The Oquo RP50LTD wheels are seriously impressive. They’re fast, exceptionally smooth and very easy to use in different conditions, managing to blend strong aerodynamic performance with stability and comfort in a way that works brilliantly on real roads. After riding them in mixed conditions, they stood out as probably the smoothest and fastest wheels I’ve ever ridden, and they feel like a genuinely versatile option rather than something that only shines in perfect conditions.
Build and specs
The RP50LTD wheels use a 50mm carbon rim with a modern, rounded profile that’s clearly designed to balance aerodynamic efficiency with predictable handling. The rim features a mini hook design, which means they can run clinchers if needed and allow for a wider range of pressures compared to straight-side hookless rims.
The wheels are tubeless-ready out of the box, and I had no issues fitting my standard review tyres to them. I ran a set of Schwalbe One tyres in a tubeless setup, using the tubeless sealant supplied with the wheels, and everything went together easily. The tyres seated without drama and held pressure consistently throughout testing, which suggests both that the rims are well-made but also that the sealant provided is of a high quality.
Internally, the rim has a 25mm internal width and a 34mm external width, which makes it a chunky rim that feels big in your hands and reassuringly wide when fitted. This wide profile helps to maintain a stable and more oval tyre shape that also contributes to the calm, planted feel on the road and allows for lower pressure and a smoother ride. It’s a setup that suits wider road tyres particularly well and plays a big role in the wheelset’s smooth ride quality.
Oquo says the RP50LTD is a competitive gravel oriented wheel, but it’s also well suited to modern road tyres. It supports a tyre range of 29mm up to 50mm.
A key part of what makes these wheels what they are is the new Q10 hub. This is fully CNC-machined from aerospace-grade aluminium and uses a 45-tooth ratchet system that delivers quick pick-up when you push the pedals.
They spin smoothly and efficiently, and the design means there is less maintenance needed over time. One thing that really stood out to me, though, was just how quiet the freehub is.
When freewheeling there’s very little noise at all, it’s more than the Fulcrum Wind wheels I reviewed a couple of months ago, but I actually ended up fitting a bell on my bike as I couldn’t rely on a freewheel to get the attention of people in front of me, even if I was just a few metres behind. It adds to the polished, high-quality feel of the wheelset and will suit riders who prefer subtle refinement over a loud, buzzy freehub.
In terms of looks the wheels are more of a matt grey than the black you’d expect for most carbon rims, with our set having a large Oquo logo in white and a smaller logo opposite the valve. However, you can choose from 12 different colour options with a gloss flash, so you can easily choose one to complement your frame.
The Ride
The standout trait of the RP50LTD is how effortlessly fast they feel. They spin up quickly when accelerating, and once you’re up to speed, they carry momentum exceptionally well. On fast group rides and sustained efforts, they make it easier to hold a strong pace without it feeling like you’re constantly forcing the bike along.
Despite the depth, stability is excellent, and even in crosswinds the RP50LTDs remained calm and predictable. They never felt twitchy, even when riding in gusty conditions, which made them easy to trust on exposed roads and fast descents.
Their cornering performance is also very good. The wheels feel stiff, predictable and dependable through sharp corners, so I felt that I wasn’t ever sailing close to the wind even when I was pushing harder than I normal into a corner.
What really sets these wheels apart is their ride quality. For a fast, aero-oriented wheelset, they are impressively smooth. Road buzz is well controlled, and rougher sections of tarmac are taken in its stride rather than being transmitted straight through the bike. There is no doubt that a lot of this comes from the ability to run tyres at a lower pressure, but it is also testament to the build quality of the wheels.
Despite this comfort they still feel taut and responsive when you’re pushing hard and I found that when I was putting the power down in a sprint or grinding up a hill, these were very nimble and quickly responsive to any change in my cadence or power.
The wheels weigh 1,462g, which is competitive for a 50mm carbon setup and partly explains why something this deep can still feel so responsive on climbs.
Not only do the wheels come with sealant but they also come with a high-quality pair of wheel bags.
Value
Their £2,110 RRP means these are expensive, but we’ve tested dearer options with similar internal widths.
Over on off.road.cc, Matt found the £2,398 DT Swiss GRC 1100 Dicut to be fast, strong wheels that prioritise speed over other areas.
The Zipp 353 NSW Tubeless wheelset is super light and fast in all conditions. Hookless rims limit your tyre choices, though, and at £3,376, the price is huge.
Our best road bike wheels buyer’s guide features our favourites from £300 to over £3,000.
Conclusion
The Oquo RP50LTD wheels deliver exactly what they promise: speed, stability and a genuinely smooth ride. They’re not chasing extreme light weight, but at 1,462g they are very competitive for a 50mm set of wheels.
I can see why Oquo’s Q10 hub won the best component at Eurobike last year because it is so smooth, picks up incredibly quickly and hold speeds well. Before these I was running a set of £1,500 wheels, and the change from those to these felt like that time you go from stock wheels to something better – which is quite a recommendation.
