In 2024, Scribe came out with the new Superlight Élan wheels. The Northern Irish company has been producing quality carbon wheels since 2019, so it’s a relatively new company, but based on the number of quality units sold so far, most testers are already talking about one of the best value for money carbon wheels. However, Scribe has since stepped up: they focused on weight and quality, which resulted in the new Élan SuperLight this year.
I already had a Scribe wheel 3-4 years ago. Shortly after the company was launched my brother-in-law discovered the company, as the tests said very good things about them and the wheel was outstandingly good value for money. At the time, it cost 1000 euros, weighed under 1500 grams and was very well-reviewed. What caught my was the sound of the ratchet in that wheel: it was very very loud and I love loud ratchets. The loudest I’ve ever heard. Really. When I didn’t have this and two Scribes cyclist stopped pedalling in front of me, I was scared. People jumped to the side from 150-200 meters away.
Then I sold that wheel for a bike and since then I’ve been using a Campagnolo Bora WTO and a Roval C38. I didn’t write this to make you feel sorry, but so that you can place my opinion, since the Bora WTO is one of the best carbon wheels on the market, not only in terms of price – value. By the way, the ratchet sound of the Scribe is still missing, unfortunately the Campa and C38 are mostly quiet.
Scribe says their goal with the Élan SL was to create the fastest wheels at the most competitive price possible by using advanced carbon technology to position them among the leading wheels. While not compromising on performance or quality, the Belfast-based brand claims that the new wheels perform better in the wind tunnel than the Roval CLX I., and are priced much more affordably.
Quality and lightweight
According to Scribe, since they have always worked with quality materials and produced wheels with an unbeatable price-performance ratio, they focused primarily on weight reduction in the case of the Élan Superlight. Although they have had lightweight wheels before, as the Core SL was also under 1350 grams. They used new T1000 carbon fiber, an advanced resin system and a revised carbon “layout” for the rims. T1000 is one of the lightest but stiffest carbon fabrics, rarely used for wheels, but not many for frames. They optimized the use of carbon and resin, thus creating a wheel without compromises with significant aerodynamic advantages.
The weight reduction was quite successful: The 40mm high weighs 1242 grams, the 50mm weighs 1268 grams, and the 60 weighs 1396 grams (factory values).
The Élan wheels are equipped with carbon aero (flattened) spokes and have a U-shaped profile. Inside the hubs is Scribe’s own ratchet drive (which is based on a similar drive to the DT Swiss). The bearings in the case of the Élan are of course made of ceramic (this can be individually configured for several models), and the ratchet is of course 54 teeth (6.6 degrees) – so the top available solution in this type of ratchet technology. This is interesting because even the better wheels do not offer hubs with a 54-tooth ratchet, such as the DT Swiss 240, which is an industry standard that only offers 36 teeth and not ceramic bearings!
The 54 teeth are good because they provide instant drive and don’t allow for any delay (the higher the number of teeth, the faster the shifting). However, those who like a nice, quiet ratcheting sound won’t be a fan of the Élan (or any Scribe wheel), because it’s one of the loudest ratcheting sounds you can hear. It’s no wonder that the Scribe help page almost has the first question on its help page, “How can I make the ratcheting sound quieter?” Although I should note that unfortunately they greased mine properly, so when I first tried it, it wasn’t that loud, but then I took the grease out of it and now it’s really loud!
The wheel is available in three rim depths, 40, 50, 60, unfortunately there is no mixed one. In accordance with the latest trends, the rim is quite wide, the inner 21 mm, the outer 29 mm. The price is the same regardless of the rim depth: 1400 GBP, which is approx. 1600 euros. But more about the price and value later!
Positioned for the Roval CLX
Scribe says it compared its wheel to Roval’s wind tunnel-optimized CLX I (data collected at the Silverstone Cycling Wind Tunnel). Roval’s 50mm-deep model has the same 21mm internal width as the Scribe (although it has since been replaced in the Roval lineup by the CLX II). “We felt this was the best comparison for our design, as it has been tested as one of the fastest wheels on the market for a very long time. However, the newer CLX II is significantly wider (35mm up front) and in aero testing there was only a +1 watt difference between the CLX II and the CLX I,” they say.
Interestingly, Scribe recommends a 25mm tire up front for aerodynamic performance and a 28mm tire at the rear, where aerodynamics are less important but comfort is more. However, I don’t think there’s a problem with the tire sizing, a 28mm tire up front will at most lead to a small aero penalty that may be outweighed by the reduction in rolling resistance.
But what is the wheel like?
The good news is that I didn’t need to be convinced. I really liked my previous Scribe Core wheel, so I couldn’t wait to ride Scribe again. And of course, I was in a relatively difficult situation, because after the Campagnolo Bora WTO, I have to compare it to it. I can say this at the beginning that the Scribe Élan SL is much better, in fact. (But this is “on paper” case.)
My very first experience: it starts incredibly fast. This is obviously due to the lower weight. The Bora is 1520 grams (it feels much lighter than that), the Scribe Élan SL is 1268 grams. In addition, the Bora has a Conti GP5000 TR-ready, which is 270 grams, while the Scribe has Pirelli Zero race (220 grams). From this it is not difficult to calculate that a wheel change resulted in a gain of 300 grams. You can feel this immediately as soon as you step on the pedal. And all the way. It is much easier to accelerate in all situations. This is very useful.
