CRW CS Series
Craft Racing Wheels: CS Series
Next Generation Carbon Spoked Wheels
What are they?
The Craft Racing Wheels are the first of a new generation of carbon spoked racing wheels. Ultra-light disc brake specific rims that were designed from the ground up to take advantage of carbon spokes. Most carbon spoked wheels on the market lace a regular rim to their carbon spokes leaving a lot on the table in terms of wheel system optimisation and performance. The result? Shockingly light wheels. The CS4045 wheels with a 40mm deep front wheel and 45mm deep rear wheel tip the scales at a claimed 1180g. (Ours clocked in at 1176.3g for the pair.) There's no cutting corners either. We're talking about fat 29mm external rim width, hooked and fully tubeless or clincher compatible.
How do they do it?
So how do you make a sub 1200g disc brake wheelset? A lot of high modulus carbon, exotic alloys and a unique patented design. When you see the beautiful carbon construction of the rim, it's hard not to be impressed. The hubs are equally awe-inspiring. The 7075-T6 aluminium has clearly spent a long time being CNC'd into the art piece that it is. The obsession with weight is clear when you see the dimples drilled into the freehub body. If that wasn't crazy enough, further weight was reduced by removing half of the disc brake rotor splines. Fear not - disc brake splines are mostly for locating. If you tighten the lock rings to spec, most of the braking force doesn't go through the splines. This is the obsession with details taken to create these wheels.
A Video Overview by China Cycling
Just how light are they?
1290g
1430g
Performance Driven
While weight is a huge part of performance, it’s not everything. Aerodynamics and stiffness are a key part of the equation. The carbon spokes of the CS series are especially thin to help them slice through the air. Furthermore, they’re locked in place at both ends to prevent them rotating into an un-aerodynamic position. With just 16 spokes on the front wheel there’s also a big reduction in aerodynamic drag and weight.
Many people wonder if 16 spokes are enough to deal with the huge braking forces of a disc brake front wheel. However, consider that both sides of the wheel are cross-laced spokes. This means 8 of the spokes are handling the load. Compare this to a 21-spoked wheel that uses 2:1 spoke lacing. Such a wheel only has 7 spokes doing most of the load transfer.
It’s just another example of how the wheels have been optimised to take advantage of carbon spokes and increase performance.
Specifications
CS 4045
Brake Type: Disc
Weight: 1180g ±2%
Front wheel
Rim Depth: 40mm
Internal Rim Width: 21mm
External Rim Width: 29mm
No. of Spokes: 16
Min. Tire Size: 24mm
Max. Tire Size: 40mm
Max. Tire Pressure: 120psi @ 25mm
Thru Axle Size: 100 x 12mm
Rear wheel:
Rim Depth: 45mm
Internal Rim Width: 21mm
External Rim Width: 29mm
No. of Spokes: 20
Min. Tire Size: 24mm
Max. Tire Size: 40mm
Max. Tire Pressure: 120psi @ 25mm
Thru Axle Size: 142 x 12mm
Tubeless compatible, Hooked rim.
Freehub: 36T Star Ratchet. Shimano 11s, SRAM XDR or Camp. compatible options.
CS 5055
Brake Type: Disc
Weight: 1250g ±2%
Front wheel
Rim Depth: 50mm
Internal Rim Width: 21mm
External Rim Width: 29mm
No. of Spokes: 16
Min. Tire Size: 24mm
Max. Tire Size: 40mm
Max. Tire Pressure: 120psi @ 25mm
Thru Axle Size: 100 x 12mm
Rear wheel:
Rim Depth: 55mm
Internal Rim Width: 21mm
External Rim Width: 29mm
No. of Spokes: 20
Min. Tire Size: 24mm
Max. Tire Size: 40mm
Max. Tire Pressure: 120psi @ 25mm
Thru Axle Size: 142 x 12mm
Tubeless compatible, Hooked rim.
Freehub: 36T Star Ratchet. Shimano 11s, SRAM XDR or Camp. compatible options.
CS 5060
Brake Type: Disc
Weight: 1290g ±2%
Front wheel
Rim Depth: 50mm
Internal Rim Width: 25mm
External Rim Width: 34mm
No. of Spokes: 16
Min. Tire Size: 26mm
Max. Tire Size: 45mm
Max. Tire Pressure: 120psi @ 26mm
Thru Axle Size: 100 x 12mm
Rear wheel:
Rim Depth: 60mm
Internal Rim Width: 21mm
External Rim Width: 29mm
No. of Spokes: 20
Min. Tire Size: 24mm
Max. Tire Size: 40mm
Max. Tire Pressure: 120psi @ 25mm
Thru Axle Size: 142 x 12mm
Tubeless compatible, Hooked rim.
Freehub:36T Star Ratchet. Shimano 11s, SRAM XDR or Camp. compatible options.
CS 6575
Brake Type: Disc
Weight: 1430g ±2%
Front wheel
Rim Depth: 65mm
Internal Rim Width: 25mm
External Rim Width: 34mm
No. of Spokes: 16
Min. Tire Size: 26mm
Max. Tire Size: 45mm
Max. Tire Pressure: 120psi @ 26mm
Thru Axle Size: 100 x 12mm
Rear wheel:
Rim Depth: 75mm
Internal Rim Width: 23mm
External Rim Width: 32mm
No. of Spokes: 20
Min. Tire Size: 25mm
Max. Tire Size: 40mm
Max. Tire Pressure: 120psi @ 25mm
Thru Axle Size: 142 x 12mm
Tubeless compatible, Hooked rim.
Freehub: 36T Star Ratchet. Shimano 11s, SRAM XDR or Camp. compatible options.
What's Included?
Each wheelset includes:
Front wheel, Rear wheel, pre-installed tubeless tape, and tubeless valves, Each wheel also comes with a wheel build card with the spoke tension of each spoke, the serial number of the rim and hub, and the roundness and flatness measurements. Each card is signed and dated by the craftsman who built the wheel.
Warranty
Each wheelset comes with a two-year limited warranty that covers manufacturing defects. It does not cover the wheels from misuse or accidental damage. If you do accidentally damage your wheels, get in touch with us with your proof of purchase and we will asses the damage and find a solution to get you back on the road as quickly and cheaply as possible.
Weight Limits
The wheelsets have a 100kg weight limit. This is the system weight limit and includes rider, bike and any luggage. We test above and beyond these weight limits but users should not exceed these limits.
Frequently Asked Questions
What freehub body options are there?
We have freehub options to make your wheelset compatible with Shimano 11/12s, Campagnolo or SRAM XDR options.
What bearings do the wheels use?
The wheels use high-quality ceramic hybrid bearings. The freehub body bearings are 6802, the other 4 bearings are 6902.
Which wheels are best for me?
If you like to use wider tires (28mm and above) with lower pressures, we recommend the CS5060 wheels. If you run 25mm tires we recommend the CS4045 or CS5055 wheels depending on whether you want to be optimised for weight or aerodynamics respectively.
Are the decals removable?
No. The decals are under the clearcoat and are non-removable.
What happens if I break a spoke?
The carbon spokes have a tensile strength much greater than traditional steel spokes, so the likelihood of breaking a spoke is very low. In the rare instance you do break a spoke, contact us with photos of the damage and we can supply replacement spokes and installation instructions.