Three ways to understand its construction before deciding whether it fits your riding.
Weight
Very light
1,260 g claimed / pair
1,000 g1,800 g
It falls in our lowest weight band. Use the pair weight to compare how much each option adds to your complete bike.
How this class is defined
Very light: up to 1,300 g
Light: above 1,300 to 1,450 g
Mid-weight: above 1,450 to 1,600 g
Heavier: above 1,600 g
These editorial bands are not an industry standard or a performance rating.
Pair weight alone does not establish stiffness, acceleration or climbing time.
Rim profile
Mid-depth
36 mm front / rear
Front36 mm
Rear36 mm
Front and rear share the same depth. Depth describes the rim shape; it is not a measured aero result.
How this class is defined
Shallow: below 35 mm
Mid-depth: 35 to below 50 mm
Deep: 50 to below 65 mm
Very deep: 65 mm and above
Each rim is classified separately using the unrounded dimension. A category boundary does not create a sudden change in performance.
Tyre platform
Hooked
23 / 23 mm internal width
28–45 mmcatalogue tyre range
Hooked rim construction
The catalogue records a 28–45 mm tyre range. Match your exact tyre and pressure to the manufacturer's rim guidance.
What this means for your tyres
Assess front and rear tyres separately. Confirm the exact tyre, pressure limits and fitted frame clearance before buying. The listed range is not approval for your complete bike. Open the Elitewheels product page ↗
Technical classes describe properties. They do not depend on your budget or riding profile, and they are not a personal Fit score.
The character of this wheelset
A very light pair with equal front and rear rim depths, carbon spokes and ceramic bearings. Compare its 36 mm front rim and 23 mm internal width with the alternatives below, then check your tyres and total system weight before making a buying decision.
02 / SEE IT IN CONTEXT
In our catalogue.
Where the Drive 36D II sits among the 127 road disc wheelsets in the Show My Bike catalogue. Each dot is one wheelset. Positions describe specifications; they are not a rating.
Weight
At 1,260 g, it is lighter than 104 of the 126 other wheelsets with a confirmed weight in our catalogue. Among the 47 mid-depth wheelsets with a confirmed weight, it is in the middle of the group, joint 10th from the lightest.
Price
At €1,277, it is less expensive than 89 of the 126 other wheelsets in our catalogue. Among the 47 mid-depth wheelsets, it is in the middle of the group, 16th from the least expensive.
Widest listed tyre
Its listed range goes up to 45 mm. Of the 126 other wheelsets, 49 list a wider maximum tyre and 70 a narrower one.
Rim-depth groups use the average of front and rear depth: shallow-rim below 35 mm, mid-depth 35 to below 50 mm, deep-rim 50 to below 65 mm, very deep-rim 65 mm and above. Weights are manufacturer claims; wheelsets with an unverified weight are left out of the weight comparison. Prices from our October 2026 price check.
03 / WHAT IT MEANS
What the specs mean.
General context for the Drive 36D II's key specifications. Numbers in superscript link to the sources below each topic. How much each point matters depends on your riding, tyres and bike.
Internal rim width: how the tyre sits
The Drive 36D II has an internal rim width of 23 mm and an external width of 31 mm.
internal23 mm
external31 mm
A wider internal rim spreads the tyre beads further apart, so the same tyre mounts wider and with more air volume: roughly 0.4 mm of tyre width per extra millimetre of rim width.1 A tyre labelled 28 mm can measure around 30 mm on a 21 mm rim,2 so check frame clearance against the measured width, not the printed one.4
Typical road rims have moved from about 19 mm internal width around 2020 to 21–25 mm, together with wider tyres. A wider rim also raises the narrowest tyre you may fit and, on hookless rims, comes with pressure limits.3 Brands usually shape the rim around a target tyre width for aerodynamics, so the fastest combination is not simply the widest tyre.5
Elitewheels approves tyres from 28 mm to 45 mm for this rim.
Drive 36D II28–45 mm
An approved tyre range is the span of tyre widths a manufacturer permits for a rim, based on the ETRTO/ISO tables for tyre and rim combinations.2 Not every brand publishes one: some give a recommendation only, or no maximum. The lower end is the narrowest tyre that fits that internal width safely; the upper end shows how far you can go towards wider, lower-pressure tyres for comfort and grip on rough roads or gravel, provided your frame has the clearance.4
In TOUR's tests, wider tyres at a pressure matched to their width roll about as easily as narrower ones on smooth surfaces and add comfort and grip on real roads, while a tyre much wider than the rim costs some aerodynamic drag.1 Pressure calculators such as Zipp's take the rim's internal width into account as well as the tyre.3
The Drive 36D II uses 21 front and 24 rear carbon spokes.
