First Ride: Industry Nine's New TR280 Carbon Wheelset

Mar 3, 2020
by Daniel Sapp  
photo


By now, most riders have heard, or at least heard of Industry Nine's hubsets. With an ever-increasing number of engagement points over the years, their top-tier Hydra hub-set now ticks along to the tune of 690 engagement points, every rotation.

For 2020, Industry Nine have partnered with Canadian brand We Are One Composites for an all-new carbon wheel line. The carbon rims use a layup specifically designed in conjunction with Industry Nine. There are XC, trail, enduro, and DH models available.
Industry Nine TR280 Details
• 27.5" or 29" (tested) system options
• I9 specific We Are One Composites rim
• 28mm internal rim width
• 24 or 32h options
• 6-pawl, 6-phase, 115-tooth drive ring
• .52 degrees between engagement points
• Weight: 1,560g, as tested, with rim tape and valves
• Lifetime warranty
• Wheelsets from $2,250 / Front - $1,015 / Rear - $1,235 / $2,515 (as tested)
• industrynine.com


photo
photo
The rims are designed and manufactured to I9's specifications by We Are One Composites.


Construction

The TR280 wheels use Industry Nine's system spoke and hub combination and carbon rims from We Are One Composites. The rim profiles are different from WR1's current offerings, with a shallower rim depth and a layup that's designed specifically for I9's hub and spoke system. In addition, the bead walls are thicker to help reduce the chance of pinch flats or impact damage.

The entire wheelset, less bearings, is engineered, manufactured, and assembled in North America - the rims are made in British Columbia and the hubs/spokes being made by I9 in Asheville, North Carolina, where the wheels are also assembled.

As far as the hubs go, there’s a 115-tooth drive ring, and 6 individually phased pawls, equally spaced from each other. This means that all of the pawls, and the teeth on them, catch the teeth on the drive ring individually instead of simultaneously. That means that each time you move the drive ring one tooth over you’ll get six individual clicks, all of which adds up to 690 points of engagement in the hubs.

Axle configurations are nearly endless and the hubs are available in both standard Boost and Superboost. The trail rims, as tested, measure 28mm internally.


photo
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Industry Nine's Hydra hubs have a lot of engagement and even more color options.



First Impressions

Having spent considerable time on I9's alloy Trail 270 wheels, I can draw a few comparisons between them and the Trail 280's. The Trail 280 wheels are a bit lighter, and the ride quality is noticeably different; better, I would say. The carbon seems to do its job in damping a lot of trail chatter and vibration and the wheels feel smooth and responsive. There isn't an overly harsh feel or too much feedback. Quick engaging hubs aren't an absolute necessity, but that near-instant engagement from the Hydra hub is nice to have, especially in slower speed, technical terrain.

I'm going to keep riding the wheels and will report back with a more in-depth report on the rim and hub durability once they've undergone a substantial thrashing.

photo




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147 Comments
  • 63 7
 Thank god another affordable wheel-set. You can get a less colorful one without the special spokes for way less from WR1 directly as pointed out by danimaniac. 2500 USD vs 1875 cdn - which at the current exchange is almost half the price................

Lets see if Unicorns and rainbows fly out of the tester's rump - otherwise I think I would go DT 240/WR1.
  • 31 75
flag WAKIdesigns (Mar 3, 2020 at 1:57) (Below Threshold)
 Did I read Trump?! Can we start non relevant arguments already? Bernie Sanders is a communist!
  • 38 2
 Waki's in Fiji now? The Poles are always on the move.
  • 4 1
 gtfo out of here with this nonsense, Lebron is still relevant!
  • 9 8
 @JohanG: that's crazy, did you try DMT?
  • 2 0
 @dldewar Unfortunately, that only seems to be an option for 29. Unless you’re saying you can order TR280 rims direct from WR1, the closest equivalent rim they offer is the Faction, which only comes in 29.
  • 4 1
 Your flag changed. What happened?@WAKIdesigns:
  • 12 2
 WR1 Union/Hydra 32h = $1800 USD / 1770g with CX-Rays
I9 315C 24h = $2250 / 1600g

