Lightweight’s limited-edition Meilenstein wheels feature 23-carat gold leaf

Lightweight is renowned for its high-end wheelsets and it has certainly lived up to that billing with its latest limited-edition version of the Meilenstein EVO wheels which are adorned with 23-carat pure gold leaf.

Released in homage to the company’s founder, Heinz Obermayer, there will only be 99 sets of the aptly named Obermayer EVO Signature Gold Edition wheels made available. To ensure as many people have a chance to purchase them as possible, 33 sets will be made available in Europe, Asia/Pacific and the Americas each.

As you may expect, gold-leaf adorned wheels don’t come cheap and the limited-edition rims will set any prospective buyers back £7,699 a set.

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A nod to the Olympics

© Lightweight

The wheels pay homage to Lightweight's founder

While the wheels have mainly been designed in homage to the company’s founder, they also provide a nod to the upcoming Olympics in Paris where Richard Carapaz will hope to defend his road race title. Carapaz first took the title in Tokyo, where the Ecuadorian triumphed aboard Lightweight wheels. Carapaz isn’t the only pro rider who has used the brand’s wheels over the years, with Ineos Grenadiers switching to the Meilenstein Obermayer EVO in 2019 for the Tour de France.

The Olympic nod explains, then, why the wheels are fittingly decorated with gold, except this isn’t any ordinary decor but 23-carat gold leaf, and it’s a real eye-catcher. The gold forms part of the branding graphic around the Meilenstein logo and was designed by experts Rie Sel Design.

Beyond the gold design, Lightweight hasn’t let slip too many details about the rims and they’re not currently available on the company’s website, although we do know that they’re a twist on its Meilenstein EVO rims. These are Lightweight’s (unsurprisingly) lightweight 48mm deep wheels that tip the scales at only 1380g for a pair. Seriously lightweight then, but they’re still a good bit heavier than Lightweight’s most featherweight option. That crown goes to the Meilenstein Obermayer which, depending on the build, can weigh under 1kg.

The one piece of tech that we know is being carried over to the new limited-edition set is the Ceramic Speed bearings, which offer lower friction within the hubs and should lead to a marginally reduced rolling resistance

Check out more images of the new wheels over on Lightweight’s social media channels.

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