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A few weeks ago, Farsports introduced a new wheelset, the Farsports Wave. I had already reviewed the Farsports Ventoux S wheels, so I was excited to test their latest invention. They were kind enough to send me a pair for review. But as always, I assured them that I wouldn’t spare them.
Even though it’s already winter, I’ve managed to ride them for about 500 1000 km. So, how did they hold up?
KEY TAKEAWAY
The results of my in-house testing and riding experience were great. Wave wheels were perfectly trued and had consistent spoke tension except for a few spokes. Ride-wise, they surprised me with their crosswind stability, good riding comfort, and decent momentum on flats and rolling terrains. The use of wide-spread DT Swiss hubs and Sapim CX-Ray spokes means they are easily serviceable. I can recommend them if you are looking for reliable carbon wheels. You can buy them at wheelsfar.com.
Use this Wheelsfar (Farsports) discount code CYCLISTSHUB50 at www.wheelsfar.com during checkout to get 50 USD OFF your purchase. Share this code via email.
My Wave wheels scoring at a glance:
Crosswind Stability 5/5 | Stiffness 3/5 | Riding Comfort 4/5 | Speed Maintenance 5/5 | Tire On 5/5 | Trueness 5/5 | Spoke Tension 4/5 | Dishing 3/5 | Price 4/5 | OVERALL 4.2/5
More about this road wheels scoring.
Farsports Wave Background Info
As their name suggests, Farsports Wave are wheels with a sinusoidal wave pattern. So, in theory, you should get the aero benefits of deeper wheels while having the crosswind stability of shallower wheels.
However, as Jean-Paul Ballard from Swiss Side explains in his Google talk, the wave pattern doesn’t bring significant benefits but is good for marketing. The same applies to the golf ball-like dimples on wheels.
Anyway, Farsports offers their Wave wheels:
- in multiple rim depths (45/50, 55/60)
- with different hubs (DT Swiss 350 and DT Swiss 240 S)
- in matte or satin finish
- with Shimano or XDR freehub body
The wheels with DT Swiss 240 S hubs are about 400 USD more expensive than those with 350.
The question is:
Who are these wheels for?
The Wave wheels will catch the eye of others because the sinusoidal rim profile is still not that common. They are also relatively easy to repair thanks to the widespread parts like DT Swiss hubs and Sapim CX-Ray spokes.
Let’s check their features more in-depth.
Main Features
Here is a quick summary of the Farsports Wave wheels’ features and specs.
Main Features
- ISO 4210 certified
- Unique ‘wave’ rim profile
- Great crosswind stability
- Tubeless valves included
- Spare spokes not included
- Rim tape not included
- 2-year warranty
Technical Specification
- Type: Disc (rim brake option is not available), clincher (tubeless-ready)
- Weight
- Front Wheel: 736g
- Rear Wheel: 880g
- Measured weight: 1616g
- Claimed weight: 1580g (±30g), 1470g (with DT Swiss 240 hubs)
- Measured rim width:
- Internal: 21.0mm
- External: 28.7mm
- Rim depth: 45/50mm
- Spokes: Sapim CX-Ray
- Hubs: DT Swiss 350
- Rider’s weight limit: 110kg (242lb)
Use this Wheelsfar (Farsports) discount code CYCLISTSHUB50 at www.wheelsfar.com during checkout to get 50 USD OFF your purchase. Share this code via email.
First Impressions and Unboxing
Farsports Wave wheels came in a box wrapped in a plastic bag.
I don’t think the bag was necessary. Let’s be more environmentally friendly next time. What’s more important (from the brand’s perspective) is that they completely missed the opportunity for branding.
Their logo was not printed anywhere on the box. It didn’t include any brochures, etc. Just the wheels and tubeless valves. I guess this is because the Wave wheels series are not as ‘premium’ as the Farsports Ventoux S, for example.
Anyway, upon unboxing, the wheels were scratch-free. It’s a shame the tubeless rim tape is not included or preinstalled. I believe the rim tape should already be preinstalled on tubeless wheels. What do you think?
Out of curiosity, I checked the grease on the bearings of the rear hub. It was okay. See the following pictures for more details.
In-House Tests
I conducted the following tests before I started using these wheels:
Lateral and Radial Trueness
I put both wheels on a truing stand and double-checked their lateral and radial trueness. The results positively surprised me because both wheels were perfectly true (lateral and radial-wise).
