Are all MTB wheels the same? The answer is obviously no. Over time, manufacturers have developed different products suited to specific types of bikes and disciplines. So how do you identify the ideal pair of MTB wheels for XC riding? We asked Mauro Bettin, General Manager of the Torpado Ursus Cross-Country Team.
Mauro, when it comes to MTB wheels, we're talking about a very broad world. What are the differences between the various types?
“The different disciplines have certainly dictated the development of the various segments of MTBs on the market today. There are front (single-suspension) or full (dual-suspension) bikes, in carbon or aluminum. Each model has its own particularities and is intended for a very specific type of use. It is normal that the wheels have also had to evolve to meet the needs of riders with very different riding styles. In general, the main characteristic that the best MTB wheels must have is reliability . What the various disciplines have in common is use on dirt roads, where the roughness of the terrain can put a strain on the structure of a wheel . My first piece of advice, therefore, is to favor products with proven characteristics of resistance to the common use of wheels in this category.”
How then do you choose the best wheels for XC, the discipline in which your team competes?
“At XC level we race on full suspension bikes in 80% of cases and front suspension in 20% with carbon frames, which must be stiff enough to facilitate the riders' relaunch actions and light enough to give them the possibility of maintaining the maximum performance for an average race duration of about 1.5 hours.
The wheels also follow this philosophy: an XC rider will certainly look for the reduced weight of a 29” full carbon rim combined with a hub compatible with disc brakes and thru axle . Excellent hub smoothness is essential to gain an advantage over your opponents, as is effective road holding .
For this reason, the best wheels have an internal channel of 24 to 27 mm, allowing for the installation of 2.25 tubeless tires. As I was saying, however, the main characteristic of a cross-country wheel is reliability: no rider wants to break the rim during a race , ruining their performance and ruining the many training sessions they've done to prepare themselves as best as possible.
We have found a faithful companion in Ursus Kodiak: it is not the lightest wheel on the market, but it guarantees the best compromise between resistance, rigidity and lightness. ”
KODIAK
In conclusion
According to the experience of a champion like Mauro Bettin, the best MTB wheels for XC must have very well-defined characteristics, but as often happens , it's not a good idea to favor one of them over another . The result would be the purchase of a wheelset that doesn't perform well when it counts.
So go ahead with a very light carbon rim, but make sure it can withstand the stresses and is stiff enough not to slow down your relaunching actions, the real secret to the top performance of the Torpado Ursus team.
If you'd like to learn more about the types of bicycles used for these activities, we recommend reading the next article.