$450 for 170g less, aluminum spokes and slightly different rim design. Value for some, not for others but choices are great!
  • 5 3
 @WAKIdesigns: CNT
  • 2 2
 @ceecee: a sissy saying cnt? I see the joke
  • 2 0
 Rainbow option also available for front, 28mm and 1560g, lighter for 27". Unicorns nfs
  • 1 0
 @zede: DNT
  • 4 4
 @dlxah: Hey -sorry for me there is only one wheel size.... not crapping on 27.5's but I just ride 29.
  • 2 0
 @WAKIdesigns: Strongly disagree. I prefer the works of Richard K Morgan.
  • 25 0
 sooo. is this better than buying the hydra equipped WR1 wheelset that's considerably cheaper?
  • 14 0
 You miss out on all the parking lot cred you get with the pretty spokes
  • 4 1
 No, this is what happens when distributors need to eat. Not very smart to compete with a D2C manufacturer. And I dont want to hear "BuT thE sTraiGht pUll sPokEs!"
  • 6 1
 to add to the first guy, you also miss out on the wait time to install new spokes if you ever break one. normally a week+ for a shop to get one in form i9. just get the WR1 hydra version.
  • 4 1
 @flyguyty: I broke a spoke on a trip to Moab, and I9 offered to get it to me the next day. I declined because it wouldn’t be there by my last ride early in the morning, and there were other issues beside the spoke that would not be resolved overnight. Spokes were at my house three days later — not a week+. I also have extra now so that never happens again — if it ever happens again.
  • 3 0
 @TheR: ive worked at 2 different shops and that has NEVER been the case, lucky you!
  • 3 1
 @flyguyty: Yeah, I guess. I didn’t go through a shop — contacted them directly. Maybe that’s what needs to be done.
  • 31 15
 To each it's own, but to this day I can't for my life understand why people are into carbon wheels when you can have a high end alloy wheelset for a quarter of the price and likely improved reliability as well as ride feel.

I once tried an Enve wheelset. The ride quality was awful, the bike felt nervous and uncontrolled on natural trails. It accelerated better, and that's it. When asked about the reliability, the owner answered "oh they have a great warranty service!" Go figure
  • 6 5
 if you get a chance, try the kovvee xxx. weight of rider plays a huge roll also. I'm 200 pounds and put the xxx on my 2020 fuel ex 9.9. I can use a 1300 gram xc 29mm bontrager xxx wheel for Bentonville with xr4 2.4 tires. almost 2 pounds lighter then a flow wheelset, the arch would need truing once a week atleast. And Bontrager, has the best warranty in the business. I have never needed a carbon wheel done, but old man winter boots, saddles, lights, trek rear shock...has been nothing but quality customer service.
  • 2 2
 @steve9train: thanks for the suggestion.
Regarding weight, I'm 215 geared, so theoretically should be in the need of rigid wheels.
What I also think makes a difference is what kind of trails you mostly ride. Guys who spend their riding in high speed, groomed flow trails will likely enjoy carbon rims. People who ride in rough natural trails maybe not so much I guess.
But when we see the price difference, come on...
  • 10 46
flag goroncy (Mar 3, 2020 at 4:32) (Below Threshold)
 Carbon wheels suck monkey balls. Agree 100%. Wrote about it 1000 times. But you guys are fat bastards. Almost 100kg geared. There is no componentry really build for monsters like that. If you really smash it, not just do some groomed easy stuff everything will fail on you. Loose some weight.
  • 4 0
 @Arierep: bike set up changes with stiffer wheels as well, slower rebound etc - just need to reduce pingyness! I prefer alloy myself as I'm a lightweight..
  • 2 1
 @Arierep

I had a set of WTB Ci24 carbon rims. They felt pretty good but it was nearly impossible to get a tire on to those things. I sold 'em and went for Stans Flow Mk3 alloy rims. I can't be happier I can tell ya that. Had those on 3 bikes already!
  • 10 1
 @goroncy: you must be clairvoyant to know how fat someone is just by knowing how much they weight on the internet.
I don't know if you're aware, but some of us actually spend a good deal of time at the gym, and with that some extra kgs tend to show up. Go ask Richie.

