And at this year\u2019s Tour de France<\/a> \u2013 the sport\u2019s primary shop window \u2013 only three of the 23 men\u2019s teams were using hookless rims<\/a>.<\/p>\n In this third and final instalment of my series on hookless rims (don\u2019t forget to check out parts one and two, on safety<\/a> and performance<\/a>), I\u2019m going to attempt to uncover what the future holds for this technology.<\/p>\n What\u2019s the bike industry\u2019s take on the issue? How do professional riders feel? And might cycling\u2019s governing body \u2013 the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) \u2013 have the final word on the matter?<\/p>\n Let\u2019s find out.<\/p>\n Why do hookless rims even exist? To understand the future of hookless rims, it\u2019s helpful to look back and understand why they even exist in the first place.<\/p>\n According to Jake Pantone, ENVE’s vice president of product and brand, the brand introduced the technology to road bike rims to help optimise them for tubeless tyres<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u201cWhen we first introduced tubeless,\u201d Pantone says, \u201cwe were using soft tooling to create the rim’s tyre channel as well as the hooked bead.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThis allowed for the tooling to be removed from the rim and not be captured by the hooks, but inhibited achieving accurate and precise bead seat diameter dimensions.\u201d<\/p>\n A rim\u2019s bead seat diameter is a measurement of its size where the tyre beads sit. On a 700c or 29in wheel, this is 622mm (with a tolerance of +\/- 0.5mm) \u2013 hence when a 700x28c tyre has an ISO label of 28-622.<\/p>\n \u201cHaving experienced success on the mountain bike side of things, we decided we needed to implement hookless on our road wheels as well,” Pantone adds.<\/p>\n \u201cUltimately, hookless opened the door for optimised bead seat diameters and therefore a more perfect tubeless system.\u201d<\/p>\n For tubeless tyres to retain air, their beads must form an air-tight seal with the rim, whether the rim features bead hooks or not.<\/p>\n As ENVE\u2019s website notes, if the tyre bead isn\u2019t stiff enough to prevent it from stretching, or if the rim\u2019s bead seat diameter isn\u2019t accurate enough, the tyres may \u2018burp\u2019 air if it momentarily separates from the rim under load.<\/p>\n Those who\u2019ve been around long enough to have experienced the early days of tubeless will remember that tyres burping air used to be a fairly common issue.<\/p>\n A 2014 column from former BikeRadar US editor, Ben Delaney<\/a>, documented his \u201cmeh-affair with road tubeless<\/a>\u201d. This included complaints about his tyres burping air during a cyclocross race<\/a>, for example.<\/p>\n In the same year, ENVE introduced hookless rims to its M-Series MTB wheels<\/a>, partly in an effort to solve this problem.<\/p>\n As Pantone says, ENVE (and other brands) started porting this tech over to road bike wheels<\/a> as tubeless was becoming one of the next big things in road cycling, and it appeared as if hookless rims could help solve the same issues.<\/p>\n The trend made headlines when high-profile brands such as Zipp and Giant went all-in on it around 2020 \u2013 around the same time as the ETRTO and ISO agreed on a set of standards<\/a> for hooked and hookless rims for tubeless tyres.<\/p>\n Ahead of the game<\/p>\n A rim is only half of the equation in a tubeless wheel system, though.<\/p>\n If, as ENVE says, the tyre bead isn\u2019t stiff enough to resist stretching, it can burp air or even blow off the rim.<\/p>\n In a blog post in September 2019, ENVE said: \u201cRim manufacturers have outpaced the rate at which some tyre manufacturers have innovated, creating a complicated environment for consumers when it comes to pairing tyres with their new state-of-the-art hookless road or gravel rims.