These stunning carbon wheels prove that it sometimes is worth paying what looks like silly money.
The idea of a mountain bike with carbon fibre rims being able to survive bouncing off rocks and roots takes some getting used to, but we’ve had a set of Reynolds Topos for over a year though and they’ve been trouble free.
The 32mm deep ‘aero’ rims aren’t only stiff and strong but give a ride that feels as though you’re running several pounds less tyre pressure than you actually are. The ride is a lot comfier than some relatively stiff aluminium wheels.
Their rim is made from a single piece of carbon fibre. At 19mm wide they allow you to run tyres up to 2.3in, making them more versatile than some narrower rims found on top end lightweight wheels.
Add 24 DT Swiss double-butted spokes either end and super durable, fast reacting DT Swiss hubs in the centre and you’ve got wheels that are as outstanding in performance as in looks and price.
They were great for cross-country racing, offering control under power or hard cornering but we’d use these for general trail riding too.
The big question is, would we buy these over, say, a lighter and cheaper Mavic Crossmax SLR? It’s a toughie. The bling factor is there, weight difference is only 6g (the Reynolds weigh in at 1,590g) and the ride is definitely different.
If money’s no object then probably yes. Any worries we had about resilience were dispelled in testing and the ride was shockingly impressive, almost justifying the high price.