Besides, I never asked for you to pay for the parts I broke, so why would you care?
  • 11 0
 @goroncy: Go tell Richie Rude he's a fat bastard
  • 19 0
 @goroncy: At 6'4(193) and 215(about 100kg), I'm hardly "fat". I work out daily so I'm solid and strong, but yes...this is a downside to stress on components, but, an advantage in life in general...trust me, shrimpy Wink
  • 2 0
 The First Enve wheels were brutally stiff and uncomfortable, especially on a trail bike. You basically felt deflection on everything. Haven’t tried their newer stuff since, but I have been on some ibis carbon wheels for about two years. Never had to true them. Meanwhile I have broken one frame, and two other wheels. Carbon wheels have been super low maintenance for me so far. I have ridden the aluminum version from ibis as well and I like those just fine. Companies like Santa Cruz have replaced their Reserve wheel for me almost over night offering great customer service for the price of upgrading to that carbon rim.
  • 5 3
 I'm very sceptical about the claims of "dampening trail chatter". They are using these wheels on a long-travel suspension bike, probably shod with burly DD tires and maybe Cushcore. Being able to feel a difference in vibration from the rim material in those conditions would require superhuman senses. If there even is a difference.
Reminds me of the Spank Vibrocore handlebars where some reviewers "clearly felt the difference". Until another reviewer used scientific testing equipment and found that "Vibrocore" doesn't do anything at all.
  • 1 1
 Well lucky for you, I9 offers plenty of those as well!
  • 18 1
 @Ttimer: Good assumption and you're correct in the bike having suspension but, you're off a bit. I used these wheels on a 130mm travel trail bike with EXO casing tires and no inserts. The exact same tires and bike I've been back-to-back testing multiple sets of wheels on and on trails I've ridden hundreds of times. Yes, it takes paying some attention to what's gong on while riding but t's not overly difficult to isolate a variable on a single bike part much of the time, especially when it comes to wheels. I'm not saying that it's overly dramatic but it is quite noticeable.

P.S. - dampening adds moisture, damping reduces a wave frequency...or in this case, trail chatter.
  • 5 0
 Comparing the carbon wheelset with the comparable aluminum wheelset on I9's own website, you're saving around 100 grams in weight. Not enough, in my opinion, to warrant the extra money on carbon wheels, especially given the stiffness and performance of their aluminum wheel.
  • 6 3
 Dear Lord: please give me more $2500 wheelsets to choose from. And do not let me lose touch with reality.
  • 3 0
 funny that you judge all carbon wheels based off of the brand with the stiffest wheels and worst ride quality for shorter travel bikes!

given some people love the stiffness, but i would say 80% of people dont. WR1 rims are the perfect amount of stiff and compliant. they are so comfortable!
  • 7 1
 @Ttimer: Yeah, nothing better than buy carbon rims to save 50g, and insert 250g cushcore! Yeah!
  • 7 3
 Biggest reason I swapped was due to being a 210 pound dude who likes to case shit, and pick shitty lines. I use to crack, flat spot, and mangle alloy rims continually. I'd be buying a new rear at least 1-2 times a season which caused a shit load of downtime in prime riding season. Enve is a very stiff rim, and not really a good representation of most carbon wheels. My investment in carbon wheels has paid for its self in extra rides, minimal frustration and improved reliability plus better warranty and overall cheaper dollars in the long run.
  • 4 9
flag DetroitCity (Mar 3, 2020 at 12:38) (Below Threshold)
 @danielsapp: you're a paid slappy. End of discussion.
  • 33 20
 Among the high end hubs I have used in the past, I9 have been the most unreliable compared to Chris King, DT Swiss and Hope. Bearings wearing out in less than a year, broken hub shell, broken free hub bodies and broken pawls. Some was replaced by the guarantee, but it took way too long. The hubs I and several locals had at that time was the Torch hubs.
  • 6 3
 @EHK

