The IronDeer G50 SL is our own carbon gravel wheelset: 50 mm deep, 30 mm internal width, carbon spokes, 1280 g a pair and €1,199. Those numbers only mean something next to the wheels riders actually cross-shop, so we lined it up against four of them: the Zipp 303 XPLR SW, the Roval Terra CLX II, the DT Swiss GRC 1400 Spline 50 and the Elitewheels Drive G50 CS, which we sell and service ourselves.
Every figure below is a manufacturer claim or a listed retail price, checked in September 2026. We have no wind-tunnel data of our own, so there are no invented watt savings here. Where a competitor does something better, we say so.
The Short Answer
The G50 SL is the lightest wheelset in this group with a 50 mm deep, 30 mm wide rim. Only the Roval Terra CLX II is lighter, by 30 g, and it gets there with a 32 mm deep, 25 mm internal rim built around narrower tyres.
It is also the only wheelset here that combines a wide hooked rim, carbon spokes and a price under €1,200. The Zipp is wider inside but hookless and limited to approved tyres. The Roval and DT Swiss use steel spokes and narrower rims, and both cost considerably more.
Where it gives ground: no free crash cover like Zipp's (a replacement G50 SL rim after a crash costs €140 plus rebuild labour, see our wheel warranty), no published aerodynamic data, and a much shorter track record than the brands it is compared with.
G50 SL vs Zipp, Roval, DT Swiss and Elitewheels: Specifications
Five carbon gravel wheelsets, all 700C, all thru-axle and disc brake. The differences sit in rim shape, spokes, hub engagement and price.
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Specification
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IronDeer G50 SL
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Elitewheels G50 CS
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Zipp 303 XPLR SW
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Roval Terra CLX II
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DT Swiss GRC 1400 Spline 50
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|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rim depth | 50 mm | 50 mm | 54 mm | 32 mm | 50 mm |
| Internal width | 30 mm | 30 mm | 32 mm | 25 mm | 24 mm |
| External width | 40 mm | 37 mm | 40 mm | 30 mm | 36.5 mm |
| Bead | Hooked | Hooked | Hookless | Hooked | Hooked |
| Tyre range | 40 to 60C | 40 to 60C | Approved tyres only, 38 to 50 mm ideal | 28 to 47C | 35C and wider |
| Claimed weight, pair | 1280 g | 1380 ±30 g | 1452 g incl. tape and valves | 1250 g excl. tape and valves | 1631 g |
| Spokes | 3.2 mm carbon | 3.3 mm carbon | CX-Ray steel | DT Aerolite steel | DT Aero Comp II steel |
| Hub engagement | 69T ratchet, about 5.2° | 60T ratchet, 6° | 6-pawl ZR1 | 36T ratchet, 10° | 36T ratchet, 10° |
| Spare spokes | 4 | 4 | No | Spoke kit | No |
| Manufacturer warranty | 3 years, defects; crash rim €140 plus labour; kit spokes fitted free in year one | 3 years, defects; crash replacement 38% off | Lifetime, original owner: defects and riding damage; spokes, bearings, freehub excluded | Manufacturer terms | 2 years plus crash replacement |
| Price | €1,199 | €1,299 | US$2,100 at launch | US$1,200 front + US$1,500 rear | Sold per wheel, varies |
Weight: 1280 g for a 50 mm, 30 mm Wide Rim
On paper the G50 SL is 100 g lighter than the Elitewheels G50 CS, about 170 g lighter than the Zipp 303 XPLR SW (Zipp's figure includes tape and valves, so the real gap is smaller) and roughly 350 g lighter than the DT Swiss GRC 1400 Spline 50.
Most of that comes from two places. Each rim is claimed at 415 ±20 g, laid up from Toray T700, T800 and T1000 carbon. And the carbon spokes are lighter than the steel spokes used by three of the four competitors.
Weight at the rim is the weight you notice most: accelerating out of corners, the short steep ramps in the hills behind Nazaré, getting back up to speed after every gate and junction on a long gravel day.