\u201d<\/p>\n Rather than being deterred by this mismatch, though, brands exploring hookless rims instead pressed ahead with internal testing \u2013 creating compatibility guides for existing tyres to help riders make safe choices.<\/p>\n My guess would be that rim manufacturers thought tyre manufacturers would quickly catch up with this technology and the compatibility \u2018problem\u2019 would be solved.<\/p>\n When Giant and Zipp rims went hookless, for example, Continental\u2019s flagship tubeless road tyre, the GP5000 TL<\/a>, was not hookless-compatible, while existing tubeless models from the likes of Pirelli and Vittoria failed Giant\u2019s enhanced internal testing protocol.<\/p>\n All three of those brands (and most others) now produce hookless-compatible road tubeless tyres, but Hunt\u2019s senior development engineer, Patrick Brown, makes it clear that road bike tyres still aren\u2019t all created equally.<\/p>\n He says he\u2019s \u201cnever seen a Schwalbe tyre derailment\u201d, but he believes blow-off standards haven\u2019t improved because, \u201csome tyre manufacturers on that ETRTO board are struggling without the hook for tyre retention\u201d.<\/p>\n In fairness to tyre manufacturers, it\u2019s worth remembering how fast things have changed in this area.<\/p>\n As recently as 2019, tubeless tyres were still \u201ca novelty\u201d in the pro peloton<\/a>, with tubulars being the dominant choice. Fast forward a few years and the opposite is true. Finding a tubular tyre on a WorldTour bike<\/a> in 2025 is like seeing a Coelacanth in the wild.<\/p>\n Given more time \u2013 or a world where brands agree to share or standardise tyre bead technologies \u2013 it\u2019s possible we could reach the point where the tyre blow-off standards for hookless rims could be improved.<\/p>\n Do hookless rim and tyre \u2018systems\u2019 offer a solution? In the interim, though, some rim manufacturers moved to producing their own tyres, or producing tyres with partner brands to offer better system performance and reliability.<\/p>\n Zipp, for example, recently collaborated with Goodyear<\/a> to produce its latest \u2018Fitment Series\u2019 tyres, such as the Vector R Z30 NSW and Vector R Z30 SW \/ 35 SW.<\/p>\n According to Goodyear, these tyres \u201cmaximise the overall performance of the tyre and rim as a unified system without some of the traditional constraints\u201d of working independently of specific rims.<\/p>\n The result, Goodyear says, is that \u201cVector R Z30 NSW is the most efficient tyre Zipp has tested in more than 20 years of wind tunnel testing\u201d, offering \u201cup to 2 watts\u201d improvement in aerodynamic performance (at an unspecified speed) compared to the next best competitor.<\/p>\n Performance benefits aside, Goodyear also says designing tyres to match specific rims helps ensure a correct \u2013 and therefore safer \u2013 setup.<\/p>\n Giant likewise produces its own Giant- and Cadex-branded tyres, which are rated to far higher inflation pressures than the ETRTO-prescribed limit.<\/p>\n The 25c Giant Gavia Course 1 tyres that came with my 2020 Giant TCR Advanced Pro Disc 2<\/a> had a labelled pressure range of 85-125psi \/ 5.8-6.5 BAR, for example \u2013 well in excess of the ETRTO \/ ISO maximum pressure limit of 72.5psi \/ 5 BAR.<\/p>\n Giant has updated its guidance on this since<\/a>, though, lowering the minimum pressure to 70psi \/ 4.8 BAR for 23 and 25c tyres.<\/p>\n The Giant hookless rims those tyres were mounted to also came with a warning sticker quoting a maximum pressure of 125psi \/ 8.6 BAR. This was also present on the Cadex wheels that came with Giant\u2019s Propel Advanced SL 0<\/a> in 2022.<\/p>\n In any case, Giant\u2019s website says: \u201cGiant WheelSystems are built to be used as a system and Giant and Cadex tyres are always the best choice.\u201d<\/p>\n While this seems an attractive solution to the hookless dilemma from a safety perspective, it\u2019s less so from a performance perspective.