HED Vanquish V45 Disc Brake Wheelset

The HED Vanquish V45 Disc Brake Wheelset is designed by the same engineers and built by the same hands as HED's Vanquish Pro series. The difference between the Pro and the standard Vanquish isn't the rim profile or the aerodynamic geometry — it's depth options and hub specification. The V45 delivers HED's proven aerodynamic rim shape in a 45mm depth, making it the all-road choice in the Vanquish lineup for riders who want real aero performance without the crosswind sensitivity of an 80mm-plus race wheel. HED has been building wheels in Roseville, Minnesota since 1984 — over 40 years of American wheel manufacturing informing every rim profile, spoke lacing pattern, and bearing specification in this wheelset. That's not a marketing footnote; it's why these wheels are hand-built to a standard that most overseas-manufactured carbon at this price doesn't approach.

The 45mm rim depth sits in the aerodynamically productive range for road racing and mixed-terrain riding. HED's engineering team validated the Vanquish in the wind tunnel with two priorities: drag reduction and crosswind predictability. The V45 retains stable crosswind handling characteristics at more than 70% of typical cycling yaw angles, which means it performs without demanding constant steering correction in real-world conditions where winds don't hold a fixed direction. At 45mm, this is a wheel built for the racer who attacks on rolling roads, not just tailwind flats — a depth that earns its speed advantage in criteriums, gran fondos, and mixed-terrain events where handling responsiveness matters as much as raw aero output. The V62 in the same Vanquish lineup pushes to 62mm for TT and triathlon use; the V45 is the do-everything road wheel for riders who train and race on the same set.

The rim is 22.4mm internally and 30.9mm externally, built around a 28c optimal tire size. That internal width matters in practice: when a 28c tire mounts on a 22.4mm rim, it opens to a rounder cross-section rather than a pinched one, which lowers rolling resistance and adds compliance on rough surfaces without requiring a change in tire size. The 30.9mm external width keeps the rim shoulder close to the mounted tire width — the configuration that delivers the aerodynamic benefit HED designed this profile around. The rim is hooked and tubeless-compatible. Tubeless tape is pre-installed at the factory and valve cores are included in the box, so a floor pump and sealant are all that's needed at setup. Tire pressure maxes at 70psi. The spokes are Sapim Sprint — a bladed, aerodynamic spoke with a flat cross-section that reduces drag relative to round spokes while maintaining structural integrity across the 24-hole build.

Hubs are HED's GP Performance specification, built around EZO Japan 6902RS sealed cartridge bearings throughout — two in the front, four in the rear. EZO's 6902RS units are resistant to water and contamination and replaceable without specialized tools when they eventually wear. The rear freehub uses a four-pawl design with 13.3 degrees of engagement, quick enough that sprint efforts and out-of-the-saddle accelerations transfer immediately to the rim. CenterLock disc interface on both wheels pairs with the standard 12x100mm thru-axle front and 12x142mm rear. Freehub options at purchase cover Shimano HG11, SRAM XDR, and Campagnolo N3W, addressing every major drivetrain platform currently in production. Wheel weights are 757g front and 896g rear, for a total of 1,653g (±30g).

The Vanquish V45 is built for road racers, gran fondo riders, and mixed-terrain cyclists who want a tubeless-ready carbon disc wheelset with genuine aerodynamic credentials at a price that doesn't require compromise elsewhere in the build. At $1,850, these are priced competitively against European-manufactured carbon disc wheelsets with less depth of development. HED builds them in Minnesota, in a facility that has been producing competition-grade carbon wheels for four decades. For riders who want 45mm aerodynamics with wind tunnel validation, wide-rim tubeless compatibility, and quick-engaging hubs on a domestically built wheelset, the V45 makes a direct, uncomplicated case for itself.