What Are Hookless Wheels? The Complete Guide to Modern Rim Technology
What Are Hookless Wheels? The Complete Guide to Modern Rim Technology Hookless wheels are one of the biggest shifts in cycling wheel design over the past decade. First developed in mountain biking, hookless rims are now widely used in road, gravel, and all-road cycling. With their simple design, improved strength, and optimized tubeless performance, hookless wheels are quickly becoming the standard for modern bikes. In this guide, we’ll cover everything you need to know about hookless wheels: what they are, how they work, their advantages and limitations, and how they compare to traditional hooked rims.
What Are Hookless Wheels?
Traditionally, rims featured an internal “bead hook” — a small lip inside the rim wall that helped secure the tire bead. A hookless rim, on the other hand, has straight sidewalls with no inward hook. Instead, the tire bead is held in place by precise tolerances and air pressure.
Hookless rims are designed for tubeless setups, where the tire locks into the rim bead seat and seals airtight with sealant.
- Hooked rims: Tire bead sits under a small lip
- Hookless rims: Tire bead rests against a straight wall, secured by air pressure
This simpler construction allows for stronger sidewalls, better tubeless performance, and wider internal rim widths.
Why Are Hookless Wheels Becoming Popular?
The cycling industry is moving rapidly toward tubeless and wider tires. Hookless rims are a natural fit for this trend because they:
- Works best with tubeless-ready tires
- Support wider internal widths (23–25mm common on road, 25–28mm on gravel)
- Provide improved rim strength and impact resistance
- Reduce manufacturing complexity and weight
This is why many leading wheel brands, including Polymer Workshop - now design all-new carbon wheelsets as hookless-first.
Are Hookless Wheels Safe?
Yes - when used correctly. Safety concerns mostly stem from early road applications, but modern hookless technology is regulated by international standards (ETRTO/ISO) to ensure proper compatibility.
Key safety rules for hookless rims:
- Always use tubeless-ready, hookless-approved tires
- Respect the maximum tire pressure limits (usually 5 bar / 72 PSI for road)
- Use minimum labeled tire widths (28mm or wider for road, 33–45mm for gravel)
For gravel cycling, where pressures are much lower (30–50 PSI), hookless rims are particularly safe and effective.
Advantages of Hookless Rims
- Stronger Rim Walls – Without the fragile hook lip, rims resist rock strikes and impacts better.
- Wider Internal Widths – Supports modern wide tires, improving stability and grip.
- Tubeless Optimization – Secure bead seat reduces burping and rolling resistance.
- Lower Pressures – More comfort, traction, and control — especially in gravel riding.
- Simpler Construction – Lower weight and improved manufacturing consistency.
Downsides of Hookless Rims
While hookless rims offer clear benefits, there are some limitations:
- Tire Compatibility – Only certain tires are hookless-approved.
- Pressure Limitations – Not suitable for very high road pressures (>72 PSI).
- Tubeless-Only Performance – Tubes work, but remove many of the advantages.
- For most modern setups — road with 28–32mm tubeless tires and gravel with 35–45mm — these are minimal concerns.
Hookless Wheels for Road Cycling
On the road, hookless rims are now common in high-performance carbon wheelsets. They pair perfectly with modern 28–32mm tubeless road tires, which roll fast at lower pressures and deliver more comfort than traditional 23–25mm clinchers.
Explore our guide: Should You Ride Hookless Wheels for Road Cycling?
Hookless Wheels for Gravel Riding
Gravel cycling is where hookless really shines. The ability to run low pressures without pinch flats, combined with strong sidewalls that can handle rugged terrain, makes hookless rims the obvious choice.
Explore our guide: Hookless Wheels for Gravel: Benefits, Safety & Best Setups
Polymer Workshop Hookless Wheelsets
At Polymer Workshop, all of our latest wheelsets are designed with hookless technology to deliver maximum performance across road, gravel, and all-road conditions.
Enhance 50:52 – Aero all-rounder for road and racing
Venture 38:38 – Lightweight, wide, and durable for gravel and mixed terrain
Both wheelsets are ETRTO-compliant, hookless-ready, and tubeless-optimized, giving you the confidence to ride harder, faster, and smoother.
Final Verdict: Should You Ride Hookless Wheels?
Yes, if you’re riding modern tubeless tires at sensible pressures, hookless wheels deliver more comfort, control, and durability than traditional hooked rims.
They’re not just the future of cycling - they’re already here.
