Elitewheels Introduces DRIVE II and Marvel II Wheels: Here Is What’s New

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The DRIVE II and Marvel II are here, and Elitewheels claims they’re better than ever. Specifications-wise, they are. But are they worth the upgrade? In this article, I’ll examine what’s new, break down the specs, and compare them to some of the best Chinese carbon wheels to see if they’re game-changers or just another iteration.

DRIVE vs. DRIVE II: What’s New?

In short, DRIVE II wheels are now available in different rim depths of 36, 50, and 65mm. The 40mm was replaced with a 36mm option. Surprisingly, the weight remained the same for all these depths (so the DRIVE II 36D has the same weight as the DRIVE 40D).

What changed, though, is the rim width. Elitewheels follow the trend of wider rims. The internal rim width increased from 21 to 23mm and the external one from 28 to 31mm. This width makes the wheels better optimized for 28 or wider tires. I recommend reading my article on the ideal wheel and tire width for more info.

DRIVE II wheels should be 5W faster than the DRIVE. They were tested in the Silverstone wind tunnel, but more details are yet to be published. I just noticed that DRIVE wheels were tested with the Evolve CIMA road bike frame. It seems that Elitewheels and Evolve are cooking something together because Evolve was co-founded by the Elitewheels founder. So, stay tuned for more info.

The carbon spokes are now 1.3mm wider, reaching a width of 4.5mm. They are not bonded anymore. The construction of the hubs changed a bit. Elitewheels claim that they are as easily replaceable as steel spokes. From the currently available images, it seems the spokes are not slid into flanges from the sides but rather threaded through the eyelets. This should ensure that if one spoke fails, the other spokes will not separate from the hub and will remain in place.

These carbon spokes should be 8% stiffer laterally. Each spoke weighs around three grams. If you are unsure whether carbon spokes are good for you, read my article comparing steel vs. carbon spokes.

Another change worth mentioning is the hubs department. DRIVE II features a “Kinetic hub.” Elitewheels left the pawl-ratchet mechanism and used a 50T star ratchet system. They should increase the engagement surface area and improve longevity. Well, we will see! Elitewheels further explains that the new hubs feature new seals that should reduce the likelihood of ingress by dirt and moisture. These hubs use S&S ceramic bearings. Hopefully, they are better quality than the previous ones, which started to wear out sooner than expected during my testing of DRIVE wheels.

The decals have also changed to allow others to recognize that you have a second generation. Instead of 2 DRIVE logos, there are now 3, and they have a different color. They are supplemented with other patterns.

Lastly, the price increased from 1189 USD to 1299 USD. This price bump was expected, as the first generation DRIVE wheels were introduced already in 2022.

Marvel vs. Marvel II: What’s New?

Marvel wheels saw more significant improvements and will be more compelling than ever. They are now wider and much lighter. Their internal width increased from only 17mm to 23mm and the external from 28mm to 31mm. The average weight reduction is 200g per wheelset. See the following table.

This weight reduction was mainly achieved by using Alpina Ultralight Aero spokes, which you can also find on the Farsports C wheels that I reviewed last year.

Elitewheels also talks about the “innovative reduced hook design.” This feature should “combine the benefits of both hooked and hookless rims, delivering aerodynamic performance and optimal tire shape while maintaining security and tire compatibility.” Well, I’m pretty curious about this one. Stay tuned for more details.

Unfortunately, the price bump is pretty significant. The price jumped from 599 USD to 839 USD. While Elitewheels has delivered major updates to this wheelset, I think they will be a tough sell compared to wheels such as the Elitewheels EDGE, eventually slightly more expensive YOELEO NxT SL 2. We will see.

Will the DRIVE II and Marvel II Wheels Be Competitive?

In the past half a year or so, competitors such as Farsports or YOELEO introduced new generations of their wheels. They pushed the weight closer to that 1300g mark (for a 50mm wheelset) or even lower. They also have similar rim widths. Automatically, the question arises whether the DRIVE II and Marvel II wheels are competitive.

The first generation of DRIVE wheels was already ahead of its time. The 2nd generation brought us a nice specs bump but nothing revolutionary. Specifications-wise, it basically addresses most shortcomings. However, I can already hear a few people complaining (hello, Chris Miller and Jessy Coyle) that they are not wide enough.

With Marvel II, however, it’s another story. Their improvements are much more noticeable, but the same can be said about the price, which increased by 40%. Luckily, you can take advantage of the following codes that give you nice discounts on the first generations.

What do you think about these new wheels? Let me know in the comments below, and remember to join my Facebook group, where we discuss everything related to Chinese bikes.