Based in Thalwil, near Zürich, Swiss Side believes in exhaustive wind tunnel analysis, which guided the design and evolution of its new Gravon 500 wheelset. It’s deeper than the Swiss Side’s 420 and promises even better ‘sailing’ properties when rolling along in windy conditions.
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The Gravon 500’s core specifications are a 50mm rim depth, balancing aerodynamics with crosswind stability, and an internal diameter of 24mm. That means it can seat tyres up to 69mm wide, although the ideal is 40mm, as proven by Swiss Side’s testing.
For real-world conditions, most gravel riders chose 40-45mm wide casings as their ideal tyre width. Gravel tyres in those widths blend traction, low-pressure ride comfort and structural symmetry when mounted to a rim, creating the least possible aerodynamic drag instead. But what about wheel shape and the influence of crosswind conditions?
With the 500, engineers and aerodynamicists at Swiss Side wanted to create a deeper section rim that could enhance riding efficiency in specific windy conditions. Gravel riders know that wind is often unavoidable on flat open sections of an adventure route, especially in semi-arid desert areas.
To validate the Gravon 500’s aero properties, engineers used Cervélo’s Aspero and Schwalbe G-One gravel tyres in the wind tunnel. The efficiency gain in a 30km/h side wind simulation was between 2- and 6 watts. For riders who live in geographies where prevailing winds are blustery, the benefit of an aero gravel wheelset, which can harness some ‘sailing’ effect, could be beneficial, provided your regular riding route meets the wind direction at a desired angle.
As you’d expect from a Swiss boutique cycling brand, Swiss Side’s Gravon 500-series wheels spin on DT Swiss hubs, the ultralight and efficient 370s. DT Swiss also collaborated on the composite fibres to create the Gravon 500’s rim structure.
The total wheelset weight is claimed to be 1746g, and drivetrain compatibility is generous. The standard freehub is Shimano and SRAM 10- and 11-speed, while there are options for 10-, 11-,12- and 13-speed groupsets for Shimano, SRAM and Campagnolo. Swiss Side’s Gravon 500 is priced at €1,595. We’ll be back with UK pricing as soon as we can.
