ENVE

XC28 Carbon Wheel - Tubeless

What Our Gearhead® Experts Are Saying:

"What makes the XC28 worth looking at over aluminum competition in this price range is the rim construction. ENVE molds the spoke holes rather than drilling them: carbon fibers stay continuous, spoke tension stays higher, and the rim doesn't need babysitting mid-season. The shallow depth gives up nothing on compliance compared to deeper profiles built for road-derived stiffness. For someone building a down-country or XC race rig and watching their budget closely, this is where I'd tell them to stop shopping."

Cross-country racing puts more strain on wheels per mile than almost any other discipline. Repeated high-torque accelerations, rough terrain at speed, and aggressive cornering loads test spoke tension, rim integrity, and hub engagement every lap. The Foundation XC28 Wheelset is ENVE's answer for riders who need that durability in a carbon package without the flagship price.

The XC28 rim borrows its shaping from the M5 and M6: the 21mm depth prioritizes compliance and traction over aerodynamic profile, and the 28mm internal width is optimized for tires in the 2.25–2.4-inch range. ENVE's patented Molded Spoke Hole process routes carbon fibers continuously around each hole rather than drilling through the layup, preserving structural integrity at the most stress-concentrated points on the rim. The result is a spoke face that can sustain higher tension, significantly reducing the risk of spoke pull-through and the gradual detuning that sends aluminum wheels to the truing stand. The Wide Hookless Bead adds a leading edge engineered to absorb impact energy before it transfers to the tire, cutting pinch-flat risk by over 50% compared to traditional bead designs. The INNERDRIVE Foundation hub contributes an ENVE-designed 42mm oversized steel ratchet system positioned inboard over the bearings, reducing axle stress and bearing drag while automatic preload adjustment eliminates the need for periodic hub tuning. An 80-tooth ratchet comes stock with a field-swappable 100-tooth option for riders who want tighter engagement.