<\/p>\n Giant and Cadex tyres, for example, have historically performed poorly in independent rolling resistance tests compared to options from third-party manufacturers.<\/p>\n Goodyear\u2019s tyres are more competitive in this regard, but experience also suggests that when asked to put their money where their mouth is<\/a>, most roadies at BikeRadar would opt for options from third-party manufacturers, rather than system-specific options.<\/p>\n As a performance-conscious rider, I don\u2019t want to be tied to a specific tyre manufacturer for optimal safety \u2013 I want to select the best tyres for my style of riding, no matter which brand produces them.<\/p>\n Josh Poertner, a former chairman of the Bicycle Wheel Technical Committee and an outspoken critic of hookless rims<\/a>, echoes this sentiment, saying that these systems go \u201cagainst the mindset of most cyclists who are used to ‘upgrading’ and swapping parts without a ton of thought\u2026 Not to mention obsolescence of things.<\/p>\n \u201cDo we really want wheels that can only work with a specific list of tyres? What happens when new tyres come out, or when the tech moves on and the company stops testing the old rims for the new tyres and so on?\u201d<\/p>\n This aside, recent developments in manufacturing may also have negated the original impetus for hookless rims anyway.<\/p>\n Do three-piece steel mandrels make hookless rims redundant? As noted in the second part of this series, which explored the claimed performance advantages of hookless rims<\/a>, Brown says most of the industry is now using \u201cthree-piece detachable steel mandrels\u201d.<\/p>\n Although he notes hooked rims remain \u201cslightly more complicated to make\u201d, Brown says these mandrels nevertheless mean it\u2019s now possible to produce precisely sized and shaped rims, while still having bead hooks.<\/p>\n Given the other claimed benefits of hookless rims are vague, and the potential consequences of a tyre dismounting a rim are so dire, this seriously dampens the case for hookless rims.<\/p>\n As a result, Brown said Hunt is \u201cworking on the next generation of Limitless rims now\u201d, and internal discussions are taking place about whether to make them hooked or hookless.<\/p>\n Although he noted a final decision was yet to be made, Brown said \u201cyou can probably imagine where we’re going\u201d and noted Hunt is keen to listen to market feedback on the subject \u2013 both from its customers and riders at the highest level of the sport.<\/p>\n What do professional riders think? Given team sponsors ultimately pay their wages, it\u2019s rare to hear professional riders badmouth kit or technologies.<\/p>\n Occasionally, though \u2013 typically when there\u2019s some kind of incident \u2013 we do hear from riders or their representatives.<\/p>\n In the aftermath of Thomas De Gendt\u2019s much-discussed crash at the 2024 UAE Tour<\/a>, Adam Hansen, the president of the professional riders\u2019 union (the CPA), decried the use of hookless rims in pro racing.<\/p>\n Speaking to Velo<\/a>, Hansen said \u201cthe CPA are 100 per cent against hookless rims\u201d, citing concerns around the potential for tyre blow-offs, and how those could cause crashes during races.<\/p>\n Although Vittoria later claimed De Gendt\u2019s crash had been caused by an impact with a rock that broke the rim<\/a> \u2013 and was therefore \u201cunrelated\u201d to the fact his rims were hookless \u2013 Hansen doubled down on his views when I spoke to him.<\/p>\n Hansen confirmed he stands by his comments to Velo, and said he hears concerns from riders and teams about the safety of hookless rims \u201call the time\u201d.<\/p>\n \u201cAt least every second week we get a complaint from a rider that a crash happened because a tyre completely came off the rim,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n Hansen also said riders who don\u2019t use hookless rims \u201care worried about the other riders using them\u201d, because they could get caught up in crashes caused by their use.