Reynolds

29 Trail LTD Carbon Wheelset

The key driving force behind the Boost hub movement is that the wider flange spacing makes for a smaller spoke angle, increasing the stiffness and addressing the noodliness that plagues 29ers. Not all of us are ready to pony-up for a Boost frame, though, so we've partnered with Reynolds to produce the custom 29 Trail LTD Carbon Wheelset. When we set out hand-in-hand with Reynolds, roosting berms across the yellow-brick endurance course, we had three criteria: stiff rims, DT Swiss hubs, and a distinctive graphical treatment.

The first requirement was easily met, as we're well familiar with the stiff mettle of Reynolds' 29 Trail rims from personal experience. There's a reason why other wheel manufacturers focus on making hubs and just lace them to re-branded Reynolds rims: the Utah-based company has already built a virtually perfect XC race hoop. Since carbon rims are stiff enough that the difference between Boost and 142/100mm axles is far less notable than with alloy rims, the 29 Trail LTDs bring our present XC race frames up to snuff, stiffness-wise. The second requirement was equally easy to meet. Reynolds' hubs are already essentially rebranded DT Swiss models, so the only difference is that we opted for the DT logo, instead, giving the wheel more of a custom-built look.

Finally, we admit to the occasional streak of vanity, and the half-and-half color of the wheels' Reynolds label is our way of visually representing the versatility of today's 29ers. New suspension designs and innovative frame geometries have obliterated the old stereotypes of wagon wheels being for fire roads and ribbon-smooth singletrack only, and we're seeing a new generation of mid-travel, 29in trail bikes. Toward this end, the wheels have an ideal profile for 2.25in tires to fill out for confidence through berms and gnarly lines, but they still excel as worm-burning climbers courtesy of carbon fiber's inherent stiffness and low rotational mass.