CrankBrothers’ super-bling all-mountain wheels are packed with innovation and potential but poor sealing and bearings let them down.
The unique rim uses a central rib with separate spoke barrels for the paired spokes, which themselves are a unique two-piece centrally threaded alloy design. This gives a noticeably stiff and direct feel on the trail despite fast- reacting acceleration and low weight.
The fast-engaging, beefed-up, multi-tooth freehub is lasting fine, and there’s a two-year warranty. They’re tubeless too, although the narrow rim doesn’t handle fatter tyres well.
We've got another set that have been fine for two years but they aren’t invulnerable – we dinged this set on our second ride. Poor seals also mean short-lived bearings if you’re not meticulous with cleaning.