Stan's NoTubes Grail S1
The Stan's NoTubes Grail S1 is engineered specifically for tubeless reliability, with a bead and internal profile that favors fast, repeatable sealing with sealant and easy tire seating—making it a best-in-class pick for riders who want low-maintenance tubeless performance on aluminum rims. It often costs more than bare-bones alloy rims but offers fewer flats and less hands-on maintenance than non-optimized designs like the Velocity A23 or DT Swiss R470, and its tubeless-focused engineering can rival or surpass the UST approach of the Mavic Open Pro UST for everyday sealing reliability. For road riders converting to tubeless for puncture resistance and comfort, the Grail S1 is a technically optimized, long-term value despite a higher upfront price.
Gravel traction — muddy grin
Sealant-friendly bead — Stan's wink
Gravel traction — muddy grin
Sealant-friendly bead — Stan's wink
Review Summary
"Stan's NoTubes Grail S1 is widely praised for effortless tubeless setup, excellent airtightness and a light, compliant ride that performs well on gravel and road. Long-term users report reliable durability and minimal maintenance, making it a market-leading tubeless choice."
Light trail toughness — smile
Designed specifically to improve tubeless sealing and reduce burping
Light trail toughness — smile
Designed specifically to improve tubeless sealing and reduce burping
Recreational Enjoyment
Enhanced Physical Well-Being
Skill Development & Mastery
The Stan's NoTubes Grail S1 is engineered specifically for tubeless reliability, with a bead and internal profile that favors fast, repeatable sealing with sealant and easy tire seating—making it a best-in-class pick for riders who want low-maintenance tubeless performance on aluminum rims. It often costs more than bare-bones alloy rims but offers fewer flats and less hands-on maintenance than non-optimized designs like the Velocity A23 or DT Swiss R470, and its tubeless-focused engineering can rival or surpass the UST approach of the Mavic Open Pro UST for everyday sealing reliability. For road riders converting to tubeless for puncture resistance and comfort, the Grail S1 is a technically optimized, long-term value despite a higher upfront price.
Gravel traction — muddy grin
Sealant-friendly bead — Stan's wink
Light trail toughness — smile
Designed specifically to improve tubeless sealing and reduce burping
Internal shape and bead profile balance airtightness with easy tire installation
Gravel traction — muddy grin
Sealant-friendly bead — Stan's wink
Light trail toughness — smile
Designed specifically to improve tubeless sealing and reduce burping
Internal shape and bead profile balance airtightness with easy tire installation
$220-320 USD
HED Belgium Plus brings a performance-oriented, shallow-profile aluminum clincher that emphasizes ride quality and crosswind stability, benefiting riders who want a race-capable rim without the premium price of carbon. Technically it offers a refined rim shape and reinforced brake track that competes well with DT Swiss for stiffness and with Mavic for finished tolerances, while often undercutting them on price for similar ride feel. This model is a strong middle-ground choice for racers who prioritize handling and comfort alongside reliable rim-brake stopping power.
Aero-steady whisper
Wide-tire hug
Aero-steady whisper
Wide-tire hug
Review Summary
"The HED Belgium Plus is widely praised for its comfortable, stiff ride, refined braking and premium build quality; most buyers feel the higher price is justified by the performance and durability."
Race-bred swagger
Aerodynamically profiled aluminum rim tuned for speed on rim-brake bikes.
Race-bred swagger
Aerodynamically profiled aluminum rim tuned for speed on rim-brake bikes.
Enhanced Physical Well-Being
Recreational Enjoyment
HED Belgium Plus brings a performance-oriented, shallow-profile aluminum clincher that emphasizes ride quality and crosswind stability, benefiting riders who want a race-capable rim without the premium price of carbon. Technically it offers a refined rim shape and reinforced brake track that competes well with DT Swiss for stiffness and with Mavic for finished tolerances, while often undercutting them on price for similar ride feel. This model is a strong middle-ground choice for racers who prioritize handling and comfort alongside reliable rim-brake stopping power.
