Are carbon wheels the best mountain bike wheels available today? What wheelset will increase my performance the most?
Your wheelset has a huge impact on your ride quality. Wheels are what make contact with the ground so the ride feel can be impacted by being on the wrong wheels and not in a positive way.
Let's make sure that doesn't happen!
We'll be looking at the best mountain bike wheels available today. With a mix of carbon wheels, tubeless-ready wheelset, and well-known manufacturers such as DT Swiss.
Whether you ride enduro, trail, or you're a heavy rider, there are plenty of options!
How To Choose The Right MTB Wheels - What To Consider
"Cheap, light or strong...pick two".
That is a quote from Keith Bontrager. He was responding to comments about the price of his wheelsets.
It still holds true today, you can't have everything with wheels. So let's break things down a little!
1. Weight
Weight will play a large part in how your bike will feel.
It will affect how it handles, the strength of it, and the comfort.
If you're a racer or often scaling hills then lightweight is where you want to be.
Enduro and downhill riders will benefit from having an increase in weight as this will provide more strength in the wheels.
2. Spokes - Count & Design
Generally, the spoke count varies from the front and rear wheels.
The rear wheel usually has a greater number of spokes as this increases the stiffness and strength.
However, the more spokes, the more weight so it's a trade-off.
Material wise, spokes are often made from steel on mountain bike wheels, though this is changing and we are seeing more carbon fiber options available - making things lighter!
As well as carbon fiber material, spokes are made using aluminum and titanium. Stainless steel is still the most popular choice at the moment and the most affordable available wheelsets.
If you're after a lightweight front wheel then a good guide is around 24 - 28 spokes and a good lightweight rear wheel will be in the region of 28 - 32 spokes.
Over time technology has developed and this has allowed for the spoke count to decrease, this reduces the weight overall.
Commonly there are two types of spokes; 'straight pull' or 'J bend'.
As the name implies, the straight-pull spokes do not have a bend in them.
The J bend spokes do have a bend - it looks like a 'J' in fact!
J bend spokes are more traditional however, straight-pull spokes are becoming more common options as the lack of bend means that they tend to be more durable.
3. Rim Profile
There are two main types of rims; standard and tubeless. Both give you a different sort of ride and you guessed it, different benefits.
Standard Rims
These are the traditional set-up and what most people are familiar with.
They are intended to be used with an inner tube.
Set-up is simple and can be done within a few minutes. This means that if you're on your bike and you need to change the tube, you can be done and dusted within minutes.
Tubeless Rims
Tubeless is becoming more popular as time goes on. A tubeless set-up means there is no inner tube.
Running tubeless takes a little longer to get set-up. It involves sealant (this 'seals' your tire back up if you get a puncture).
The attractiveness of tubeless is that you shouldn't get punctures that cause you to stop riding. The sealant is designed to keep you going.
You can also run at lower pressures, giving you a more comfortable ride.
Alloy rims are what you are most likely to get on entry to intermediate wheels. To be honest, the quality is variable.
If you go further up the range, you will see that carbon wheels and carbon rim are popular. Carbon is a great way to keep the ride quality high, the rim strong, and the weight down -they also tend to be stiffer!
Alloy wheels are the popular choice for entry wheels because they are affordable but still have lots of benefits and shouldn't be ruled out just because they are constructed from alloy - you will see plenty of alloy rim on the trail!
Having said that, carbon wheels are seen more on the trail every day as the cost to manufacture carbon is becoming more affordable.
A Carbon rim also has a huge amount of benefits:
- Stiffer when compared to the alloy
- Light-weight
- Very strong
4. Pick Up & Engagement
Engagement is widely talked about within the industry so let's look into it.
First, it starts with the engagement angle, this is all to do with the degree to which the freehub body is able to rotate. After which the freewheel can accelerate the hub.
The engagement angle is calculated by dividing 360 by the number of engagement points of the freewheel system.
It might be tempting to wonder why there aren't more points of engagement on bikes. The reason being is that there has to be a trade-off.
More engagement points will lead to an increase in weight as the hub would need to be bigger.
DT Swiss believe that 36 points of engagement are the optimum point. It strikes a good balance between reliability, weight, and engagement.
5. Durability
Whether you're looking for trail wheels, enduro wheels, alloy wheels, or simply just the best wheels, durability has to play a factor.
Spoke count will increase how durable the wheelset is, however it will increase the weight.
Durability is very much a trade-off. Lightweight, durable and affordable doesn't exist all at once - sorry!
