Maker Disc Carbon

Why Maker?

The goal of the Maker range is to deliver a wheelset that’s fun, versatile, and ready to tackle the wide variety of conditions we face here in New Zealand: from rough chip roads to mixed terrain and unpredictable winds.

Instead of optimizing for just one aspect of performance, we’ve carefully balanced weight, durability, aerodynamics, and ride feel. This balance has resulted in a family of rims with two internal widths, two depths, and tailored carbon layups and spoke counts. With these options, we custom build every Maker wheelset to suit your bike, riding style, and unique needs—far beyond a one-size-fits-all solution.

We’ve been building Maker road wheels for 19 years, logging millions of kilometers across everything from local bunch rides to National Championships and UCI World Tour races. Combined with the versatility and balance of the Maker range, these wheels consistently deliver the durability, performance, and tailored experience that riders expect from Wheelworks.

Why Wheelworks?

At Wheelworks, we’ve spent nearly two decades refining our craft, building not just wheels but a reputation for excellence. Every set of wheels we produce is a reflection of our commitment to quality, from the selection of top-tier components, driven by extensive research and rigorous testing, to the precision of our building processes.

We believe that outstanding service doesn’t end when the wheels leave our workshop. Our comprehensive after-sales support ensures that your investment continues to deliver performance, durability, and reliability for years to come. Whether it’s fine-tuning your ride, offering advice, or standing by our lifetime warranty, we’re here to ensure every Wheelworks customer feels confident and supported on every ride.

If you’re considering a set of Wheelworks wheels, we encourage you to ask around your cycling group about their experiences with us. We’re confident you’ll hear stories about our quality, service, and the lasting value of our wheels.

35mm and 50mm Rim depths

35mm and 50mm rim depths are available and can be mixed and matched.

The 35mm rims are lighter, accelerate and brake faster, handle crosswinds better, and have faster initial corner turn-in. They’re more fun to ride at ‘normal’ speeds. The 50mm rims are laterally stiffer and more aerodynamic and feel better at speeds above 40kph.

Typically a lighter rider will benefit from the shallower, lighter rims and a heavier and more powerful rider will gain more from the deeper, stiffer rim depths.

Our most common option is pairing a 35mm rim with a 50mm rear rim, but because everyone is different we suggest you drop us a note or give us a call and we can talk through which option will be best for your bike and riding.

Tyre size matching

Maker wheels can be used as versatile all-rounders or optimised for aerodynamics and speed.

For general riding we suggest going up one or two tyre sizes from the optimum aero tyre widths. This allows the tyre to form a rounder shape which does a better job of absorbing road vibration, and provides a more confident feel when rolling into corners. If you have any questions about ideal tyre size for your weight and use please drop us a note or give us a call.

Lifetime Warranty

We guarantee Wheelworks wheels for life because we know they will last. We build using only the highest quality components and we put great effort into our wheelbuilding and quality-control processes to reduce the chance of failure. We pride ourselves in the value you will get from a set of Wheelworks Handcrafted Wheels.

A wheelset free from abuse and neglect will go the distance. Unless something gets jammed into it, a wheel should not break spokes. Unless you whack something really hard, the wheel will never go significantly out of true. Our use of Grimlock ensures spokes won’t pop and ping when new and that spoke tension won’t “settle” after a few rides.

We offer a comprehensive warranty to put right any issues with your wheel within our control - particularly the quality of components and the wheel building process.

Full details of the Maker warranty can be found at: https://www.wheelworks.co.nz/wheelworks-lifetime-guarantee

Lease or Buy?

You can either purchase your new Maker wheelset outright, or lease it with Dial hubs. Full lease details can be found on our lease page here: https://www.wheelworks.co.nz/18-month-wheelset-leasing/

Customisation

Each Maker wheelset is built to order, ensuring it’s tailored to your specific needs and riding style. With an approximate turnaround time of just one week, we combine speed with precision. Custom-built wheels mean you get exactly what you need—from the right components to the perfect fit—delivering a superior ride experience.

Decals

Custom rim decals won’t make your wheels ride better, but they enhance personalization, making your wheels truly unique. Since every wheel is built to order, these decals reflect your style and identity, turning your wheels into a personal statement while maintaining the quality and performance Wheelworks is known for.

We CNC-cut these decals from ultralight vinyl. Each decal is offered in 34 unique colours so you’ll be able to personalize your new wheels.

Max rider weight

We specialize in building durable, high-performance wheels for larger, more powerful riders. Our extensive research and testing inform the materials and designs we use to ensure these wheels meet the highest standards of performance and durability.

Heavier riders require the following from road wheels:

• Better long term durability. Heavier riders are harder on their equipment, especially wheels.
• Increased lateral stiffness. Heavier riders load wheels up more when cornering, sprinting or climbing out of the saddle. Wheels without enough lateral stiffness will feel vague and mushy, while wheels with extra lateral stiffness will feel responsive and confident. This is an area where strategically adding weight in key places results in a more responsive and durable wheelset, perfectly tuned to enhance the rider’s experience.

