Hookless carbon bike rims: Are they really dangerous？

What are the advantages and disadvantages of hook free carbon bicyclerims for personal cyclists without team or private technicians? Is it really safe to ride?

In theory, the promise of hookless carbon rim manufacturers sounds extremely tempting: "Simplifying the manufacturing process, reducing processes, materials, and waste, can save up to 20% of manufacturing costs. In return, you can achieve better aerodynamic performance, cornering grip, impact resistance, shock absorption, weight reduction, and lower prices with tubeless tires.

However, reality is not that simple.Bola confirmed that wind tunnel tests did not show significant aerodynamic advantages for  whether hooked or hookless carbon bike  wheel rims, but rather slightly better for hooked carbon rims.

Moreover, some hooked carbon bike rims have a weight comparable to top tier models without hooks. The so-called handling advantage actually applies equally to carbon bike wheels with or without hook. It has been proven that the marketing of hookless wheels may be just empty talk, and not every manufacturer can truly save costs in the manufacturing process.

Tubeless tires rely solely on specially shaped bead cores to be fixed on hook free bike rims,which makes safety entirely dependent on the correct combination of tire width,carbon rim width, and tire pressure.

Riders of hooked bicycle rims must carefully check compatibility before installing tires, but often face confusing safety standards and compatibility tables. The ETRTO standard strictly limits the maximum tire pressure for unhooked bike wheels, which greatly compromises the user experience. Moreover, tire and wheel manufacturers have varying levels of standard transparency when approving tires with hooked bicycle rims.It is unclear in practice and law who is responsible for testing and communicating the compatibility between specific tires and specific wheels, and there may even be conflicting information.

Although ISO and ETRTO have standards, they also bring more questions. ETRTO changed its compatibility recommendations last year, but did not explain the reason. Some accident has highlighted the issue, as a difference of just one millimeter can determine whether a tire stays on the rim, which is difficult to accept.

The difference in ISO standards for hooked and unhooked carbon bike rims is also puzzling. Some brands rely on internal testing procedures, but not all brands are as transparent as Schwalbe. This requires consumers to put in a lot of extra effort to find, understand, and rely on information when choosing wheels and tires.

Although hookless carbon wheelset may not necessarily pose safety risks when used correctly, there are still many unresolved issues and it is difficult to see significant benefits for riders. Some brands seem to be pursuing higher profits at the expense of safety, especially for high-end products. Riders who do not want to be limited by tire selection or spend a lot of time researching tire parameters should stick to using hooked carbon rims.

But if you crave the most advanced carbon bicycle technology and are willing to spend time self-education, you can also try hookless carbon bike wheels. However, no matter what, we should educate ourselves and choose manufacturers with transparent product compatibility to avoid the embarrassing situation of tire detachment. In short, there are still many controversies about the safety and advantages of hook free wheel rims, and we need to carefully consider and make wise decisions when choosing.