The Wave wheels reached one of the best results of all the Chinese wheels I have tested so far. For a better idea, the biggest “bump” was caused by the Farsports sticker near the valve hole.
Spoke Tension
In theory, spoke tension should be relatively consistent, given the radial and lateral trueness results. However, a few front wheel spokes were out of the 5% tolerance and one out of the 15% limit.
The rear wheel ended up much better. Only two spokes didn’t meet the 5% tolerance. Otherwise, the spoke tension was super consistent.
Rim Centering (Dishing)
The dishing (how well-centered the hub is) ended a little worse. Both wheels had a tiny gap (<1mm). See the following pictures for reference.
And here is the rear wheel.
A Look Inside
The internal rim structure of the Wave wheels looked good compared to the other carbon wheels I’ve reviewed.
Only in one spot (middle picture) did I notice a change in the texture of the outside of the rim. Unfortunately, I can’t explain what caused it. However, this is a cosmetic detail that does not affect the ride.
The Difficulty of Putting the Tire On
Wave wheels are tubeless-ready, so as always, I tried to put my Tufo Comtura 4 TR 28mm tires on. Putting them on was so easy that I didn’t need tire levers. This could be influenced by the fact that I already used the tires for a few hundred miles (kilometers).
But, seating them was also easy with an air compressor. I didn’t try seating them with a floor pump, though. Anyway, I wish all tubeless wheels would be so easy to seat. Or maybe I just get more experienced? Who knows. Haha.
Use this Wheelsfar (Farsports) discount code CYCLISTSHUB50 at www.wheelsfar.com during checkout to get 50 USD OFF your purchase. Share this code via email.
Riding Experience
I couldn’t wait to try these wheels outside. Although it was winter, I rode them for about 500 km in harsh cold weather.
My first impressions were great. I particularly noticed that the wheels’ stability in crosswinds is pretty good and predictable. Although not as good as shallow wheels, they are one of the best 50mm wheels I have tested. I did not observe any wobbling at high speeds (60km/h+), which gave me confidence when descending.
Due to their higher weight and lower stiffness, they are less responsive than lightweight wheels with carbon spokes. Therefore, they are more suitable for steady efforts rather than quick accelerations or climbing.
On the other hand, they feel more comfortable on rough roads. It’s important to note that I always use the same tires and tire pressure when testing wheels. The wheels simply absorb more vibrations, resulting in a more comfortable ride.
Other aspects worth highlighting are DT Swiss hubs and Sapim CX-Ray spokes. These parts are widely available, so you can easily service the wheels almost anywhere in the world (unlike proprietary carbon spokes/hubs).
Their rim width and shape give them a relatively smooth tire-rim transition, resulting in better aerodynamics. Unfortunately, I do not have the resources to conduct scientific testing.
I like how they maintain speed. Once I spin them to about 40km/h (24.9mph), they keep the momentum pretty well, so I like riding them on flats and rolling terrain.
Overall, I am pleasantly surprised by their riding characteristics. They are a good choice for flat or rolling terrain. But if you are a climber, look elsewhere.
Use this Wheelsfar (Farsports) discount code CYCLISTSHUB50 at www.wheelsfar.com during checkout to get 50 USD OFF your purchase. Share this code via email.
Farsports Wave Alternatives
Farsports Wave (with DT Swiss 350) have multiple alternatives:
- YOELEO SAT PRO 2022 are a little more expensive but have a unique rim finish and are lighter. I reviewed them here.
- Elitewheels BWT have optionable hubs from DT Swiss and Sapim CX-Ray spokes (use the code CYCLISTSHUB to get 15% OFF).
- Farsports Kaze are almost fully customizable. The price differs based on the components (use the code CYCLISTSHUB50 to get 50 USD OFF).
- ICAN AERO are well-built and, according to Hambini, belong among the fastest carbon wheels at this price range.
