit of tubeless tires. The wheels come equipped with a quiver full of other Shimano advancements. The rims are offset, to account for uneven stress on drive and non-drive sides, and they're further reinforced with T-nut construction where the spokes are threaded into the rim.

The freehub is made from titanium, so it's lightweight, and it's housed in a wide flange hub that further complements the offset rim's power transfer efficiency. Like all Shimano wheels, the C24-TLs are built around cup-and-cone bearings that resist the stress caused by riding on straightaways as well as the lateral force generated under hard cornering. They roll smoothly through turns and, courtesy of their low inertia, spin up fast while accelerating out of corners.

The Shimano Dura-Ace WH-9000-C24-TL Wheelset can be run with or without tubes. They are 11-speed compatible and can be used with 10-speed cassettes with an additional spacer.