The history of Lightweight Wheels is tightly connected with the world’s best and most successful pro cyclists as they were the ones who gave Lightweight a name in the bike scene by using these revolutionary wheels in World Cup events and national tours.

» Rudolf Dierl and Heinz Obermayer in their workshop near Munich, Germany.

» To keep spies out the windows were always kept covered.

» 1997 Tour de France.

Though they have since been improved in many details, Lightweight Wheels received their current shape in 1995. The 1996 World Championship title on the road was won on Lightweight Wheels. That same year, a Danish pro known for his interest in bike technology, ran thourogh tests of these exotic wheels on track and road and finally decided that he would use the wheels in the mountain stages of the Tour de France. In 1997, his young adjutant from Merdingen near Freiburg, Germany, won this world’s most important race on the same wheels. Ever since hardly an important race is held without many riders using Lightweight Wheels – despite their contracts which oblige them to use their sponsor’s wheels. The extremly light, aerodynamic and stiff wheels have convinced the pro peleton!

» Rudolf Dierl at the oven made from cardboard and wood and heated using an old truck heater.

» Lightweight Wheels are 100% hand made.

» Rudolf Dierl has been developing fiber reinforced materials at MAN since the 1970s.

Even though of course they knew how good their wheels are, Dierl and Obermayer were surprised how quickly the cycling scene took to Lightweight Wheels. Had they just been only a secret weapon for tuning freaks, all of a sudden racers from all over the planet started their pilgrimage to Munich to obtain their own set. Delivery times were soon up to more than a year, but neither this nor the fact that even World Champions or Tour de France-winners had to pay for their wheels could stop the run.

Rudolf Dierl and Heinz Obermayer are both tool makers. Mr. Dierl has been working at MAN, an aerospace technology company, for 25 years. Mr. Obermayer worked for MTU, another aerospace company, as tool maker and NC programmer for over 33 years. In their spare time they built glass fiber spoilers and air dams for Mercedes cars in their garage. Their first wheels were disk wheels for a friend’s horse-drawn race sulky. In 1989 they turned their attention to disks for bicycles under the ‘Ultec’ name. The first disks had low-profile rims and were marketed by ‘Heylight’. The aero profile used today was introduced in 1995. Since then the wheels have seen only small changes in details.

» The oven was constructed using cardboard and wood. It is heated by an old truck heater. The oven for the spokes can be seen at the top next to the navigation menu.

Dierl and Obermayer built their wheels in strict secrecy. All windows were always kept covered, and never would they have left a door open. Their workshop, which had to move from a private garage to a farmhouse outside of Munich, was always sealed off from the outside. Still, their small workshop, home of the world’s most advanced wheelset, has become the source for scores of legends.

We want to preserve the legend by showing pictures taken at the last workshop used by Dierl and Obermayer near Munich.

Except for the oven, the same tools and the original techniques developed by Dierl and Obermayer are used today in building the wheels. The employees of Carbofibretec GmbH, all experienced experts in carbon fiber products, were trained by Dierl and Obermayer.

» Heinz Obermayer laying the finishing touches on a wheel before it leaves the workshop.

» Lightweight Wheels are 100% hand made.

» Was anmutet wie eine Arbeitsstätte vor 50 Jahren ist die Wiege revolutionären Laufradbaus.

In 2003, these two modern ‘Gyro Gearloose’ sold their company to CarbonSports GmbH. Obermayer chose to keep his contacts with his product as an associate. All tools were moved to Friedrichshafen at Lake Constance, where the wheels are built today. Obermayer is convinced that the wheels will benefit from the move to Friedrichshafen: “They have years of experience with fiber-reinforced materials, stemming from much more complex products like air plane parts, satellite parts and parts for Formula 1 race cars.”

Mr. Obermayer himself trained the new employees, and he constantly monitors all steps of the production process to ensure a constant quality. As associate of CarbonSports GmbH, Obermayer will use his ingenuity towards further improvement of the wheels. Rudolf Dierl has retired.

» 100% handmade down to the labels.

» The ultra-modern computer-controlled vacuum ovens in the new production facility.