The 52/58 Superlight Aero wheelset from No.6 has plenty of racing pedigree. They are ridden by both the DAS Hutchinson UCI women’s team and Ineos Grenadiers development team, CAMS Majaco. Indeed, if you look closely enough, you’ll spot some WorldTour teams using blacked-out versions so as not to upset any official sponsors.
(Image credit: Future – Andy Turner)
Design details
The No.6 52/58 form is part of the Superlight Aero range of wheels from No.6, part of its 2026 ProjectSpeed, as it calls it. These comprise 28, 42, 48, 52, 58 and 65mm rims profiles, with this specific combination being a 52mm front and 58mm rear.
The front wheel measures 32mm external width and 25mm internal, while the rear uses 30mm external width and 24mm internal; these wider internal measurements are becoming commonplace among the best road bike wheels. The claimed weight for all of this is just 1,267g for the pair; on my scales, they came out at 1,281g, including the rim tape and a Shimano HG 11/12 speed hub.
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The rims feature a lovely gloss finish and are made of a combination of Toray T700 and T800 carbon fibre. They are tubeless, as most road wheels are now, but still use hooked rather than hookless rims. Maximum tyre pressure is 110psi, and a 110kg weight limit is also imposed.
(Image credit: Future – Andy Turner)
Moving inwards from the rims, the spoke nipples are external and Aerotitanium Alloy. Carbon spokes lace into these. These differ between the front and rear. The front uses 16 spokes measuring 3.8mm in diameter, arranged in a two-cross 1:1 ratio, while the rear uses 20 spokes measuring 5mm and is laced in the same two-cross 1:1 ratio.
The hubs are Zero Gravity v.3 and as standard come with Tripeak Ceramic Bearings and a 45-tooth ratchet engagement. Freehub options cover the full spectrum, with Shimano HG, MSR, SRAM XDR and Campagnolo N3W. No.6 says the wheels perform best with 28-30mm tyre widths, but can use 28-35mm. White and black decals are available.
(Image credit: Future – Andy Turner)
Performance
Fitting tyres to these wheels was pretty easy for the most part, depending on the tyres. Vittoria Corsa Pro Speed slotted on very easily, while getting the bead of the Pirelli P Zero Race TLR S-LR tyres proved a little tighter. Both, however, pumped up and seated fairly well. As a rule, I prefer a hooked rim for road riding, given I opt for pressures above 75psi to deliver a more consistent cornering sensation.
Regardless of the tyre choice, out on the road the wheels feel rapid. The rims are wide, so they work very well with 28-30mm tyres which tend to sit nicely flush with the rim profile, and do tend to provide greater aerodynamic performance.
The 52/58mm depths are reasonable; I personally prefer a deeper one given I am a taller and heavier rider, but this combination did feel quick. Racing in my local handicap road race series, averaging speeds in excess of 45km/h, these wheels proved no barrier.
I used them as part of a wind tunnel test with a few different frames, and against a set of Vision Metron SL 60 wheels with the same tyres, the No.6 52/58 were faster at every speed and yaw angle across three different frames. While this is a limited comparison, the Metron wheels are well-regarded and feature a deeper profile so might be expected to be faster at higher speeds and yaw angles.
Weight is another area where these wheels perform admirably; 1,281g for a deep-section wheelset, including valves and tape, is certainly competitive. And it shows out on the road. On fairly consistent inclines, whether shallow or steep, the wheels seemed to hold speed well. Even on steeper climbs requiring a higher power output, they got up to speed quickly. I personally find that well-laced steel spokes with a slightly higher count can be a bit stiffer, and while carbon-spoked hoops aren’t a benchmark for lateral stiffness, these are by no means floppy.
(Image credit: Future – Andy Turner)
That in itself isn’t the worst thing, as the wheels have a reasonable amount of compliance; riding across the broken surfaces that make up a good deal of the roads I train and race on locally, they aren’t jarring at all. I still have my reservations about carbon spokes however, as I’ve had stones or debris ping up when riding in a bunch, and if they ever impacted a carbon spoke I don’t fancy its chances. Fortunately, spares are supplied, both front and rear, given the different spoke widths used. External nipples also mean they can be fitted with limited hassle.
I like the inclusion of ceramic bearings as standard. These are a marginal gain, but it’s in wheel hubs where they make the most sense to me. Pulley wheels or bottom brackets aren’t always turning, whereas if you are moving, the wheels are spinning, so there is more to gain from ceramic bearings. They, of course, need to be good quality, and the races need to match them, or issues can arise over time. However, across the 1,500km of testing so far, the bearings roll well, and there is no play in them. The 45-tooth ratchet also engages quickly, proving to be especially efficient in bunch races where I find myself on and off the power more frequently.
Finally, a very subjective element: I think they look great. I don’t like matte carbon wheels; they get dirty quickly and are a pain to clean, as water marks and oil add imperfections. The gloss finish on the No.6 wheels looks fantastic, similar to the stunning Campagnolo C Lux finish.
The wheels even received some limited wind tunnel testing across two frames and against the Vision Metron SL 60. The No.6 came out on top even being shallower (rotors and cassette were fitted for testing)
(Image credit: Future – Andy Turner)
Value
At £1,699 / $2,199, these are by no means cheap. However, there is good reason for the higher price than you might expect from Chinese-brand wheels: more research and development. Wind tunnel testing isn’t cheap, and that development cost gets passed on to consumers. That means this wheelset costs more than the Scope R4 (£1,498) or Hunt 5AM Limitless (£1,699). But that is not where these wheels are marketed to compete.
Compared with the Scope Artech 6 (£3,498 / $4,398), Enve SES 4.5 Pro (£3,999 / $3,750), Zipp 454 NSW (£3,400 / $4,200), and Princeton Wake (£4,000 / $4,275), the No.6 52/58 starts to look like good value. The weight is comparable, the aero performance is based on some independent testing, while ceramic bearings are included as standard, which is not always a given. Outliers include the Hunt 5AM Limitless UD spokes, which are £1,999 / $2,599 and very similar on paper, but overall the No.6 52/58 offer pretty impressive value compared to their rivals.
A bonus for the No.6 is that there is no import fee with the wheels, and spares are easy to get. However, the lack of dealers in the UK at present may put some riders off, while Hunt is renowned for its customer service in the UK.
Tech spec
- Price: £1,699 / $2,199
- Weight: 1,267g
- Hubset: Zero Gravity v.3
- Freehub options: Shimano HG11/12, SRAM XDR, Campagnolo
- Rim depth: 52/58mm front/rear
- Internal rim width: 25mm
- Spoke count: 16/20 front/rear
- Rim: Hooked
