The 29" Bontrager Kovee XXX carbon wheelset weighs in at just 1290 grams and is designed for competitive XC use. They sell for $2,399 USD with DT Swiss hub internals and come with a lifetime warranty for the original owner.
$2,400 for a wheelset is crazy expensive, but that weight is really damn light. For the person looking for one of the lightest weight wheelsets made money probably doesn't matter, but durability most certainly does. I spent the last several months logging hundreds of miles on the Kovee XXX wheels and riding trails that are probably far more technical than what you'd find on an XC race course in order to see how things held up.
Kovee XXX Details• Intended use: XC Racing
• Rim material: OCLV Carbon fiber
• Rim width: 29mm (internal)
• Diameter: 29"
• DT Swiss 240s hub internals, center lock rotor
• 24 DT Swiss Aerolite Spokes (f/r)
• 110/148 Spacing
• Weight: 1,290 g (actual)
• Lifetime warranty
• MSRP: $2,399 USD
• More info:
www.trekbikes.com Trek's OCLV (Optimum Compaction Low Void) carbon is used in the Kovee XXX rims.
The DetailsThe latest iteration of these wheels knocks 100g off of the previous Kovee XXX wheelset's weight. More demanding courses and better tire technology are leading riders to run wider tires at lower air pressures, which is why Bontrager went with a 29mm internal rim width, 29mm height, and a 34mm external width.
The rims, built in Asia, are laced up using 24 DT Swiss Aeroblade spokes and assembled in house, at Trek, in the USA. The hub is a Bontrager shell with DT Swiss 240s internals with a 54-tooth star ratchet.
The wheels are designed to be set up tubeless and come with two options: Riders can use rim tape for the lightest set-up or, they can opt to use Bontrager's proprietary rim strip system which is said to provide a better bead lock with the tire to help with set-up and to improve performance at ultra-low tire pressures. The rim strip system adds a little weight, at about 75-grams a wheel, but according to Bontrager, also improves performance. I opted for the tape.
Also worth noting is that the wheels come with a lifetime warranty where Bontrager will replace or repair wheels for the original owner. Even more noteworthy is the fact that Bontrager have enough confidence in these wheels that there is not a rider weight limit, something you often see in the fine print with weight-weenie XC parts, especially wheels.
The OCLV carbon rims can be set up using either standard rim tape or with Bontrager's tubeless rim strips, for a small weight penalty.
These wheels were made for XC but held their own with baggies and a dropper post.
PerformanceThis Kovee XXX wheelset has spent several months on Trek's new Supercaliber, as well as a stint on Revel's 130mm Rascal trail bike. Tires have mostly been Bontrager's 2.4" XR3 trail tires, although I also had some Maxxis tread mounted up as well. In swapping tires out, I have had no issue getting them inflated with more than a standard volume floor pump. Speaking of inflation, it's been wet, leafy, and slippery so I've been running somewhat low air pressures at 18 - 22psi for my 150 pound weight.
Despite a mostly good (but by no means flawless) track record with carbon wheels, I'll admit that I was a bit hesitant when it came to using a sub- 1,300g carbon wheelset. After a few months of pointing and shooting my over-forked XC race bike with a dropper post down the chunkiest descents in the forest, hucking and hoping down lines usually reserved for a longer travel bike, laughing as I'm hanging onto the bucking bronco of an XC rig, I can attest that the Kovee XXX wheels can hang in the durability test. I've had zero issues with the rims themselves and, as expected, no issues with the tried and true DT Swiss 240s hub innards, common in many high-end wheelsets.
When it comes to putting the power down and getting the wheels up to speed, the ultra-light weight of the Kovee XXX wheelset is noticeable. On tight, rooty, technical terrain, the wheels help the bike accelerate quickly, especially in places where quick bursts of power are paramount and in everything short and punchy. One of my frequent test laps has a section that requires picking away at a technical bit of off-camber singletrack, and then powering into a short but steep uphill section. The quickness that the Kovee wheels can get up to speed and accelerate is very noticeable in situations like this. There's noticeably less effort required to hammer up to speed compared to wheelsets that weigh even just a couple hundred grams more.