Aero-steady whisper
Wide-tire hug
Race-bred swagger
Aerodynamically profiled aluminum rim tuned for speed on rim-brake bikes.
Reinforced braking surface designed to manage heat under heavy braking.
Aero-steady whisper
Wide-tire hug
Race-bred swagger
Aerodynamically profiled aluminum rim tuned for speed on rim-brake bikes.
Reinforced braking surface designed to manage heat under heavy braking.
$480-650 USD
Velocity Cliffhanger Wheelset
Velocity's Cliffhanger wheelset is a commuter favorite for riders who want a stout, wide aluminum clincher rim that supports wider tires and offers excellent lateral stiffness for urban riding and quick cornering. Financially it sits between budget OEM rims and premium Swiss builds—less costly than DT Swiss but typically more performance-focused than the heaviest durable options like the Rhyno Lite—offering great value for riders prioritizing handling and tire volume.
Rough-road shrug
Wind-stable profile
Rough-road shrug
Wind-stable profile
Review Summary
"Favored for strong, deep-section rims, solid ride quality, and long-term durability on urban bikes; a minority report heavier weight and that final performance can depend on the wheel build quality."
Consistent braking bite
Wider aluminum clincher rim profile that improves comfort and stability on city roads.
Consistent braking bite
Wider aluminum clincher rim profile that improves comfort and stability on city roads.
Enhanced Physical Well-Being
Recreational Enjoyment
Velocity's Cliffhanger wheelset is a commuter favorite for riders who want a stout, wide aluminum clincher rim that supports wider tires and offers excellent lateral stiffness for urban riding and quick cornering. Financially it sits between budget OEM rims and premium Swiss builds—less costly than DT Swiss but typically more performance-focused than the heaviest durable options like the Rhyno Lite—offering great value for riders prioritizing handling and tire volume.
Rough-road shrug
Wind-stable profile
Consistent braking bite
Wider aluminum clincher rim profile that improves comfort and stability on city roads.
Robust alloy build tolerates heavier loads and frequent starts and stops.
Rough-road shrug
Wind-stable profile
Consistent braking bite
Wider aluminum clincher rim profile that improves comfort and stability on city roads.
Robust alloy build tolerates heavier loads and frequent starts and stops.
$300-500 USD
Sun Ringle Rhyno Lite 700c
The Sun Ringle Rhyno Lite 700c brings a rugged, load-oriented design suited to heavier hybrid and touring setups, emphasizing impact resistance and reinforced spoke beds for long service life under load. Compared with lighter rims such as the Velocity Dyad or DT Swiss 545d, the Rhyno Lite prioritizes durability and rider confidence on rough roads, offering a cost-effective middle ground for riders who need strength more than minimum gram counts.
Bombproof strength
Stable handling charm
Bombproof strength
Stable handling charm
Review Summary
"Owners rate the Sun Ringle Rhyno Lite highly for exceptional toughness and impact resistance—making it a favorite for cyclocross and rough-road use—while acknowledging it is heavier and a bit stiffer than race-focused rims."
All-weather grit
Robust double-wall aluminum rim designed to handle cargo and heavier loads
All-weather grit
Robust double-wall aluminum rim designed to handle cargo and heavier loads
Enhanced Physical Well-Being
Time-Saving Convenience
Recreational Enjoyment
The Sun Ringle Rhyno Lite 700c brings a rugged, load-oriented design suited to heavier hybrid and touring setups, emphasizing impact resistance and reinforced spoke beds for long service life under load. Compared with lighter rims such as the Velocity Dyad or DT Swiss 545d, the Rhyno Lite prioritizes durability and rider confidence on rough roads, offering a cost-effective middle ground for riders who need strength more than minimum gram counts.
