IN BRIEF
Shimano is renewing its top-end wheels with the Dura-Ace WH-R9370 series, announced on 29 July. The main change is the switch to carbon spokes, in two profiles: Aero at 4.0 x 1.1 mm and Super Aero at 5.2 x 0.8 mm. The weight saving runs up to 220 g per pair depending on rim depth: the C60 drops to a claimed 1,389 g, the C50 to 1,302 g and the C36 to 1,170 g. The range comprises four sets — C36, C50, C60 and a C99 front wheel paired with a rear disc for time trialling — and reaches shops in September 2026.
| C36 — claimed weight | 1,170 g (versus 1,350 g) |
| C50 — claimed weight | 1,302 g (versus 1,461 g) |
| C60 — claimed weight | 1,389 g (versus 1,609 g) |
| C99 front — claimed weight | 792 g |
| Rear disc — claimed weight | 987 g |
| Spokes | Carbon, Aero 4.0 x 1.1 mm and Super Aero 5.2 x 0.8 mm |
| C36 spoke count | 18 front / 21 rear |
| C60 spoke count | 21 front / 24 rear |
| C99 front wheel | 16 Super Aero spokes |
| Internal rim width | 23 mm (C36, C50, C60) |
| C60 external width | 31.5 mm front / 32.3 mm rear |
| Target tyres | 28 to 30 mm |
| Hubs | Cup-and-cone, replaceable cups |
| Availability | September 2026 |
| UK prices | £1,099.99 for the front wheel and £1,199.99 for the rear (C36, C50, C60) |
| US prices | $2,970 for the pair (C36, C50, C60) · $1,595 for the C99 front wheel · $3,030 for the rear disc |
Shimano is renewing its top-end wheels, and the change shows up first on the scales. The Dura-Ace WH-R9370 series, announced on 29 July, drops the metal spokes of the R9270 generation in favour of carbon: up to 220 g less per pair depending on rim depth. Four sets make up the family — the C36, C50 and C60 for the road, plus a C99 combination pairing a 99 mm-deep front wheel with a rear disc, aimed at time trialling and triathlon. These wheels are also, according to road.cc and BikeRadar, the first Shimano products to carry the R9300 naming convention, after the R9000 in 2012, R9100 in 2016 and R9200 in 2021.
The Dura-Ace WH-R9370 carbon spokes come in two profiles
Shimano has designed two sections: the Aero, at 4.0 x 1.1 mm, and the Super Aero, wider and thinner, at 5.2 x 0.8 mm. The latter is reserved for the time-trial front wheel, where it makes up 16 spokes. The road wheels stick to the Aero profile, with 18 spokes at the front and 21 at the rear on the C36, 21 and 24 on the C60.
The saving varies with rim depth. On the C60, the claimed difference reaches 220 g: 1,389 g against 1,609 g for the previous generation. The C50 comes down to 1,302 g from 1,461 g, the C36 to 1,170 g from 1,350 g. The C99 front wheel is quoted at 792 g and the rear disc at 987 g.
Rims tuned for 28 to 30 mm tyres
The three road wheels share a 23 mm internal width. On the C60, the external width reaches 31.5 mm at the front and 32.3 mm at the rear, a profile Shimano says is optimised for 28 to 30 mm tyres. The brand claims up to 2.7 watts less aerodynamic drag than the previous generation, measured at 48 km/h with 30 mm tyres.
The order of magnitude remains modest and should be taken for what it is: a laboratory figure, announced by the manufacturer, in one specific configuration.
Cup-and-cone stays, but the cups can be swapped
On the hubs, Shimano keeps its cup-and-cone bearings, the house signature for decades. The new part is elsewhere: according to the brand, the cups become replaceable and the sealing has been reworked.
According to Shimano, this arrangement requires 30% less rotational torque than a conventional cartridge bearing, a measurement taken under 500 N of vertical load, 200 N of axial force and 5,000 N of clamping.
September 2026, and a European price still uncertain
The WH-R9370 family is announced for shops in September 2026, with exact dates still to be confirmed depending on the market. Two price lists have been published so far. In the UK: £1,099.99 for the front wheel and £1,199.99 for the rear on the C36, C50 and C60, £1,199.99 for the C99 front wheel and £2,299.99 for the rear disc. In the United States, Shimano’s official store and Bikerumor both give $2,970 for the pair on the C36, C50 and C60, $1,595 for the C99 front wheel and $3,030 for the rear disc.
No euro pricing has been published at this stage, however: BikeRadar writes that prices are yet to be announced, and the German sites Rennrad-News and Velomotion both state that end-customer prices have not been released.