<\/p>\n The teams currently using hookless rims in the men\u2019s WorldTour peloton are Movistar Team, Team Jayco AlUla and UAE Team Emirates XRG, who use Zipp, Cadex and ENVE wheels, respectively.<\/p>\n In the women\u2019s WorldTour<\/a>, it\u2019s Canyon\/\/SRAM zondacrypto, Liv AlUla Jayco, Movistar Team and UAE Team ADQ, with the same three wheel brands.<\/p>\n As with Poertner, Hansen said he believes the margin for error with hookless rims is too low, saying the ISO standard for tyre retention being only 110 per cent of the maximum permitted inflation pressure is \u201ccrazy\u201d.<\/p>\n Might the UCI ban hookless rims from road racing? Given the strength of feeling on the issue, I asked Hansen whether the CPA wanted cycling\u2019s governing body, the UCI, to simply ban them.<\/p>\n In response, Hansen was unequivocal. \u201cIf it was our choice\u2026 Yes, 100 per cent,” he said.<\/p>\n \u201cThe WFSGI [World Federation of the Sporting Goods Industry] claims they are very safe and we don’t share this view.\u201d<\/p>\n ENVE\u2019s Pantone also noted that the return to hooked rims with its latest SES 4.5 Pro wheels<\/a>, in July of this year, was in part driven by a desire to protect its sponsored professional teams from any potential regulation changes in this area.<\/p>\n The UCI says its technical regulations exist to facilitate \u201csporting fairness and safety during competition\u201d. It also has a rich history of banning technologies or innovations it views as unsafe.<\/p>\n The UCI banned the use of hydraulic disc brakes in road cycling following a rider injury at Paris-Roubaix in 2016<\/a>, for example, before re-authorising their use in July 2018<\/a>.<\/p>\n It also banned the \u2018Supertuck\u2019 and \u2018puppy paws\u2019 riding positions<\/a> in 2021, and is set to introduce a raft of regulation changes in 2026<\/a> aimed at curbing race speeds.<\/p>\n With hookless rims, though, the UCI has been uncharacteristically restrained on the subject.<\/p>\n Following the De Gendt crash, it issued a statement<\/a> saying it had directed its SafeR commission<\/a> to \u201cexplore potential improvements and clarifications regarding the use of hookless rims with tubeless tyres\u201d.<\/p>\n According to the UCI , SafeR is an \u200b\u200b\u201cindependent entity dedicated to improving the safety of men’s and women’s competitions on the UCI International Road Calendar\u201d.<\/p>\n It also committed to carrying out \u201can in-depth analysis of the appropriateness of the current requirements for the use of different types of equipment in competition, in particular wheels, to ensure that these requirements guarantee the safety of riders\u201d.<\/p>\n 18 months have passed since then, however, and we\u2019ve yet to see any results from these investigations.<\/p>\n Given the UCI has recently indicated it will ban certain TT-style aero helmets (such as the POC Procen Air<\/a>) from mass-start road races, however, it’s not unimaginable that it could opt to ban hookless rims from its sanctioned events \u2013 potentially leaving riders and teams who own or use them in a pickle.<\/p>\n I contacted the UCI with a number of questions relating to these statements and investigations, but it told me it wasn’t able to respond at the time of publishing due to existing commitments such as the Rwanda World Championships<\/a>. I’ll look to cover their take on the situation in another article if I receive a response.<\/p>\n What do wheel manufacturers think? Unsurprisingly, different brands have different takes on the subject. Those supporting hookless rims for road use are increasingly in the minority, however.<\/p>\n This represents a stark change, given it had seemed the industry was trending towards a mass adoption of hookless rims.<\/p>\n In support of hooked rims for road cycling<\/p>\n Ralf Eggert, chief road marketing manager for DT Swiss, for example, said the brand has \u201cmade a clear commitment to hooked rim technology, prioritising rider safety even if it requires additional manufacturing effort\u201d.