Where the Roval wins
The Roval Terra CLX II is 30 g lighter still. It does that with a 32 mm deep rim and 25 mm internal width, rated for 28 to 47C tyres. If you ride 35 to 40 mm tyres on climbing routes, it is an excellent wheel. If you want 45 mm tyres and a deep rim, it is a different category of wheelset.
Rim Width: 30 mm Inside, 40 mm Outside, Hooked
Internal width decides how a gravel tyre sits. At 30 mm the beads start further apart, the casing forms a broader, better supported profile, and the tyre stays more stable in corners at lower pressure. The DT Swiss and Roval, at 24 and 25 mm, come from an earlier generation of gravel rims designed around narrower tyres.
The 40 mm external width matters too. It lines up with a 40 to 45 mm tyre, so the rim and tyre form one smooth shape rather than a tyre bulging over a narrow rim, and the wider rim edge gives the tyre more support on rocky ground.
Hooked versus hookless
The Zipp 303 XPLR SW is the closest rival on rim shape, and it is a very fast wheel. It is also hookless: tubeless only, limited to Zipp-approved tyres and to 50 psi (3.45 bar).
The G50 SL uses a hooked bead. That means a much wider choice of 40 to 60C tyres, and the option to fit an inner tube when a tubeless repair fails. If you travel with your bike, bikepack or ride far from a shop, being able to fit whatever tyre is available is worth more than it looks on a spec sheet.
Carbon Spokes and the D69 Hub
The G50 SL is laced with 3.2 mm VONOA carbon spokes. Among the five wheelsets here, only the Elitewheels G50 CS also uses carbon spokes. Carbon spokes save weight and hold high tension, which gives a direct feel when you accelerate hard.
The hub is our IronDeer D69 with a planetary ratchet: 69 engagement points, so the freehub picks up roughly every 5.2 degrees. The DT Swiss 36T ratchet in the Roval and DT wheels engages every 10 degrees. On a loose, technical climb, where you pedal in short bursts, faster pick-up is something you feel.
Freehub options: SRAM XDR, Shimano HG, Shimano 12-speed
Axles: 12x100 mm front, 12x142 mm rear
Bearings: steel as standard, ceramic as an option
Four spare spokes with every wheelset, custom rim colour available
Price: What €1,199 Buys
The Zipp launched at US$2,100. The Roval is sold per wheel at US$1,200 front and US$1,500 rear. The DT Swiss is sold per wheel at a similar level. The G50 SL costs €1,199 for the pair, €100 less than the Elitewheels G50 CS, and is 100 g lighter than it.
You are not paying for a brand's racing budget. You are paying for the rim, the spokes, the hub and a workshop in Nazaré that builds and services the wheels.
1280 g, 50 mm deep, 30 mm wide inside, carbon spokes, hooked rim, €1,199. That combination is the whole argument.
Warranty, Honestly: Our Three Years and Zipp's Lifetime
"Lifetime" looks unbeatable on a comparison table, so it is worth being precise about what each warranty actually covers.
What our three years cover
The G50 SL comes with a three-year IronDeer warranty on manufacturing and material defects in the rim, hub, spokes and nipples.
What it does not cover is damage from riding: crashes, impacts and, above all, damage to the carbon spokes. A carbon spoke hit by a flying stone or a branch caught in the wheel is damaged by use, not by a fault in the spoke. We do not know of a wheel manufacturer that covers that under warranty, and we would rather say so now than argue about it at the counter later.
What we add on top
Crash replacement on rims. If a G50 SL rim is damaged in a crash or impact within three years, the original owner gets a new rim for €140 instead of €200. Rebuild labour, spokes and nipples are charged at our service centre prices.
Free spoke fitting in year one. Four spare spokes come in the box. For the first 12 months we fit them free of charge, whatever broke the spoke. After that, or for spokes beyond the kit, fitting is charged at service centre prices.
What Zipp's lifetime warranty actually covers
Zipp's lifetime warranty is genuinely generous, and it is more than a rim warranty. For wheels from model year 2021 onwards it covers manufacturing defects and also damage that happens while riding within the wheel's intended use, such as a crash or a pothole strike. Zipp or its service partner repairs or replaces the wheel free of charge.
