Columbus Cento, Gara and Spirit wheels: the Italian tube maker moves into carbon

Columbus has been making frame tubes since 1919. On 2 September 2026, the Italian tube maker presented the first Columbus carbon road wheels: four wheelsets, Cento 50, Cento 62, Gara 50 and Spirit 50, priced from €1599 to €3990 and weighing from 1475g to 1279g. All share the same hooked rim with a 23mm internal width, and carbon spokes. It remains to be seen what a newcomer can bring to a market already saturated with carbon wheels.

Columbus wheels: the Italian tube maker moves to complete wheels

Columbus is first and foremost a name on the tubes of Italian steel frames. With this first range of carbon wheels, the brand steps outside its historic trade. It highlights three arguments: wind tunnel development in Cavriago, hand assembly at the same site and two seasons of testing before going on sale.

Columbus and Cinelli: the same house

To understand this launch, you need to look at who is behind Columbus. The brand and Cinelli are part of the same company, in Milan.

Cinelli needed a brand for the components fitted to its new bikes. Rather than creating a name from scratch, what better than to draw on the image of Columbus, known to every lover of Italian frames, and put it on cockpits and then wheels? That is exactly what is happening: the Cinelli Aeroscoop comes with the Columbus Spirit integrated carbon cockpit. Columbus Components already offered carbon handlebars, stems and seatposts before adding wheels.

Three wheel families

The range is split into three families. The Cento (50 and 62mm) focus on price, with carbon spokes from €1599. The Gara 50 focuses on weight and a DT Swiss 240 hub. The Spirit 50 is the technical showcase, with a carbon hub integrated with the spokes. All-road and gravel models are due to follow in 2027.

A common hooked rim with a 23mm internal width

All four models share the same rim section: 23mm internal width, 30mm external width, U-shaped profile and hooks.

On width, Columbus remains measured. In practice, this rim accepts a wide range of tyres: Columbus claims 28 to 50mm on the Cento 50, but an optimised range of 28 to 32mm on the Gara 50. To check your set-up, our rim and tyre compatibility guide remains the reference.

Cento 50 and Cento 62: Vonoa carbon spokes for €1599

This is the model that will get people talking. For €1599 a pair, the Cento get VONOA carbon spokes, the same ones found on the Mavic Comète 50 and on the Newmen Streem Allround Vonoa tested on the blog. The Cento 50 uses the ST Super Aero version, the Cento 62 the ST Aero version, with 21 spokes per wheel laced 2:1.

The hub is in-house: CNC-machined 6061 T6 aluminium, ceramic bearings and a double 36-tooth ratchet, i.e. engagement every 10°. An interesting detail: the Cento 62 (1465g) is claimed to be lighter than the Cento 50 (1475g). The only material difference listed on the spec sheets: T700 carbon for the Cento 50, a T700-T800 blend for the Cento 62.

Gara 50: 1298g and a DT Swiss 240 hub for €2399

The Gara 50 drops the in-house hub for a DT Swiss 240 CS with 36-tooth Ratchet EXP, on steel bearings. It moves to 24 VONOA SLR carbon spokes per wheel, with titanium nipples. The result: 1298g a pair for €2399.

It can be compared with the DT Swiss ARC 1100 38 Carbon Spoke, sold for around €3200. The DT remains lighter, but the price gap is real. If the subject interests you, I covered the DT Swiss ARC 1100 Carbon Spoke in a dedicated article.

Spirit 50: integrated carbon hub and 1279g for €3990

The Spirit 50 is the most ambitious. Its 18 Spirit Aero carbon spokes per wheel are integrated into a carbon and aluminium hub, with nipples hidden in the rim. Ceramic bearings, 1279g a pair and €3990.

The flip side of this integration: since the spokes are bonded to the hub, they cannot be replaced one by one as on a conventional wheel. On a wheel at this price, that is a point to weigh up before buying, especially if you ride a lot.

My verdict

With these Columbus wheels, the brand arrives with a clear range and coherent choices. The Cento 50 is the most interesting: Vonoa carbon spokes, ceramic bearings and 1475g for €1599 is a positioning that will trouble the established brands and comes close to what Chinese carbon wheels offer, with a European brand behind it. The Gara 50 also makes sense, with a DT Swiss 240 hub that can be serviced anywhere.

The reservations lie elsewhere. A hooked rim with a 23mm internal width remains a cautious choice, no aero data backs up the messaging, and the Spirit 50 asks €3990 for a wheel whose spokes cannot be changed individually and which is not yet available. A field test will be needed to judge. Would you trust Columbus with your wheels? Tell us in the comments.

Columbus wheels technical specifications

	Cento 50	Cento 62	Gara 50	Spirit 50
Rim depth	50mm	62mm	50mm	50mm
Weight	1475g a pair	1465g a pair	1298g a pair	1279g a pair
Internal / external width	23 / 30mm	23 / 30mm	23 / 30mm	23 / 30mm
Rim	Hooked, tubeless ready	Hooked, tubeless ready	Hooked, tubeless ready	Hooked, tubeless ready
Carbon	T700	T700-T800	T700-T800	T700-T800
Tyres	28 to 50mm	Not specified	28 to 32mm (optimised)	Not specified
Spokes	42 (21 per wheel), VONOA ST Super Aero carbon, 2:1	42 (21 per wheel), VONOA ST Aero carbon, 2:1	48 (24 per wheel), VONOA SLR carbon, titanium nipples	36 (18 per wheel), integrated Spirit Aero carbon, hidden nipples
Hubs	Columbus 6061 T6 CNC alloy, 36-tooth ratchet	Columbus 6061 T6 CNC alloy, 36-tooth ratchet	DT Swiss 240 CS Ratchet EXP 36-tooth	Columbus integrated carbon/alloy
Bearings	Ceramic	Ceramic	Steel	Ceramic
Freehub body	Shimano HG, Campagnolo N3W, SRAM XDR	Shimano HG, Campagnolo N3W, SRAM XDR	Shimano HG, Campagnolo N3W, SRAM XDR	Shimano HG, Campagnolo N3W, SRAM XDR
Brakes	Centerlock disc	Centerlock disc	Centerlock disc	Centerlock disc
Axles	12×100 / 12×142	12×100 / 12×142	12×100 / 12×142	12×100 / 12×142
Warranty	2 years, 5 years with registration	2 years, 5 years with registration	2 years, 5 years with registration	2 years, 5 years with registration
Availability	Available	Available	Available	December 2026
Price	€1599 a pair	€1599 a pair	€2399 a pair	€3990 a pair

Official product pages: Cento 50, Cento 62, Gara 50, Spirit 50.