Parcours’ latest addition to the best road bike wheels segment is the Strade GT – a wheelset that employs recycled carbon fiber to enhance the user experience and improve overall performance, while also reducing waste and landfill. With performance gains in weight reduction and aerodynamics becoming increasingly marginal, Parcours considers material exploration the next meaningful step in cycling performance.
We’ve been testing Parcours products for a while now, starting back in 2020 with the original mixed-depth Strade wheels. This was followed by the brand’s foray into the gravel discipline with the Alta and FKT gravel wheels, and to this day one thing has remained consistent – Parcours’ propensity to stay abreast of trends and sometimes even beat more internationally established brands to market.
The secret recipe comes from what it calls VibraCore, a structural integration of recycled carbon material laid up within the wheel, designed to minimise vibration at the spoke bed before it is transmitted to the bike and rider. It’s very clever, and it works – transforming the way your bike performs on poorly surfaced roads. I wrote about it in more detail when we covered the launch news of the Strade GT wheels.
The AFFT (Aligned Formable Fibre Technology) has added a unique, aesthetic quality quite unlike the unidirectional look and feel we often see on other road wheels
(Image credit: Aaron Borrill)
Technical details
Like the FKT gravel wheels, the optics of the Strade GT are premium, incorporating beautifully typeset logos that accompany the trademark Parcours wordmark. You’ll also notice the new GT nomenclature, along with two entirely new Lineat and AFFT logos. Gone is the typical unidirectional carbon-fibre look, and in comes a unique, ornate pattern attributed to the AFFT (Aligned Formable Fibre Technology), selected for its aesthetic qualities. Closer inspection also reveals a GT logo on both the front and rear hubsets, another nod to the quality and detail of this wheelset.
I quite liked the initial set of Parcours Strade GT wheels sent to us for early testing, especially their aesthetic qualities. Unlike the current Parcours wheel inventory, the prototypes featured a holographic, keyline Parcours wordmark that contrasted vividly with the carbon-fibre backdrop, but this design language was abandoned because Parcours founder Dov Tate opted for a uniform look and feel. Still, I do hope the company perhaps applies this to a special edition wheelset or gives customers the option to personalise their wheels.
I really liked the holographic keyline logos on the Strade GT prototype wheels
(Image credit: Aaron Borrill)
One of the standout attributes of the Strade GT wheels is the company’s decision to utilise a hooked-bead interface rather than the now-de rigueur hookless system, intended to improve tyre security when paired with lower pressure. The rim profile is an evolution of the existing Strade wheelset’s 49/54mm heights and was optimised for use with 30mm tyres. The most notable change is a one-millimetre increase in internal rim width (23.5mm vs 22.5mm), which places the Strade GTs in line with contemporary standards.
The hubs feature a captive design and are laced with 21/24 front/rear in a two-cross radial pattern at the front and a one-cross (NDS)/three-cross (DS) configuration at the rear. The drive mechanism uses a four-pawl freehub and 60T ratchet, chosen for its notably quick engagement and light system weight. Looking at the performance metrics, according to Parcours, the Strade GT is 3.2W faster than the current Strade at 48km/h and 15 per cent more stable in the handling stakes, which is big news given how predictable the original Strade wheels performed in the wind. The GTs are also 390g lighter, which translates to a considerable improvement in rotational inertia and is something you’ll instantly notice.
The standout attribute of the wheels, however, is the VibraCore technology, which integrates reclaimed carbon material from AFFT (Aligned Formable Fibre Technology) into the spoke bed – a process carried out by industry specialists, Lineat. It requires state-of-the-art machinery to be done properly, but it’s essentially carried out using processes such as pyrolysis and solvolysis, which remove plastics, resins, and solvents to obtain short carbon fibres. After the resins are burned away, the remaining fibres are realigned by Lineat and combined with resin to form new composite sheets. The AFFT retains a proportion of the tensile properties of virgin carbon fibre, accounting for approximately 12–15% of the rim’s total material and ultimately helping eliminate landfill waste.
During manufacture, the placement of the reclaimed carbon fibre sheets is channelled in the thickest area of the wheel as part of the structural layup. VibraCore influences how vibrational energy is transmitted through the rim at the earliest possible stage, rather than acting as an external damping system.
There’s a GT logo on both the front and rear hubsets, another nod to the quality and detail of the wheelset
(Image credit: Aaron Borrill)
VibraCore has also enabled the introduction of carbon-fibre spokes as it mitigates the harsh vibrations often associated with the material – in this case, Alpina Carbolite spokes laced in a 21/24 front/rear configuration and chosen for their narrow-bladed design, which rivals the compliance of steel spokes.