6. Size
A wheelset is available in three different sizes, giving you lots of options.
26" - this is the smallest
29" - You will often see these called "29ers"
Then there is the halfway house of 27.5".
Best for: Downhill - 26 Inch Wheelset
If you opt for wheels this size then they will most likely be the lightest option.
With 26-inch mountain bike wheels you get the benefit of stiffness, this means they are a fantastic option for high-speed cornering and tricky trails.
These bike wheels also pair brilliantly with narrow bars as they are very responsive.
Pros
Cons
Best for: All-Round Mountain Biking - 27.5 Inch Wheels (650b)
These mountain bike wheels are becoming popular as they serve as the best mountain bike wheels for a good balance. They sit nicely between the other two sizes and strike up a good compromise.
The great thing about 27.5-inch wheels is that you still get a lot of the lightest you find in the 26" wheels so you still get the responsive handling, perfect for trails!
Then you also get an increase in traction over the 26" wheels as there is more wheel making contact with the ground.
This then means you get better rolling capabilities - similar to what you would get on a 29er.
When you lay it all out like that, you can see why this size of bike wheel has become the size of choice for many riders. It's as if it picks all the good things from the other sizes and leaves the negatives behind.
Pros
Cons
Best for: Cross Country - 29 Inch Wheelset
At present, 29-inch wheels are the biggest available on mountain bikes.
Due to the size, they are slower off the mark than the other two sizes, and to get up to speed you have to work harder. Though you will be able to reach greater speeds once you're there!
However, there are many benefits for 29er's. You get more traction so great confidence boost when going up and down climbs and rocks, roots, and bumps are much easier to deal with on the bigger wheels.
Obviously, the rim width and internal rim width will be the greatest on this size wheelset.
Overall the ride will be much smoother on 29-inch wheels so can be perfect for long days in the saddle.
Pros
Cons
7. Hubs/Axles
Hubs play a vital part in what makes your bike move, literally.
Front hubs are fairly standard and there's not a lot to them.
Rear hubs having more to them, namely a freehub.
A freehub means that the bike can coast and it drives the rear wheel. Basically, a freehub allows you to stop pedaling and the bike will still move.
You will find the hub in the middle of the wheel. Inside of the hub is the axles and bearings.
The bearings in the freehub are either cartridge or cup and cone.
Cartridge bearings are the best choice for the majority of riders as they don't need any maintenance.
Cone and cup will need to be serviced every so often.
Getting the smoothest ride is always nice so look for ceramic bearings. They are lighter in weight than others and yes, are a little bit more expensive but they boost ride quality and ride feel a lot.
At the back, the rear hub has a freehub mechanism. Things get a little more complicated here.
In this freehub there are bearings and a clutch system - this tends to use ratcheting teeth and pawls.
Without getting too technical, the more pawls there is, the quicker it is for the drive chain to begin moving when you switch from freewheeling to pedaling.
There are different types and you may have heard of Stans Neo hubs. The ultimate range is all about giving you super quick engagement with a 72 point system and six pawls - well worth checking out!
What does all this mean and why should I care?
If speed is important to you, you should look for a good quality hub, one where the pawl engagement is high.
One final point on hubs - you need to ensure that they will work with your cassette.
8. Spacing
In recent years hubs and axle spacing have changed, they've got wider, boost spacing has become an industry term.
It is designed to increase the width of the hubs. The rear axle sees an increase of 6mm, while the front axle gets an increase of 10mm.
The trick is not to compromise the geometry or the strength of the hubs. Boost spacing will give the front hubs a width of 110 x 15 mm, the rear hubs a boost spacing of 148 x 12 mm.
Riders with boost spacing wheelset often notice that they are stronger and provide great stability - good news, right?
But what about those people who live by the "go big or go home" principle? Super Boost spacing is for you!
This takes things up a notch and provides more stiffness and greater strength. The boost spacing on these is at 157mm so a large increase.
9. Tubes
Tubes or tubeless, it's much-debated which one is better (I'm rooting for tubeless but both are great).
On a mountain bike, the tires will be either 'clincher' or 'tubeless'. Different rims will be compatible with either one or in some cases, both.
Clincher
The clincher style is the more traditional style and is still used today.
Quite often you will find that entry-level bikes will have clincher tires on.
Inside of the tire is a tube, which needs to be inflated. The tire itself gets held into the rim by a bead, either steel or kevlar.
Tubeless
The name is a bit of a giveaway, a tubeless set-up will feature no inner tube.
