ELITEWHEELS Drive Helix 57D Disc Brake Carbon Wheelset

The Drive Helix 57D CS was designed to be the ultimate all-round performance wheelset. Being part of our first ultra-premium wheel series, it is the best choice for riders who want a balance of aerodynamics and lightweight for both the climbs, the flats, and everything in between.

Drawing inspiration from our popular Drive road wheels, the 57D CS uses replaceable carbon spokes, UNI carbon fiber, and TPI ceramic bearings. What sets these new wheels apart isn’t just the new patented Helical Dual Ratchet Hub and improved carbon spoke design, but also our innovative undulating rim design, whose unique profile results in helical-shaped laminar flow when out riding.

– Carbon Spoke Wheelset
– Disc Brake Wheelset
– Brake Interface: Center Lock by default

Rims

In designing the Drive Helix 57D CS wheelset, the goal was to create something that ticked all of the boxes. It had to not only be aero, light, laterally stiff, strong, but also crosswind resistant. To accomplish this, we used our in-house UNI carbon fiber, which is a mixture of our custom resin and genuine Japanese Toray T800 and T1000 carbon fiber. It allows our wheels to be stiff, light, and strong enough to go far beyond the UCI’s vertical impact test. Our patented undulating rim design draws inspiration from the tubercle effect found widely in nature, allowing for a significant improvement in stability in windy conditions.

The wheels are aerodynamically optimized for 28-30mm tires. The front wheel’s wider 31.8mm external width improves airflow around the rim, offering further stability in crosswinds. Both the front and rear rim depths were also chosen specifically to meet the needs of road riders. The Drive Helix 57D CS’s mixed depth wheels allow for the best of both worlds when it comes to aerodynamics, weight, and control.

Spokes

No stone was left unturned when designing the Drive Helix 57D CS wheelset. Newer, more aerodynamic carbon spokes were selected without sacrificing weight or durability, allowing them to remain approximately 3 grams each. These 5.2mm spokes are the most aerodynamic of their kind available.

What makes our spokes special is that unlike bonded carbon fiber spokes, these are replaceable just like traditional steel spokes. Using a more advanced design, Drive Helix  CS spokes do not experience spoke twist, so they are always in the most aerodynamic orientation and do not lose spoke tension over time.

Hubs

What makes the Evolution hub unique is our Helical Dual Ratchet System, the first of its kind. This freehub mechanism uses a helical drive mechanism, which uses the torque from pedaling to force the ratchets together. This prevents the slipping and skipping that is experienced under high torque on other hubs. It also allows for a weaker spring, reducing rolling resistance and as well as ratchet tooth wear, making them last longer. The hub also makes uses of two separate 60 tooth offset ratchet mechanisms, making it the highest engagement ratchet style hub available at only 3° or 120 points of engagement.

When designing the Evolution hub, no stone was left unturned. The freehub body is made of titanium alloy, making it not only highly resistant to wear from the cassette, but also lightweight. High grade precision TPI ceramic bearings were chosen to improve longevity and reduce rolling resistance. The front hub and freehub both feature large 6803 bearings, which the rear hub has a 6803 bearing as well as an even larger 6903 bearing, reducing rolling resistance. Our CNC machines have 0.02mm tolerances, guaranteeing a perfect bearing fit, decreasing rolling resistance and further increasing the lifespan of the bearings.

Aerodynamic Testing

At Elitewheels, we see value in ensuring what we offer performs rather than just looking good on paper. In addition to the 20+ laboratory test at our factory, we also employ CFD testing as well as real world testing by our pro teams and riders.

CFD (Computational Fluid Dynamics) allows us to aerodynamically optimize wheelsets before even producing the first prototype. During the design phase, we conduct a series of advanced computer simulations that take hundreds of hours each. After our engineering team is satisfied, we are ready for stress testing in our lab.

Once the development of our wheels is finished, we not only test the wheels out ourselves, but we also send them to professional cyclists. We are working with our sponsored UCI continental pro teams and riders, getting their feedback. Their experience riding hundreds of thousands of kilometers each with a large number of wheelsets gives us a unique perspective.