Having tested a lot of wheels over the years, most of the differences are fairly minor once you go over around £1,400 and with the increasingly impressive carbon hoops coming out of more budget brands that is becoming even harder. However, these are truly a step above anything I have used before, these are absolutely superb wheels.
Verdict
Smooth, comfortable, responsive and fast – perhaps the best wheels I’ve ridden in 20 years
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road.cc test report
Make and model: Oquo RP50LTD wheels
Size tested: Shimano HG freehub
Tell us what the wheel is for and who it’s aimed at. What do the manufacturers say about it? How does that compare to your own feelings about it?
The combination of an aerodynamic profile and a wider rim creates an ideal wheel for high-speed performance on rough surfaces, whether it’s cobblestones or gravel races. The beauty of the design is that the wider rim also enhances stability in crosswinds.
OQUO Q10 hub provides excellent reliability for the most demanding conditions, while reducing rolling resistance and weight. For riders needing to get somewhere fast on rough terrain, this is the ideal wheelset.
Tell us some more about the technical aspects of the wheel?
General material: Carbon
Wheelset Weight: 1,421g
Size: 700C
Rim: Mini-Hook
Rim Inner Width (Front / Rear): 25 / 25
Valve: Presta
Hub: OQUO Q1O Axle (Front / Rear)
Thru-axle 12mm 100 F/142 R
Disc Mount: Centerlock
Freehub: SRAM XDR / SHIMANO HG
Spokes (Front / Rear): 24 / 24
RATCHET ENGAGEMENT ANGLE / POINTS OF ENGAGEMENT: 8° / 45
Hub inside tech: SHARKRATCHET
Spokes: SAPIM CX-RAY T-Shape
Spoke Widths: 2.0 – 0.9 / 2.2 – 2.0 mm
Nipples: Sapim Alloy
OQUO Wheel bags, tubeless valves, sealant
Superb, everything stayed true, tyre fitting was a cinch and there was barely any air leakage between rides
These manage to offer fantastic stiffness when pulling, impressive stability and a lot of compliance too – the holy trinity for wheels.
These soaked up rough surfaces for dinner and with their width you could conceivably use them as very aero gravel rims.
They are up there with the lightest 50mm wheels we’ve seen on the site
Normally when I look at wheels at this price there’s a slight improvement over wheels costing around £1,500 – this is the first time it has felt like a seismic jump.
Did the wheels stay true? Any issues with spoke tension?
They stayed true throughout without any issues despite running them on some very rough Cotswolds roads
How easy did you find it to fit tyres?
Very easy, managed to get the tyres seated by hand and inflated without any issues
How did the wheel extras (eg skewers and rim tape) perform?
This is the first set of wheels I’ve reviewed that came with their own sealant, and this worked excellently. They are also the first that have provided non-block tubeless valves, again no issues at all. The bags are also of high quality too, which is always a plus.
Tell us how the wheel performed overall when used for its designed purpose
Very well, these are my favourite wheelset I’ve reviewed to date. They pick up speed quickly, they’re responsive, stable and they have a subtle freewheel buzz to boot.
Tell us what you particularly liked about the wheel
They are smooth, whether that’s from the silky hubs or the rim width allowing for lower pressures.
Tell us what you particularly disliked about the wheel
They’re not the cheapest.
How does the price compare to that of similar products in the market, including ones recently tested on road.cc?
The Vision Metron 45 SL Disc Carbon Road Wheelset are a little cheaper and a little lighter – but the rims are 5mm shallower.
The HED Wheels Vanquish Pro V4 are similarly handmade and are aimed at the same market as the Oquos, but in spite of having rims that are 5mm shallower, they’re heavier and the hookless rim limits your tyre choice too.
Did you enjoy using the wheel? Yes
Would you consider buying the wheel? Yes
Would you recommend the wheel to a friend? Yes
Use this box to explain your overall score
Superb wheels that are smooth, fast, comfortable and responsive. The Q10 hubs are out of this world and the mini-hook design means you can run them however you want – a truly great wheelset.
About the tester
Age: 35 Height: 6 ft Weight:
I usually ride: CAAD13 My best bike is: Cannondale Supersix Evo
I’ve been riding for: 10-20 years I ride: Every day I would class myself as: Expert
I regularly do the following types of riding: commuting, club rides, sportives, general fitness riding, fixed/singlespeed,
1 thought on “Oquo RP50LTD wheels”
road.cc wrote:
The linked article correctly states that the HEDs are in fact hooked.
Then, if you’re talking claimed weight (from the manufacturer), the difference is 1499g(HED) – 1421g(OQUO) = 78g.
If you’re talking measured weight (from the reviewer), the difference is 1599g(HED) – 1462g(OQUO) = 137g.
Neither of those is “nearly 200g“. Furthermore, did your measured weight include tape and valves like the HED measurement did?
As for the silliness about “They spin up quickly when accelerating, and once you’re up to speed, they carry momentum exceptionally well” and the like, I guess bike reviewers gonna do what bike reviewers gonna do?♂️