The wheels feel amply stiff and similar to other top-tier XC wheelsets such as Roval's Control SL hoops as far as ride quality and stiffness, and slightly more compliant than ENVE's M525 wheels. They never felt overly harsh or unforgiving, a trait that becomes even more important when you're talking about a set of wheels that will end up on a shorter travel bike.
Pros
+ Ultra light and durable
+ DT Swiss 240s internals
+ No rider weight limit / lifetime warranty
Cons
- Limited axle configurations, Centerlock only
- Price. $2,400 is a lot of money to spend on wheels.
Pinkbike's Take: | Bontrager's Kovee XXX wheelset is one of the lightest production wheelsets available. The wheels perform well, are durable, and I can't find much to complain about from a performance perspective. Yes, the price is quite high, but that tends to be the way it goes with lightweight bike parts. For racers looking to save some rolling weight, or anyone who's building up an XC speed machine, the Kovee XXX wheels hit the mark.— Daniel Sapp |
Huck to under-rotated 360??
this huck or nothing
GROUND!
DT Swiss internals, does that imply that it also takes a DT freehub so that it also accepts the micro spline for the latest Shimano cassette?
Commercially viable, specialised product.. sure. Mass market? Nooope.
en.tune.de/tuneparts/mtb-wheels-29
I made a rather bad joke (for comic quality) It's a lunacy to think Trek hires girls based on looks, and even if, most of the field is qualified.
I believe the XXX wheels are laid up in the US at Trek's Waterloo base. This may have changed now but for the longest time the XXX wheels were more expensive and what not cause they were American made and what not.
Let's also not forget everyone for the price they are lifetime warranty. I don't give a shit what the price is, lifetime means that you never have to buy a new set of wheels. Call me when alloy wheel comes with a lifetime warranty.
Don’t hate me yet because There is a spin to the story, since above applies to Trail, Enduro and DH rims. XC racing rims tend to go under 400g a piece, at least that’s what the desirable weight is. Below that threshold the durability and stiffness of alu rims starts to fall dramatically. Quite simply, regardless of alloy used, they become cheese. Anyone who weights 70kg+ and tried ZTR Crests knows this. One mistake - bang! Taco! If I was to spend money on XC racing wheelset I would either have to satisfy myself with an alu trail wheelset having rims like Arch mk3 or DT 401, or go for carbon with lifetime warranty. And I would mess at least one carbon rim per year...
You are insufrable with the amount of crap you spew around here Jesus Christ.
Last time I ran allow wheels I went through 1 front rim and 4 rear rims. Racing through the year wether that's weekday fiver races on the shore, 70km XC races and a couple enduros is a quick way to find new ways to destroy an alloy rim... It's just what happens living in a rocky riding area and racing in it. I don't mind building wheels it's Been a fun skill to learn but 5 times a year with time off your bike while you wait for the rim to arrive gets really annoying really fast.
With the 511, or any other alloy, it's pay as you go.
$2400 will go a long way to keeping an alloy wheelset rolling. Back out $600 for a set of nice hubs and some wire, and you are left with $1800 for rims. At say $90 per rim USD, that's 20 rims.
Carbon are great. So to are alloy. Both for their own reasons.
So I need to buy a truing stand and a proper tension gauge as well. How much was your tension gauge and your truing stand?
My knowledge of Swedish biking is not all that great.
What do you do? XC racing?
Alloy nipples - the ticket with aluminum nips, is picking a nipples that's made with good aluminum (Paceline, WheelFanatyk, etc), that's been put through a good anodization process (Paceline, WF, Sapim are all double anodized), and that you use stainless washers between them and the rim, with good grease. I use them exclusively myself. But definitely a no-no if you are I'm salty environments - in which case brass king.
The line30 xxx and Aeolus xxx are still made in Wisconsin...for the time being.
I often road mine at 17-19 psi, which is too low for a 175-180 pound rider. I broke the rear rim and paid $400 to Trek for a new rim and spokes along with the new build. I think it was reasonable.
In my opinion it broke due to my being tired and slamming into sharp edges.
