Deda Elementi Trenta2 Gravel Disc Carbon Wheels

The Deda Elementi Trenta2 carbon clinchers are some of the lightest gravel disc wheelsets we've tested, and they've achieved that without losing stiffness or durability. This is a tough yet fast set of wheels and an absolute joy to ride.

Low weight isn't normally the main criteria when it comes to choosing a set of wheels for your gravel/adventure bike, but if you're more of a gravel racer than an explorer, shaving a few hundred grams here and there can make a big difference to performance.

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The Trenta2s weighed in at 1,470g on the road.cc scales with the tubeless tape already fitted. That's impressive for a road wheel, let alone a set designed for the abuse of off-road jaunts.

They are very pleasant wheels to ride, with a comfortable feel and no noticeable harshness coming back through to your contact points. Obviously, this is helped by a large chamber gravel tyre helping to soak up the bumps, which is why I fitted some 28mm slick tyres pumped up hard and tested the wheels on the road first to gauge their ride quality.

The 32mm deep, 29mm wide (external) rim is made from a blend of uni-directional high modulus and 3K carbon fibre, which is laced to the alloy hub with 24 spokes front and rear.

It's a stiff build, easily detectable when accelerating hard or tackling steep, rocky climbs where you just need to drive the power through them to keep momentum.

After seeing the weight, not only was I surprised about the high stiffness levels, I also had concerns about durability.

I'm no lightweight rider and my style of riding means I'm quite hard on wheels, especially on poor surfaces.

The Dedas have stood up really well to all of the abuse. Some of my favourite gravel tracks were overlaid last year with much bigger, chunkier aggregate than was there previously. Traffic is slowly starting to smooth things out, and the gaps between the rocks are filling with soil and sand so they aren't quite as brutal as they once were, but descending can still be a bit of a lottery, requiring some bunny-hopping here and there to avoid the potholes you can't see until the last minute or the disguised tall, jagged rocks.

The sounds that can come back through the wheels and bike can make you cringe, but after six weeks of abuse the Dedas haven't suffered at all.

They're as true as they were when they arrived, and the carbon shows no signs of marking or damage from the impacts they've taken. The Trenta2s are a very solid set of wheels.

Tyre choice

The rims are of the hooked variety, meaning not only are they compatible with tubeless tyres they'll work with standard clinchers too.

Going down the tubed route, I fitted the Panaracer Race D Evo 4 tyres to test the ride quality on the road. They went on easily enough and were removed without issue too.

For testing gravel wheels I always use Zipp Tangente Course G40 tyres. At 40mm they fit comfortably within Deda's recommended 28mm to 50mm width range, and fitting was an absolute breeze just using a standard track pump.

> Buyer’s Guide: 25 of the best gravel bike tyres

The satisfying ping as the bead popped under the hook of the rim was pretty much simultaneous around the entire wheel.

I also fitted a set of 43mm Panaracer GravelKings without fuss too.

Value

The price has crept up a bit since the start of testing, but I still think that at £1,204.99 they offer good value for money, especially considering the weight and quality.

They are over 100g lighter than the £2,010 Corima G30.5 gravel wheels. I really rated the Corimas when it came to their ride quality, and the Dedas are very similar in that respect.

> Read off.road.cc’s guide to the best gravel wheelsets you can buy

I was also really impressed with Edco's gravel offering. At 1,533g the Edcos are also light, and have a retail price of just £900. They do have a hookless rim, though, which limits your tyre choice to tubeless only.

For £899 there is always the highly recommended Hunt 35 Gravel X-Wide wheelset.

Conclusion

Overall, I really rate the Trenta2 wheels. They've performed much better on the longevity front than I thought they would, and after using them for good few hundred miles I would have no qualms using them for gravel racing or loaded treks out into the woods or a bit of an adventure. You can get cheaper, as ever, but I think Deda has a well-balanced package here when it comes to quality and performance.

Verdict

Lightweight gravel wheels that don't sacrifice durability or stiffness