So rather than a tube creating the airtight seal, it is created by tight tolerances and air pressure.
You may have seen or experienced the principle in your car tires.
The vast majority of mountain bikes and wheels will come as tubeless ready so you can change the tires to tubeless later down the road.
Our Top 5 Mountain Bike Wheels
So what are the best in class when it comes to a mountain bike wheelset? These are our top MTB wheelsets and wheels picks based on performance for all types of riding, from enduro to trail riding.
1. Crank Brothers Synthesis E11
The Synthesis E11 wheelset provides the perfect performance options for those who like enduro riding and those who like to race. If you're after carbon rims these are a great wheelset choice.
The rear wheels are designed and built differently to the front wheels. This is to optimize how they work...and boy do these carbon wheels work!
The front wheel is tuned so that it gives you great handling capabilities. The grip shouldn't be an issue either as the enduro carbon rim wheel holds up to a whole manner of things, giving you great performance.
Having a wider rim width on the front and a narrower rim width on the back is something many riders like to do. This isn't lost on Crank Brothers and they've made it so this can be done. You'll get better rolling resistance as a result!
Not only is the spoke count different, but the also spoke tension and rim width is different too.
The hubs used on this wheelset use a freehub packing magnet. This means that the pawl is pulled back, reducing drag and also saves wheel weight.
The freehub engagement is quick and quiet, enhancing your overall ride quality.
The standout feature of this enduro and racing wheelset is how well it grips. It gives you confidence like no other, tackling sharp terrain with ease.
The enduro carbon rim does come at a price over alloy, but for many, this will be a price worth paying.
Inner Rim Widths - Front: 31.5mm; Rear: 29.5mm
Outer Rim Widths - Front: 37.5mm; Rear: 36.5mm
Spoke Count - Front: 28; Rear: 32
Rim Height: 18mm | Weight: 1,825g per wheelset
Hub: Project 321 Shimano compatible
Engagement: 2.5º quiet engagement / magnetic pawls
DT Swiss has a strong name in the bike world, their wheels are known all across the globe for their quality.
The DT Swiss M 1700's are perfect for enduro riding, trail riding, and cross country as the wheels are light and stiff, giving you fantastic control.
DT Swiss keeps up with the latest technology and this wheelset benefits from this as it uses the latest tire technology.
This model uses a 30mm internal width sleeve. The reason? It gives you the perfect platform for 2.5inch tire casings.
These DT Swiss wheelsets are available in both 27.5 inches and 29" so are the perfect choice for whatever type of mountain biking appeals to you, especially trail riding.
Durability with DT Swiss wheelset is assured, the hubs are unique and the 350 hubs are used internally. As you may know, these hubs are brilliant, one of the best!
If you purchase these as a wheelset, rather than solo, you will get tubeless rim tape, tubeless valves, and 6-bolt rotor adaptors. This is one of the best trail wheelset options out there.
Axles: Front - 15 x 110mm | Rear: 12 x 148mm
Rim: Aluminum | Internal Rim Width: 30mm
Spokes: DT Swiss Competition | Weight: 1,878g
3. WTB SX19 29"
Wheels are one of the best upgrades you can make to your mountain bike. A new wheelset can change how your bike performs. So no doubt you want quality, right?
Well, WTB builds these wheelsets by hand. Performance and quality are what they are all about.
The best MTB wheels are always true, the shape holds well. To ensure this, the spokes on these wheels are fully extended by pushing the machine.
This means that the spokes won't extend after a few rides. Obviously, something which can be a problem with lesser wheelsets!
Rim: WTB SX19 Disc Brake Rim
Wheel Size: 29" | Inner Rim Width: 19mm
Spoke Count: 32 | Material: Aluminum alloy
Tire Pressure: 50-65 psi | Weight: 4,250g per wheelset
Do you want your rims to stand out? Are you tired of always having the same looking wheels as everybody else on the trail? Then this wheelset from Zukka could be ideal!
You have options with this range, they are available in all three sizes (26", 27.5" & 29") so whichever size is your preference, Zukka can kit you up!
This wheelset is also compatible with many different cassettes, 7/8/9/10 speed. Rear hub is 151, and the front hub is 115mm.
One thing which is so good about these bike wheels is that it's not just the looks that are knockout, the quality is too.
Although not carbon, they are crafted from magnesium alloy - durability is not an issue here!
So they only have 10 stainless steel spokes, however, the spokes are strong, durable, and thick! So thick they can actually hold up 350kg of force - which is greater than most wheelsets out there!