<\/p>\n Although Eggert said hookless rims can \u201cwork well with wider tyres (over 35mm) and significantly lower pressures (below 5 BAR)\u201d on gravel or mountain bikes, \u201cour aerodynamic testing shows no performance disadvantages with hooked rims \u2013 we see measurable benefits.\u201d<\/p>\n On its website, Fulcrum (a subsidiary brand of Campagnolo) states it has stuck with hooked rims for road because it wants to \u201cguarantee the utmost compatibility between our wheels and the tyres available\u201d and because \u201chooked rims guarantee the maximum level of safety even if the inflation pressure is exceeded.\u201d<\/p>\n Furthermore, it notes \u201cthe change in the profile of the tyre is so insignificant that it has no effect on aerodynamics, rolling resistance, reactivity and comfort.\u201d<\/p>\n Reserve, which produces \u2018semi-hooked\u2019 rims (more on these shortly), told BikeRadar it believes that \u201chookless rims present too many limitations in terms of tyre compatibility\u201d and that it is \u201cdedicated to making products that don’t require extensive education to use safely.\u201d<\/p>\n Tim J\u00fcrgensen, head of engineering at Newmen wheels<\/a>, noted that the brand originally began making hookless road rims in 2016, long before the ETRTO standardised their design.<\/p>\n These were \u201cvalidated by an independent German test institute using tyres from the well-known German tyre manufacturers\u201d, J\u00fcrgensen says. In 2018, though, Newmen initiated a \u201cvoluntary recall\u201d of its hookless road rims \u201cas real-world cases of tyres coming off (primarily with Italian cotton-casing tyres) increased.\u201d<\/p>\n This echoes ENVE\u2019s statement that rim manufacturers \u201coutpaced\u201d tyre manufacturers.<\/p>\n As a result, J\u00fcrgensen says \u201croad rims will not go back to hookless for our brand\u201d, although it does support it for gravel and MTB rims.<\/p>\n In support of hookless rims for road cycling Jeff Schneider, head of product and business development at Cadex, told BikeRadar Giant and Cadex \u201cremain committed to hookless rim technology for both road and gravel applications\u201d.<\/p>\n \u201cOur testing and rider feedback continue to show that, when paired with approved tyres, hookless delivers clear benefits: improved tyre bead security, more consistent tubeless installations, and optimised support for lower inflation pressures that enhance comfort, grip, and rolling efficiency.\u201d<\/p>\n Nevertheless, Schneider said that while Giant \/ Cadex view the existing international standards as a \u201csolid baseline\u201d, it also acknowledges \u201cthat tyre\/rim compatibility and inflation pressures remain critical areas where user error can introduce risk\u201d.<\/p>\n Given this, \u201cthe standards can and should continue to evolve\u201d, Schneider says, with a focus on things such as clearer labelling and guidance for tyre compatibility and \u201cexpanded\u201d safety testing with simulations or real-world use.<\/p>\n Schneider also said Giant \/ Cadex would like to see a \u201cfocus on limiting tyre bead stretch and tightening tolerances to eliminate the issue seen on some tyres. Giant and Cadex add carbon with the Kevlar bead to reduce or eliminate bead stretch.\u201d<\/p>\n Echoing Hunt’s contention that \u201cSome tyre manufacturers on that ETRTO board are struggling without the hook for tyre retention\u201d, Schneider told BikeRadar that “tyre bead behavior is one of the key factors in the ongoing standards discussions” and that there is “variation across the industry in how well certain tyres manage bead stretch and retention”.<\/p>\n “The challenge”, Schneider says, “is that ETRTO and ISO processes are shaped by the same tyre manufacturers who face bead stretch issues, and current standards don\u2019t fully address this broader problem.”