AND WHY IT MATTERS.
Why the New Scribe Ultra Range Costs More:
At Scribe, we’ve always prided ourselves on delivering world-class performance without the world-class markup. Our new Ultra Range doesn’t change that philosophy, but it does represent a new tier of engineering, materials, and performance that simply wasn’t possible at previous price points.
These wheels are the result of several years of development, countless prototypes, and extensive wind-tunnel, lab, and field testing. Everything has been re-engineered from the ground up: new carbon layups, new aero geometries, new hubs, new spokes, and new assembly processes. Every component is bespoke.
1. High-Grade Carbon That Costs More and Performs Better
The Ultra rims use significantly higher-modulus carbon with a much more complex layup schedule. Higher-grade carbon isn’t just “lighter and stiffer” it’s substantially more expensive per kg, harder to work with, and requires tighter manufacturing tolerances.
2. New Aero-Optimised Rim Shapes
The Ultra Range uses new rim profiles built around:
CFD modelling
Real tyre 3D scans
Multi-yaw drag analysis
Prototype iterations validated at SSEH
Benchmarking against ‘known industry fastest’
3. OSL8 Carbon Spokes
Carbon spokes are already costly; aero-shaped carbon spokes with tight UD oscillating carbon design take things to another level. The spoke itself costs over 10× more to produce than a Sapim CX-Ray steel spoke, and they dramatically improve lateral response and dynamic stiffness as well as reduce weight and add to the aesthetic appeal.
4. New UltraLight Hub System with Ceramic Bearings
The all-new Ultra hub has been engineered for maximum efficiency & reliability; interfaces have been scrutinised and redefined with tolerances applied, ensuring perfect integration with its Grade 3 ceramic bearings & 36-tooth double-disc ratchet drive system.
The increased precision required to optimise limits (and fits needed to house bearings) takes more time and increased inspection/validation to produce. But the payoff is reduced friction, improved durability, and a wheel that holds speed like nothing we’ve made before.
5. Hand-Built, Low-Volume Production
The Ultra model, like every other Scribe wheel, isn’t mass-produced. Every wheel requires significantly more skilled labour time, more inspection steps, and sharper QC thresholds. When you tighten every tolerance, the build cost naturally increases.
This isn’t “production line” manufacturing; it’s controlled performance engineering.
6. You’re Paying for the Fastest Scribe Wheels We’ve Ever Made
We know the Ultra Range costs more than the previous generation of CORE and Élan wheelsets, but they are also objectively faster, lighter, stiffer, and smoother. They’re built for riders who want the absolute best and who value marginal gains that come from high-grade materials and obsessive design work.
They sit comfortably alongside, and in many cases ahead of, wheels costing hundreds more from the big brands. The Ultra Range is the most advanced wheelset we’ve ever produced. It costs more because it delivers more.
