Best mountain bike wheels in 2026: trail, all-mountain and enduro wheels tested

DT Swiss FR 1500 Classic

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• £799.98 / $1,580.20 / €899.80 as tested by Alex Evans
• Pros: Smooth and forgiving; high-quality hub
• Cons: Rim's finish marks quickly and is hard to clean
• Best suited to: Downhill and freeride

We found the FR 1500 Classics to be a tough pair of wheels that can put up with heaps of abuse without denting, buckling or spoke de-tensioning.

The DT Swiss 240 hub has impressive bearing lifespan, putting up with the worst of British weather and frequent power washing, and remaining free-spinning.

Our only gripe would be the rim's matt finish, which is hard to clean and prone to scratching, making the wheels look more used than they are.

• Read more: DT Swiss FR 1500 Classic review

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Industry Nine Hydra2 Enduro

Just Riding Along Ravine wheelset

• £460 as tested by Alex Evans
• Pros: Smooth-feeling; well-priced; lots of options
• Cons: 29in only
• Best suited to: Trail and enduro riding

The Ravine wheels offer a well-damped and smooth feel on the trail, keeping buzz to a minimum while remaining accurate on chunky terrain.

An aluminium rim can be laced to a wide array of hubs, with our test sample using one with a 54 engagement-point freehub that provides a similar power transfer to the DT Swiss 350.

Their weight is low considering the asking price, and we experienced no surprises in our testing.

• Read more: Just Riding Along Ravine wheelset review

Reserve 30|HD 6069 AL wheelset

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• £700 as tested by Alex Evans
• Pros: Firm-feeling without being uncomfortable; good build quality
• Cons: Freehub can fall off when wheel is off bike; Fillmore valves have occasional compatibility issues with mini-pumps
• Best suited to: Enduro or all-mountain riding

Reserve's 30|HD wheels feel sturdy without translating a harshness from the trail below and come with a pretty decent warranty.

The alloy rims are laced onto DT Swiss 350 hubs, which feature a 10-degree engagement rachet-style freehub. This offers a positive feel through the cranks, though we found this to fall off the hub when the wheel was off the bike.

Reserve's Fillmore valves feature, which means air flows into the tyres with noticeable ease, but we did have issues when using some mini-pumps.

• Read more: Reserve 30|HD 6069 AL wheelset review

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Zipp 1Zero Hitop SW MTB

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• £2,000 / €2,000 as tested by Robin Weaver
• Pros: Lightweight; damped and comfortable in rough terrain; tougher than expected
• Cons: Not as light as some; pricey
• Best suited to: Cross-country and trail riding

The 1Zero Hitops are lightweight at 1,420g but offer an impressively forgiving and capable ride feel on rough terrain.

Unlike other lightweight hoops, these feel comfortable pushing the boundaries of trail riding without risk of inaccurate steering or burping.

Freehub pickup is fast enough to go unnoticed and makes it easy to get power down when weaving through tight singletrack.

• Read more: Zipp 1Zero Hitop review

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Zipp 3Zero Moto

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• £1,645 / $1,800 / €1,840 as tested by Tom Marvin
• Pros: Excellent control and comfort; fast pickup and easy hub maintenance
• Cons: No Shimano Microspline option
• Best suited to: Trail riding

The Zipp 3Zero Moto wheels are a great-riding set of carbon wheels with a comfortable yet accurate feel. This might be down to the single-wall rim, which pivots laterally around the spoke bed for improved traction, impact protection and comfort.

The hub is one of the best, and it’s easy to access the well-sealed bearings. The hub’s 2.7-degree engagement angle is among the quickest and, on our hardtail, pick-up of pedal inputs was exceptional.

We felt a noticeable (if slight) uplift in performance when using these wheels. Over off-camber roots, we could hold higher speeds with control over line choice. There’s a slightly damped feel on landings.

Each wheel has 32 bladed, J-bend spokes and five spoke lengths are used.

