Farsports Wave 45/50mm Review: Stand Out from the Crowd!

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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?

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.

The wheels with DT Swiss 240 S hubs are about 400 USD more expensive than those with 350.

Let’s check their features more in-depth.

Main Features

Here is a quick summary of the Farsports Wave wheels’ features and specs.

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

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’m just getting more experienced? Who knows. Haha.

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 observed no 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 don’t have the resources to conduct scientific testing.

I like how well 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.

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 offer optional 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.
• 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.

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.

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.