We’ve specifically designed versions of the Maker with reinforced carbon fiber layups and higher spoke counts to meet the needs of heavier riders, ensuring a responsive and confident ride. These wheels are built to handle riders up to 150kg while maintaining exceptional performance.

eBike ready

The Maker excels on next-generation e-road bikes like the Specialized Creo.  Check out Tristan's custom Creo.

Hooked bead and tubeless ready

The Maker range uses a hooked bead to ensure there are no safety or tyre compatibility issues.
We’ve been vocal about using hooked beads on road and gravel rims as we’re yet to see evidence that a hookless system can offer the level of safety which we’re happy with.

Your new Maker wheels will arrive with tubeless tape fitted and with depth-matched tubeless valves.

All rims are tubeless-ready but can equally be used with inner tubes.

3 axis spoke nipple drilling

One of the main reasons that spokes break is their path between the hub and rim isn’t as smooth and straight as possible. We drill the spoke nipple holes in the Maker rims at specific angles to reduce the additional stresses these bends place on the spokes as much as possible, both in the side-to-side direction but also front-to-back.

Combined with spoke lengths accurate to less than a tenth of a millimetre, this 3-axle spoke hole drilling ensures long-term reliability by reducing stress points and eliminating the risk of spoke breakage at the nipple. This precision not only extends the wheel’s durability but also minimizes the need for maintenance, giving riders greater peace of mind.

We use a similar design on our Dial hubs by angling the hub flanges so they point at the rim. This ensures a smoother and more direct path for the spokes, significantly reducing stress and virtually eliminating the possibility of spoke failure at the hub. It’s an example of our innovative approach to wheelbuilding, combining thoughtful engineering with a focus on long-term reliability and performance.

It’s this level of attention to detail that enables us to confidently offer a lifetime guarantee against broken spokes.

UCI Legal

All models of the Maker have passed the UCI impact test procedure. This rigorous testing ensures that our wheels can withstand the high-impact forces they might encounter in real-world riding, such as potholes or rough terrain. To guarantee these standards, we built an in-house test rig in 2015, allowing us to replicate and exceed UCI specifications consistently. For riders, this means confidence in the durability and safety of their wheels, whether tackling everyday roads or intense race conditions

Spoke and nipple options

We select spokes for the Maker range from the Alpina Extralite Aero, Ultralite Aero, and Hyperlite. Lighter spokes provide a more lively ride-feel and better aerodynamics, while heavier spokes can be used when we need to increase the wheels lateral stiffness for heavier and more powerful riders.

Spoke nipples come from Sapim in Belgium. We’ll use a combination of aluminium nipples to save weight and brass nipples to ensure durability.

Aluminium nipples save roughly 18 grams per wheel but can corrode over time, especially on the rear wheel and especially if exposed to tyre sealant.

Brass nipples are heavier but offer better long-term durability.

We will often pair aluminium nipples on the front wheel with brass nipples on the rear wheel.

We have a lifetime warranty against broken spokes and nipples on the Maker range.

Hub options

The Dial hub has been developed specifically to create outstanding wheels, with angled flanges that reduce the risk of broken spokes and ensure long-term durability. Its modular design allows for easy servicing and adaptability to different setups, making it a versatile and reliable choice.

In addition to the Dial hub, we offer hub options from brands like DT Swiss and White Industries. This range ensures that every rider can find the right hub to match their needs and preferences.

Production and Country of Origin

Rims: The Maker rims are made specifically for us by a specialist manufacturing partner in mainland China. We’ve built rims from dozens of manufacturers based on every continent and the quality of the Maker rims is the best we’ve ever seen. These are not an off-the-shelf rim - they’re built to our specifications - and are objectively the highest quality carbon rims we’ve come across.

Spokes: Alpina spokes are fabricated in Northern Italy

Spoke nipples: Sapim spoke nipples are produced in Belgium

Hubs: Dial and DT Swiss hubs are produced in Taiwan. White Ind and Chris King are produced in the USA

We custom build each wheel in our Wellington workshop

End of Life

There is currently no practical way of re-using or recycling carbon fibre however our experience producing carbon fibre rims has demonstrated they will out-last aluminium rims many times over.

Stainless steel spokes, brass nipples, and aluminium hub shells are all recyclable at your local metal recycler.

Wrap-Up

The Maker range is the culmination of nearly two decades of experience, innovation, and dedication to creating the best wheels possible. Every wheel is designed with thoughtful attention to detail, balancing performance, durability, and customization. From the highest quality components to our in-house assembly in Wellington, every Maker wheelset reflects our commitment to excellence.

If you're considering upgrading your wheels or investing in a wheelset tailored to your riding style, we'd love to help. Reach out with any questions, and let’s craft a wheelset designed to enhance every aspect of your ride, from performance to long-term reliability.

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