Tom Ritchey created the Zeta wheels to be tough enough to endure gravel road rides and cyclocross races that would chew lesser wheels to pieces, yet still precise and predictable enough to carve endless ribbons of smooth tarmac. Building upon the celebrated wheel-building and design heritage of Ritchey, the Classic Zeta wheels tastefully balance modern features with the legendary and elegant high-polish silver aesthetic of the Ritchey Classic line.
With a CNC-machined braking surface for smooth control and stopping power, the alloy rims of the Zeta Classic are tubeless-ready and, importantly, simple access to the spoke heads for repairs and replacement when needed. The rear rim features Ritchey’s pioneering OCR™ technology - off-center spoke hole drilling that delivers more equalized spoke tension throughout the wheel, resulting in a stronger wheel. With a 20mm inner width, these rims welcome tires between 25 and 43mm wide – ideal for all your favorite riding disciplines where you want to shine.
At the heart of these rim brake wheels lies the legendary Phantom Flange system, paired with a precision Ratchet Driver system in the rear hub. The Phantom Flange hubs provide the sleek profile of straight-pull spokes while maintaining the strength and reliability of traditional J-bend spokes, striking a perfect balance between aesthetics, performance, and serviceability. Inside the rear hub, the innovative Ratchet Driver system offers a 360-degree, 36-point engagement, ensuring direct-drive efficiency and unparalleled power transfer.
Doubling down on the serviceability of these wheels, you can easily remove…without tools…the freehub body, axle, and Ratchet Driver system for basic periodic maintenance - and to lay flat when packing in a Ritchey Break-Away travel case.
The Ritchey Classic Zeta wheels are not just built; they are crafted to endure the toughest of rides, setting a new standard in wheel performance…and aesthetics.
Every Ritchey wheelset is carefully hand-built by a qualified Ritchey wheel technician.
FEATURES
TLR
All Ritchey wheels are tubeless-ready - just add tape, sealant, and a tubeless tire, and you're set!
OCR RIMS
Off-center spoke drilling offers equal spoke tension throughout the wheel resulting in an easily dished strong wheel.
PHANTOM FLANGE
Elegantly integrated forged spoke beds in hub shell reduce stress on the spoke head for a stronger wheel system.
TECH SPECS
Rims alloy Tubeless Ready - OCR offset rear rim - CNC machined braking surface - proprietary Ritchey extrusion
Rim diameter 700c
Rim depth 23.8mm
Outer rim width 24.4 mm
Inner rim width 20.0mm
Suggested tire size range 25-43mm
Hubs proprietary superlight Phantom Flange hubs with hidden J-bend spokes - standard quick release only (Ritchey forged quick releases included)
Hub spacing 100mm front / 130mm rear
Freewheel Ratchet Driver with 36-point engagement
Freehub material alloy
Freehub options Shimano / Campy (9-12 speed)
Compatibility Shimano 9-11s and 12s road cassette - SRAM XD/XDR - Campy 10-12s (freehub conversion kits available separately)
Disc brake compatibility no
Spokes DT Competition 2.0/1.8 double butted / silver
Front 20 spokes / 285mm / radial
Rear 24 spokes / 12x286mm / 12x288mm / radial non-drive side - 2X lacing drive side
Nipples 2.0 brass 12mm / silver
Weight 1630g/set
Colour high-polish silver
Do not use sealants containing ammonia