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Wheels and tyres are some of the best upgrades to keep your bike feeling fast and fresh. In this week’s Five Cool Things, we have a selection of wheelsets and tyres currently at road.cc HQ, from deep-section aero race wheels and all-round aluminium hoops, to handmade road and gravel tyres built for the mud. Here are the previews, with full reviews landing on the site soon.
Scope Cycling R4 V2 45mm Road Wheelset (£1,499.99)

The Scope Cycling R4 V2 45mm is a race wheelset from the Netherlands-based brand, “offering best in class aerodynamics, at a race ready weight” (according to Scope).
The carbon rims are 45mm deep, hooked, and have a 23mm internal width which the brand says has been optimised for 28mm tyres. The wheels weigh in at 1,392g on the road.cc Scales of Truth, which is competitive for a 45mm-deep wheelset at this price point.
Scope describes the R4 V2 45mm Road Wheelset as “built to last”, and they also include a three-year warranty plus lifetime crash replacement.
Challenge Elite Pro tyre (€49.17~£43)

> What tyres are best for your road bike?
Challenge’s heritage in producing handmade tubulars for cyclocross is perhaps what the company is best known for, and that experience carries over into the Elite Pro Handmade TLR tyre, which is designed for year-round riding.
Challenge says that handmade tyres combine “comfort, performance, and grip in a way other tyres can’t match”.
The tyre comes in black or tan sidewall options and in widths of 28, 30 and 32mm. George is testing the 30mm tan wall version, which weighs 302g – lighter than the claimed weight of 325g. Check back soon for his full review.
Fulcrum Soniq ALX Alloy SRAM XDR T/L Disc Brake Road Wheelset (£599.99)

> The road.cc Recommends Wheels of the Year 2025/26
The Fulcrum Soniq ALX Alloy Disc Brake Road Wheelset is the brand’s flagship aluminium model. It features a 33mm deep rim with a 23mm internal width, claimed to be compatible with tyres ranging from 28-65mm.
The welded rim is made from 6082 aluminium and has a non-drilled bridge, which is claimed to offer greater stiffness and strength, and eliminate the need for tubeless tape.
The complete wheelset weight is 1,716g, and Ollie Smith is currently testing these.
Buy from Bob Elliot for £599.99
Vittoria Terreno T90 Mud Tubeless Tyres (£54.99)

> Get some reliable rubber for mixed terrain with our pick of the best gravel tyres
Much of UK gravel riding involves time spent on mud, particularly in the depths of winter, and the Vittoria Terreno T90 Mud Tubeless tyres are designed for exactly that, featuring a “self-cleaning tread design”.
The Terreno T90 (formerly the Terreno Wet) sits at the top of the brand’s terrain severity scale, described as being “engineered for performance in the most extreme gravel conditions”.
The tyre is available in 40 and 42mm widths, with black or tan sidewall options. Dave Atkinson is testing the 40mm version, and his full review will be landing on the site soon.
Buy now for £54.99 from Freewheel
Oquo RA57 LTD wheels (£2,110)

> Building our own World Tour-ready wheels in the Basque Country: behind the scenes at Oquo
Pro Team Lotto-Intermarché use wheels from Basque brand Oquo, and the RA57 LTD’s are its deep-profile wheels designed for speed, weighing in at 1,410g.
Unlike many wheel brands that buy hubs from external suppliers, Oquo designs and manufactures its own in-house. The wheels rims are also designed in house, and all of its wheels use a ‘mini hook’ rim rather than a hookless design.
Oquo claims these wheels strike “the perfect balance between lightweight performance, high-speed efficiency, and added comfort”. Check back soon to find out if our reviewer agrees…
For all the latest full reviews on road.cc, head over to our reviews section. For more advice before splashing the cash, you can check out our buyer’s guides, and head over to road.cc Recommends to find all our top-rated products in one place.
