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At Eurobike 2023 and then in 2024, I met representatives of the Chinese wheel brand Up-Vine. They asked me if I would be interested in reviewing their wheels. As always, I assured them that I would be happy to but not to expect a positive verdict if there was anything wrong with the wheels. They agreed and sent me the wheels a few weeks later. So, in this Up-Vine Pro+ review, I share my experience and how they compare with other Chinese alternatives.
KEY TAKEAWAY
Up-Vine Pro+ wheels surprised me with their riding characteristics. They are stiff and ride beautifully behind the pedal. I enjoyed riding them on flats, hilly terrain, and steep hills. At the same time, they felt more comfortable than other carbon-spoke alternatives. Of course, the riding comfort is still a bit worse than on steel-spoked wheels. They are also stable in crosswinds and at high speeds. Aside from the more challenging seating of tubeless tires, the non-existent distribution network outside China, red decals, and a higher price, I have nothing to criticize.
My Pro+ wheels scoring at a glance:
Crosswind Stability 5/5 | Stiffness 5/5 | Riding Comfort 4/5 | Speed Maintenance 5/5 | Tire On 2/5 | Trueness 5/5 | Spoke Tension 5/5 | Dishing 5/5 | Price 2/5 | OVERALL 4.2/5
More about this road wheels scoring.
![Surprisingly Good Wheels You Never Heard About [Up-Vine Pro+ Review]](https://www.cyclistshub.com/wp-content/cache/flying-press/bc1455fabf92820feb35de9b1b015a7b.jpg)
What Is Up-Vine?
Up-Vine is a Chinese brand that I first met at Eurobike 2023. They had both carbon and Kevlar spoked wheels on display there. They have been manufacturing wheels since 2016. They started with aluminum wheels and hubs but then gradually shifted their focus to making carbon wheels. They also claim to have their own factory, but I think it’s more likely that they outsource production to a third party like many other Chinese brands.
What I do like though is the fact that they send a spoke tension chart with every wheel. The maximum lateral and radial deviation is set at 0.15mm. Have their wheels passed my QC? You will see later in this article.
Up-Vine Pro+ Main Features
Here is a quick summary of the features and specs of the Up-Vine Pro+ wheels.
Main Features
- Well-balanced (stiffness, comfort, stability)
- Very stiff yet comfortable
- Excellent crosswind stability
- Fast on flats
- Preinstalled tubeless rim tape
- Premium unboxing experience (spoke tension chart included)
- Tubeless valves are included
- Spare spokes are not included
- 2-year warranty
Technical Specifications
- Type: Disc, clincher (tubeless-ready)
- Weight (with rim tape and tubeless valves):
- Front Wheel: 661g
- Rear Wheel: 768g
- Measured weight: 1429g
- Claimed weight: 1410g (±5%)
- Measured rim width:
- Internal: 23.5mm
- External: FW 31.2/34.1mm, RW: 29.1/30.3
- Rim depth: 50mm
- Spokes: Carbon spokes
- Hubs: Up-Vine Pro+ hubs with steel bearings
- Rider’s weight limit: 120kg (264.5lb)
First Impressions and Unboxing
The unboxing experience of the Up-Vine wheels was one of the more premium ones. The wheels came in a protective box not covered with standard duct tape. Instead, they used adhesive, so there was no need for a knife. Each wheel was then packed precisely in its own box.
I also liked that each wheel had a tag with information (although in Chinese) and information about the tension of each spoke. This is the first time I’ve seen this with Chinese wheels, and I appreciate it. If there was a signature of, for example, the employee who built them, it would add an even more personal dimension. The package also included a stylish box with tubeless valves and tire levers.
In-House Tests
As always with road bike carbon wheels, I concluded the following tests before I started using the wheels:
Lateral and Radial Trueness
I checked both wheels’ lateral and radial trueness on a truing stand. While the rear wheel was perfect, the front wheel was slightly off in one place. This deviation was smaller than 0.5mm, though.
Spoke Tension
The spoke tension was basically perfect. This means no spoke was outside the 5% average tension. I am not saying that each spoke had the same tension, but they were within 3%! This is the best result I’ve ever recorded. See the following charts for more info.
Rim Centering (Dishing)
The dishing (how well-centered the hub is) ended well. Only the rear wheel had a tiny gap between the pin and the end cap. But this is just me being picky.
A Look Inside
The internal rim structure looked clean and was without wrinkles or epoxy leftovers. Again, these rims belong among the best ones I’ve seen.