Same here. It took about 20 rides, varying from 3 hours to full days, to ruin one of those Enduro bearings in the freehub body. I recently installed a new one. Curious how long it will hold up.
  • 9 4
 If you want the best hubs, just get Hadleys. Maybe they weight a smidge more, but they don't break.
  • 9 8
 Project 321 hubs are bullet proof. The loud ones.
  • 12 1
 Probably an ironic place to comment this. But Onyx hubs are really solid in construction. If youre someone who likes a loud hub, you may want to try these regardless. Being able to hear nothing is extremely nice. Its like focusing vibes almost.
  • 28 0
 I’ve had the complete opposite experience.
  • 3 1
 Sound awesome, engage quickly, but the durability is shocking considering the cost!! I had a set last year and they were used for less than 6months with a mixture of trail riding and some more gravity style stuff. Anyway, the bearing were shot, full of water ingress and the wheels were Rattling around like a loose snake. I couldn't believe how bad they were. I've gone back to Hope pro 4 for my current wheel build as I've never really had any issues with Hope hubs. The adaptor seals are much better than the i9 Hydra and the bearings are more durable also. Safe to say that I will not be going back to i9 unless they gave me a set to test for 12months to see if they last. The Hydra freehub did sound lovely though.
  • 1 1
 @chillrider199: Not ironic. You're good.
  • 4 1
 I'm not really surprised. Combining ultra-high engagement with very light weight seems to come at the cost of durability. Looking at the competiton, CK is heavier, DT Swiss doesn't have high engagement and Hope has neither.
  • 4 3
 @EHK I trash 240 bearings in the rear hub in under a year. Pain in the butt to service too. I’ll probably stick with Hope since they are relatively easy to service.
  • 10 1
 I've had multiple friends who have put multiple thousands of miles on I9 Torch hubs and they have all been bomb proof since day 1. Maybe you just got unlucky, but around here they are widely considered the best hubs you can buy.
  • 2 0
 @SlodownU: Hell YA!!! most people have never even heard of these.. I just laced up an old non-disc for a commuter that dates back to '92-'94 (can't remember exactly the year) Badass hubs!
  • 2 3
 @chillrider199: Definitely. I ride a lot of park in the winter and the high end builds are either Profile's or Onyx. I9s aren't even a consideration.
  • 4 0
 @dwmetalfab: Actually the only hub failure I have experienced in 27 years is with my beloved P321 when the magnets detached from the pawls and got eaten by the drive ring. Good customer service to get it resolved but broken is broken and means missed riding time. Nothing beats DT240 IME but I am about find out about Hydra hubs.
  • 7 1
 @tgent: I've ridden Torch wheels for the last 4 years and they have been flawless. Never blown up a bearing, never broken a spoke and I ride Colorado/Utah chunky rock.
  • 4 1
 @Paddock22: Ha ya, I'm in Utah too and ride the same, can't imagine a ton of people putting more stress on their wheels than regular Moab/Fruita/St Georg riding!
  • 6 1
 @Paddock22: I also have wheels built around the Torch hubs, and they are the best I've ever ridden. Hope is OK -- a perfectly fine hub -- but just don't compare in terms of being smooth-rolling and points of engagement and weight. If people are having problems, maybe it's because they ride in a wetter, muddier environment than we do in Colorado/Utah; or maybe the Hydra hubs have a flaw that the Torch did not. In either case, I bet I9 is working on a solution. They have a very responsive, top-notch customer service.
  • 1 0
 @TheR: Yea, it sounds like the people with bearing problems living in wetter climates. I9 is in North Carolina which gets a decent amount of rain so I would imagine any climate related bearing issues would also be experienced there too.
  • 2 1
 @freeridejerk888: Endless miles on mine, over four years old, zero issues
  • 2 6
flag gus6464 (Mar 3, 2020 at 9:48) (Below Threshold)
 @TheR: @TheR: If the hub explodes in the wet conditions then it's a shit hub to begin with. They charge way too much money for something that is only supposed to work right in the dry.
  • 2 1
 @gus6464: They are from western NC, plenty of moisture there (though not UK levels). Pretty sure they work fine in the wet. Everything can and will break, King, DT, i9, etc. etc.
  • 3 0
 @gus6464: Yeah, I'm not saying they shouldn't address the issue if there is one. I do not think it's their intention that it only works right in dry conditions. What I'm trying to do is reconcile my reality -- best hubs ever, never a problem -- with those of people saying they've had issues.
  • 2 1
 all hail the bombproof onyx hubs!!
  • 3 2
 Ill add a bent axle to your list.... Give project321 a look
  • 1 0
 @dwmetalfab: agree,
Some idiot -negged you i fixed that
  • 2 3
 @dwmetalfab: I second on that. Project 321 hubs are the best.
  • 3 2
 Couldn’t be farther from the truth. Nothing comes close to a Hydra hub laced with alloy spokes. Enjoy your steel spoke/nipple design from 1853 otherwise.
  • 1 0
 @hubsession: dude they dont feature adjustable bearing preload.
  • 2 4
 I see the i9 fanboys are out in full force.
  • 2 1
 @scoobydoo666: I own P321 hubs and do not vote they are the best. They're good overall, light, super high engagmenet (I think best until I9 hydras came out), and durable so far. Mine had an issue, right when I got the hub it was leaking a lot of oil, P321 sent me a new updated seal and had to install it. I do like mine but will buy Hydras on my next wheelset, given they're about the same price.
  • 3 1
 @gus6464: Shit works and they are light. Have some folks had issue with bearings in super wet conditions? Sure. However, I have seen every hub in my 20+ years of MTB riding /racing have bearing issues in the same condition with exception of maybe King. All hubs can and have had issues: DT, Hope, Shimano, Onyx etc. etc. Nothing is unbreakable. This thread is the same as Chevy vs. Ford or BMW vs. Mercedes, etc. Specialized vs. Trek. 99% of what we have as bikes and components these days are excellent and solid. Pick a flavor and be a dick about it. Everything can break/have issues without exception.
  • 3 1
 @gus6464: Fanboy here. Guilty as charged. So what? Between my personal experience with the performance of their product and the customer service, they've earned my fandom.
  • 14 1
 We Are One rims are solid as is their customer service. i9 seems just as strong, and is made in America. Pretty sweet.
  • 3 0
 If the cost of Made in USA is 108% of the cost of Made in China, why are they $2500?
  • 11 1
 Also- Are u honestly saying $3,750+ for a set of wheels? I’m so confused.... and poor, apparently.
  • 3 0
 Not the smoothest breakdown but it’s:

Price of the wheel set/ price for F/ price for R/ price of wheel set he is testing.
  • 3 0
 The wheelset starts at $2,250 (Front wheel for $1,015 and Rear wheel for $1,235), but the wheelset they tested is $2,515.
  • 2 1
 @tjjameson: Oh!!! DERP... I didn’t realize it was a dash and not another bullet point. Doesn’t show well on my iPhone.
  • 6 0
 @Crazy-Moose: Still... I’m poor.
  • 3 0
 @Crazy-Moose:
Phew the savings!!!!
  • 7 1
 Can someone who knows their shit chime in what the advantage of having only one pawl engage to get the number of poe? Doesn’t that put a lot of stress on this pawl compared to a load that is distributed among several contact points?

And if it’s mostly a thing of how many teeth there are on the outside ring why don’t we see more hubs with this absurd number of poe, or why are hubs with more poe more expensive?

And lastly, doesn’t such a small angle between poe increase the effect of pedal kickback a lot?
  • 18 2
 "You have one leading pawl that starts to take the load or force from pedaling, but because the pawls are phased close together and the tooth count is so high, as soon as you apply torque to the system, or pedal, a second, third, and fourth pawl will start to take some of the torque load and evenly distribute the load. It utilizes the inherent flex in the drive system to transfer the torque and ensure that a single pawl will never take the entire load. This is where Industry Nine claim that their system has an advantage over a traditional pawl system that can’t limit that flex - they say it limits and minimizes wear and tear on the system and provides a more consistent ride."