<\/p>\n “This usually comes down to differences in casing construction, ‘proprietary’ bead materials, and overall production tolerances.”<\/p>\n Schneider contends this issue affects both hooked and hookless rims, though, as a stretched tyre “can fall or blow off any rim” in the event of a sudden puncture.<\/p>\n “From our perspective, this makes standardised testing and more transparent labelling of compatibility essential. Riders need confidence that safe combinations aren\u2019t left to guesswork. Greater alignment on manufacturing tolerances and more rigorous bead-retention testing will ultimately benefit everyone.”<\/p>\n He also says both Cadex and Giant rims are made to a stricter bead-seat diameter tolerance of 622mm +\/- 0.3mm, instead of the ETRTO \/ ISO standard of +\/- 0.5mm (as noted earlier).<\/p>\n It also selects tyres for safety testing that sit “on the smallest end of that range (-0.3 mm) before being approved for compatibility”.<\/p>\n Schneider says “This higher level of precision and testing ensures a more consistent bead fit” and is presumably what enables Giant and Cadex to rate its tubeless tyres and hookless rims to pressures far beyond the current ETRTO \/ ISO limit.<\/p>\n I also contacted Zipp, but have not received a response to my questions at the time of writing.<\/p>\n What about mini-, micro- or semi-hooked rims? A notable recent trend has been towards so-called mini or micro-hooked rims.<\/p>\n ENVE\u2019s SES 4.5 Pro wheels<\/a>, for example, feature “micro-hooks\u201d, while Reserve says its road bike wheels are \u201csemi-hooked\u201d.<\/p>\n Orbea\u2019s new Oquo Road Performance wheelsets<\/a> feature what it calls a \u201cmini-hook\u201d rim design. Fulcrum also produces road and gravel rims with \u2018mini-hooks\u2019.<\/p>\n Reserve\u2019s website states it opted for a \u201csemi-hooked\u201d rim design because: \u201cFull hooked rims\u2026 are typically heavier and harder to install tubeless tyres [on]\u201d.<\/p>\n Semi-hooked rims offer, Reserve says, \u201creasonable limits on tyre pressure<\/a> (100psi \/ 6.9 BAR), no tyre incompatibility issues and tyres are easy to install\u201d. Likewise, Oquo says its mini-hooks \u201cimprove the tyre-rim interface and reduce turbulence for a faster ride\u201d (although Oquo doesn\u2019t put a figure on how much faster it makes the rims).<\/p>\n They also allow for significantly higher tyre pressures than with hookless rims \u2013 up to 95psi \/ 6.5 BAR for tubeless and 116psi \/ 8 BAR with inner tubes.<\/p>\n That aside, though, this all sounds great at face value \u2013 a rim design that combines some of the potential benefits of hookless rims, with improved tyre-retention capabilities.<\/p>\n As far as I can tell, though, this isn\u2019t a \u2018new\u2019 rim standard per se. There is no ETRTO or ISO-defined \u2018mini-hooked\u2019 rim.<\/p>\n Instead, Hunt\u2019s Partick Brown says \u201ca rim is \u2018tubeless crochet\u2019 if it is more than a 0.5mm hook \u2013 so you are complying with the ETRTO \u2018hooked standard\u2019 as long as that hook is more than 0.5mm [wide].\u201d<\/p>\n Of the brands mentioned, ENVE is the only one that publishes the size of its \u2018micro-hooks\u2019, but Brown\u2019s contention appears to be confirmed by the fact they are exactly 0.5mm wide.<\/p>\n Essentially, it seems these brands have simply come up with a new marketing term for \u2018tubeless crochet\u2019.<\/p>\n That\u2019s not to say \u2018mini-hooks\u2019 don\u2019t offer any advantages over larger ones, or aren’t distinct from how hooked rims used to be made in the past, they just aren\u2019t a new standard.<\/p>\n Brands understandably need creative ways to communicate product improvements to riders, but there\u2019s already an enormous amount of confusion surrounding rim standards and tyre compatibility, and throwing yet more terms into the mix is only likely to make things worse.<\/p>\n Coming full circle<\/p>\n So, do\u00a0hookless rims have a future in cycling?