You can also check out the wheels in the following table, which shows the individual criteria of all wheels I tested and my rating.
| Reviewed Wheelset | Average Score | Crosswind Stability | Stiffness & Responsivity | Riding Comfort | Speed maintenance | Tire On¹ | Lateral and Radial Trueness | Spoke Tension | Rim Centering | Price | Rim depth | Weight (F | R | Pair) | Rim Width (I | E) | Note | Buy |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| YOELEO NxT SL2 C60 | 4.2 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 3 | 60mm | 623g, 736g, 1359g | 23.3mm 31.1mm | Great balance between speed, riding comfort, and stability. | Check Price Use code CYCLISTSHUB to get 10% OFF |
| Farsports C5 | 4.2 | 5 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 50mm | 602g, 726g, 1328g | 24.2mm 30.4mm | Great balance between stiffness, riding comfort, and stability. | Check Price Use code CYCLISTSHUB to get 30 USD OFF |
| Up-Vine Pro+ | 4.2 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 5 | 2 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 2 | 50mm | 661g, 768g, 1429g | 23.5mm 29.1mm | Great balance between stiffness, riding comfort, and stability. | Check Price |
| Lún HYPER 3 | 4.1 | 5 | 5 | 3 | 5 | 3 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 2 | 46/54mm | 598g, 766g, 1364g | 23.2mm 28.6mm | Better crosswind stability and comfort than HYPER 2023, but much higher price and no butterfly-weave finish. | Check Price Use code CYCLISTSHUB10 to get 10% OFF |
| Elitewheels ENT | 3.8 | 4 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 50mm | 828g, 950g, 1778g | 20.0mm 28.4mm | Heavy and soft but comfortable and good on flats and steady efforts. | Check Price |
| Elitewheels EDGE | 3.8 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 5 | 4 | 5 | 50mm | 633g, 720g, 1353g | 21.2mm 28.9mm | Comfortable, lightweight but relatively soft compared to carbon-spoked wheels. | Check Price |
| Lún MEGA | 4.1 | 5 | 5 | 2 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 1 | 46/54mm | 616g, 782g, 1398g | 20.8mm 28.1mm | The stiffest wheels I tested. Ideal for smooth roads or racing, but they are not comfortable. | Check Price Use code CYCLISTSHUB10 to get 10% OFF |
| Lún HYPER SE 2023 | 4.3 | 4 | 5 | 3 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 46/54mm | 654g, 803g, 1457g | 21.3mm 27.9mm | Better than HYPER 2020 in all aspects. I believe they provide better value for money than HYPER 23. | Check Price Use code CYCLISTSHUB10 to get 10% OFF |
| Superteam All-Carbon Ultra 2023 | 4.6 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 3 | 50mm | 633g, 769g, 1402g | 21.3mm 28.7mm | Not overly stiff, but responsive. Stable in crosswinds and ideal for most terrains, questionable reliability. | Check Price Use code CYCLISTSHUB to get 5% OFF |
| Farsports Wave | 4.2 | 5 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 45/50mm | 736g, 880g, 1616g | 21.0mm 28.7mm | Affordable, easy-to-service, unique-looking wheels suitable for flats and steady efforts. | Check Price Use code CYCLISTSHUB50 to get 50 USD OFF |
| Trifox WT11 | 3.8 | 4 | 2 | 5 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 50mm | 769g, 874g, 1643g | 18.4mm 25.1mm | Affordable and comfortable, but not well assembled. | Check Price Use code CYCLISTSHUB to get 8 % OFF |
| YOELEO C50|50 SAT DB PRO 2022 | 4.1 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 50mm | 705g, 830g, 1535g | 18.5mm 25.5mm | Affordable and easy-to-service wheels suitable for flats and steady efforts but with too loud hubs. | Check Price |
| Farsports Ventoux S | 4.0 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 5 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 2 | 45mm | 637g, 755g, 1392g | 19.2mm 25.5mm | Stiff, responsive, and premium wheels suitable for most terrains. | Check Price Use code CYCLISTSHUB to get 30 USD OFF |
| Elitewheels DRIVE 45mm Disc | 4.0 | 5 | 5 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 3 | 45mm | 562g, 718g, 1280g | 21.4mm 28.8mm | Stiff, responsive, and lightweight wheels suitable for hilly and mountainous terrain. Not too fast on flats. | Check Price Use code CYCLISTSHUB to get 15% OFF |
| Lún HYPER 50mm | 4.0 | 3 | 5 | 3 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 50mm | 650g, 779g, 1429g | 19mm 26mm | Stiff, responsive, and lightweight wheels suitable for hilly and mountainous terrain. Not too stable in crosswinds. | Check Price Use code CYCLISTSHUB10 to get 10% OFF |
| YOELEO C50|50 SAT DB PRO | 4.3 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 50mm | 705g, 830g, 1535g | 18.5mm 25.5mm | Affordable and easy-to-service wheels suitable for flats and steady efforts. | Check Price |
The scale for each feature is 1-5 points, where 5 is the best. The rating can be retrospectively adjusted based on the comparison with other wheelsets (more about this scoring).