Getting tyres on and off is tricky and there’s no Shimano Micro Spline option, but they ride beautifully, have a lifetime warranty and accept the Quark TyreWiz for real-time pressure data.

• Read more: Zipp 3Zero Moto wheelset review

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Crankbrothers Synthesis XCT 11 Carbon

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• £2,250 / $2,400 as tested by Alex Evans
• Pros: Compliant and muted feel; accurate steering; playful and poppy nature; brilliant hubs
• Cons: Some flex when pushed hard; carcass stability; pricey
• Best-suited to: Cross-country or trail riding

Crankbrothers' Synthesis XCT 11 Carbon wheels offer an impressively supple ride quality that isolates trail buzz while remaining accurate through choppy sections.

The carbon rims are built onto Industry Nine Hydra hubs, which offer instant power transfer thanks to a 0.52-degree engagement angle.

Heavy riders may find the flex of the wheels too much when pushed to the limit, with tyre carcass deformation leading to burps on the rear tyre.

• Read more: Crankbrothers Synthesis XCT 11 Carbon wheels review

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FFWD Outlaw wheelset

• £1,349 / €1,499 as tested by Alex Evans
• Pros: Lightweight; comfortable and accurate
• Cons: Slow freehub engagement; not well-suited to heavier riders; carcass stability
• Best suited to: Cross-country to all-mountain

Despite a chunky look, the Outlaws tip the scales at 1,580g for a pair, making them some of the lightest wheels rated for all-mountain riding.

Their scope is focused mainly on cross-country riding though, with the wheels offering a smooth feeling on rough trails without sacrificing accuracy to wheel flex.

We found the carcass stability to be lacking a little, with the rear wheel burping regularly when pushed hard into bermed corners.

• Read more: FFWD Outlaw wheelset review

Hope Fortus 30 SC Pro 5

• £500 / $633 / €650 as tested by Alex Evans
• Pros: Muted and damped feel; strong feel; Pro 5 hub is excellent
• Cons: Rim tape not factory installed; on the heavy side
• Best suited to: Enduro riding

The Fortus 30 SC Pro 5 wheels offer an insulated ride feel, with the vibrations from the trail below feeling muted making hard-charging a little less chaotic.

This combined with their heavy weight does make them less playful than others, with the Fortus having a distinct, robust quality.

Hope's Pro 5 hub is the star of the show, with high build quality the amplifies the wheels damped and controlled feel.

• Read more: Fortus 30 SC Pro 5 wheelset review

Hunt Proven Carbon Race XC

• £1,099 as tested by Tom Law
• Pros: Good value for money; great warranty; compliant ride feel
• Cons: Not as light as claimed; some spoke creak; not the fastest engagement
• Best suited to: Cross-country

Hunt's Proven Carbon Race XC wheels are tough and responsive while remaining compliant making for a very pleasant feel through the bike.

They're well-priced against the competition, and although they were heavier than claimed they are still lightweight.

We did have issues with spoke creaking in testing and would have liked slightly more engagement from the hub.

• Read more: Hunt Proven Carbon Race XC review

Miche K1 EVO

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• £1,885 / €1,885 as tested by Tom Marvin
• Pros: Lightweight; good ground tracking; comfortable
• Cons: Servicing needs pre-planning
• Best suited to: Cross-country

The K1 EVOs are Miche's lightweight XC wheels, tipping the scales at 1,392g for the pair, which should impress weight weenies.

On the trail, the wheels impressed with the sort of comfortable riding characteristics we'd expect from heavier wheelsets. They stayed accurate and rattle-free through rocky sections, while muting the harshness of the trail below.

Thanks to their light weight, the K1 EVOs felt zippy up the hills, although we find the hub-engagement angle to not be as quick as others on the market. This didn't take much away in terms of performance.

Two 12mm hex keys are required to replace the freehub body, which isn't uncommon, though it's good to know beforehand to save time when servicing.

