YOELEO QianKun CS60 Carbon Wheels Review: The Best Wheels I've Tested

I've tested a lot of carbon wheels. And I don't throw around words like "best" often. But after 1,000km on the YOELEO QianKun CS60s - including rides in Saigon traffic, long solo efforts, and group rides - these are the best-performing carbon wheels I've reviewed. Not perfect. But close.

I'll tell you exactly what I paid, what impressed me, what didn't, and whether these wheels are actually worth the asking price for your riding.

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Quick Verdict

Price paid

$1,650 (use code MIKE10 for 10% off at checkout)

One-line verdict

The fastest wheels I've put on a bike, with a couple of frustrating compromises

Best for

Triathletes, racers, and serious riders who want top-end performance without paying Zipp prices

Not for

Budget-conscious riders, those doing long endurance rides on rough roads, and anyone who needs a 40mm climbing option

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What Is the YOELEO QianKun CS60?

YOELEO has been around since 2011, but they didn't start there. Before launching as a brand, they operated as an OEM manufacturer - making carbon wheels for bigger brands before anyone knew their name. That kind of background matters. Brands that started early have seen rim generations, failures, fixes, and years of real-world feedback loops that newer brands simply haven't.

They're not trying to compete in the budget space. Their Next Generation range starts at around $1,000, but the QianKun range is a different product entirely. It's built to be the best they can make, full stop.

The QianKun CS60 is their flagship 60mm carbon wheelset. It launched recently, which means there isn't a mountain of independent data on it yet. But it also means you're getting the latest technology they've developed - and in this case, that shows.

I weighed my pair myself. The 1,365g figure includes tubeless tape and valve, so it's not a fair comparison to YOELEO's claimed 1,285g (measured without). Either way, for a 60mm carbon wheelset, that's genuinely light. Lighter than almost all Western-brand equivalents and lighter than most Chinese brands at this depth.

First Impressions Out of the Box

Mine took 12 days to arrive. No import or customs fees. Packaging was solid - exactly what you'd expect for wheels at this price point.

The first thing I noticed when unboxing them was how they look. Matte black with gold decals. Small, minimalist logo - nothing garish. I actually really like it. If gold isn't your thing, you've got five options: white, black, gold, grey, or custom. Custom decals from a carbon wheel manufacturer are rare. That's a nice touch.

YOELEO also says they have a warehouse in Europe, so if you're based there, you should receive them faster than most Chinese brands shipping direct from China.

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What Makes the CS60 Different

There are a lot of carbon wheels out there. Here's what actually separates these from the crowd.

T1000 Carbon Rims

Most wheelsets - including a lot of well-regarded Chinese options - use T700 or T800 carbon. The CS60 uses T1000. T1000 is stiffer, which means the rim holds its shape better under hard sprints and through corners. It also allows less material to be used while maintaining structural integrity, which is part of how YOELEO keeps the weight down on a 60mm rim.

Carbon Spokes

Budget wheelsets typically come with steel spokes. Steel is flexible, absorbs road vibration well, and is cheap to replace. Carbon spokes are stiffer. When you put power down - out of a corner, in a sprint - less flex means more of your effort goes directly to acceleration rather than being absorbed by spoke movement. You do give up some comfort on rough roads, which I'll come back to. But for performance, the trade-off is worth it.

One thing worth pointing out: all spokes are fully enclosed on both sides of the rim, so they can't pop out during a tube change or when fitting tubeless tape. YOELEO also includes spare carbon spokes in the box, and rim tape comes pre-installed. Small details, but they show some care that you don't always see at this price.

Ceramic Sealed Bearings

Ceramic balls are harder and smoother than steel, which means less friction as the hub spins. Less friction equals less rolling resistance over a long ride. They're also more resistant to corrosion, so they tend to last longer in wet conditions.

36-Point Ratchet Hub

More engagement points mean a smaller gap between when you start pedalling and when the wheel actually drives forward. Out of a corner or standing up to sprint, the power kicks in almost immediately. It's noticeable.

The hub sound is something else. A mechanic at my local bike shop heard it and said it sounded like "an alien saucer - like a whoosh sound." That's accurate. It's one of the nicest hub sounds I've heard on any wheelset.

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Ride Experience

I covered around 1,000km on these wheels across two months, starting with 32mm Continental GP 5000 S TR tyres before switching to 28mm for the remainder of the testing.

Stiffness and Power Transfer

The stiffness hits you immediately. I had just come off testing a set of wheels at roughly half the price. The difference when you put power down is not subtle. There's no lag, no flex - the wheel just responds. In sprints, the CS60s feel sharp in a way that cheaper wheels don't.

That's the T1000 carbon and carbon spoke combination doing exactly what it's supposed to do.

Rotating weight matters more than most riders think. Weight on the wheel requires more energy to accelerate than static weight, such as a full bidon or a saddlebag. Shedding grams from your wheels is one of the more effective upgrades you can make. These wheels make that point clearly on every acceleration.

Comfort

The flip side of that stiffness is comfort on rough roads. Carbon spokes don't absorb vibration the way steel spokes do. On rough tarmac, you feel more of what's under your tyres. It's not punishing, but it's noticeable. If you're doing long endurance rides on bad roads, factor that in. My Trek Speed Concept has IsoSpeed, which helps counteract some of that, but on a stiffer frame, it would be more apparent.