source - www.pinkbike.com/news/review-industry-nines-690-point-engagement-hydra-hubs.html
  • 3 12
flag maxyedor (Mar 3, 2020 at 8:16) (Below Threshold)
 3 Pawls are engaged at the same time, not 1. It's 2 sets of 3 offset slightly. Other manufacturers likely don't do the ultra high engagement because of manufacturing costs. Smaller parts mean finicky manufacturing, tighter tolerances and higher end materials. To get similar engagement from Hope would likely drive the cost damn close to that of CK an i9, which may not be a good strategic move within the market when you dominate the mid level like Hope or DT does. King can't do the kind of crazy POE i9 does because of their freehub design, for that matter, neither can DT with their star ratchet. Pedal kickback is a thing of the past, unless you're riding something really wonky. Pop your shock off, rotate your cassette so the freehub is engaged and cycle the suspension while lightly holding the cranks in place, your deraileur will take up the chain slack, and you should feel no feedback in the crankset.
  • 6 0
 @maxyedor: that is incorrect. mrleach above has it explained.
  • 4 0
 @mobaar: Shit, you are correct, I was thinking of the torch hubs, not the Hydras.
  • 6 0
 @mrleach: LOL, getting downvotes for answering a question and explaining (accurately) how they work... You can't make anyone happy in the PB comments section!!
  • 3 0
 Poe's effect on pedal kickback is minimal, I have hope hubs (not the highest engagement, I know) and I can compress my suspension And see the pedals pull back but have never once noticed it on trail on any bike I have ever ridden. Even my brother in-laws ransom with i9 101 hubs has no noticable pedal kickback while riding.
  • 6 0
 @danielsapp How about time widths on these? Maybe update the article as it’s really important.
  • 2 0
 I was surprised to say the least. No one seems to care..
  • 3 0
 If they stick to the same naming convention they’re 28mm inner width.
  • 1 0
 Its not even clear which version they are reviewing. I dont think they mention it anywhere. Trail, Enduro, XC? Probably not DH at that weight.
  • 3 0
 @Ttimer: TR=trail
  • 5 0
 Dave - it's 28mm internally.
  • 7 0
 If you're ever curious on the inner rim width, the title of each wheelset includes the IW. So the TR280 is the Trail option with a 28mm inner width. The EN315 is the Enduro option with a 31.5mm inner rim. Hope that helps!
  • 6 0
 Wait so why would anyone buy this over the WAO wheelsets again?
  • 6 0
 because color
  • 2 0
 @danimaniac: valid point
  • 2 1
 Hoops made for I9, entire wheel warrantied by 1 company, alloy spokes.
  • 2 0
 It’s a shame, cause I replace no less than 2 sets of i9 bearings a month at the shop. Hubs are durable AF (they have/used to have a trials rider in house that does testing on the pawl system). Unfortunately, those things eat enduro bearings and just bearing in general. It’s like the seals are useless. Outside of that excessive bit of maintenance, bombproof.
  • 4 1
 You don't have to replace bearings on any other brand of hubs at your shop?
  • 1 0
 @hardcore-hardtail: Not anywhere near the frequency of I9s. We also sell probably 6-7 Chris King wheelset for every I9 wheelset and we STILL see hardly any King wheels come needing bearings....
  • 3 1
 Lighter spokes that are "just as strong" can be more brittle. I tried CX rays on my wheels. The rear wheel started blowing spokes. On one occasion, I scratched a spoke on a rock and it broke at this point a month or two later. The wheel was less than a year old so it wasn't a wear and tear thing. I got it rebuilt with plain old DT champion double butted and the wheel has been flawless for 4 years since. There is a difference between doing one event (like Semenuk in Rampage) and having a product last years.
  • 2 1
 Where do the nipples go? I can see a flat spot near the rim end of the spoke, but it still seems to be part of the spoke. Are the nipples at the hub end of the spoke (in which case you'll need to remove brake rotor and possibly cassette for truing) or inside the rim (in which case you'll remove the tire, rim tape etc to reach them). I'm sure they must have come up with something much more clever, but I can't see what it is.
  • 1 0
 No nipples.... its a straight pull design. The spokes seat themselves into the rim and tighten into the hub shell.
  • 9 1
 @vinay the I9 system doesn’t use a nipple. The spoke is a thicker gauge aluminum and the flat spots you can see at the rim are used to turn the spike if you need to true the wheel. The spokes are straight-pull and thread into the hub flange. I’ve been running a set of I9 Enduro 305 wheels which use the Torch hubs that @EHK (above) didn’t like, but mine have been faultless. No bearing issues. No hub shell issues. No loose spokes. Never out of true. So far a super high quality product and one of the best products I’ve purchased in my riding career.
  • 19 1
 You can milk anything with nipples.
  • 15 0
 @bishopsmike: I have nipples, Mike. Can you milk me?
  • 1 0
 @rirkby: Alright, thanks. It sounds like a clever concept as spoke twist become less of an issue. That is, if there is spoke twist after truing it isn't going affect anything down the line. Not too stoked on using aluminium for spokes. To me it seems like for the same strength and fatigue life it makes for a heavier and more expensive solution than just steel.

That said, that's my theory against your experience so I'm not here to argue. Just thanks for clearing up how their spoke system works because it wasn't quite clear to me from the article. Considering the downvote I got my question must have upset someone so sorry for that!
  • 1 1
 @vinay: The spoke can be "untwisted" pretty easily if one end is clocked differently than the other, but having nothing constraining the rim end means it rarely occurs.