<\/p>\n Most \u2013 but not all \u2013 industry experts agree that the case for hookless rims is much clearer for road and gravel bikes.\u00a0<\/p>\n For road bikes \u2013 where tyres remain narrower and pressures relatively high \u2013 the tide seems to be turning.<\/p>\n Although there are many happy owners of carbon wheelsets with hookless rims, justifiable scepticism remains about their safety and performance claims.<\/p>\n With the advent of multi-section steel mandrels that enable hooked rims to be made as precisely sized and shaped as hookless rims, the original case for hookless rims also appears to have been significantly undermined.<\/p>\n Especially if, as Hunt and Giant contend, certain tyre manufacturers are struggling to produce tyres with tight enough tolerances and\/or beads that can resist stretching sufficiently.<\/p>\n If I had to pick a horse, I\u2019d therefore put my money on \u2018mini-hooks\u2019 being the next big thing in road bike rim tech. Arguably, they already are.<\/p>\n The problem with that, though, is that it essentially means we\u2019ve come full circle after a decade or so of rash experimentation, and riders who were early adopters of the tech will be the ones left out of pocket if the industry suddenly abandons it and compatible tyres are no longer produced.<\/p>\n Nevertheless, I don\u2019t believe hookless rims were a big conspiracy to push cheaper-to-manufacture products onto consumers.<\/p>\n Any business would want to make reasonable cost savings if it could, but I also believe brands such as Hunt when they say the difference is \u201csmall to negligible\u201d.<\/p>\n Hookless was a proven technology off-road, so I can understand why some brands felt it could be the solution for optimising tubeless wheel systems for road bikes as well.<\/p>\n The mistake, as I see it, was rushing the technology to market before all of the major tyre manufacturers were ready to support it. It is astonishing that hookless rims launched before a brand as significant as Continental had a tubeless road tyre that could be used safely on them, for example.<\/p>\n This issue of tyre compatibility has not only resulted in countless headaches and compromises over the years but, given some of the horror stories I\u2019ve seen or heard about, possibly a few unnecessary accidents, too.<\/p>\n Given this, if you already have a wheelset with hookless rims for your road bike (as I do), then pay close attention to the recommendations for \u2018best practice\u2019<\/a>.<\/p>\n
\n![\"ENVE](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/ENVE-Foundation-AG25-Gravel-Wheelset-03-dc55637.jpg\")
ENVE says the decision to bring hookless tech to road rims was driven by its desire for better tubeless performance. Russell Burton \/ Our Media<\/p>\n![\"ENVE](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/Enve-hookless-air-tight-seal.jpg\")
ENVE notes that a precisely sized rim is critical to ensuring an airtight seal with tubeless tyres, and going hookless helped it achieve this. ENVE<\/p>\n![\"Parcours](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/20200908_SB_5DSR_MG_2832-0121455.jpg\")
Continental’s first road tubeless tyre, the GP5000 TL, wasn’t compatible with hookless rims. Simon Bromley \/ Immediate Media<\/p>\n
\n![\"Goodyear](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/zipp-goodyear-tyre2024051560.jpg\")
Goodyear’s Vector R 230 SW tyre was designed specifically for Zipp hookless rims (although it can be used with other tubeless-ready rims too). Zipp<\/p>\n![\"Giant](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/Giant-Gavia-Course-1_SLR-1-42-hookless-rim-scaled.jpg\")
Giant’s testing for its own rims and tyres goes above and beyond international standards. Simon von Bromley \/ Our Media<\/p>\n![\"Hunt](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/Hunt-54-Aerodynamicist-Carbon-Disc_20211220_SB_5DSR_MG_4880-0838855.jpg\")
