Almost a decade ago, 700 got behind SCOPE - an emerging wheel brand from The Netherlands, and we loved and had huge success with the brand. Sadly, the then distributor went under and despite some dealings direct with Scope, it was unsustainable and Scope fizzled in the UK. So, with fresh distribution and an even stronger line up, we are extremely pleased to be offering them once again.
Scope Cycling are a team of Dutch engineers and designers who are all passionate cyclists. By combining technical innovation and novel approaches to development and design and by reinforcing their approach with their passion, they aim to provide riders with the best possible tubeless-ready carbon wheel range to enhance the rider experience. While Scope's range has inevitably expanded, their ethos remains firmly intact and is evident throughout each of their 4 categories : Road, All-Road, Gravel and Triathlon; and within each series: Sport, Race and Artech.
Now, if you’ve read any background on pretty much any brand, new or otherwise, you will often hear a similar refrain as regards their approach. In our experience, much of what we hear is used to justify an inflated price for a product that is - to all intents and purposes - largely the same (from R&D to Production) as A N Other brand already available. This is particularly true in the Wheel market.
Our desire at 700 is to stock and present products that we feel stand above the rest. Products that are truly innovative or whose approach doesn’t simply replicate that of another product’s development. Scope are one of those brands.
Scope - unlike many other wheel brands in market - are looking for the perfect balance between aerodynamics, lightness, stiffness, and durability - rather than focussing on a single element. As such, their concise range of Carbon, tubeless-ready wheels are ideal for the real-world rider, delivering on all fronts with quite astounding results; especially given the competitive pricing.
All their products are developed in-house at facilities in Eindhoven. Considered the Dutch Silicon Valley, the city is also home to Brainport, the High-Tech campus, the University of Technology Eindhoven, and the Design Academy. With their headquarters in one of Europe’s leading high-tech areas they are able to continuously improve their products and to redefine the future of modern wheel building.
Below is a general overview of the technologies applied to Scope's Artech, R and S series wheels. Much is centred on the Artech - but the bulk of the tech found in them is present on the R Series, while the S is essentially the previous generation of Scope's R series wheels that set the benchmark 8 years ago and that remain exceptionally valid at their price point. If nothing esle, it speaks to the company's approaches, innovation, long term relevance and fastidiousness.
To be able to compete with industry-leading brands Scope have combined their technical background and pro cycling experience with more specific knowledge from development partners who - like them - are keen to push the boundaries of wheel building. The result is a range of wheels that quite often resets the benchmark within the remit of the brand and encompasses all elements key to a good wheel : Aerodynamics, Lateral stiffness, weight and durability.
AERODYNAMICS
The shape of the company's flagship Artech rims is defined by their Algorithm Enhanced Aerodynamics (AEA) technology. This algorithm optimises the most aerodynamic rim-profile guaranteeing optimal aerodynamic performance.
The initial AEA algorithm, developed in 2017 for the first R-Series, in collaboration with the University of Technology Delft (aerospace engineering), was 2D-based and included the interaction effect of the rim and tyre in the optimisation. To redefine the benchmark of aerodynamics, Scope evolved their algorithm by making it 3D-based including the complete bike with components.
Surface structure Aerodynamics : AEROSCALES
After the optimum rim profiles were defined, Scope studied the world of surface structures. During this research, they learned about fish scales reducing hydrodynamic drag. These scale structures, derived from nature, had recently been successfully applied and tested in the aerospace industry. Indeed, such Bio-mimetic approaches are not new, even to cycling; Zipp's NSW profiles mimick the shape of the trailing edge of a whale's fin.
Fish scales help to reduce drag as the fish moves through the water. The shape and arrangement of scales help determine the fish’s ability to streamline its body and move efficiently.