As for spoke strength, been riding i9s since 2014 and haven't broken a single spoke. Never had a wheel so reliable, they're expensive, but very much worth the price IMHO.
  • 1 1
 this is why they are expensive, designed with the proprietary i9 hub/spoke combo
  • 3 0
 Ahhh- ur posted price range vs. “as tested” prices seem to be in opposite ratio. Am I missing something?
  • 5 0
 I am guessing that it’s the custom spoke colors that bump up the price.
  • 3 0
 @tjjameson: that’s correct.
  • 1 0
 @tjjameson: custom colours from WEAreOne don’t cost extra. I just picked up my Union/hydra wheel set last week from their shop. Exciting to see their growth lately!
  • 1 0
 @Jvisscher: that’s great. WR1 deserves all the business that comes their way. However I was just answering the question about the price discrepancy from the article.
  • 1 0
 So a wheelset made by We Are One is cheaper than this, warranty direct from the manufacturer and for sure, zero questions...what's the benefit of an expensive ones apart of the noise from the I9 Hydra hubs??
  • 1 0
 I have kind of got used to the idea of paying as much for my bike as I do for my cars. Now I have to get used to paying as much for a wheelset as for my car....
  • 1 0
 All my wheelsets are i9 hubs but I've stuck with the steel spokes. I felt my aluminum spoked wheels were soft/flexy. Love their stuff, but not the alum spokes.
  • 4 2
 Why exactly does it cost an extra $300 just for some colored spokes... Those are dentist wheels if I've ever seen them.
  • 4 3
 i wonder if people that buy alloy-spoke wheels ever rode the old mavic crossmax back in the day. can't think of a worse material for spokes than alloy.
  • 9 1
 Those are in no way comparable to I-9 system wheels. The i9 spokes are a single piece of 7075 that eliminate all the weak points of a traditional spoke. Not only is the tensile strength the same or higher than most steel spokes, they're lighter without even including nipples in the equation. Don't know why everyone thinks aluminum is great for literally every other component of a bike but somehow questionable for spokes. If you think the system wheels aren't stiff or strong enough just ask Brandon Semenuk, who just won Rampage on stock set of Hydra Enduro 305's.
  • 1 0
 Interesting. Seems pretty expensive. I went all in on some Light Bikes EN730's laced with Hyrdas. Lifetime warranty, no middleman jacking the price up 25%.
  • 2 0
 I’m sure these are great and all but my max on a carbon wheel set is about $1200. I’ll pass.
  • 2 0
 What can you get for $1200? LB with basic spokes, standard warranty?
  • 2 0
 @knuckleheadmtb: I run a set of Reynolds with DT hubs that I got for $900 on sale on Jenson. They’re great and I’ve had zero issues.
  • 3 0
 I9 should make quiet hubs. Then it would get interesting.
  • 1 1
 For example: PI Ropes RL wheelset is 1/2 the price and weights nearely the same.

What can these wheels do better for 1000€?
  • 1 0
 I just read an entire article about a set of wheels in 2020 and there was no mention of bead width. Hmmm
  • 2 0
 28mm internal for the Ultralite. Seems XC just got more awesome.
  • 2 1
 No, just wider...
  • 3 0
 Jah! Rastafari!
  • 2 1
 Best material choice to date for a wheelset. Aluminum spokes, carbon rims, ... only things missing are ceramic bearings
  • 2 0
 How do wheel companies put tubeless rim tape on so perfectly? Machine?
  • 3 0
 Science.
  • 3 1
 "... $2,515 (as tested)..." HAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHA...that made my week!
  • 3 1
 Sick spokes
  • 1 0
 Ethiopian flag color spokes
  • 3 3
 We are the world.....we are the children........
  • 3 0
 Rasta Monsta. No woman no cry.
  • 2 5
 I recently saw some i9 aluminum spokes for the first time and was struck by how large their diameter is. Doesn't that really screw with the aerodynamics of the wheel? I seem to recall that spokes create a fairly large amount of drag on a wheel, though that's just stored knowledge...not something I've researched lately.
  • 2 1
 I9 hubs and spokes with We are One rims. One potent combination.
  • 1 0
 @danielsapp any update coming on these? Just ordered a set.
  • 2 2
 Those look amazing Drool I think I found my next wheel set
  • 2 3
 I'd be all over this if they offered it in 26".
  • 3 0
 What’s that?
  • 2 0
 No, you wouldn't
  • 1 3
 When did Martin Shkreli buy WAO?







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