1114 grams.
Just a few years ago, achieving this kind of weight for 56 mm deep carbon aero wheels with a 24 mm internal width would have seemed completely unrealistic.
Most deep-section rims were (and still are) heavy. Ultra lightweight rims often use extremely thin wall construction and a minimal number of carbon fiber layers in order to reduce weight as much as possible. In practice, this means that under spoke tensions above 100 kgf, the rim can start to deform. Bulging around the nipple area becomes noticeable, and the sidewalls can visibly flex under load. Additionally, most deep aero rims still offer relatively narrow internal widths.
At the end of 2025, French carbon rim manufacturer Duke announced a completely new rim series: Strada and Strada Æra. On paper, the numbers looked almost too good to be true, until the day I built my first wheelset and experienced how these rims actually perform in the real world.
The Duke Strada Æra is not a traditional aero rim with a smooth profile. Its distinctive side embossing was designed using CFD analysis in order to improve airflow around the rim and increase stability at higher speeds.
Most importantly, the embossing is an integral part of the rim itself. This is not an additional graphic or cosmetic feature commonly seen on other rims. These shapes have a real aerodynamic and structural purpose and that is exactly what separates the Strada Æra from many other aero rims currently available on the market.
One of the most advanced elements of these rims are the molded, rather than drilled, spoke holes created using SpokeCore technology. Similar solutions are known from brands such as ENVE. Molded spoke holes are significantly more difficult and expensive to manufacture, but they play a major role in rim durability and stress distribution.
In a standard production process, a carbon rim is manufactured without spoke holes. Only later is it drilled according to the required spoke count: 24, 28, 32 or 36. With molded spoke holes, the rim mold itself is already designed around the nipple angles during the carbon layup and molding stage.
Why are molded spoke holes better than drilled ones?
The most surprising specification of these rims remains the weight.
340 grams for a 56 mm deep carbon aero rim with a 24 mm internal width is a figure that would have seemed impossible not long ago. This result was achieved through the use of advanced T1100 carbon fibers combined with high-performance resin technology.
At the moment, this is one of the lightest aero rims available on the market, especially considering its depth, internal width and advanced construction.
The presented wheelset was built using Extralite hubs and standard steel Sapim CX-Ray spokes. Proven and durable components, without exotic compromises, while the complete wheelset still achieved a weight of just 1114 g.
See the Duke Strada Æra 56 / Extralite / Sapim CX-Ray wheel project
Modern high-performance road wheels are no longer designed exclusively around narrow 23 mm tires.
The Duke Strada Æra 56 uses a 24 mm internal width optimized for modern 28 mm road tires and wider. This direction perfectly reflects the current evolution of road wheel design: larger tire volume, lower pressures, improved comfort and better bike control.
There is a certain mythical weight barrier in the wheel world: below 1000 g. Carbon spokes, extremely low spoke counts, ultra narrow rims, exotic components and absurd pricing, often all just to cross that line.
Meanwhile, with the new Duke Strada rims it is now possible to build extremely lightweight, wide and practical road wheels without radical compromises:
Every CarbonOne wheelset can be built individually — tailored to your riding style, bike, rider weight, tire choice and desired ride characteristics.
Ask about your wheels