How Carbon Recycling Is Shaping the Future of Bicycle Wheelsets

As cycling technology pushes toward lighter, stronger, and faster components, carbon fiber has become the dominant material in high-performance wheelsets. However, traditional carbon production and disposal raise serious environmental concerns.
The good news? Carbon recycling is rapidly evolving, and it's starting to reshape the future of bicycle wheelsets.

In this article, we’ll explore how carbon recycling works, why it matters, and how it’s influencing the next generation of cycling products.

1. The Problem: Carbon Fiber’s Environmental Cost

Carbon fiber offers unmatched strength-to-weight benefits, but it comes at a price:

High energy consumption during production

Difficulty in breaking down or repurposing end-of-life products

Most carbon fiber components end up in landfills

For decades, the bicycle industry has focused more on performance than sustainability, but that's quickly changing.

2. What Is Carbon Recycling?

Carbon recycling is the process of reclaiming and reprocessing carbon fibers from old or damaged products to create new usable materials. There are two primary methods:

✔️ Mechanical Recycling

Carbon fibers are chopped and reused in less demanding products (like accessories or frames with reduced strength requirements).

The fibers are shorter and less structurally efficient than virgin carbon.

✔️ Chemical Recycling

Uses heat and solvents to recover long, high-quality carbon fibers.

This method preserves much of the fiber’s original strength and can be used for structural components, including wheelsets.

3. Carbon Recycling in Bicycle Wheelsets

Leading cycling brands and material innovators are starting to incorporate recycled carbon into wheelset production.

Examples of Current Use:

Non-structural parts like rim fairings, hub shells, or internal rim layers made with recycled carbon.

Recycled carbon layups used in entry-level or mid-tier wheelsets, balancing performance and sustainability.

New resin systems designed for easier future recycling, extending the life cycle of the material.

Although fully recycled carbon wheelsets for high-performance racing are still rare, the trend is gaining momentum.

4. The Benefits of Carbon Recycling in Cycling

Environmental Impact: Reduced waste and lower carbon footprint.

Potential Cost Savings: Recycled materials could eventually lower the price of carbon wheelsets.

Circular Economy: Supports a more sustainable manufacturing cycle within the cycling industry.

Material Innovation: Encourages the development of recyclable resins and more repairable wheelset designs.

5. Challenges Facing Carbon Recycling in Wheelsets

Strength Consistency: Recycled carbon can have slightly lower stiffness or durability, especially when fibers are shortened.

Complex Processes: Chemical recycling is still costly and energy-intensive.

Limited Scalability: Not all manufacturers have the facilities to process recycled carbon efficiently.

Despite these challenges, more brands are investing in this technology, and recycled carbon wheelsets are expected to become more widely available within the next five years.

6. What Riders Should Know

When considering sustainable wheelset options:

Look for brands that disclose recycled material usage and eco-friendly processes.

Understand that recycled carbon wheelsets may have a different ride feel (slightly less stiff) but still offer excellent performance for most riders.

Ask about future recyclability: Is the wheelset designed to be recycled at the end of its life?

7. Final Thoughts: A Greener Future for Cycling

Carbon recycling is no longer just a lab experiment — it's becoming a practical solution that can reshape the future of the cycling industry.
As technology improves, riders will soon have access to high-quality, sustainable wheelsets that deliver excellent performance while minimizing environmental impact.

At Superteam, we are actively exploring material innovations and sustainability pathways to ensure our next-generation carbon wheelsets meet both performance and environmental goals. Stay tuned — the future of cycling is not just fast, but also greener.