Epoché is the Greek philosophical term for suspension of judgement, and with their new Epoché SL all-road | gravel wheelset, Lōgōs has taken their proven open architecture and made it wider, deeper, and lighter to create a multi-talented wheelset that refuses definition. At just 1295g and backed with a lifetime warranty and transferrable lifetime incident protection, Epoché SL is lighter than many climbing wheels yet tough enough for today’s most challenging gravel events. Its 36mm deep profile offers an aero benefit without the weight and cross-wind instability of deeper rims, while its hooked 26mm internal width provides stability and security with the full range of gravel and all-road tires.
By adding width and depth while shedding 70 grams from their original and best-selling Epoché, this new SL variant joins the recently-released 1240g Gida SL XC wheelset in Lōgōs’ new tier of race-focused products that push the limits of performance without compromising on the company’s commitment to lifetime durability and serviceability.
Impressively, Lōgōs achieved this weight reduction while preserving the dual-spring star ratchet hub architecture, hooked asymmetric profile, 24-spoke count, 2-cross lacing pattern, and external brass nipples that made its forebear so popular for its strength, reliability, and easy lifetime serviceability.
“With today’s gravel race bikes offering clearance for 700x50mm+ tires and even UCI ProTour bikes supporting 700×32+ road slicks, riders of all disciplines are taking advantage of the benefits of wider rubber.” notes Lōgōs’ Head of Brand Sam Jackson. “We wanted our newest all-road and gravel offering to provide a supportive and forward-thinking platform for all the tires that riders may want to run without weighing them down or compromising on durability or serviceability. This meant increasing the space between the bead hooks while preserving the original’s external width to keep the sidewalls protected behind the tire in rougher terrain. It also meant adding a bit of depth for aerodynamics while preserving the original’s light weight and reassuring stability in a crosswind.”
“Most of our riders run the original epoché for gravel, but it’s also always been an incredible road wheelset.” Jackson added, “Epoché SL improves in both venues, especially as we see greater adoption of bigger lightweight road slicks.”
“While Epoché SL pushes our gravel offerings in a more race-oriented direction, we refused to sacrifice road and trail-side serviceability or long-term durability.”
At just 365g, Epoché SL’s new rim profile offers 26mm of internal width that pairs perfectly with today’s high-performance 35+mm measured (many 32mm+ labelled) road tires at lower pressures, while in the dirt its thicker side walls improve impact resistance on rocky terrain. Depth has been increased by 6.5mm to 36.5mm for a smidge more aero, while 2.3mm of asymmetry enables higher and more balanced spoke tensions that increase lateral stiffness while reducing spoke fatigue for improved responsiveness and reduced service needs.
The new layup then shaves every last unneeded gram without compromising strength and durability, with increased use of high-modulus carbon outside of impact zones and a new individual nipple seat reinforcement pattern eliminating non-structural material between spoke holes.
Further weight savings come from Lōgōs’ Gen2 arché|os SL hubset. Coming in at just 295g/set (less with their virtually-indestructible Enduro XD-15 Ceramic-Hybrid upgrade option), these hubs employ high-strength alloys and intensive machining to drop 46g with zero impact on performance, all while maintaining their Gen1’s dual-spring star-ratchet architecture (widely regarded as the gold-standard for hub reliability and compatibility).
One area where Lōgōs did not reduce weight is spokes and nipples. Opting for 24 Sapim CX-Rays per wheel laced 2-cross with external brass nipples adds a few grams relative to the lower spoke counts and lighter aluminum alloy nipples found on many competing wheelsets. In exchange, riders benefit from enhanced durability and serviceability with reduced maintenance and much lower lifetime cost-of-ownership (just ask anyone who’s had to true a wheel with hidden nipples or rebuild a wheel due to corroded, stripped, or seized AL ones).
Backed by Lōgōs’ lifetime warranty, lifetime incident protection (transferrable to future owners), and US-based warehouse and support team for quick fulfillment of orders and service parts, the Epoché SL 700c wheelset is available at $1850 ($2400 with Enduro’s virtually-indestructible XD-15 Ceramic Hybrid bearings) via www.logoscomponents.com or your local dealer.