The wheel is very stiff, but also comfortable. It’s a bit of a contradiction how a carbon wheel can be stiff and comfortable at the same time, but it is. The secret is probably in the T1000 carbon, which is the perfect material for this. It’s likely that the flattened carbon spokes also contribute to this. It feels better on bad roads. It’s very stable while riding, and the 50 rim makes it difficult to turn over. The U-shape and aerodynamics do their job.
The appearance is average, the Scribe is not known for its excellent design, although it doesn’t look bad. The workmanship and materials are apparently of high quality.
Services related to the wheel
All Élan Superlight models come with Scribe’s lifetime crash replacement and three-year warranty. Crash replacement means that if anything happens to your wheel, you’ll get a new one for 50% off. Scribe also offers its ReGeneration program, which allows you to return your old wheels and buy a new set for up to 40% off. Not to mention a free annual bearing replacement!
Summary
There is not much to fault about this wheel. Scribe has clearly used top-quality components, the wheel is balanced and noticeably uncompromising. It rolls well, is light and stiff. The service is also good and customer-friendly, with a 3-year warranty and a breakage warranty. And considering its quality, it’s a really good price. Just a few examples of wheels with similar features:
- Scribe Élan SL 50 – 1600 euros, 1268 grams
- Roval CLX II. 50 – 2300 euros, 1520 grams
- DT Swiss ARC 1100 Dicut 50 – 2000 euro, 1470 grams
- Campagnolo Bora Ultra WTO 50 dark label – 2300 euro, 1215 grams
- Hunt SUB50 Limitless – 2300 euro, 1380 grams
- ZIPP 454 NSW – 3300 euro, 1430 grams
- Lightweight Meilenstein EVO 48 – 5800 euro, 1380 grams
I put the last one here obviously as a joke, since Lightwieght is the TOP top, let’s say it costs that much (4 Scribes come out of it).. Only the Campa BORA Ultra can achieve such a weight, but at a price of 2300 euros… The DT Swiss 1100 wheel on the other industry benchmark, you can get it for around 2,000 euros, of course only with a 36 ratchet. As you can see, Scribe has created a wheel that can easily compete with the TOP wheels. And in terms of price – value, it is still unbeatable.
If I had to say one negative thing, I would say the availability. I don’t know why, because I’ve never had such an experience before, but now I had to wait quite a long time for the wheel. I ordered it in early May, paid a deposit, they promised it by the end of June, but then it turned out to be early August. The 2-month delay was explained by parts supply problems. Something must have happened, because several of my friends are also having their wheels slipping.
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What is Scribe?
Scribe Cycling started in 2019. We are talking about a Northern Irish company, with headquarters in Belfast. The company was founded by Alan Graham, who spent more than a decade working for the largest cycling companies in Northern Ireland and it was during his previous work that the idea for founding Scribe was born.
From the beginning, he was determined to design the products in-house. There are so many small product elements that go into making great products, he says. Everything is made in Taiwan, but the components come from all over the world. The carbon fiber is from Japan, the grease is from Germany, the bearings are from Japan, the hub is from Taiwan. “We send everything to Taiwan for assembly, and then we ship everything to our headquarters in Belfast, Northern Ireland, before shipping it to customers around the world.”
One of the most talked about features of the Scribe is the ratcheting sound. “We use a single-disc ratchet drive system – it’s an exclusive patented technology,” says Alan. All our wheels are super light. From the beginning, we spent a lot of time working with chemical engineers to look at resin types. Our carbon fiber is very strong but incredibly light.”
But despite making quality wheels, they needed to get in the market. Alan realised that the brand had to offer more, namely: incredible value for money. “We know that our technology can compete with the market leaders, but as a new entrant you can’t suddenly compete with the big brands. So we priced our products to be incredibly strong in terms of value for money and set ourselves the goal of being the best pound-for-pound bicycle wheel brand in the global market,” says Alan.
This approach worked. In Scribe’s first year, every product was sold before it even went into stock. Then in the second year, it was the same. “I would say we get an email at least once a week from US customers asking if the price is for just one wheel,” says Alan.
In addition to quality, they put a lot of effort into customer satisfaction. “We do things that many other brands don’t. If someone ever has a problem, all they have to do is send us an email or use our chat service and we will solve the problem right away. This is because we know exactly what it’s like when a customer calls with what they think is a guarantee, but the brand doesn’t care. We will never be that brand.”
Key to this customer-centric approach are three important measures that come with every Scribe carbon wheel:
- Lifetime collision replacement
“Lifetime like-for-like replacement (beyond the 3-year warranty) means that if the wheel breaks or collapses, you only pay 50% of the replacement product. Essentially, we only cover our costs,” says Alan.
- Three-year warranty – “With our three-year warranty, if something goes wrong, you get a replacement immediately and we’ll cover the cost of rebuilding or send you a whole new wheel,” says Alan.
- Three years of free bearing replacement (for Core and Elan models) –
“We offer free bearings every year during the three-year warranty period. All customers need to do is contact us annually and we will send them free bearings. It’s all included in the price. We cycle in the UK in terrible weather and a bearing can go bad at any time,” says Alan.
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