On smooth tarmac, it's a complete non-issue.

Handling and Crosswind Behaviour

Handling is where these wheels really stand out for me. They feel planted and predictable through corners. No vagueness, no feeling of flex mid-corner. You just trust them and carry more speed into the apex.

Crosswind behaviour on a 60mm rim is usually where I'd say "manageable, as long as conditions aren't too bad." These were noticeably better than I expected. Not immune to gusts - no 60mm wheel is - but more manageable than other deep-section wheels I've ridden. If you're in a consistently windy area, YOELEO offers the option to mix a CS50 on the front with a CS60 on the rear, which is a sensible compromise.

I covered the full ride test on my YouTube channel. If you want to see the hub sound test and on-bike footage before you decide.

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What I Liked

• Immediate power transfer. The combination of T1000 carbon rims, carbon spokes, and the 36-point ratchet hub creates one of the most responsive wheels I've ridden.
• Weight. 1,365g with tape and valve for a 60mm wheelset is genuinely impressive. Lighter than almost every Western brand equivalent at this depth.
• Crosswind handling. Better than I expected for a 60mm rim. More confidence in mixed conditions than comparable deep-section wheels.
• Build quality and attention to detail. Enclosed spokes, pre-installed rim tape, spare spokes in the box, five decal options, including custom.
• YOELEO's track record. They've been in the industry long enough to have worked through the quality control issues that newer brands are still figuring out.

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What Needs Work

• The name. QianKun is genuinely hard for English speakers to pronounce. Words starting with Q in English are almost always followed by U. This one isn't, which means most people mispronounce it and then forget it. The performance speaks for itself, but the name doesn't help with word-of-mouth.
• No 40mm option. The CS50 and CS60 cover aero riding well, but there's no climbing wheelset in the range. A 40mm option would round out the lineup considerably.
• Limited online data. These wheels were released recently, and real-world user experiences on forums like Reddit are basically non-existent right now. That will change over time, but if you like to research extensively before buying, you're largely relying on early reviews like this one.
• The rough-road ride quality. If you're riding bad roads regularly, the carbon spokes will make themselves known. Not a dealbreaker for a performance wheelset, but worth knowing before you buy.

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Value: Are They Worth $1,650 Against Western Alternatives?

Context matters here. One well-known Chinese brand is selling a wheelset with similar weight and similar technology to the CS60 for $5,000. At $1,650, or under $1,500 with the MIKE10 discount code, the CS60 isn't cheap - but it's not priced at anything like what you'd pay for comparable Western-brand performance.

A set of Zipp 454 NSW wheels will run you well over $3,000. Enve SES 6.7 wheels are in the same territory. For riders who want that level of performance but don't want to pay those prices, the CS60 makes a serious case for itself.

They're not an entry-level wheel. They're not even a mid-range wheel. They're a premium performance product at a price point that undercuts the Western market significantly.

These are the wheels I'll be running on my Trek Speed Concept at my next Ironman 70.3. That's not a throwaway endorsement. I put my own race on the line with that choice.

I've linked the exact listing below. YOELEO also ships from a European warehouse if you want faster delivery, and you can buy directly from their website with the discount code applied at checkout.

If you want one honest gear pick per week, join the newsletter. No fluff, just the product I actually think is worth your money.

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Who Should Buy the YOELEO QianKun CS60

Buy these if: You're a triathlete or competitive road rider who wants the best-performing wheels available under $2,000, you ride mostly on decent tarmac, and you're comfortable buying from an established Chinese brand.

Skip these if: You're on a tight budget, you ride long endurance miles on rough roads and need the comfort steel spokes provide, or you need a 40mm option for climbing.

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FAQ

How do the YOELEO QianKun CS60 wheels compare to Zipp wheels? The CS60s come in lighter than most Zipp options at this rim depth and use higher-grade T1000 carbon versus the carbon used in many Zipp rims. The Zipp 454 NSW retails for more than double the CS60 price. Based on my riding, the performance gap does not justify the price gap.

Are the YOELEO QianKun CS60 wheels tubeless-ready? Yes. They're tubeless-ready and clincher-compatible. They work with tyre widths from 25mm up to 45mm. YOELEO recommends 28mm tyres if you want to optimise for the 105% aero rule. Rim tape comes pre-installed.

What warranty do the YOELEO QianKun CS60 wheels come with? Three years as standard. You can extend that to five years for an additional $200, which is worth considering given the price of the wheels. YOELEO also offers a crash replacement policy with a 30% discount on a replacement pair.

How do carbon spokes affect the ride quality? Carbon spokes transfer power more directly than steel, which makes the wheel feel more responsive in sprints and accelerations. The trade-off is a firmer ride on rough roads, since carbon doesn't absorb vibration as well as steel. On smooth tarmac, it's a non-issue.

Is YOELEO a reliable brand? YOELEO started as an OEM manufacturer before launching as its own brand in 2011. They have a long track record in the industry and take quality control seriously. Reviews on Trustpilot consistently mention fast customer service response times, often within 24 hours.

What is the hub engagement on the YOELEO QianKun CS60? The ratchet system uses 36 points of engagement. More engagement points mean less dead time between pedalling and the wheel driving forward. Out of corners and in sprints, the power kicks in almost immediately.