According to Parcours, the differences between a non-VibraCore and VibraCore rim are stark. Real-world testing in partnership with Nottingham Trent University, with multiple riders on varied surfaces and equipped with vibration sensors, showed that VibraCore reduced vibration energy by 19-23%. These results are comparable to a 10-15psi reduction in tyre pressure without negatively impacting associated rolling efficiency or speed.
A closer look at the cross-hatch texture of the AFFT or Aligned Formable Fibre Technology
(Image credit: Aaron Borrill)
Performance
You can feel the vibration-damping qualities of the VibraCore tech pretty much instantly, and while it’s hard to quantify, road buzz feels notably subdued – delivering a softer, quieter ride with no discernible effect on speed or wheel stiffness. The wheels respond well under load and transfer pedalling force effectively. During all my testing, I purposely sought out rough roads and rumble strips to assess the wheels, and they handled everything impressively while keeping progress swift. Compared to my riding mates who were using regular carbon wheels, I often opened a bit of a gap on them as we crossed rougher, broken roads, as the VibraCore ensures better system conformity over choppier surfaces.
I’m not sure how they would cope with more severe terrain such as cobblestones, but paired with larger-volume tyres and lower pressures, comfort and overall control are significantly better than with a traditional racing wheel. While the Strade GTs are best paired with 30mm tyres, I fitted them with a pair of 28mm Pirelli PZero TLR SL-R tyres to better assess the ride quality and the claimed reduction in road vibration at my usual 55/60 psi front/rear pressures. I like the way the sidewalls of Pirelli PZero TLR SL-R tyres seamlessly integrate with the rim profiles, creating a complete system that looks flush and aerodynamic.
Interestingly, I spent time testing both a prototype of the Strade GT and the finished product, and apart from the slow-engaging 30T ratchet and prototype graphics, there wasn’t much difference between the two wheelsets in terms of ride feel and behaviour. It was only when I switched them for the production-ready Strade GT wheels that the differences were instantly notable thanks to a four-pawl 60T ratchet system and a three-degree angle of engagement.
In terms of straight-line performance, the wheels accelerate like any other performance wheel offering and sail up inclines thanks to the low system weight of 1,140g (495/645g front/rear). It’s worth noting that the wheels reduced the total system weight of my Cannondale SystemSix by 475g compared to my standard Shimano Dura-Ace C60 setup.
The 49/54mm front/rear rim profiles are close to perfect. They’re neither overly deep nor shallow – instead, they strike a balance often missing from the best road bike wheels when it comes to overall handling. They don’t suffer in crosswind situations either, which is a big plus for nervous descenders. They feel super stable, providing controlled handling and confidence in windy conditions and during fast descents. Compared to other wheels I’m currently testing, including my stock Shimano Dura-Ace C60 wheel arrangement, the step up in comfort and overall speed is undeniable, and I’m looking forward to this technology being applied to other wheels in the company’s range.
The sidewalls of Pirelli PZero TLR SL-R tyres seamlessly integrate with the rim profiles
(Image credit: Aaron Borrill)
Value
As it stands, the Parcours Strade GT wheels have no direct rivals. The wheels occupy a unique space where performance and comfort converge – attributes that don’t typically go hand in hand. Based on the mixed-depth rim profiles, the closest competitors come from Tune and Roval.
The Tune Yokto 4550 wheels we tested last month are pricier at £3,050 and do get ceramic bearings as standard, but also weigh 150g more than the Strade GT. We noted that the Yoktos do very little wrong but are not outstanding either and also possess a notably firm ride quality given the wrapped spokes.
Roval offers the mixed-depth Rapide CLX III in a reverse 63/58mm front-to-rear configuration. They also get ceramic bearings and carbon spokes, but have a narrower internal width and weigh more than both the Parcours and Tune wheels at 1,305g for the pair. They’re also pricier items at £2,998.
The Parcours Strade GT will set you back £2,499 with steel bearings. In fact, even if you spec them with ceramic bearings (£2,719), they still come up cheaper than both Tune and Roval, and quite frankly, offer better bang for your buck.
Based on their price, weight, all-round performance and superb ride quality, they are one of the best wheelsets I’ve ever sampled, and are close to perfect if I’m honest.
The Parcours Strade GT wheels occupy a unique space where performance and comfort converge
(Image credit: Aaron Borrill)
Tech specs
- Price: £2,499 / US$3,299 / €3,199
Weight: 1,140g (495/645g front/rear)
Disc layout: Centrelock
Spoke count: 21/24 front/rear
Rim depth: 49/54mm front/rear
Internal rim width: 23.5mm
Rim type: Hooked
Freehub options: Shimano HG11/12, SRAM XDR