In case of a smooth rim surface the laminar airflow becomes unstable over time. Using Scope's patent pending Aeroscales which generate velocity streaks traveling at different speed over the rim surface, Scope have effectively stabilised the airflow resulting in reduced drag. Scope then benchmarked the principle using 3D printed prototypes with and without these scales and demonstrated a significant reduction in drag at yaw angles above and below 10 degrees.
Measured in the Silverstone Sport Engineering wind tunnel in the UK (June 2023).
Aerodynamics: Drag benchmark
Artech defined a new approach on aerodynamics resulting in the fastest most side-wind stable wheels on the market. This statement is easy to make but Scope validated in three different wind-tunnels, against different test protocols, and tested by independent experts..
The graph shows the average power required to ride 45 km/h according to the Tour magazine protocol (wheels incl. bike) measured at the Silverstone Sports Engineering wind tunnel, august 2025.
Since the new R-Series (a wheel that in its initial guise had led the market against HED and Zipp's 454 NSW to name only 2) adopts the proven rim profiles of the Artech series, it delivers a comparable level of aerodynamic performance, with Aeroscales on the Artech series delivering enhanced drag reduction.
STIFFNESS
One of the elements often overlooked by those investing in new wheels is stiffness. When discussing wheel options with clients, we are often asked about aerodynamics and weight - we are almost never asked about stiffness. The lateral stiffness of a wheel is key. Flex in a wheel leaks power, can create brake rub on rim bikes and destroys the handling of your bike - especially when you need it most : in corners, descending. Many of the top name wheels out there, whose sole focus is aerodynamics, struggle with this aspect making the investment a questionable one - especially when the price can double that of an equivalent set of Scope wheels
In cooperation with the University of Technology Delft (NL), Scope optimised the carbon lay-up of their rims for weight, strength, and stiffness. This unique carbon lay-up is characterised by their innovative Local Reinforcement Technology. Instead of reinforcing the entire spoke hole section on the inside of the rim, Scope locally strengthened the rim around the spoke hole itself. This significantly reduces weight of their rims while ensuring strength and stiffness.
After the frame, wheels make the greatest difference to your ride. The lighter the wheel, the better your bike will handle (to a point - if your bike/wheel package is too light then things get twitchy!); the faster it will accelerate, the quicker it will climb and the less it will drag you off-line in a corner. But weight needs to be balanced with durability and safety, with this in mind, Scope emply innovative tech and novel materials to deliver peak performance at incredibly low weights - once again setting the benchmark.
Along with their proprietary carbon layup, Scope reduce weight in their wheels through innovative construction and materials use.
Lightweight : 3D printed Hub Shells
Scope's Artech Hub shells are 3D printed to minimise weight but feature Topology Optimisation. This is an algorithm that optimises the shape of the hub shell based on a set of load cases and a given design space. The algorithm finds the most lightweight design while ensuring the required strength. Interestingly, this results in a bone like structure again showing the power of nature. The Artech hub shells are 3D printed in Germany from Scalmalloy material, a high-performance alloy material applied in industries like Aerospace and Formula One.
Lightweight and durable : Diamond Ratchet
Internally, the design of the Diamond Ratchet system provides a reduction of peak tensions on the ratchet teeth. Combined with a Diamond Like Carbon coating, this allows Scope to employ a more lightweight Titanium material, resulting in a weight reduction compared to the steel Diamond Ratchets from Scope’s Race Series, while retaining strength and ensuring durability.
Ultra-light and Aerodynamic : Carbonlite Aerospokes
On the Artech wheels, Carbonlite Aerospokes made from lightweight UD carbon material, are shaped to reduce aerodynamic drag, without creating a weight penalty. The Carbonlite Aerospokes have internal nipples applied in a 2:1 spoke pattern resulting in equal spoke tension while the wide flange distance ensures a high lateral stiffness for efficiency when accelerating and climbing. The carbon spokes are held mechanically which makes them replaceable and allows easy maintenance in every workshop.