SCROLL HORIZONTALLY FOR MORE INFO.
¹How difficult it is to put a Tufo Comtura 4 TR 28mm tubeless tire on and properly seat it.
My Verdict
I tried hard to find any significant negatives about these wheels, but the only issue I found was their higher weight and lower stiffness, which resulted in worse responsiveness.
However, most other features, such as crosswind stability, riding comfort, serviceability, and ability to maintain speed, are above average—especially in this price range.
When we consider the unique rim wave-like pattern, which helps you stand out from the crowd, these wheels deserve your attention.
They’re ideal for flat and hilly terrain, and for those looking for easy-to-repair wheels, they can rely on.
Use this Wheelsfar (Farsports) discount code CYCLISTSHUB50 at www.wheelsfar.com during checkout to get 50 USD OFF your purchase. Share this code via email.
Farsports Wheels FAQ
The product for this review was kindly provided by the manufacturer. This did not influence my overall verdict or my opinion about the product. You can learn more about how I approach reviews here.
Browse More Chinese Carbon Wheels Reviews
Hi Petr, on the Farsports site, the outer width of your tested wheels are “31mm”. And the wheels are also tubeless compatible since they do not appear to have any holes on the inner channel. Are your tested wheels the same as those on their website?
Hi Lukie,
yes, they should be the same. The 31mm width is the width in the widest point. And yes, they are tubeless compatible. 🙂
Let me know if you have any questions.
– Petr
Let me start by saying I was a huge Farsports Fanboy.
I currently own 8 sets of their wheels across road, gravel, and mtb. Most have been holding up just fine.
TLDR: Last two wheelset have had rims catastrophically fail, with no real acknowledgment from Farsports.
However, I have noticed a downward trend at least anecdotally. As far back as a few years every wheelset has come massively over-tensioned, including some of my neighbors sets as well. This isn’t a huge deal as I just retension/dish the wheel and move on. I figure that is the price to pay for a cheaper wheel.
But my last two sets have failed catastrophically.
The first was a front wheel that was part of a Hyper XC set. This is their ultimate light weight MTB wheel that I was using for gravel. On a downhill section of service road I hit an embedded rock and the rim shattered causing me to crash and abandon my tour. This rock was not large or sticking out much. On a mtb trail it would cause no pause, yet the wheel broke. I was lucky to have people near me to get a local to pick me up and to only have minor shoulder issues. It could have been much worse. Farsports charged me $150 for a new rim.
The second was the rear wheel of their road wave series.
A few days ago I was starting a road ride and got about 100 ft from my car when I heard a gunshot and felt my tire go flat. Upon closer inspection, my rim had blown apart. It is set up tubeless and the tire was inflated to 64psi. I did not hit anything as this was in a parking lot and luckily I was only going about 5 mph when it happened. This could have been so much worse as I was only minutes from going 40+mph. When I contacted Farsports they offered me a rim for $200 which is the normal cost, claiming I am out of warranty. Which I am, by a few months.
Their explanation for why this happened is because I was using it as a tubeless wheel and this is quote “After experience, it seems the sealing is not enough when installing the tubeless tyre, and pumping up the air then problem caused. Not the quality of rims since you have used them more than two years”
I assume that she is stating that the seal wasn’t good enough and air went into the rim cavity, however these have no spoke holes so the only place that can have seal issues is the valve. These have a drain hole that should prevent that.
Also I have been using this rim with a tire on there that was about to be replaced due to how worn it was. There was nothing new added to the equation.
Apparently, a rim exploding is par for the course if it happens after 2yrs.
I am just putting this out here as a warning.
Hi Kevin,
Thank you for sharing your experience and I am very sorry to hear that you had such issues with the wheels. If you could email me some pictures, that would be great! Hopefully, others won’t experience something similar. I have only positive experience (knocking on the wood) so far.
– Petr