So long as you don't use tire inserts... I feel like that's important to note
And then there are the screws as well.
I've ridden at terrain parks and in places like Moab, Grand Junction, and Sedona (as well as my equally rocky and chunky trails in SE Wyoming) and NEVER had one loosen.
When the patents on Centerlock expire (looks like 2021) I suspect that the industry will adopt that standard, even on lower cost bikes. I'm all for it.
It's my suspicion that with sturdy tires and foam inserts, you could get away with a lighter wheelset and offset some of that weight. But.....my personal wallet doesn't allow for that kind of experimentation. So.....c'mon Pinkbike-really test this wheelset (and every other 30mm internal xc wheelset)-for science!!!
Every few years bikes get more capable and heavier, then trim a little fat, then get more capable and heaver.....
We seem to have reached a new threshold of capability. Even at bike parks, enduro bikes are more common than pure DH rigs, but while enduro bikes are efficient climbers, they aren't light. With the availability of strong tires and sturdy tire inserts, lighter rims might be possible. Barring winning the lottery, I doubt I'd be able (or willing) to buy wheels this fancy. However, if a midpriced light(ish) rimset worked for enduro and park use with sturdy tires and inserts, it would allow a 1/4-1/2 weight reduction. I'd consider lacing up (or buying) a set of wheels on lighter rims if I didn't feel like I was playing Russian Roulette every time I sent a drop.
Something to be said for Bontrager/Trek warranty, but LB are also reputed to be good at this.
Outsourcing production might get a better margin, but now they're just an engineering firm that has Giant make their stuff. Treks are good bikes (I'm riding a Slash these days) but nothing special/unique anymore.
And.....yeah, if you want proprietary composite production, there are a couple of niche players that actually have truly proprietary composite technology (Guerrilla Gravity comes to mind) but otherwise get a Giant (or Merida if you're outside the US).
but does mention
"This Warranty Does Not Cover
Normal wear and tear
Damage or failure due to accident, misuse, abuse, or neglect"
Seems like an easy way out for them.
@allenfstar Looks like it’s not lifetime crash replacement. 2 year crash replacement, lifetime discount on replacements.
m.pinkbike.com/news/bontrager-announces-free-lifetime-warranty-on-all-carbon-wheels.html
So, it’s not a lifetime warranty after all
Worth it if you keep your gear for many years. Not worth it if you want the latest & greatest each year with boost 157, boost 1XX and the next boost size and so on bike marketing gurus throws at us to force for upgrade!.
My new Reynolds BL 429 w/ LT warranty are on their way with claimed 1380g. Bought direct from Reynolds few days ago for $1374, no tax on cyber week sale before price jumped.
You lost me @ Asian made.....what do they pay the asian wheel makers?
For carbon.....I have light bicycles for half the price and made in Asia.
DoPe
Less clothes is technically less weight, too
Those wheels cost more than my frame, fork, and shock.
That's orthodontist prices
www.trekbikes.com/us/en_US/equipment/cycling-components/bike-wheels/road-bike-wheels/bontrager-aeolus-xxx-4-tlr-clincher-road-wheel/p/21817
I guess only their roadie XXX wheels are made in USA.
@1300 grams that's the lightest I've ever seen from a big brand company. However, even XC these days is getting more gnarlier than from previous years. So buying these I'd still use them with caution in mind.
I thought these were laid-up in the wisconsin? Are you sure they're made in asia?
edit: you probably DID doublcheck. my bad. I'm pretty sure they USED to be made in USA. Now I dunno...
I know some of their carbon wheels are made in wisconsin...maybe not the kovee xxx. hmmm...
These days, add the words "crazy expensive" and "probably made for people for whom money doesn't matter"
We get it.
www.trekbikes.com/us/en_US/carbon_care_wheels
Not quite lifetime. 2 years full crash replacement. After 2 years discounted crash replacement. When I and most people think lifetime warranty, we means free replacement for ‘life’. You know, like everyone else. Not this tiered warranty nonsense.
That's actually old info, just got the official word that it is, as of last month, lifetime for carbon for the original owner.