Heusinkveld Introduces the Heusinkveld One: A Quirky, Lightweight Steering Wheel

From pedals to steering wheels: Heusinkveld introduces the One. Dutch sim racing brand Heusinkveld enjoys worldwide acclaim for its high-quality pedals, handbrakes and switches. With products such as the Sprint and Ultimate+ pedals, the brand managed to firmly position itself within the high-end segment. During Sim Gaming Expo 2025 in Chicago, however, it became clear that Heusinkveld has bigger ambitions: the introduction of their first steering wheel, the Heusinkveld One.

This wireless, formula-style steering wheel is designed with a pronounced focus on functionality, ease of use and ergonomics. Developed to complement existing high-end sim racing setups, the wheel targets serious sim racers who want maximum control and feedback, without compromising on design or compatibility. It is a surprising and bold move from a brand that until now has almost exclusively produced hardware that works behind the scenes - with the One, they are literally putting their name in the picture.

Design vision: form follows function

Heusinkveld deliberately did NOT choose a replica of a real racing handlebar. Instead, the Heusinkveld One was designed with a clear philosophy: perfect ergonomics, maximum control, minimum distraction.

It's all about performance, comfort and instant feedback. The wheel is shaped to support your hands during long racing sessions, without sacrificing precision or button accessibility.

My first experience at the Sim Gaming Expo 2025 in Chicago

During the Sim Gaming Expo in Chicago I had the chance to see the Heusinkveld One in person and test it extensively. My first impression was one of wonder: this is clearly not a steering wheel trying to be an exact replica of a Formula 1 or GT wheel. It is designed for sim racers, with the sim in mind. And you notice that in everything. In any case, the steering wheel looks striking and futuristic, with a character of its own.

Ergonomics that are immediately noticeable

As soon as I had the steering wheel in my hands, I was immediately struck by how well it sits in the hand. The ergonomics are downright impressive. Everything feels natural, as if it was designed especially for my hands. The grips are made of a comfortable material with enough texture to maintain grip even in longer sessions.

The button layout is intuitive, with easily accessible functions for your thumbs. The six thumb buttons per side are particularly striking and ideal for frequently used functions such as DRS, ERS, pit requests or brake bias. Even with gloves on, the wheel felt instantly familiar. This is a striking and clever design philosophy that - I think - we will see in more future steers. The whole thing feels perfectly balanced and intuitive!

Lightweight, maximum feedback

What is immediately noticeable is how light the wheel feels. With a total weight of just 1024 grams - including shifters, clutches and battery - the One is designed to add as little inertia as possible to your Force Feedback engine. This translates into an extremely direct and precise steering experience. Every bump and edge in the virtual track is convincingly transmitted. The light weight combined with the thoughtful design ensures excellent communication between wheel and sim. For racers who want to feel feedback down to the smallest details, this is a game-changer.

Minor disappointment: missed opportunity in the middle

One of the points I liked less is the prominent presence of the Heusinkveld logo in the middle of the handlebars. It visually takes up a lot of space and feels like a missed opportunity: why not a gear indicator, additional display functionality or SimHub integration in that spot?

In terms of functionalities, the wheel looks fairly limited at first glance compared to competitors that do have a display or extensive configuration options. This makes the design a bit more “function over form” - understandable, but perhaps too restrained for the price.

Push/pull paddles: surprisingly versatile

Interesting though - and what surprised me positively - are the unique push/pull paddles. These offer extra options while racing, especially for sim racers who want to tailor their setup to different driving styles or racing classes. Combined with the dual clutch paddles at the rear, this gives the wheel extra versatility. It makes the One suitable not only for Formula cars, but also for GT3, LMP or even rally simulations, depending on your configuration.

Availability and price of Heusinkveld One

The Heusinkveld One is available from autumn 2025 and will have a recommended retail price of €599 including VAT for customers in the EU. In the US, the wheel will be available for around €574 including import tariffs but excluding sales tax. The rest of the world will be priced at €499 excluding sales tax. Are you convinced by the unique features of this steering wheel? Then fortunately, you won't have to wait long because the Heusinkveld One is about to see the light of day!

Technical specifications and salient features

New!