Bombproof strength
Stable handling charm
All-weather grit
Robust double-wall aluminum rim designed to handle cargo and heavier loads
Built to suit both rim and disc brake wheel builds in 700c sizing
Bombproof strength
Stable handling charm
All-weather grit
Robust double-wall aluminum rim designed to handle cargo and heavier loads
Built to suit both rim and disc brake wheel builds in 700c sizing
$90-150 USD
The DT Swiss 545d represents the premium engineering end of aluminum touring rims, with optimized wall sections and precise spoke-bed machining designed for stiffness and long-term fatigue resistance. Technically it often outperforms budget and mid-range rims in consistency and weight-to-strength ratio, but that refinement comes at a higher price compared with the Sun Ringle or Velocity options. For riders seeking a higher-end wheelset build and long-life performance, the 545d is a technically driven choice.
Precision engineering
Stable under load
Precision engineering
Stable under load
Review Summary
"Reviewers report the DT Swiss 545d offers premium build quality, consistent trueness and strong spoke anchoring ideal for loaded touring, though it is pricier and not the lightest option."
Clockwork precision
High-quality double-wall aluminum rim engineered for durability under heavy loads.
Clockwork precision
High-quality double-wall aluminum rim engineered for durability under heavy loads.
Enhanced Physical Well-Being
Skill Development & Mastery
The DT Swiss 545d represents the premium engineering end of aluminum touring rims, with optimized wall sections and precise spoke-bed machining designed for stiffness and long-term fatigue resistance. Technically it often outperforms budget and mid-range rims in consistency and weight-to-strength ratio, but that refinement comes at a higher price compared with the Sun Ringle or Velocity options. For riders seeking a higher-end wheelset build and long-life performance, the 545d is a technically driven choice.
Precision engineering
Stable under load
Clockwork precision
High-quality double-wall aluminum rim engineered for durability under heavy loads.
Precision manufacturing and consistent spoke bed simplify reliable wheel builds.
Precision engineering
Stable under load
Clockwork precision
High-quality double-wall aluminum rim engineered for durability under heavy loads.
Precision manufacturing and consistent spoke bed simplify reliable wheel builds.
$240-360 USD
The Grail MK3 is an aluminum clincher designed around Stan's tubeless expertise, offering a bead and well shape that promotes reliable sealant performance and fast, low-pressure tire setup—ideal for cyclocross riders who prioritize tubeless reliability. It is often lighter and more tubeless-friendly than older open-clincher designs like the Velocity A23 OC and provides a more ready-to-run system than some traditional rims, while typically undercutting HED on price. Technically it shines where sealing, puncture resilience with sealant, and ease of setup matter most.
Tubeless sealing magic — hug
Featherweight agility
Tubeless sealing magic — hug
Featherweight agility
Review Summary
"Stan’s NoTubes Grail MK3 receives strong praise for easy tubeless setup, robust construction and improved tire stability—reviewers commonly highlight its durability and forgiving ride for mixed-surface racing and training. Few users report issues, so it’s considered a top choice for aluminum tubeless CX rims."
Bead-lock confidence — clamp
Stan’s tubeless-optimised rim design for fast, reliable seal and easy mounting.
Bead-lock confidence — clamp
Stan’s tubeless-optimised rim design for fast, reliable seal and easy mounting.
Recreational Enjoyment
Time-Saving Convenience
Skill Development & Mastery
The Grail MK3 is an aluminum clincher designed around Stan's tubeless expertise, offering a bead and well shape that promotes reliable sealant performance and fast, low-pressure tire setup—ideal for cyclocross riders who prioritize tubeless reliability. It is often lighter and more tubeless-friendly than older open-clincher designs like the Velocity A23 OC and provides a more ready-to-run system than some traditional rims, while typically undercutting HED on price. Technically it shines where sealing, puncture resilience with sealant, and ease of setup matter most.
Tubeless sealing magic — hug
Featherweight agility
Bead-lock confidence — clamp
Stan’s tubeless-optimised rim design for fast, reliable seal and easy mounting.
Lightweight yet robust alloy construction targeted at mixed-surface cyclocross riding.
Tubeless sealing magic — hug
Featherweight agility
Bead-lock confidence — clamp
Stan’s tubeless-optimised rim design for fast, reliable seal and easy mounting.
Lightweight yet robust alloy construction targeted at mixed-surface cyclocross riding.
$350-650 USD