Profile :
Born and raised in Colorado Springs, Russell has long made time to enjoy the mountains.
In his youth, Russell was addicted to mixing it up on tarmac and gravel, and wasted
little time joining the competitive ranks. Among Russell’s ever-growing list of
accolades are 5 National Championships, a U23 Pan American Championship, participation
on the 2016 U.S. Olympic Long Team, and U.S. representation during no less than 7 World
Championships. In fact, he’s ascended the podium more than 40 times in his career. In
2023, Finsterwald finished just off the podium at Life Time Grand Prix. As he looks
ahead to the 2026 season, Russell has his eyes firmly set on a Life Time Grand Prix
podium spot.
RIM-F : AIRIA47 Disc Standard Hook UD Paintless Disc 24H No
Drain Holes With Access Holes
HUB-F :
Light Bicycle Pace-Hub Plus Black 12 / 100mm Straight Pull Center Lock 24H TPI Ceramic
RIM-R : AIRIA52 Disc Standard Hook UD Paintless Disc 24H No
Drain Holes With Access Holes
HUB-R :
Light Bicycle Pace-Hub Plus Black 12 / 142mm Straight Pull Center Lock 24H TPI Ceramic 36T
Shimano Micro Spline Alloy
SPOKE :
Sapim CX Ray in Black
NIPPLE :
Aluminium Black
Next Level Performance: Rolling with Light Bicycle
I’m fired up to be officially rolling with Light Bicycle this season! It’s always exciting when a
partnership comes together organically, and this one has been building behind the scenes for a
while.
I started testing their wheels quietly this winter and put the gravel set straight into the deep end
on the Spirit Tour as their first real ride, the perfect proving ground! Rough roads, long days,
unpredictable conditions. I came back thoroughly impressed. The ride quality felt dialed from day
one, and the durability gave me total confidence to push hard without second-guessing equipment.
What really has me excited is Light Bicycle’s range of wheel options. From 1000g featherweight race
day climber setups to 55mm deep, wide rims built for speed and everything in between, they truly
cover it all. And those waved Turbo rims on my road bike? Not only do they look cool, but I’ve
genuinely never ridden a wheel that handles crosswinds so well—stoked to have the right tool for
every course this year!
Two Races, Two Very Different Wheels
I feel incredibly fortunate to have a wide range of options with Light Bicycle. Gravel courses
demand different tools, and your wheel choice should reflect that.
At BWR Arizona, I ran the AR25s. At just 1,050g, they’re insanely light and perfect for the constant
accelerations on that course. Aerodynamics took a back seat there in favor of a responsive feeling
wheel. The following weekend at Valley of Tears, I stuck with the AR25s for the Dirt Crit, but
switched to the WG44s for the gravel race, prioritizing aerodynamics for the numerous high-speed
sections.
All of Light Bicycle’s wheels are custom-built, and for this setup, I paired them with Berd spokes.
I didn’t have much time on them beforehand, but the difference was obvious as soon as we hit the
washboards. I immediately noticed the ride felt way smoother, taking the edge off in a big way! It’s
been pretty special working with Light Bicycle so far this season, and I’m excited to show off more
of the wheels we’re building up for the season ahead!
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September 3rd, 2026 | Light Bicycle
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