Handling is light and the overall performance is fantastic. You get an almost energetic feeling from these wheels. The bearings keep things smooth and the build quality gives you a confidence boost and a much-improved build quality.
5. Hulkwheels 29" Carbon Wheelset
Carbon fiber, everybody loves a bit of carbon, don't they?
Well, now you can have a set of carbon rim wheels, that are tubeless-ready!
Better still, Hulkwheels are all hand-built so you can be safe in the knowledge that you're getting a well-built product.
Compatibility can be a factor but not with this wheelset. They are compatible with both Shimano and Sram cassettes, 8/9/10 and 11 speed.
11 speed is gaining traction and many riders are switching to an 11 speed (it can make going up hill on the trail easier so why not!?) so it's well worth having!
Spoke Count: 28 (both front and rear)
Recommended Tire Pressure: 60psi
Material: Full Carbon Fire T700
Common Questions & Answers
1. Which mountain bike wheel size is best?
It really comes down to the style of riding you do (trail, enduro, etc). Getting the correct rim size can affect your ride quality and performance so let's delve a little more into them!
Back in the day, you could only really get mountain bike wheels in 26" (24" is around for dirt jumpers but rarely seen). Then came along the popular 29".
The new boy on the block is the 27.5". It sits nicely between the two. In some cases, 26" is starting to disappear in favor of 27.5".
26" - Downhill/Freeriders/Street riders
26" wheels will be the best mountain bike wheels for you. They can't be beaten when it comes to maneuverability.
You can turn quickly and move the bike around in no time at all. They're great fun!
27.5" - All-round riders
The newest one on the trail. This sized wheel takes all the best things from the other two sizes and combines them. That's the best way to describe it.
You get a decent amount of stability and handling capabilities. Your speed is better than 29er's.
It's a good balance, especially if you vary your riding.
29" - Cross country and enduro riders
Taking things up a notch. You're going to get more speed overall and you'll be able to tackle the trails easier when it comes to roots, bumps, etc.
A lot of riders find that your stability is better, this is due to the increased traction - more tire is making contact with the ground. So if you climb a lot of hills, 29er's might be the best mountain bike wheels for you!
The 29" wheel is perfect for those who want to roll over things, rather than jump over them.
2. Is Upgrading MTB wheels worth it?
Absolutely yes!
Whatever your mountain bike came supplied with, you can usually upgrade it significantly by changing the wheels.
If you have a casual approach to mountain biking then you don't need to go for expensive rims.
Just ensure that the wheels fit your bike and the rim width is decent. As far as bearings are concerned, all you need to think about is fit-and-forget bearings.
Most aftermarket wheels will be a big step-up from what came supplied on the bike originally.
The best mountain bike wheels for riders who take to trails often should start taking into account the weight. Nothing super lightweight, more mid-weight.
Though you will want the rim widths to be decent and ideally the spokes should be double-butted.
At this point, cartridge bearings are still a great option. You don't need anything else, whether you want anything else, is up to you!
Depending on what you want, factory-built wheels will provide good value for money, with plenty of options. Pushing the boat out and going custom hand-built with of course get you the best mountain bike wheels!
Now for the racing riders!
Weight is vitally important.
Cross country riders should look at narrow rim width and these rims won't have any negative impact.
Enduro wheels and downhill riders need to be strong and stiff. To get something that is also lightweight is going to be pricey and it isn't totally needed but hey, if you want to, go for it!
Going down the custom-built wheel option is the best option. You're more likely to get what you want.
One thing worth thinking about is how easy they will be to service, mainly the hubs and axles. As we all know things can get messy out there so being able to clean your mountain bike easily is always a big plus in my book!
Performance is obviously a factor so most racers opt for tubeless rims as they tend to be the best enduro wheelset option!
3. Are Mavic MTB wheels good?
Overall yes they are.
Mavic wheels are popular amongst the pros, especially in road biking.
Back to MTB, Mavics quality goes back years. Their rims and wheels are fantastic.
For durability they are superb and some of the best mountain bike wheels and rims out there.
However, their freehub wheels are said to require more maintenance than other manufacturers so that could be something to keep in mind!
Final Verdict
That's it! That's our round-up. So which wheelset comes out on top?
For us, it has to be the DT Swiss wheelset. It provides a great amount of engagement from a high-quality hub, giving you superb ride quality - all very affordable.
So if you're looking for the best mountain bike wheels available, you've just found it in DT Swiss!