The 29mm internal width allows for lower pressures to be used, and setting the tyre up tubeless was hassle-free.

• Read more: Miche K1 EVO wheelset review

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Race Face Turbine

• £868 as tested by Alex Evans
• Pros: Fast-engagement hub; puncture-mitigating rim construction
• Cons: Tyre fitting and inflation is trickier than some; priced higher than direct competitors
• Best suited to: Enduro riding

The Turbine wheels are more compliant than Race Face's Turbine R model without losing any strength.

Alloy rims are connected to Race Face Vault hubs using 28 straight-pull spokes, with the hub itself featuring a 3-degree engagement angle that gives almost instant power delivery.

Mounting tyres proved more tricky than others, but the wheels roll fast and seem to resist punctures well.

• Read more: Race Face Turbine wheelset review

Roval Traverse Alloy 350 wheelset

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• £760 / $850 / €850 / AU$1,300 as tested by Alex Evans
• Pros: Easy tyre mounting; good on-trail ability; reliable freehub
• Cons: Rim picks up scratches easily; freehub can fall off if not in bike
• Best suited to: Trail and enduro riding

Roval's latest Traverse Alloy 350s are built for the rigours of trail riding, and feel balanced and capable on descents.

The rims are attached to DT Swiss 350 hubs, which provide good quality. The hub bearings have proved reliable over time, though the 10-degree engagement angle isn't as punchy as some.

Tyres are easy to mount, though we found the freehub can easily fall off when the wheel isn't in the bike.

• Read more: Roval Traverse Alloy 350 wheelset review

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Shimano MT620

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• £360 as tested by Tom Marvin
• Pros: Easy tyre mounting and inflation; great value for money
• Cons: Hard riders may find them a bit soft
• Best suited to: Trail riding

Sitting between Deore and SLX levels, the alloy MT620s are great value.

They are a touch softer than some when you’re really pushing them hard into corners, or where super-precise lines are needed. This gives a comfortable feel and means you don’t get knocked off-line easily. If you’re a hard-charger, you may want a higher spoke count than 24, but the build is good for the money.

Shimano’s cup-and-cone bearing system allows easy access to the hub bearings, but you’ll need cone spanners and some patience to get them ‘just so’.

The wheels come with a Micro Spline freehub for Shimano 12-speed cassettes. No XD driver is available.

We measured the asymmetric rim at 29.3mm.

Fitting tyres is easy, and the freehub engages reliably.

There are better wheels out there, but not for this price.

• Read more: Shimano MT620 wheelset review

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What type of riding are you doing?

The first thing you should consider when buying a new set of wheels is what sort of rider you are. If you're a cross-country racer looking for all-out speed then a wheel's weight is going to be your primary concern over its strength.

Trail and all-mountain riders will want to balance strength and weight, looking for the perfect compromise for their individual riding styles.

Gravity-focused riders, enduro or downhill, should look at prioritising strength over weight, although generally speaking the more you spend the lighter and stronger wheels should be.

Also consider how hard you ride. If you're a heavier or more aggressive rider, you should shy away from lightweight wheels and look for a sturdy set with a higher spoke count – most likely 32 spokes laced in the three-cross pattern.

If you're a lightweight rider or if you use a lot of finesse on the trail, you can probably get away with running a lighter-weight wheelset or one with fewer spokes.

Axle standards

Over the past five years, axles have transitioned from decades-old quick-releases to thru-axles, which offer a stiffer, more secure interface. There are several MTB axle standards to be aware of.

The 100x15mm front and 142x12mm rear thru-axles were common a few years ago, but the desire to increase wheel stiffness has led manufacturers to move to the wider 'Boost' axle spacing, which uses a 110x15mm front axle with a 148x12mm rear thru-axle.

If you're buying a high-end mountain bike, these days, nearly all of them will feature Boost axle spacing.

More recently, 'Super Boost' spacing, found on a growing number of bikes, is becoming more common. This standard increases the axle width further, in theory, to improve stiffness once more.

