Mountain Bike Wheels

Shimano Deore XT Trail $590 Race Face Aeffect R $805

Shimano’s Deore XT Trail wheelset tips the scales at a modest 2,002 g for 29" hoops. (The 27.5 are 1,891 g a pair.)The 30-mm internal rim width is designed for slightly wider tires, 2.25" to 2.6" to be exact, a trend that favours increased traction off-road. The hubs feature 12-speed Shimano’s Micro Spline freehub body, and are designed for centre-lock rotors. The XT Trail wheels opt for more traditional J-bend spokes, with 28 double-butted spokes laced to the offset tubeless rim. (bike.shimano.com)

2021 BUYER’S GUIDE

GEAR

MTB WHEELS

Race Face’s Aeffect R wheelset is an ideal all-mountain option. The alloy rims are offset for balanced spoke tension, and feature a 30-mm inner width. The Trace hubs have 10-degree engagement, cartridge bearings and plenty of freehub body configurations. The tubeless-ready set is offered in both 29" (2,000 g) and 27.5" (1,920 g). Each is notably built with robust brass nipples. Race Face also includes five extra spokes with the rear wheel, at no additional cost. (raceface.ca)

DT Swiss EX 1700 Spline $1,250

The EX 1700 Spline is DT Swiss’s go-to enduro wheelset weighing in at 1,878 g for 27.5" rims. The company’s 350 hub has been recently redesigned to feature DT’s Ratchet SL technology, which translates to 10-degree engagement, maximizing power and control when riding technical terrain. Straightpull double-butted spokes are laced to the EX 511 rim, which is welded and showcases a 30-mm internal width. The wheelset is offered in a number of options in 29" and 27.5" along with all major freehub configurations. (ogc.ca) We Are One Faction $1,599

We Are One are relatively new to the wheel scene, and are based out of Kamloops, B.C. The company’s focus lies in its carbon rims, which are laid up and moulded in-house. The Faction is We Are One’s trail offering, and measures 27-mm internally. Available as 29" only, each 425-g rim is laced exclusively to Industry Nine hubs. The base price pairs Sapim Race spokes and Industry Nine’s 1/1 hubs and builds to an impressive 1,740 g. Upgrade to Hydra hubs and CX-Ray spokes and the set drops to 1,665 g at a price of $2,055. (weareonecomposites.com) Roval Control 29 Carbon 148 $1,700

Specialized’s wheel department, Roval, has positioned the Control 29 Carbon 148 at the entry-level of their composite offerings. The carbon hoops are tubeless, and feature a 25-mm internal width for modern XC tires. Underneath the Roval branding, riders will be pleased to see DT Swiss 350 hubs in Boost sizing. The classic version of the hub is used, taking 28 J-bend spokes per wheel for a serviceable setup. The wheelset weight is 1,610 g, and comes stock with SrAM’s XD freehub. (specialized.com/ca) —JW