Drive 36D II 21 front / 24 rear · carbon
A carbon spoke weighs roughly half as much as a premium steel bladed spoke,1 and brands state that carbon is stiffer for its weight.2 That is why carbon-spoke versions often use fewer spokes and weigh less: Hunt's Limitless Ti_UD uses 15/18 carbon spokes against 20/24 steel spokes on the standard Limitless.3 Some reviewers describe a more direct feel when sprinting; that is a riding impression, not a measurement.5
Steel spokes such as DT Swiss Aerolite or Sapim CX-Ray are standard parts that most workshops can source and replace.4 Carbon spokes are more sensitive to side impacts, for example from a derailleur or debris, and may need brand-specific parts or tools;1 some brands include spare spokes or crash replacement to offset this.5 Visually, the lower spoke count and slim blades give carbon-spoke wheels a lighter, more open look.
Ceramic hub bearings are a common premium option. CeramicSpeed quotes watt savings for upgrading hubs, bottom bracket and pulleys together.1 In independent Friction Facts tests of bottom brackets, the best steel and the best ceramic units were only hundredths of a watt apart, and seals and grease mattered more than the ball material.2
The lowest-friction setups tend to use lighter seals and grease, which protect less against rain and grit and need more frequent servicing.3 How long any bearing lasts depends mainly on seals, grease, hub design and maintenance.4
Start with the rim dimensions, then look at the evidence behind the complete wheel-and-tyre setup.
Rim geometry
The shape behind the profile
The Drive 36D II has 36 mm front and rear, with an external front width of 31 mm. These dimensions describe its shape; they do not establish a measured speed advantage.
The front rim is 36 mm deep. For exposed roads, compare the front-wheel design and evidence for your tyre setup. Depth alone cannot predict how confident you will feel in gusts.
Rim depth in context
Cross-section drawn to scale from the catalogue values for outer width, internal width and depth; hooked rims show the bead hook. Simplified shape, not the manufacturer's exact profile.
Deeper rims generally reduce aerodynamic drag, which pays off most at higher speeds on flat or rolling roads, but they tend to weigh more and can be more affected by gusty crosswinds. In a BikeRadar comparison, 60 mm aero wheels were about a second per kilometre faster on the flat but slower on steep climbs than a considerably lighter set.1
How a wheel behaves in crosswinds depends on the rim shape as well as its depth,3 which is why TOUR measures steering torque in the wind tunnel, not just drag.2 Shallower rims are generally easier to handle in gusts, something lighter riders and riders on exposed roads tend to notice first.1
Show My Bike publishes no aero or crosswind rating on product pages. Find My Fit uses rim depth and width as a rough proxy when it ranks wheelsets for your riding; how that works is explained on How We Score.
No automatic comfort or durability rating is assigned from rim width, spoke material, bearing type or warranty length.
05 / CHECK THE DETAILS
Full specifications.
Carbon spokes · Ceramic bearings. Front and rear dimensions are shown separately.
Weight & price
Claimed pair weight
1,260 g
Catalogue price
€1,277
Price snapshot
October 2026
Rim geometry
Property
Front
Rear
Rim depth
36 mm
36 mm
External width
31 mm
31 mm
Internal width
23 mm
23 mm
Spoke count
21
24
Tyres & setup
Wheel size / brakes
700C / disc
Rim construction
Hooked
Internal width
23 mm, both wheels
Listed tyre range
28–45 mm
Maximum system weight
120 kg
Construction & support
Spokes
Carbon
Bearings
Ceramic
Warranty
3 years; conditions apply
Crash replacement
38% off a replacement wheelset within 3 years when bought from elite-wheels.com; shipping paid by the customer; conditions apply
Warranty and crash replacement cover different situations. Check eligibility, exclusions and any fees with Elitewheels. Read the programme conditions ↗
Before you decide.
How much does the Elitewheels Drive 36D II weigh?
Elitewheels claims 1,260 g for the pair, which makes it lighter than 104 of the 126 other wheelsets with a confirmed weight in our catalogue. Claimed weights do not always include rim tape and valves.
What tyre width fits the Elitewheels Drive 36D II?
Elitewheels approves tyres from 28 mm to 45 mm for this rim. The internal rim width is 23 mm. On wide rims, tyres usually measure wider than the size printed on them, so check your frame clearance as well.
What is the internal rim width of the Elitewheels Drive 36D II?
23 mm. The external width is 31 mm.
Is the Elitewheels Drive 36D II hookless?
No. It uses a hooked rim, which also accepts tyres that are not approved for hookless rims, within the listed range and the pressure limits of rim and tyre.
How much does the Elitewheels Drive 36D II cost?
€1,277 per pair at our October 2026 price check. Prices change, so check the current offer with the retailer or manufacturer.
Why call the Drive 36D II "Very light"?
Its 1,260 g claimed pair weight is below our 1,300 g boundary. The description concerns weight only. It is not a rating of stiffness, quality or suitability for a particular rider.
Are all the listed tyre widths equally aerodynamic?
A tyre range does not establish equal aerodynamic performance across that range. Elitewheels approves tyres from 28 mm to 45 mm for this rim. Check the tyre requirements for your own setup and the manufacturer's guidance on the best width for this rim.
Sources & data notes.
Price checked October 2026. Model-specific details reviewed 3 October 2026. Manufacturer claims are identified as such. No independent product test is claimed.