Specifications

• Format: 290 mm diameter, formula-style layout
• Weight: 1024 grams (including push-pull shifters, dual clutch and battery)
• Material: lightweight composite, optimised for low inertia
• Buttons: 14 illuminated push buttons
• Rotary encoders: 2 pieces, with metal grip tips
• Multifunction switches: 4 seven-way switches
• Funky switches: 2 pieces, for multi-axis navigation
• Paddle shifters: magnetic, with push/pull mechanism
• Clutch paddles: extra set of dual clutch paddles for race starts
• Display: smoked glass front panel with 9 configurable RGB LEDs (SimHub compatible)
• Connectivity: completely wireless via own USB dongle
• Long battery life: enjoy weeks of racing or months in standby mode
• Software support: Heusinkveld SmartControl for settings and SimHub for LED configuration and telemetry
• Compatibility: for PC only, works with all common wheelbases via adapter
• Price: from €599 incl. VAT + shipping costs

More information

My personal findings

What Heusinkveld does well

• Ergonomics: The grips and button position have been carefully designed. This handlebar feels excellent in the hand and is perfect for long stints. This is remarkably good!
• Low inertia: The light weight means you get a flawless force feedback experience, especially on high-end direct drive systems like the Simucube 2 Sport
• Shifters: The push/pull shifters are unique and offer additional control options you normally only see on custom or professional steering wheels.
• Wireless performance: During my testing, I did not notice any kind of lag or instability. The connection is stable and reliable.
• LED integration: The shift lights via SimHub are easily visible and nicely configurable.
• Adaptability: Through SmartControl, you can map numerous functions to buttons, making the handlebars usable for multiple disciplines.

What could be better

• Material experience: The steering wheel feels solid, but looks and feels more plastic than competitors in the same price segment.
• Display functionality: The central section looks like a display, but does not (yet) offer SimHub integration with speed, gear or delta information. That's a shame. And a missed opportunity!
• Heusinkveld logo: The logo is too prominent and replaces a more functional element, such as a gear indicator, as far as I am concerned.
• Price-quality: For €599, you still expect that little bit extra, such as high-quality materials or a fully functional display.
• Limited ecosystem: The One is fully independent, which is nice in terms of flexibility, but therefore lacks integration with a wider ecosystem like Fanatec or Moza.

Positioning against the competition

Compared to other formula-style steering wheels in the same price range, such as the Cube Controls F-Core, the Heusinkveld One positions itself as a lightweight, software-friendly alternative with a unique ergonomic design.

Where Cube Controls bets on premium materials, Heusinkveld opts for simplicity, functional innovation and pure feedback with a more futuristic design. But that comes with a price, and is something you like or don't like. If you compare these to the much cheaper, but equally lightweight, Cube Controls Astra. With the latter, you just get more for less.

The Heusinkveld One is not a direct replacement for a high-end replica wheel, but rather an innovative interpretation of what a sim racing wheel can be. Which one you choose depends heavily on your preferences: do you want luxury and finish, or pure ease of use and instant feedback?

Final conclusion: a breath of fresh air in the world of sim racing steering

The Heusinkveld One is not just a first attempt in the steering wheel market - it is a bold, quirky entry that shows Heusinkveld can do more than just build exceptional pedals. And I can really only appreciate and applaud that.

This handlebar feels like a statement: lightweight, comfortable, wireless, and designed for pure control. It doesn't exude the luxury of carbon or aluminium, but compensates with thoughtful functionality and a phenomenal feel in the hand.

The steering wheel feels like a real driver's instrument. No unnecessary frills, no gimmicks - just a clear focus on performance, precision and intuitive control. The ergonomics are sublime, the feedback crisp, and the integration with SmartControl and SimHub completes it all. And yes, there are areas for improvement - an integrated display or just a bit more premium equipment would be welcome. But what you get in return is a wheel that dares to be different.

For sim racers looking for a fresh, thoughtful and direct sim racing experience, the Heusinkveld One is definitely worth a try. The wheel feels like a tool that really connects you to the virtual car.

I am therefore incredibly looking forward to testing the One at length soon in my own sim rig or at the Sim Racing Expo in Dortmund in October 2025. Because if first impressions are a harbinger of things to come, this could well be one of the big surprises of 2025.