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Reserve SL Tune Pico : When American Aero Marries German Lightness

ByStan Updated on

This is the kind of collaboration that makes any amateur of beautiful material shudder. One side, Reserve, the division wheels of Santa Cruz (and technical partner of the Visma | Lease a Bike), known for its carbon control and profiles « Aero Turbulent ». On the other hand, Tune, the German goldsmith of the Black Forest, obsessed with the superfluous gram since the 1990s.

The result? A new range Reserve SL Tune Pico Unpublished. If you were looking to lighten your machine without sacrificing aero, you are in the right place. This new 2026, which could hurt the legs of the buddies (and a little on the wallet), has been decorated for you.

The heart of the system: Tune Pico hubs

This is the great novelty of this launch. Reserve was not content to pick in the existing Tune catalogue. They developed the hub together Pico.

Why? « Pico » ? For small, light, compact. Machined in Germany (in Buggingen to be precise) in aerospace aluminum 7075-T6, these jewels have an insolent weight of 275 g the pair. Yes, you read it well, it's the weight of a good saddle.

But lightness does not do everything. Internal mechanics are designed for responsiveness:

  • Commitment: 69 original engagement points (5.2°), with an option to increase to 138 points (2.6°) for instant recovery maniacs.
  • Architecture: They are specifically designed for Reserve SL rims, ensuring perfect alignment of the spokes to avoid unnecessary twisting.
  • Tune Pico rear hub on wheel Reserve SL carbon rays.
    Tune Pico hubs: 275g German precision at the heart of the SL Reserve.

Vonoa Rays: Rigidity goes to carbon

To accompany these exceptional hubs, Reserve has stalled on steel. Place on the shelves Carbon vonoa.

If you have already rolled carbon rays, you know this feeling: it's direct, sometimes dry, but incredibly effective. Here, the objective is twofold:

  1. Weight gain: They play an important role in putting the pair under the 1200 g bar (for model 34)|37).
  2. Aerodynamics: Their flat and wide profile slices air better than a classic round radius.

Their design « Straight Pull » (right draw) coupled with Pico hubs ensures a high and constant tension. In recovery, the transfer of power is immediate. No blur, no latency. It's crude.

Three profiles for three plots

Faithful to his philosophy « Aero Turbulent » (which prioritizes stability in real winds rather than sterile windmills), Reserve declines this SL range into three mixed versions. The idea is always to have a lower and wider front wheel for handling, and a higher rear wheel for inertia.

  • 34|37 SL: With 1140 g on the scale, it is the absolute weapon for the stage of the Tour or the Alps passes. The 34 mm front rim (internal width 22.8 mm) erases the lateral wind.
  • 42|49 SL: This is the ideal compromise. To 1290 g, it remains very light to climb but offers a real aero gain on the flat thanks to its 49 mm rear rim. This is the model we recommend for 80% of cyclists.
  • 57|64 SL: For riders and triathletes. 1470 g for rims of this height, it is a feat.
Bike road equipped wheels Reserve 42 49 SL carbon mixed profile.

On the road: What to expect?

On paper, the association Jante Reserve + Moyeu Tune + Rayons Carbon promises behavior explosive.

  • Hump: The low peripheral inertia (the rims are lightened by 30g each compared to the standard versions) should provide a sense of disconcerting ease as soon as the slope exceeds 8%.
  • Comfort: This is often the weak point of carbon-ray wheels. However, the generous internal widths (up to 25.4 mm on the 42|49) allow the installation of 28 or 30 mm low-pressure tyres, which will compensate for the vertical rigidity of the shelving.
  • The Reserve SL Tune Pico are thought in the slightest detail.

Our opinion

Reserve hit hard in 2026. By associating with Tune, the American brand erases the only small reproach that could sometimes be made to its classic DT Swiss montages: a certain lack of exoticism. Here we have a pair of ultra-premium wheels, « No Limit » (life guarantee, no pilot weight limit), which comes hunting on Lightweight lands or Partington, but with the ease of maintenance of a more traditional wheel (replaceable stripes).

If your budget allows it (the entrance ticket stings a bit, we will not lie), This is the ultimate upgrade to turn a good bike into a war machine.

Technical data Reserve 34|37 SL:

  • Profile: 32 mm (front) / 37 mm (back)
  • Weight: 1290 g
  • Internal width: 22.8 mm (av) / 22 mm (ar)
  • Moths : Tune Pico (Corps alu 7075-T6)
  • Rays: Vonoa Carbon (flat profile)
  • Bearings : Standard Tune
  • Price: 3499€
  • Accessories provided: Fillmore valves, tubeless scotch, 4 replacement carbon rays

Technical data Reserve 42|49 SL:

  • Profile: 42 mm (front) / 49 mm (back)
  • Weight: 1140 g
  • Internal width: 25.4 mm (av) / 24.8 mm (ar)
  • Moths : Tune Pico (Corps alu 7075-T6)
  • Rays: Vonoa Carbon (flat profile)
  • Bearings : Standard Tune
  • Price: 3499€
  • Accessories provided: Fillmore valves, tubeless scotch, 4 replacement carbon rays

Technical specifications Reserve 57|64 SL:

  • Profile: 42 mm (front) / 49 mm (back)
  • Weight: 1470 g
  • Internal width: 25.4 mm (av) / 24.4 mm (ar)
  • Moths : Tune Pico (Corps alu 7075-T6)
  • Rays: Vonoa Carbon (flat profile)
  • Bearings : Standard Tune
  • Price: 3499€
  • Accessories provided: Fillmore valves, tubeless scotch, 4 replacement carbon rays

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