Materiaal Founder Series Brings Lightweight Road and Gravel Wheels to Market

Materiaal is taking its cyclocross roots onto road and gravel with a limited run of wheelsets designed around four tire width ranges and three rim depths. The Canadian family-run brand says its Founder Series combines race-focused specifications with launch pricing and a damage coverage plan shaped by years spent around racing equipment.

A wheel brand built in the cyclocross pits

The name Materiaal refers to the materiaalpost, the Dutch term for the cyclocross pit where mechanics clean bikes and change wheels between laps. That setting shaped the company’s beginnings: Sidney McGill raced UCI Cyclocross World Cups in Europe and North America, while her father, Geoffrey, served as her head mechanic and her sister, Abbey, worked alongside him in the pits.

The family’s first wheels were made for cyclocross, including tubular models. As many wheel makers moved away from tubulars, Materiaal saw room for a modern take on a format with deep ties to the sport. The company’s new road and gravel range extends that experience into other kinds of riding while retaining a clear racing focus.

Ben Frederick is helping bring the brand to market. Known for racing metal bikes and for The Small Monsters Project, Frederick is also a familiar face on Ornot. He brings professional racing experience to a family-run Canadian business. “I’ve been around a while, and when I was offered the chance to help an up-and-coming wheel brand go to market, I couldn’t say no,” he says.

Frederick took on the project during his final year as a professional cyclocross racer. Materiaal’s first road and gravel models are therefore an expansion from a discipline the founders know firsthand, rather than a departure from their experience with race wheels.

Four widths, three depths

Materiaal’s custom rim shapes are paired with internal widths selected for specific tire ranges. The lineup includes two gravel options and two road options:

• Gravel: 32.5mm internal width for 40–45mm tires
• Gravel+: 35.5mm internal width for 50–60mm tires
• Road: 23.5mm internal width for 28–30mm tires
• Road+: 25.5mm internal width for 32–35mm tires

Each configuration comes in a choice of 52mm, 58mm or 65mm rim depth. Riders can also select different depths for the front and rear wheels, allowing the build to reflect the intended use. Materiaal’s examples range from a Road setup with 52mm rims front and rear to a Gravel+ combination with 65mm rims.

The specifications give buyers a way to match the wheelset to their tire choice and riding priorities. Gravel and Road are aimed at narrower tire ranges, while the “+” versions accommodate wider tires. Choosing between the three depths adds another decision to the build; the brand presents mixed front and rear depths as an option for people who want to tailor the pairing.

Frederick says the team had raced and trained on the wheels for a few months before launch. He reports a claimed weight of 1,150g for the road wheels and says the heaviest setup weighs 1,350g. Those figures speak to the product’s low weight target, while actual wheel choice still depends on the tire size and configuration a rider needs.

“I know speed isn’t everything for everybody,” Frederick says. “But for people who want wheels at the bleeding edge of wheel technology, we can offer that at a very competitive price.” His description frames the range around riders who value speed and light weight, while the width choices also make room for larger gravel tires.

Coverage for equipment that gets raced

Materiaal’s warranty is intended to address the damage wheels can take in racing, riding and travel. Rims carry a 10-year limited warranty. Hubs, hub internals, spokes and bearings have a four-year limited warranty.

The company also includes one no-fault accidental damage repair or replacement at no charge. The stated coverage applies whether the damage happens while riding, racing or traveling. After that first incident, accidental damage costs $250 per wheel to repair or replace. Coverage transfers to the next owner if the wheelset is sold.

That policy reflects the McGills’ experience in the pits, where race equipment is regularly put through hard use. For riders comparing lightweight wheels, the coverage terms are part of the ownership picture alongside weight, tire fit and rim depth. The terms describe the first covered incident as free and set a per-wheel price for later accidental damage.

Preorders and launch pricing

The limited Founder Series is being offered at reduced prices during the preorder period. The first 35 wheelsets receive $300 off retail. After those are claimed, each wheelset ordered through November 30 receives $200 off retail. The range starts at a retail price of $1,850.

Preorders run November 1–30 at materiaal.cc. The source also says the preorder opens Saturday, 10/31. Buyers considering the launch offer can use the published tire ranges, rim depths and warranty details to compare builds before choosing a configuration.

See the new wheels at materiaal.cc

Frederick’s involvement connects the launch to a racing background, while the range itself gives road and gravel riders several distinct fit choices. The key details are the intended tire widths, selectable depths, reported weights and the terms of accidental damage coverage; together, they offer a practical basis for deciding whether a Founder Series build fits a rider’s plans.

Read more from Ben Frederick and The Small Monsters Project.