Columbus Components Enters the Wheel Game With Three Carbon Wheelsets
More than a century after it began drawing tubing for the world's finest frame builders, Columbus is moving into new territory. The Milanese marque has announced its first-ever performance wheelsets, a three-strong carbon range comprising the Cento, the Gara and the Spirit, spanning everything from all-round road riding to featherweight climbing and endurance comfort. It's a significant expansion for a brand with 130 years of components heritage, and, unsurprisingly, it arrives wrapped in unmistakably Italian design, with some eye catching engineering to boot.
Over a Century of Heritage, a Brand-New Category
Columbus has spent nearly 110 years serving craftsmen the world over, from Italian automotive engineering to master frame builders and elite racers, and it was an early pioneer of carbon tubing in the early 2000s. The brand frames these new wheels as a natural progression of that know-how rather than a leap into the unknown.
Every wheel in the range has been developed through CFD analysis, wind tunnel testing and laboratory testing, benchmarked for lateral and torsional stiffness as well as impact and fatigue resistance. The in-house Milan design team worked with world-leading carbon composite layup specialists to create aerodynamic, D-shaped hooked rims, optimised around the modern move to wider 28-30mm tyres for a faster, more comfortable ride.
"For over a century Columbus has been a champion of Italian engineering and quality," said Victor Luis, Chairman of Columbus. "We were an early pioneer in carbon tubing and now, after years of study and rigorous testing, we are excited to expand our range of Columbus Components to meet the exacting needs of performance brands, the frame building community and exacting riders across the world. Our goal is as always superior performance with uncompromising Milanese design."
Cento 50
The Cento 50 is pitched as the balanced choice, marrying high performance with everyday durability. Its 50mm-deep carbon rims aim to blend aerodynamic efficiency with a light, responsive ride for sprinters, puncheurs and rouleurs alike. It debuts the new Columbus HUB, a dual-sided 36-tooth ratchet system with 9-degree engagement, paired with ceramic bearings. Consider the Cento 50 as an all rounder, similar In weight to the venerable Zipp 303SW and around the same money.
Weight: 1,440g
Rim depth: 50mm
Rim width: 23mm internal / 30mm external
Hub: Columbus Ratchet
Bearings: Ceramic
Spokes: 21 x Carbon VONOA, 2:1 lacing
Price: €1,599
Cento 62
Sharing the Cento name and hub design as the Cento 50 but chasing outright speed, the Cento 62 is described as an uncompromising race wheelset. Its 62mm-deep profile was developed through CFD analysis and wind tunnel testing, yet the system tips the scales at just 1,470g, making it a serious option for flat roads and fast courses. It runs the same Columbus HUB, ceramic bearings and carbon spokes as its shallower sibling. The standout here is that the weight is only 30g more than the Cento 50, but far more optimised for fast riding with a 62mm deep rim.
Weight: 1,470g
Rim depth: 62mm
Rim width: 23mm internal / 30mm external
Hub: Columbus Ratchet
Bearings: Ceramic
Spokes: 21 x Carbon VONOA, 2:1 lacing
Price: €1,599
The Spirit
The headline act for the weight weenies, the Spirit is the lightest wheelset Columbus has ever made at just 1,249g. It introduces an innovative Integrated Aero HUB design; a single cast monocoque with carbon spokes fused directly to the hub flanges. Built for the mountains, it pairs an aerodynamic rim profile with hidden nipples and ceramic bearings to deliver speed on the climbs and efficiency on the descents. It’s clear that the Columbus engineers had been unleashed on this one to create a seriously impressive wheel set on the spec sheet.
Weight: 1,249g
Rim depth: 50mm
Rim width: 23mm internal / 30mm external
Hub: Integrated Aero
Bearings: Ceramic
Spokes: 18 x Carbon, 2:1 lacing
Nipples: Integrated Carbon
Price: €3,999
The Gara: The DT Swiss Collaboration
The Gara 50 is the outlier of the group, a collaboration between two iconic brands in Columbus and DT Swiss. Tuned for endurance, it prioritises comfort and long-distance durability, built around the trusted DT Swiss 240 hub with the Ratchet EXP system. It also features internal nipple seats made from glass-fibre reinforced polymer for accurate alignment and reduced stress on the rim, promising reliability and simplified maintenance for big days in the saddle.
Weight: 1,315g
Rim depth: 50mm
Rim width: 23mm internal / 30mm external
Hub: DT Swiss 240 (Ratchet EXP)
Spokes: 24 x Carbon VONOA, 1:1 lacing
Nipples: Titanium
Price: €2,399
Pricing and Availability
The new Columbus Components wheel range is officially unveiled on 2 September 2026 from Milano, Italy. Pricing runs from €1,599 for either Cento wheelset, through €2,399 for the DT Swiss-equipped Gara, up to €3,999 for the range-topping, sub-1,250g Spirit. More information is available at columbus1919.com.