Review: Halo Vortex Wheelset
Halo had almost achieved cult status in the UK, being one of the original brands to get into the dirt jump scene along with Identity, another brand under the Ison Distribution umbrella in the UK that is also having a resurgence after a number of quiet years.
The Vortex marks a new direction for Halo, who have traditionally been focused on dirt, downhill and BMX components. The Vortex wheelset uses their own asymmetric alloy rims mated to sealed bearing hubs and their 120-point pick up Supadrive freehub system. The wheels are available in 27.5" and 29" diameters with a range of nearly all hub widths, drivers, and decals for £410 GBP (approx. $555 USD).
Halo Vortex Details:
• 27.5” or 29” (29" tested)
• Boost or traditional spacing
• XD and HG drivers
• Asymmetric rim design
• 33mm inner width, 38mm outer width
• Tubeless ready- tape fitted
• 120 point engagement (3 Degree)
• Wheelset weight: 2243g (29” actual)
• Price: £410.00 GBP (approx. $555 USD).
• halowheels.com
• 27.5” or 29” (29" tested)
• Boost or traditional spacing
• XD and HG drivers
• Asymmetric rim design
• 33mm inner width, 38mm outer width
• Tubeless ready- tape fitted
• 120 point engagement (3 Degree)
• Wheelset weight: 2243g (29” actual)
• Price: £410.00 GBP (approx. $555 USD).
• halowheels.com
Construction and Installation
The 6061 T-10 heat treated aluminum Vortex rims are designed asymmetrically to equalize spoke tension, and the rim walls have different thicknesses so the longer side has a thinner wall for an even balance. The rims have an internal width of 33mm and an external width of 38mm. Halo also bulked up the rim bead to be able to take an impact and continue to be rideable. The spokes are double butted with a standard J-bend and an ED black anodized coating.
The hubs are fairly simple, using sealed bearings and push in adaptors for the front hub and a screw in rear axle which also retains the freehub body. The freehub system is more interesting, though, using the latest iteration of Halo's Supadrive system; Halo say they have increased stiffness and reduced flex
The SupaDrive freehub system uses three pairs of spring-loaded pawls each with 13 'micro teeth' and 120 points of engagement in the hub shell.
Installation was easy as the wheels came built with rim tape and tubeless valves installed. The rims easily accepted Maxxis Minion DHF tires in DH casing, Bontrager SE5 tires and then a CushCore/Schwalbe setup, all inflated using a booster track pump.
My wheelset weighed in slightly under Halo's website number, at 2243g for the pair of 29" including rim tape.
Performance
The Vortex wheelset took plenty of abuse during the Ligurian winter on normal mountain bikes and under the added weight and torque of an eMTB. The rear wheel received a number of dings, but no cracks and nothing big enough to lose any pressure, on trails that have caused numerous wheels to meet an untimely demise over the last two years. I also didn't get any pinch punctures to the tire sidewalls during testing.
The wheels stayed true, and spoke tensions stayed put; even with all that rocky abuse I never had to take a spoke key to them.
The wheels stayed true, and spoke tensions stayed put; even with all that rocky abuse I never had to take a spoke key to them.
After opening the hubs, there was still a layer of clean, factory-installed grease around the freehub, proving that sealing was keeping water and dirt at bay. The rear wheel bearings are starting to rumble very slightly, but spin freely and easily have a few hundred more kilometers in them.
The alloy freehub body had a hard time under the added load of the eMTB, and is scarred by the cassette biting into the allow splines. This is not an eMTB wheelset, but I believe the SupaDrive system would take the power without issue if there were steel inserts added to the freehub body.
The Vortex wheelset took a beating through the Ligurian winter, the rims received a number of dings, but none that managed to fold or crack the rim bead leading to air-loss.
Pinkbike's Take:
 | A tough, wide, and heay duty wheelset for riders looking for something that will last at a reasonable price. |
Author Info:
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I may begin to understand the need for a motor on a mountain bike.
And no 40lbs bike to pedal either,nor my terrain or my riding style justify it.
I do not miss that bike, but I still wonder how much it would have improved if I'd kept updating it. Halo spin doctor wheels, RS Domain fork with coil u-turn. Manitou metel rear shock. It was actually down to 39lbs by the time I sold it.
BTW these were AM bikes back then.
Since I'm not Worthy, the bike weighed just under 5x Wolf-Rayet Star R136a1 aka 1,322 Solar Units aka 2,650^1030 kg.
But my throbbing, throaty-girthed thighs could take it. That was when Mountain Biking Was Real. 2007, yo.
But these are genuinely just very good, reasonably priced wheels that take one hell of a hiding. I don’t know if that’s heavy for a set of wheels.. I certainly don’t notice it on the ride to, on or from the trails.
I’ve renamed my set Rob Shapiro.. as they’ve taken every case I’ve thrown at them and helped me (and OJ) get away with murder.
I've been looking for wider rims for a new wheelset myself and here are some manufacturer specs for 27.5 rims:
Halo Vortex: 33mm, 565g.
Dt ex511: 30mm, 535g.
Wtb async i35: 35mm, 570g.
So if you're looking at custom wheels, depending on what hub and spokes you want to use, these aren't a bad option at all. I run a set of Chaos currently and if their strength is anything to go by, I wouldn't hesitate picking up the Vortex.
Also, @paulaston are you a fan of the Bonty SE5 Tire? It's my favorite front tire for everything other than a pure DH rig, Hoping they start making it in a 2.5 WT version for both 29 & 27.5.
So how many miles/hours did these wheels get tested?
.........Light, Strong, cheep......you can only choose two. That Halo is light and cheep, far from strong
Never had a problem with this hub and they work smoothly, Dartmoor reel pro 102 engagment worked as smoothly (No difference in feel) also you could count deemax 48engagment as high, that works great works smoothly.
Hope is good, but you are so wrong. The engagment is avrage, but obviously a night and day difference when you compare the feel.
For someone who says a 16 point engagment is usable, well; just do your thing and slip off your pedals every jump you take
I9s really aren’t that great at all. Constantly have bearing and free hub issues.
The 54t star ratchet system for the DT 240/350 hubs are simple and easy to maintain.
King’s can easily last 10years.
Amazing
Pretty average
Terrible
I don't really see what else you can say.
These seem to be the middle one
Amazing
Pretty average
Terrible
&
CrankBros
Easton hubs were pretty craptacular too, especially the OEM junk.
I got 107kg 28 holes 142rear dt e512 (25mm) 29er 200mm rotor 4 piston
And have to true it once a week......
No problems with 27.5 157mm dh also built by myself (3 years working with very occasional retruing....
Was tearing my hair out until I tacoed the rear the other day which gave me an excuse to replace it ????
Ummmm...
That’s a lot of weight for 28 spokes on a 29 rim.
Or get a bloody electric motor and then you won't care.
For a 33mm internal width rim that is built to take some abuse it will be hard to get lighter in the future. The Vortex rim is designed from the ground up, where many wide rims on the market are simply stretched out versions of the narrower models which leads to very thin wall thickness and thus easier to damage. In the last 18 months, I have written off very thin walled 29" rear wheels from American Classic and Fun Works on their first descent, let's not talk about carbon wheels either...