Lightweight: Weight benchmark
The importance of lightweight wheels can’t be underestimated, it affects your riding experience in myriad ways. So far no one in the cycling industry has been able to achieve a real lightweight wheelset combined with best-in-class Aerodynamics. It is for this reason that the combination of Aero and Lightweight makes the Artech really stand out from the competition. Scope makes it possible to ride a Tour de France climbing stage on an truly Aero wheelset (65mm), and with that bring a revolution to the cycling industry.
Perfect tyre-fit
To ensure the perfect balance between aerodynamics, rolling resistance and safety, the tyre is included at an early stage in Scope's wheel development process. This ensures real world benefit and a truthful reflection of the aerodynamics stated, since it would be easy to state incredible numbers that are subsequently destroyed when you fit a tyre!
Scope recognise the need for choice and believes a hooked tyre bed is important to guarantee the usage of all clincher and tubeless tyres, all Scope Artech Road, All-Road and Triathlon wheels feature a hooked rim bed. Only the Artech Gravel wheelset developed for dedicated off-road tyres comes with a hookless rim-profile.
Range Overview:
Scope offer 4 Categories of Wheel: Road, All-Road, Gravel and Triathlon
Road: developed with a pure focus on road bikes, with a strong focus on pure road racing performance. Scope offers Road wheels across three product series: Artech, Race, andSport.
Optimised for a 28mm tyre
All-Road: developed with a focus on Road Aero bikes and given their wider tyre bed are also a perfect fit for the more race forward gravel bikes. Scope offers All- Road wheels across three product series: Artech,Race, andSport.
Optimised for a 30mm tyre.
Considerations: Given the rapid uptake of wider tyres, if you are considering a ROAD series wheel it may be better to opt for the ALL-ROAD if driven by wider tyre preference. If you are a weight-centric rider and intend to stay toward the 28-30mm tyre range rather than 30mm+, the weight savings of the ROAD series may be more appealing. The wheels are largely the same, save for greater width and associated weight increses on each model.
Gravel:developed specifically for pure gravel racing, designed to perform on both smooth high-speed sections and rough, extreme terrain. Scope offers Gravel wheels in Artech and Race variants
Triathlon: developed to win UCI World tour time trials and World Champion triathlons, aiming for races against the clock. Scope offers Triathlon and Time Trial wheeld exclusively within theArtechseries.
Series Overview:
Artech - as largely described above, are the pinnacle of the range where development and innovation is centred. They deliver benchmark weight, aerodynamics, stiffness and durability such that in 2026 they will be the wheel supplier for a third team: INEOS, who as we know are particular! 3D Printed Hub Shells with Diamond Ratchet in Titanium, Cabonlite Aero Spokes. Aeroscales and Topology Optimisation.
R (Race) Series wheels field much of the Artech technologies except the key Topology Optimisation, Aeroscales and 3D Printed hub. Rim profiles are identical with a step down on the hub construction; though it retains the Diamond Ratchet - albeit in Steel rather than Titanium and uses Sapim CX-Ray Spokes. Scope Race Series wheels deliver best in class aerodynamics, at a race ready weight, and durability designed to last.
S (Sport) Series wheels benefit from Scope's previous generation Race series technologies, providing a unique value for money proposition. Slightly narrower and employing Sapim Leader spokes and a 3-Pawl hub system.
A note on the S Series: This sector of the market is flooded with similarly priced product (some good - some absolute rubbish) so choosing a Scope S Series will depend largely on your approach to cycling. If you are focused on Speed and happy with the slightly narrower internal rim bed and associated tyre width limitations, then the S Series will undoubtedly deliver exceptional aero and stiffness at the price - certainly the best vs another wheel with the same internal width. If however, you require a wheel that is slightly wider - for say a 30mm tyre (and while it is possible to fit one on an S) - it may be better to opt for an equivalent depth ERE Omnia II CLR45 or Scope S 4.A- which will offer additional comfort for longer rides and the capacity for light gravel at the expense of some outright speed. As the All-Road is to the Road, The Omnia is to the S Series.