We Weighed Six of the Lightest 160mm Disc Rotors on the Market. Here's What We Found >

The Results (Weight Comparison)

The above table shows the results of the weight comparison! Link to the video on Instagram here. The rightmost column shows the absolute weight and percentage weight savings of each rotor compared to the benchmark Dura-Ace.

Weights are listed as per rotor. 

Rotor by Rotor

Shimano Dura-Ace RT-CL900 — 111.3g / U$85.20 per rotor

The Dura-Ace RT-CL900 sets the benchmark most cyclists will be upgrading from, being one of the most common rotors on performance road bikes.

Shimano's ICE Technologies Freeza construction uses a 3D-shaped aluminium carrier with exposed radiator fins and a special heat-dissipation coating. Shimano claims this reduces heat build-up by 100°C compared to a standard stainless rotor and 40°C compared to their standard ICE Technologies rotors. For riders doing sustained alpine descending, that gives much better reassurance that the rotor can handle the heat, while reducing the annoying ticking sound after sustained braking/hard braking.

It is a well-built, reliable rotor and a sensible choice if heat management is your primary concern. The weight is the trade-off, and at $85.20 per rotor, it is not cheap for the heaviest result in this test.

Shimano XTR RT-MT900 — 106.9g / U$82.85 per rotor

The XTR shares Shimano's ICE Technologies Freeza platform with the Dura-Ace, so the heat dissipation story is effectively identical.

It comes in 4.4g lighter per rotor through a slightly more aggressive carrier design, and while it is marketed primarily at mountain/gravel biking, it performs equally well on the road and is a common choice for cyclists who would like to shave a little weight from their Dura-Ace rotors while still remaining in the Shimano ecosystem. 

At $82.85, it is marginally cheaper than the Dura-Ace for a marginally lighter rotor.

If you are prioritising Shimano's heat management technology and want the slightly lighter option of the two, the XTR is the more sensible choice.

Galfer Wave Fixed — 96.7g (+adapter) / U$33.50 per rotor

Galfer's Wave rotor is laser-cut from a single piece of high-carbon stainless steel with no separate carrier and no bonded parts. The high carbon content improves heat resistance specifically at the braking track. Galfer claims reduced vibration and noise with consistent performance in wet and dry conditions, backed by an anti-corrosion coating. At 1.8mm thickness, the braking surface spec matches most competitors here.

The catch is the 6-bolt interface. Once you add a centrelock adapter, the weight rises to 96.7g, and the total cost climbs to around $53.50 total, including a Shimano adapter. It is still good value in that range, but the adapter adds an ongoing inconvenience at wheel removal. This rotor is best suited to riders already on 6-bolt hubs who do not want to replace them.

Carbon-Ti X-Rotor SteelCarbon SC3 — 96.4g / U$296.00 per rotor

The SC3 is the most technically complex rotor in this test. The construction layers a redesigned 1.8mm steel braking track over a carbon fibre inner body, paired with an AL7075 centrelock adapter, a laser-engraved titanium protection plate, and Grade 5 titanium rivets. The rounded CNC-machined edges comply with UCI regulations.

Carbon-Ti states the updated steel track improves braking performance, heat dissipation, and pad wear evenness compared to previous versions.

The engineering and finish are excellent, and the Grade 5 titanium fasteners represent one of the more refined construction details in the rotor market. At $296 per rotor, it sits in a completely different price bracket to everything else here.

The 96.4g result is competitive but not class-leading, which makes the value equation difficult to justify unless you are building a no-compromise race or show bike.

Ashima Ai2 — 92.5g (+adapter) / U$30.00 per rotor

Ashima machines the Ai2 from a single piece of proprietary SUS410 stainless steel with no carrier, no rivets, and no bonded joints. Each rotor is precision ground on both sides for parallelism and then hardened to HRC 42 for durability.

Ashima states it is tested beyond ISO standard and works with standard brake pads without requiring any special compound. The cutout pattern around the mounting holes contributes to heat dissipation alongside the main rotor venting.

At $30 per rotor, or around $50 with an adapter, the Ashima is the most affordable option in this group, slightly below Galfer.

Ti-Parts Lightweight Rotor — 89.2g / U$54.50 per rotor

The Ti-Parts rotor uses a fully CNC-machined 7075-T651 aluminium carrier. T651 means the alloy has been stress-relief stretched after heat treatment, which specifically reduces the internal stresses that cause thin and heavily machined parts to warp post-production.

Since the carrier is machined aggressively to reach minimum weight, maintaining flatness after machining is the key engineering challenge. The T651 process addresses that directly, resulting in better rotor runout consistency and more predictable long-term braking performance compared to standard T6 material.

The braking surface is SUS420 steel at 1.8mm, connected with steel rivets. The rotor is tested to ISO 4210:2015, EN 14781:2005, and GB 3565-2005, with a published TUV test report available for download. It is a native centrelock design with no adapter required, and it came in at 89.2g, the lightest measured result in this comparison.

Price-to-Weight Comparison

To find the answer as to which rotor gives the best value for money, we compare the rotors in terms of $ per gram saved versus the Dura-Ace baseline. Pricing as of May 2026, shipped to Singapore.

The Carbon-Ti, being the most premium, delivers the poorest $/gram saved. However, those who spend on Carbon-Ti are not necessarily value hunters anyway. Instead, they are paying for premium materials and craftsmanship.

Neither Shimano option provides a good return on weight savings per dollar spent. However, you are paying for the ICE Technologies heat management platform and the assurance of a major manufacturer. 

If pure weight-per-dollar is the objective, then the Ti-Parts rotor and Ashima are comparable, with Ti-Parts winning on absolute weight and offering a cleaner centrelock installation without the need for an adapter.

The Bottom Line

For centrelock disc road setups, the Ti-Parts rotor is the most direct path to meaningful weight savings at a sensible price. At 89.2g and $54.50 per rotor, it beats everything else in this test on absolute weight, sits in the lower end range on price, and requires no adapter.

Switching to the Ti-Parts rotor from a pair of Dura-Ace rotors saves 44.2g while spending $61.40 less than the replacement Dura-Ace. That's extra $$$ for the mid-ride cafe stop!

The Ashima is the right choice if you are on 6-bolt hubs and working to a tight budget. The Carbon-Ti SC3 suits riders who want the most technically refined rotor available without compromise on materials or finish. If you value Shimano's heat management technology and brand reliability, the XTR is the more weight-efficient (and cheaper) of the two Shimano options in this test.

We hope this article has helped to shed some light on some of the lightest rotors in the market for road disc brakes!