Princeton Peak 4550 EVO Disc Brake Wheelset w/Chris King R45D Hubs

Princeton CarbonWorks builds wheels around a single engineering conviction: that the shape of a carbon rim cross-section matters as much as the material itself. Their sinusoidal rim profile — a wave-form geometry that distributes load into the carbon structure rather than concentrating it at stress points — is the defining technology across their lineup, and it produces rims that reviewers consistently describe as stiff and direct without the harshness that can come with aggressive carbon construction. The Princeton Peak 4550 EVO Disc Brake Wheelset with Chris King R45D Hubs applies that approach to Princeton's all-around performance platform: 45mm and 50mm rim depths paired with a 21mm internal width, built around Sapim CX-Ray spokes and one of the most respected disc hubs in production.

Each Peak rim weighs 420g, built to a hooked, hole-less tubeless-ready profile — the non-drilled tire bed increases stiffness by eliminating the structural interruptions that spoke holes create in a conventional rim. Princeton's patented Radially Staggered Lacing geometry positions the spoke holes in a pattern that spreads tension loading more evenly across the rim, further improving the stiffness and fatigue characteristics of the completed wheel. Rims are pre-balanced at the factory to reduce the vibration that comes with carbon's natural material variation — a detail that becomes noticeable on long descents and high-speed paved sections. The rim dimensions suit a wide range of tire sizes well: 21mm internal width supports everything from 25mm road tires to 35mm all-road rubber at appropriate pressures, and the 28.2mm external width sits at a shape-optimized ratio with common tire widths for aerodynamic benefit.

The hub specification is Chris King's R45D — their disc-specific road hub, built around a 45-point Ring Drive engagement system that delivers fast, consistent power transfer the moment you apply pressure to the pedals. The Ring Drive mechanism uses a ring of teeth that engages simultaneously across all 45 points rather than the ratchet-and-pawl sequential engagement of most hubs, which means the feel is immediate and the load is distributed evenly across the drive surfaces. Chris King manufactures and assembles the R45D in Portland, Oregon, to tolerances that earn the hub a lifetime warranty — a claim that holds up across decades of real-world use. Sapim CX-Ray bladed spokes complete the build: at approximately 4.5g per spoke, CX-Ray is the standard against which lightweight road spokes are measured, combining aerodynamic profile with the fatigue resistance and long-term tension stability that hand-built wheels require. The completed wheelset weighs 1,460g.

Design Benefits

1. Sinusoidal rim geometry — stiffness through shape, not just material — Princeton's wave-form rim cross-section distributes load into the carbon structure rather than concentrating stress at fixed points. The result is a rim that achieves its stiffness target at 420g by using geometry rather than additional carbon, keeping weight down while delivering the lateral rigidity that makes a wheel feel planted and responsive under load.
2. Hole-less tire bed with Radially Staggered Lacing — The non-drilled rim surface eliminates the stress concentrations that spoke holes create, improving stiffness and tubeless sealing integrity in one change. Princeton's patented staggered spoke hole placement distributes tension loading more evenly across the rim structure, reducing the localized fatigue that eventually causes conventional spoke beds to crack or loosen.
3. 45-point Ring Drive — engagement without compromise — The Chris King R45D's Ring Drive mechanism engages all 45 points simultaneously rather than sequentially, which translates to a hub feel that is immediate and consistent under hard out-of-saddle efforts. For riders who sprint or accelerate hard out of corners, the difference between 3-point ratchet engagement and 45-point simultaneous engagement is felt in the first pedal stroke.
4. Sapim CX-Ray spokes — the hand-built standard — CX-Ray bladed spokes are lighter, more aerodynamic, and more fatigue-resistant than round spokes at the same tension. The combination of CX-Ray spokes, Princeton's staggered lacing pattern, and Sapim SecureLock nipples produces a wheel build that holds tension reliably over thousands of miles of riding — the kind of stability that separates a well-built hand-laced wheel from a factory-pressed alternative.

Final Take

The Princeton Peak 4550 EVO with Chris King R45D hubs is a wheelset for the rider who wants serious engineering in both the rim and the hub without building around a single brand's ecosystem. Princeton's sinusoidal rims at 45mm and 50mm depth cover a wide range of terrain efficiently — deep enough to reward you on flat and rolling roads, shallow enough not to punish you in crosswinds or on long climbs. Chris King's R45D and its Ring Drive engagement bring a hub that is immediate, durable, and backed for life. At 1,460g, this is not the lightest possible build on this rim — lighter hub options exist — but the tradeoff is a wheelset that will outlast most of the bikes it's built into.