Reserve

36/39 DT 180 Carbon Tubular Wheelset

What Our Gearhead® Experts Are Saying:

"The Reserve 36/39 is one of those wheelsets where every decision has a clear performance rationale behind it. The asymmetric depth pairing is smart engineering rather than marketing, and the DT 180 hubs are among the most reliable and consistently smooth-engaging hubs available at this weight. For a rider building a dedicated climbing or CX race setup around tubular tires, this is the wheelset I would spec without hesitation."

The geometry of a Grand Tour stage finish tells you everything about what a climbing wheelset needs to do. Long valley roads at race pace demand aerodynamic efficiency. The final kilometers on steep gradients demand rotational weight savings that compound with every pedal stroke. The Reserve 36/39 DT 180 Carbon Tubular Wheelset was designed to serve both requirements simultaneously, and its presence on Jonas Vingegaard's Cervelo R5 during back-to-back Tour de France victories is the most credible performance endorsement a wheelset can carry.

The asymmetric rim depth pairing is the defining engineering decision of this wheelset. A 36mm front rim keeps steering light and crosswind management predictable on exposed climbs and descents where a deeper section would create handling liability. The 39mm rear rim adds aerodynamic return where it costs the least in handling compromise, capturing free speed on the flat and rolling terrain that connects the critical climbs. Both rims share a 28mm inner width and 30mm outer width, optimizing the aerodynamic junction between rim sidewall and tubular tire carcass across the recommended tire range up to 35mm. The ERD measures 570mm on the 36 and 563mm on the 39, reflecting the precise dimensional engineering that makes Reserve carbon rims consistently reliable across build and tension specifications.

The DT 180 hubs are among the lightest and most mechanically refined hubs available for a performance road application. Their engagement feel is immediate and consistent, and their long-term reliability under race conditions is established across the professional peloton. Freehub compatibility covers both XDR and HG-EV driver standards, meaning the 36/39 integrates with current Shimano and SRAM drivetrains without an adapter compromise. Centerlock disc interface provides consistent, centered rotor alignment across wheel changes, a meaningful advantage for teams and riders who swap wheels between race days and training.

At 1166g for the complete wheelset, the Reserve 36/39 DT 180 sits at the intersection of everything a weight-conscious road racer or CX competitor demands. This is a tubular-specific wheelset, requiring tires glued to the rim, and that construction choice is intentional. Tubular tires remain the lightest, most supple, and most responsive option available for riders who are building around outright performance rather than convenience. For the athlete whose racing happens in the mountains and whose margins are measured in seconds per kilometer of climbing, the Reserve 36/39 DT 180 is the wheelset those seconds were built around.