Tyres are a relatively cheap and easy upgrade, so being tied to certain brands can feel limiting. Simon von Bromley<\/p>\n
\n![\"Hunt](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/Hunt-SUB50-Limitless_20231206_SvB_EOS-R__O5A9182-scaled.jpg\")
Hunt hinted it may return to hooked rims for its next-generation Limitless wheelsets. Simon von Bromley \/ Our Media<\/p>\n
\n![\"ADELAIDE,](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/GettyImages-2195959020_01-scaled.jpg\")
Former pro Adam Hansen (left) now heads up the professional riders’ union and has been vocal about their concerns surrounding hookless rims. Dario Belingheri\/Getty Images<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/Adam-Hansen_Hookless-tweet_2024-02-25.jpg\")
Hansen spoke out about “concerns” from pro riders and teams following Thomas De Gendt’s much-publicised crash in early 2024.<\/p>\n
\n![\"Shimano](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/disc-brake-delaney-1529676971135-b7o3dhst1a8g-896e6b5.jpg\")
The UCI temporarily banned disc brakes from pro road racing until certain conditions were met.<\/p>\n![\"UCI](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/UCI_Use-of-hookless-rims-with-tubeless-tyres-the-UCI-reminds-riders-of-the-rules-to-follow-and-annou.webp\")
The UCI said it would be launching investigations into the safety of hookless rims following De Gendt’s crash. UCI<\/p>\n
\n![\"Julian](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/Julian-Alaphilippe_BMC-Teammachiine-SLR-01_20250703_SvB_A6300_BR_1065-scaled.jpg\")
DT Swiss says it remains committed to hooked rims for road bikes. Simon von Bromley \/ Our Media<\/p>\n![\"Matteo](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/Matteo-Jorgenson_Cervelo-R5_20250702_SvB_A6300_BR_0790_CROP-1-scaled.jpg\")
Reserve’s road rims use a ‘semi-hooked’ design. Simon von Bromley \/ Our Media<\/p>\n
\n![\"Giant](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/Giant-Propel-Advanced-SL-020220901SvBX-E3DSF8942-a96e132.jpg\")
Giant \/ Cadex says it remains committed to hookless rims for both road and gravel, though it agrees existing standards “can and should continue to evolve”. Simon von Bromley \/ Our Media<\/p>\n![\"2023](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/20220817SvBEOS-RO5A0214-419664f.jpg\")
Giant \/ Cadex says that “bead stretch remains one of the biggest challenges in standards discussions”. Simon von Bromley \/ Our Media<\/p>\n![\"Carbon](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/Land-of-the-Giants-Factory-extra-images-03.jpeg\")
Giant says it makes its hookless rims to tighter tolerances than required by international standards.<\/p>\n
\n![\"Tadej](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/Tadej-Pogacar_Colnago-V5Rs_20250703_SvB_A6300_BR_1170-edited-scaled.jpg\")
ENVE’s new SES 4.5 Pro rims use a ‘micro-hook’ rim design, but is this a new or existing standard? Simon von Bromley \/ Our Media<\/p>\n![\"Arnaud](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/Arnaud-De-Lie_Orbea-Orca-Aero_20250703_SvB_A6300_BR_1020-edited-scaled.jpg\")
Oquo rims also feature ‘mini-hooks’. Simon von Bromley \/ Our Media<\/p>\n![\"ENVE](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/ENVE-SES-4.5-Pro-rim-specs.jpg\")
To its credit, ENVE provides detailed measurements for its rims \u2013 which confirm its ‘micro-hooks’ conform to the ETRTO ‘Tubeless crochet’ rim standard. ENVE<\/p>\n![\"Jonas](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/Jonas-Vingegaard_Cervelo-S5_20250702_SvB_A6300_BR_0858-1-scaled.jpg\")
I predict semi- \/ mini- \/ micro-hooks (or whatever you want to call them) will be the next trendy thing in road bike rims. Simon von Bromley \/ Our Media<\/p>\n![\"Giant](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/Kinesis-GX-Race_20240524_SvB_X-E3_DSF5199-scaled.jpg\")
Hookless rims made sense for mountain bikes, but their introduction to road cycling has been messy. Simon von Bromley \/ Our Media<\/p>\n