Scope Artech 6 wheelset

The Scope Artech 6 is a flagship wheelset that pushes the boundaries of material science and aerodynamic theory. Priced at a staggering £3,498 (rising to £3,998 if you opt for the CeramicSpeed bearing upgrade), these wheels are clearly not aimed at the average rider. However, for those looking for the absolute pinnacle of current wheel technology, Scope has delivered something truly unique.

Engineering and aerodynamics: the ‘fish scale’ effect

The most striking feature of the Artech 6 is the ‘Aeroscales’ rim texture, which gives the carbon a surface that looks remarkably like fish scales.

Developed in collaboration with the University of Technology Delft, the design was born from an existing 2D algorithm that was evolved into a 3D-based model. The inspiration comes directly from nature. Fish scales help reduce drag as they move through water by generating velocity streaks over their surface.

Scope claims this texture stabilises airflow and reduces drag at greater yaw angles, without having a negative impact at 0 to 10 degrees of yaw.

On the road, the real-world benefit of this research is tangible. Despite being 65mm deep, these wheels handle crosswinds similarly to much shallower 40mm rims. During testing, I was impressed by the lack of buffeting. Even in gusty conditions, the bike felt stable and predictable, allowing for a constant rolling speed without the super twitchy feeling often associated with deep rims.

Lightweight construction and 3D printing

Weight is where the Artech 6 are super impressive for deep-section wheels. My set weighed 1,305g on my scales with the installed rim tape.

To help achieve this, Scope utilised 3D-printed Scalmalloy for the hubs – a high-strength aluminum-magnesium-scandium alloy. The hubs are a work of art, featuring weight-saving measures like a channeled-out section of the Centerlock disc mount.

The build is completed with Carbonlite spokes – aerodynamically shaped carbon rods. There are 18 spokes in the front and 24 in the rear, providing a sturdy build that reduces the risk of major failure if you were to lose a single spoke. Furthermore, the spokes are held captive, meaning a rapid and complete spoke detensioning won’t happen.

Scope uses an internal nipple approach, so I would imagine your best approach to a broken spoke or out of true wheel would be to send them to Scope, making home maintenance more of a challenge.

Despite the ultra-lightweight build, there is impressively no rider weight limit – a claim many cheaper lightweight wheels cannot make.

Setup and durability

The rims arrive taped and come with high-quality valves, though the valves themselves are nothing special.

Mounting tubeless tyres proved a bit slippery during the initial installation process, and I found my tyre levers were all over the shop if I wasn’t careful. Once on, one tyre seated and pumped straight up with a floor pump, but the other required a tubeless blaster to get the necessary oomph to pop into place.

Once installed, 28mm tyres sit lovely and flush with the rim edge, creating a smooth aerodynamic transition.

In practice, a 28mm Continental GP5000 STR tyre measures just over 31mm, so you should bear this in mind when working out the maximum tyre size you can fit in your bike when using these wheels.

The rims have a normal hooked design, making it much easier to set them up properly, and giving more support to the tyres, hopefully making any random blow-offs impossible.

Mechanically, Scope has used very common bearing sizes to ensure long-term serviceability. The set contains a total of five 6803 bearings and one 6903.

The titanium ratchet system in the freehub is designed for improved durability over time, though it is undeniably loud. On long descents during a trip to Mallorca, the freewheel noise was so piercing it drew complaints from the rest of the group I was with as we headed down the mountains. If you prefer a stealthy ride, you will definitely want to pack some extra grease into the freehub body.

I have to add here that within the test period (roughly eight weeks) the front wheel bearings became rough and no longer spun well, which is quite the surprise for wheels at this price point.

Removing the non-drive-side end cap revealed a little rust/contamination on the face of the outer bearing race. Pulling the axle out, the drive-side bearing was fine. The non-drive-side bearing was rough, suggesting some form of water ingress.

Whether this is a one off problem I couldn’t say, but for longevity, the Ceramic Speed option may be a better route.

We raised the issue with Scope and were told that the reviewed wheelset had already seen more than 18 months of use across multiple reviews before arriving at road.cc.

“While every media wheelset is inspected before being sent out, bearings are wearing components and are not routinely replaced between review periods. Given the wheelset’s accumulated mileage, the observed bearing wear is consistent with normal service life rather than indicative of a durability issue with a new wheelset.”

It didn’t look like the wheels had seen 18 months of use to us, but it’s difficult to comment on bearing life given they weren’t new out of the box.

The ride experience

Out and about, the Artech 6 wheels are nothing short of rapid. They make a satisfying, deep whooshing noise typical of high-end carbon, and they feel exceptionally fast on the flats. This was potentially helped along by a tailwind during my first outing, but the sensation of speed was great, and gave me a big smile.

I used these wheels for the Mallorca 312, a 312km Gran Fondo. I finished in 10 hours and 15 minutes and I think I can say that these wheels helped the time. They provided immense confidence on technical mountain roads and maintained a high rolling speed on the flatter sections.

They also attract a significant amount of attention at cafe stops due to the combination of their unique looks, the loud freehub, and the premium price tag.

Warranty and value

Scope offers a lifetime warranty against manufacturing defects, which provides significant peace of mind, though you must register the wheels within 30 working days of purchase for this to be valid.

There is also a lifetime crash replacement program, but the fine print is worth noting – it currently costs just under €1,200 per wheel, and Scope reserves the right to exclude any product from the program without needing to provide a specific reason.

At £3,500 or more, the Scope Artech 6 is a luxury item that delivers genuine performance gains. They are head-turning wheels that make you feel incredibly fast while providing a level of stability in the wind that is rarely found with 65mm rims.

The price undeniably puts these at the very top of the cost options out there, so anything you’d compare it to would be the best option a given brand has.

The bearing wear is potentially a big downside though, and not the kind of thing you expect with something like this.

An even more expensive option is the Princeton Carbonworks Peak 4550 Evolution wheelset, which was priced at an incredible £4,899 – although it now seems to have been superseded by a newer version. Stu said the tested versions were some of the best wheels you could get, and they weighed an impressive 1,220g for the 45/50mm depth.

Fulcrum has a similar looking offering, with a wavy rim profile, in the form of its Sharq 42 wheelset, which comes in at £2,500. They are 1,472g for the pair, so a bit heavier than some other wheels in the same bracket. They offer great build quality and performance though.

Something a little more funky is the Syncros Capital SL40 wheelset – effectively a single bit of carbon, with the spokes bonded to the rim and hub. This makes any changes impossible, but it allows for an impressive 1,202g weight. Jamie thought they were good, but they use a hookless design and cost a little more than the Scopes.

Overall

If you have the budget and want to be the centre of attention while enjoying some of the most technologically advanced wheels on the market, you won’t be disappointed. I daresay that if you are the kind of person to be looking at these wheels, I’d recommend the £500 upgrade to Ceramic Speed, and they should last you no problems.