Price: $479.99 (front wheel); $519.99 (rear wheel); $69.99 (per tire)
Availability: Retail and Online
How obtained: Company sample
RBR advertiser: No
Transform Your Next Gravel Race
Trek Domane bicycles have long been synonymous with endurance and versatility. The bike’s geometry is ideal for long days in the saddle and highly versatile for handling a variety of surfaces. I’ve considered adding a second wheelset for my 2019 Domane, which I affectionately named Dora the Explorer, to accommodate slicks for road and knobby for gravel. Despite my plans, I never purchased that second wheelset until a fortunate opportunity arose.
During the Sea Otter Classic in April, Trek unveiled their new Aeolus Elite 35V wheels and Girona RSL GR gravel tires. While visiting their booth, a Trek product manager invited me to test the new wheels and tires. I jumped at the chance. The maximum tire width for my year, Domane, is 38mm. So, they mounted a pair of Girona 38s tubeless on Aeolus Elite 35V wheels at the Trek factory in Waterloo, Wisconsin, and shipped them to my local bike shop in late May.
My local Trek shop tweaked the setup to allow easy swapping between wheels, going from slicks to knobby without adjusting the brake rotors or calipers. In early June, I took my first test ride at my local forest preserve. The trail was crushed limestone and sandy sections, with a small percentage of pavement.
The Girona tire was perfect for this terrain with its smooth center tread and knobby along the sides for grip. I finished my ride with a QOM on a Strava segment! Was it the new gear or the rider? My opinion: With no scientific proof, I believe it was a combination of equipment and rider. I’ve ridden that segment countless times, and it’s the first time with a QOM.
Next was to test the wheel and tire combo on various gravel surfaces. I was off to Michigan’s Dirty Donut Gravel 100K Race, north of Kalamazoo, to defend my 2023 age group win. The course offers up a potpourri of road surfaces and conditions ―loose gravel, sand, paved, grass, and washboard.
Using the Silca tire pressure calculator, I dialed in the appropriate PSI according to the total weight of the bike, rider, and gear, plus surface and speed. To obtain the most accurate PSI possible from the calculator, I measured the actual tire width, which was 39.1mm. Before the race, two of my friends also used the site and calculated our optimum PSI and we all three agreed it was the perfect pressure. If you haven’t used Silca’s online tool, check it out for all types of tires and riding conditions.
Despite tougher course conditions than the previous year, the tires provided excellent grip on loose gravel and sand. I only slid in one deep, sandy corner, which was probably a rider error. Also, on the punchy climbs, downhills, and washboard roads, the wheel/tire combo performed flawlessly. By the end of the 100K and 2,500 feet of climb, I secured an age group win (1 donut eaten and 5 minutes taken off my ride time) and 23 PRs, even with course conditions significantly more challenging than in 2023. I’m starting to think these new wheels and tires have something to do with improving my overall speed.
Over the last two months, I’ve put hundreds of miles on various surfaces and have accumulated Strava QOMs, cups, and PRs. My longest test ride spanned 65 miles through the driftless region of Wisconsin, along with several 100K rides in three states.
Trek Aeolus Elite 35V Wheel Set Specs
Some of the key specifications for Trek’s new wheelset include:
- OCLV Carbon offers an optimized blend of weight, strength, and durability
- 35mm depth (32mm outer, 25mm inner), 14/16/14 bladed spokes, alloy locking nipples
- Center lock disc hubs with 12mm thru-axle front and rear
- Rapid Drive 108 hubs for quicker accelerations and a more precise feel
- Compatible with Shimano 10/11/12, SRAM 10/11 freehubs. XDR available separately
- Tubeless rim strip and valve included
- Warrantied for life
- No rider weight limit
- Maximum tire pressure: 80 psi (5.5 bar)
- Weight: 760g (front), 900g (rear) – per company website
Trek Girona RSL GR 700×38 Tubeless Gravel Tires
The Girona is an all-around gravel tire suitable for speed and grip in hardpacked mixed conditions. They come in 700×35, 38, and 42mm widths. I originally wanted to test the 42mm, but my Domane only takes up to a 38mm tire.
- Replaces the Bontrager GR1 tire
- RSL ultra-supple 220 TPI casing with square woven nylon bead-to-bead puncture protection
- Gravel dual-compound: A firm and fast-rolling rubber center tread for speed and medium shoulder for cornering confidence, plus grips in hardpacked and mixed conditions
- Tubeless-ready for lower tire pressure, thus better traction and smoother ride
- Maximum 50 psi
- Weight: 450g for 38 mm
- 10% less rolling resistance compared to the Bontrager GR1 Team Issue Tire, which it replaces
Bottom Line
Two months and hundreds of miles later, one of my favorite bikes to ride is my 2019 Domane, equipped with Trek’s new Aeolus Elite 35V wheels and Girona tires. This winning combination of aerodynamic wheels and the tire’s comfort, speed, and grip make for an excellent gravel selection. Priced at $1,000 for the wheelset and $69.99 per tire, you can opt to use them with or without tubes and have one wheelset and swap out the slick or Girona tires as needed. However, if it is within your budget to invest in a second set of wheels, the Aeolus is undoubtedly worth a look.
More About the Dirty Donut Race
If you are looking for a well-organized, challenging, and fun gravel race, check out the Dirty Donut. It is held every June, just north of Kalamazoo, Michigan, in the quiet town of Martin, run by race organizer Dan Fraizer. Several distances, 10, 22, 42, and 62 miles, make this an ideal event for hardcore racers, beginners, and families with small children.
There are donut stops along the course where contestants eat donuts to reduce their overall time. One donut equals a five-minute deduction. Reversals are not allowed, and you’ll be disqualified. The race includes a sprint division that does not include donut stops or time deductions.
This year, 1,059 riders registered, 24% of whom were women. There are two classes, the donut and non-donut categories. The most donuts consumed was 17. The youngest self-propelled rider was five years old, but a 3-year-old was on a tag-along trailer, but two 80-year young men were the oldest to race.
The 2025 race will occur on Saturday, June 21, and registration will open later this fall. If any women out there want to dip their toe in grave riding/racing, I highly recommend the Dirty Donut.
Sheri Rosenbaum regularly contributes articles and reviews products for RBR. She’s an avid recreational roadie who lives in the Chicago area and a major advocate for women’s cycling, serving on the board of directors and volunteering with the Dare2tri Paratriathlon Club. Click to read Sheri’s full bio or visit her web site sunflowersandpedals.com.