Scribe Élan Ultra 6 wheels

The Scribe Élan Ultra 6 wheels are a very good choice for fast group rides and races. Their low weight and high stiffness also make them great for climbing – though lighter riders may need to be careful of the way they can catch the wind.

Setup

It is clear that Scribe had taken care with how the Élan Ultra 6 wheels left the factory. The rim tape was perfectly finished, which played a part in making the wheels very easy to set up tubeless.

The 30mm Hutchinson Blackbird Race tyres I fitted went up with just a track pump, seating the bead at 45psi.

Once inflated, the tyres also stayed inflated overnight, suggesting a very good tubeless fit. When you’ve spent a chunk of money on new wheels, it’s great to have such a smooth tyre setup experience.

The only negative I can find here is that the tyres were slightly difficult to remove at the end of testing. Then again, should you suffer a sudden puncture, that could certainly be seen as a positive.

Ride impressions

The main purpose of this wheelset is speed, where Scribe claims to be leading the pack. While my small group test found the Élans to be slightly slower than wheels from Roval, Enve and Scope, they weren’t far off and they are significantly cheaper.

Real world testing is rarely as clear cut as the wind tunnel, but my time with the Élan Ultra 6s showed several places where they shone. The combination of stiff carbon spokes and a low weight of 1,287g result in wheels that climb exceptionally well for their 65mm depth.

Heading (stupidly) up the local Prospect Place climb, with gradients in the mid to high 20s, the wheels were impressive under the significant low cadence effort. The Élan Ultra 6s felt noticeably better on steep hills than the Enve SES 4.5s I usually ride, though it wasn’t all sunshine and rainbows.

My testing period included several windy days which highlighted the 65mm deep rims’ susceptibility to catching gusts. On occasion, I found myself grappling with the front wheel a little. This is not uncommon with such a deep wheel, but it is worth noting that smaller riders may be better off sticking with the 50mm deep Élan Ultra 5.

Or, you could opt for the 6.5 combination set to give you the 50mm front wheel, though the general trend now is to use the deep wheel at the front for aero benefits.

Lighter riders should also be aware of the vertical stiffness that comes with many carbon spoked wheels. Scribe’s choice of a 24mm internal width does a lot to compensate for this, allowing me to run a little lower pressure than on the 21mm internal Roval Rapide CL III, but they still wouldn’t be my first choice for broken roads.

But nothing can really detract from the excellent speed of these wheels, both on the flat and on climbs where I really wasn’t expecting it.

Construction

The construction of the Scribe Élan Ultra 6 wheels is excellent, with the fancy carbon spokes helping to justify the £500 price increase over the Élan Core range.

My favourite part of the wheelset, however, is the rim. Aesthetically, the way Scribe has laid the carbon and exposed it under a glossy coating is reminiscent of Campagnolo’s drop-dead gorgeous Bora Ultra WTO wheels.

I can’t say I’m a fan of the bubbly logos, which fill up too much space on the rims for my taste, but this can be forgiven when we come to what’s inside the rim bed.

The 24mm internal width works very well with 30mm tyres, adding 1mm to the stated width. Scribe’s ramped rim bed also works effectively, allowing for very easy tubeless installation and I like that the designers have chosen to go down the hooked path. While I’m yet to have an issue with road hookless, I’m also yet to feel a tangible benefit.

Scribe has designed the hubs well too, being ambitious, but sensible. The machined hub bodies have been lightened where possible, but I’m pleased to see an enclosed bed for the straight pull spoke heads. This might just help you to keep things upright should you lose a few spokes in a mid-race tangle.

I’m not such a fan of the green hub bodies, whose 36T freehub ratchet emits a buzz so sharp it might wake the neighbours as you roll out for a Sunday morning spin. However, the benefit of the system is that the 10º engagement means very fast pickup out of corners.

Rivals

In terms of rivals, Scope has plenty in a saturated market. I tested the wheels back to back against the Roval Rapide CLX III (£2,998), Scope Artech 6 (£3,500) and Enve SES 4.5 (£3,350).

While the Scopes were faster in my aero testing, the Scribes beat the Rovals and Enves by a small margin while being significantly cheaper. I also found the tubeless setup to be much better with the Scribes than the Rovals, although the Rapide CLX III is a comfier wheel over rougher ground.

With the Élan Ultra 6 costing £1,999 there are a also few cheaper options. Hunt, for example, has the 54_58 Aerodynamicist with UD carbon spokes for £1,599, though they are 32g heavier at 1,319g.

But I think the Scribe wheels represent decent value. They certainly cost a pretty penny, but you’re looking at spending significantly less than with some big name rivals.

Conclusion

The Scribe Élan Ultra 6 wheelset is fast, very well finished and offers easy tubeless setup. The wheels climb exceptionally well for their depth, making them a great option for fast group rides and racing on mixed terrain.

Their depth can be a handful on windy days and they might be a little harsh for lighter riders, but the combination of build quality, performance and price looks tricky to beat.