Before purchasing a new wheelset, make sure it uses the same axle type and width as your frame.

You might also want to consider looking for a hub that can be changed to a different axle size should you change your frame but want to keep your wheels at a later date.

Carbon or alloy rims?

Increasingly, high-end wheelsets are built around carbon fibre rims. Compared to aluminium, carbon rims can be as stiff or stiffer at a lower weight. That's not to say you should completely write off aluminium rims, though.

If you're not concerned with ultimate weight savings or ultimate stiffness, but are looking to upgrade to a higher performance wheelset with an affordable price, then there are many quality aluminium wheelsets to choose from.

Aluminium rims are more likely to be dented or dinged in an impact before they crack or fail entirely. Carbon rims, however, are less likely to show signs of damage until they fail completely.

Rim width

Rim width has increased for both road and mountain bikes. The critical dimension to keep in mind is the internal width.

This distance determines the shape of your tyres. For a given tyre, a wider rim will increase tyre volume and give the tyre a flatter, squared-off profile. A narrower rim will decrease tyre volume and give the tyre a rounder profile.

Wider rims can also increase tyre stability, which can make your bike feel more predictable through corners. At the same time, tyres are designed with specific rim widths in mind. Going too wide can cause the knobs on the sides of a tyre to sit too high, resulting in less grip through turns.

Pairing rim and tyre width is a key consideration – especially with so many tyre widths to choose from. Here are some rough guidelines to get you started:

• 2–2.25in tyres = 23–25mm rim widths
• 2.25–2.4in tyres = 25–30mm rim widths
• 2.4–2.6in tyres = 30–35mm rim widths
• 2.6–3in tyres = 35–40mm rim widths

If you have a favourite tyre width and tread pattern, keep in mind which rim width you want to pair it with when buying a new wheelset.

Tubeless or tubes?

The debate over whether to run inner tubes or to rely on a tyre containing only sealant boils down to personal preference.

Inner tubes are affordable and easy to replace without much fuss (or mess), but they're also prone to punctures and generally require the rider to run higher pressures.

Tubeless systems are lighter and have the added benefit of being able to self-seal some small punctures. Tubeless tyres are more expensive and if you do get a flat, you'll have to deal with a bit of a mess. As a result, you may wonder: is tubeless sealant bad for the environment?

Equally, if you rip the tyre's carcass beyond repair you'll need to dispose of your tyre or use an inner tube anyway.

However you choose to roll, nearly all modern mountain bike wheelsets are tubeless-compatible.

Engagement speed

One often overlooked wheel feature is how fast the freehub engages.

This speed is actually a measure of the distance your crank travels before the pawls inside the freehub engage the teeth of the drive ring to propel you forward. It is most often discussed in terms of 'points of engagement' or 'degrees of engagement'. More points will result in fewer degrees and a faster freehub.

You can figure out the degrees of engagement by dividing the points of engagement by 360. For example, a hub with 36 points of engagement will have 10 degrees of free play. Another hub with 120 points of engagement will have three degrees of movement until it engages.

The differences in engagement speed is noticeable on the trail. In general, a faster freehub is better for pedalling. A hub with a high number of points of engagement will allow you to get back up to speed quickly after coasting with less lag.

It can make it easier to 'ratchet' up technical climbs – a technique where the rider takes a half or quarter pedal stroke in situations where there might not be enough time, or pedal clearance, for a complete stroke.

Engagement can also be a matter of diminishing returns once you reach a certain point. Additionally, the tighter tolerances of fast-engaging freehubs can require more maintenance because they're less tolerant of contamination. They also tend to be louder and can have more drag, although this isn't always the case.

Hub and wheel manufacturer DT Swiss recently speculated that a higher number of engagement points on a mountain bike hub can actually increase pedal kickback (depending on the bike's suspension kinematics). It suggested a hub with 36 points of engagement, and therefore 10 degrees of free play, is the best compromise.