The Difficulty of Putting the Tire On
Pro+ wheels are tubeless-ready and come with preinstalled tubeless rim tape. So, as always, I tried to put my brand new Tufo Comtura 4 TR 28mm tires on. Putting the tire on the front wheel required tire levers, as I could not put it on without them, no matter how hard I tried. On the other hand, I could seat it using a regular floor pump.
But my experience with the rear wheel was different. I put the tire on with more effort, but seating it on a regular floor pump was impossible. Then I tried using the compressor, but no luck. This surprised me because the compressor pressured to 8 bar with a wide nozzle and valve core removed is basically foolproof. But not this time.
I tried adding a sealant, but it didn’t help. In the end, I took the tire off, cleaned the rim and the tire, and after a few more tries, the tire finally seated. This was the first time I struggled so much with seating the tire. The air simply kept escaping. I don’t know if this was an issue with the tire (it was brand new) or the rim design.
Riding Experience
I’ve ridden many wheels, but these are among the best. I don’t know how it is possible, but they perfectly combine stiffness, riding comfort, and stability. Considering they have carbon spokes, I don’t feel like they are too harsh on rough roads. I think it has something to do with their wide rim width, as my 28mm tubeless tires have a real width of 31.1mm! For comparison, the same tires on Lún MEGA wheels have a width of 30.1mm and 30.4mm on Superteam All-Carbon Ultra.
I recently had an interesting conversation with a friend about rim width. We agreed that 3 years ago, it wasn’t that big of a deal. However, it’s a big topic in 2024, and wide rims are becoming popular, thanks to the increasingly popular wider tires. And frankly, I fully support this trend. I don’t feel like I’m losing speed, but the increased comfort is noticeable. I plan to try 32mm tires on the road in the future. When inflated, I assume the tires will be 34mm. Who would have said 5 years ago that we would be running such wide tires?
However, professional teams use similarly wide rims/tires. I’ve noticed this with the Reserve (Visma-Lease and Bike) and ENVE (Total-Energies, Team UAE) bikes, for example, when I’ve seen them in real life. The tires on them look like balloons. There’s something to it. The added ride comfort is especially noticeable on long rides when you won’t be so tired of the ride vibrations. But how do these wheels perform in other aspects?
In terms of stiffness, the Up-Vine Pro+ go beautifully behind the pedal. I enjoy the quick acceleration on them because it’s basically instantaneous. I’m also happy with their stability in crosswinds. They belong among the most stable ones I’ve used. Trust me, I only weigh around 68kg, so I notice each wind gust.
I find them very similar in ride characteristics to the Superteam All-Carbon Ultra wheels, which also combine well the 3 main characteristics of good wheels (comfort, stiffness, stability). The Lún HYPER 3 and Lún MEGA are stiffer but also less comfortable on rough roads. Before you decide which wheels to buy, make sure also to consider the quality of the roads you ride the most often.
So, do Pro+ wheels have any weaknesses? Compared to steel-spoked wheels, they’re still less comfortable. That’s just a disadvantage of carbon spokes. At the same time, some may be put off by the higher price compared to other Chinese alternatives. Personally, I also don’t like the logos, especially the red accents. They don’t fit with the rest of my bike. As they say, it’s not how you ride, it’s how you look, isn’t it?
Maintenance-wise, it can also be tricky, as with every carbon-spoked wheelset. The spare spokes are not included, but I am sure they will send you replacement ones for free. You will just have to wait for them.
The hubs use steel 17287 bearings (2 in the front and 4 in the rear), so buying replacement ones shouldn’t be an issue. There is only one type, which is great. It’s also surprising that they are steel, not ceramic, as most wheels in this price range jumped on the ceramic bandwagon. I honestly prefer steel bearings for their durability. For example, the bearings on Elitewheels DRIVE started to show signs of wear after just 2000-3000 km. If you want more details on which bearings are better, read my comparison of steel vs. ceramic bearings.
Up-Vine Pro+ Alternatives
The following table shows all the wheels I tested. It also includes several Up-Vine Pro+ alternatives.
| 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
The Up-Vine Pro+ surprised me mainly with its well-balanced stiffness, ride comfort, and stability. Details like branded tubeless valves, tire levers, packaging, a spoke tension chart from the assembly, and excellent build quality are just the icing on the cake. But to be fair, this is exactly what I expect from wheels at this price range.
It’s a big question whether they’ll become popular, especially when many Chinese alternatives offer similar, perhaps just slightly worse handling characteristics, but at a fraction of the price. At the same time, these wheels are hitting a price point where many people will prefer Western brands, which they feel are more comfortable with in case of a complaint.
Although I haven’t put thousands of miles on them yet, so I can’t rate the long-term durability, all my impressions have met my expectations.
Up-Vine 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.
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