Forks are no longer noodles, and drivetrain ratios are now optimized for larger wheels ... to say 29ers have come a long way can be considered an understatement. Wheel-focused Industry Nine helped that rapid advancement by addressing the inherent weakness of 700c road rims laced to mountain hubs. The wider and tougher Enduro 29in Wheelset builds on those early flex-fighting and weight-reducing improvements to take full advantage of modern, long-legged 29ers.

What Industry Nine changed from traditional wheels is a proprietary spoke and hub interface. This approach allowed optimization of strength and weight. For starters, the spokes are machined from aluminum instead of steel. While obviously lighter, these spokes do not require a bend at hub -- the weakest spot of wheels.

The one-piece spokes screw directly into the precisely CNC'd hub shell -- without the need for nipples. The lack of stress risers and nipples results in a stiff and light platform that uses traditional tools and techniques to service, and it's compatible with any traditional rim on the market. In this case, Industry Nine opted for Stan's wide, tubeless Flow rim. This gives 2.3in and wider tires ample, trail-smoothing volume and a nice, round profile.

There's more to Industry Nine than alloy spokes and a shrewdly machined shell -- the rear hub contains Industry Nine's fresh take on the tried-and-true pawl engagement. Instead of the 6-8 degrees of engagement found on common hubs, this mechanism features six pawls; two sets of three pawls that are phased three degrees from the first. This results in near-instant engagement, with -- thanks to its hardened, 60-tooth drive ring -- a whopping 120 points of engagement.

Because of this, you'll enjoy optimal performance while ratcheting through treacherous rock gardens with instant acceleration on tap. The hub rides on oversized cartridge bearings for long service intervals and smooth operation. They ship with a 20mm thru-axle, but can easily converted to 15mm or 9mm with the Enduro Hub Conversion Kit.

100% made in Asheville, NC, the Industry Nine Enduro 29in Wheelset packs the strength needed for Clydesdale and all-mountain riders -- at a weight that'll rival many companies' XC offerings. It's available in either Red or Black.