The limits matter just as much:
It applies to the original owner only, with proof of purchase, and cannot be transferred. A second-hand Zipp wheel has no lifetime cover.
Spokes, bearings and freehub bodies are treated as serviceable parts and are not covered.
Cosmetic damage is not covered, and neither is damage from use outside the wheel's intended purpose.
The rider pays to ship the wheel for evaluation, and Zipp decides whether it is repaired or replaced.
So on spokes, Zipp and IronDeer end up in the same place, except that we fit your kit spokes free in the first year. Where Zipp is clearly ahead is impact damage to the rim: with Zipp it is free, with us a new rim costs €140 plus rebuild labour. If free crash cover matters most to you, the Zipp is the better choice, and you pay for that in the price.
Your legal guarantee in Portugal and the EU
None of this replaces your rights as a consumer. Under Portuguese consumer law (Decreto-Lei 84/2021), the seller is responsible for any lack of conformity that appears within three years of delivery, whatever a manufacturer's warranty says. Our warranty is given in addition to those rights, not instead of them.
Where the Competition Is Stronger
Crash cover. Zipp repairs or replaces a wheel damaged while riding, free, for the original owner. With us a replacement G50 SL rim costs €140 plus rebuild labour.
Track record. Zipp, DT Swiss and Roval have years of race results and hundreds of thousands of wheels behind them. The G50 SL is new.
Aerodynamic data. Zipp developed the 303 XPLR with matched tyres and publishes its aero claims. We have no wind-tunnel figures for the G50 SL and will not invent them.
Crosswinds. Like any 50 mm rim, the G50 SL asks for more attention in strong side wind, and on the exposed Silver Coast that happens often. The 32 mm Roval is calmer here.
Narrow tyres. The G50 SL is built for 40 to 60C. If you ride 32 to 38 mm tyres, the Roval or DT Swiss suit that better.
Who the G50 SL Is For
Riders on 40 to 50 mm tyres who want a deep, wide carbon rim without going hookless
Fast gravel and all-road riders who value low rotating weight and quick hub pick-up
Bikepackers and travellers who want free tyre choice and the option of an inner tube
Anyone who wants carbon-spoke performance at roughly half the price of the big-brand equivalents
It is not the wheel for you if you run narrow tyres, ride mostly in strong exposed wind, or put free crash replacement and a proven racing history ahead of weight and price.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I run the G50 SL tubeless?
Yes. The hooked rim is designed for tubeless gravel tyres and also works with inner tubes.
Which tyres fit?
700 x 40 to 60C. On a 30 mm internal rim tyres usually measure a little wider than the sidewall says, so check the clearance in your frame and fork first.
How is it different from the Elitewheels G50 CS?
Same depth and internal width. The G50 SL is 100 g lighter, 3 mm wider outside, uses the 69T D69 hub instead of a 60T titanium freehub, and costs €100 less. Both carry a three-year warranty with a crash replacement option. We service both in Nazaré, and you can read our G42 vs G50 CS ride test for more on the Elitewheels pair.
Is a broken carbon spoke covered by the warranty?
Not when it was broken by an impact, a stone or a crash, and that is true of every wheel brand we know, Zipp included. A spoke that fails from a manufacturing defect is covered. Four spare spokes come with every wheelset, and in the first year we fit them free of charge whatever broke the spoke. Wheels can be dropped off in Nazaré or shipped to us from elsewhere in Portugal and the EU.
What does a new rim cost after a crash?
A replacement G50 SL rim is €200. For the original owner within three years of purchase it is €140 as a crash replacement, plus rebuild labour, spokes and nipples at our service centre prices. Full terms are on our wheel warranty page.
Ride the G50 SL in Nazaré
Numbers narrow the choice. Riding decides it. Tell us your bike, tyre size and the terrain you ride, and we will tell you honestly whether the G50 SL is the right wheel, and arrange a test ride on the gravel roads around Nazaré when a demo set is available.
