The Industry Nine All Mountain wheels are pretty darn sweet, as they are lightweight, brutally strong, look good, are well made, and have one of the most amazing freehubs I have ever used! Instant power can be applied to the wheel due to their 120 point of engagement hub, with virtually no lag in the power transition, making pedaling a joy, especially in highly technical terrain. All the I9 wheels use their straight pull hubs, and aluminum spokes, which makes them a pretty unique system. Industry Nine is a small Asheville, NC company, and they do onsite design, manufacturing, quality control, sales, assembly, truing and tensioning of their products (the rims and bearings are outsourced).

Industry Nine All Mountain
The I9 All Mountain’s comes with their 26mm wide and 32 hole All Mountain rims, and their Enduro hubs, and .100 inch aluminum spokes. The straight pull hubs can be spec’ed in almost any size (adapters are available to convert the hubs), and the hubs and spokes are available in 11 colors (Red, Black, Silver, Blue, Brown, Gold, Green, Orange, Pewter, Pink, or Purple), while the rims are either black or white. I9 has a great selection of adapters for their hubs, and the replaceable end caps, allow the front to be a QR, or 9mm, 15mm, 20mm, 24mm, 25mm thru axles, and the rear to be a QR 135, or 10x135mm, 12x135mm, 12x142mm thru axles. They come with a three-year warranty against defects in materials or craftsmanship. There are some additional custom options, such as Singlespeed, Lefty, Ceramic bearings, and they can be built to any 32 hole rim. Recently, I9 began to offer the Classic hub, which offers all the great benefits of their hubs, without the proprietary spoke system.

The unique I9 spokes are CNC machined from 7075-T651 aluminum, and have a larger cross section (20-25%) than comparable steel spokes, but weigh less, have a greater lateral stiffness and equivalent tensile strength. The rim end of the spoke is just a flared flange, and it floats in the rim hole, while the other end threads directly into the straight pull hub, and the thread section (very coarse) is larger than the spoke diameter. They are fatty, and nipple less! The one piece design of the spoke means they perform like an extremely long screw (insert rude joke). The one piece design of the spoke means they perform like an extremely long screw (insert rude joke). Since there spoke and hub is made from the same material, there isn’t any corrosion that can occur when unlike metals interact, and the anodizing helps prevent galling issues. The spokes are laced up in a three-cross pattern, though they appear to be two crosses, they actually make another pass over each other when they are threaded into the hub.

The very trick looking hub shell body is CNC machined from 7075-T651, while the freehub uses 7068 alloys for durability and strength (20% stronger), and they turn on one piece aluminum axles and use sealed industrial Japanese ABEC grade 5 bearings. The freehubs come in two different engagement configurations, 3 or 6 degree (3 degree tested).

The freehub uses an arrangement of two sets of three pawls (the second one is phased three degree’s from the first), which are made from A2 tool steel, and each has three points, for 9 points of contact per set. They interface into a A2 hardened 60 tooth drive ring, giving 3 degree’s of engagement, for a final whooping 120 points!

Driver – 120 points, 3 degree engagement, 6 pawl mechanism, 60 tooth ring

They are lightweight for an All Mountain wheelset, coming in at svelte 1663 grams for the test pair, which were spec’ed with 20mm front and 12x135mm rear thru axles.

Measured Specs:

• Front – 747.1 grams
• Rear – 915.5 grams
• Total – 1662.6 grams
• Rim width – Inner 20.83mm, Outer 26.2mm

Impressions
I was pretty stocked up to try them out, as I had always respected the build quality of their wheels, and the highly engineered and innovative hub, but I was really craving to try out the 120 point of engagement freehub.

After a short couple of rides on the wheelset, I had to admit that the rear hub is simply amazing, and I was highly impressed with the high point of engagement or POE. In difficult technical terrain, you could just crank on the pedals, and the hubs would react instantaneously, as there was no lag whatsoever. I could power almost anywhere I wanted, at any angle, direction, and terrain obstacle. They also allowed you to track stand, catch your balance (and composure), and start up again, almost like you were on a Fixie (ok, just sort of). Technical sections, especially in low gears, take on a different feel, as you can virtually stop dead in your tracks, and crank a hard move or do small hop and reengage the drive trail without any loss of control, since there is no slop in the system, except for the chain. I have ridden 24 and 30 POE most of my biking careers, and although in most conditions, it doesn’t really make much of a difference, I have found the High POE to very useful and functional, and reverting back to Lower POE wasn’t much fun, as I have gotten spoiled. They were pretty quiet rear hubs, and only gave a muted whirl noise, buzzing up to a whiz sound at higher speeds, but not very noticeable when hammering down the trail.

I have been pummeling them pretty hard over the last 3 months on my local terrain, including lots of rock gardens, rocky ledges and plenty of abuse, and have found them to be laterally and torsionally stiff.  The front wheel is especially one stout beast, and I couldn’t feel any sort of flex coming from them, though they still had a lively and resilient feel, and would turn on a dime, slicing and dicing wherever you wanted them to go. You could toss them into a corner or berm, with hardly a whimper from them, and they didn’t deflect and provided a very stable ride, and they were easy to leverage for additional torque when required. They are impressively light, and have great acceleration,  and are a stiff, snappy and responsive wheelset.

The wheels haven’t required much maintenance, and when I checked them, they were reasonably true. When the spokes do need to be adjusted, they only take a minute amount of movement, such as 1/8 to 1/4 turn, using a standard .126” (15 gauge) spoke wrench. The aluminum spokes are not as tough or robust as steel spokes against rocks, branches and trail debris, but I have only had one broken spoke during the test period when I kicked up a huge rock. The replacement was easy, and the wheel was still fairly true, so not much tweaking was required. They use two different spoke lengths, and I9 provides two spare spokes of each length with the wheelset. Since they are proprietary spokes, not every LBS is going to carry them, though fortunately they turned out to be fairly durable, so the spare ones have been adequate, though you’d be SOL if you destroyed your wheel.

The bearings have been fine for me, without any play, even after they broke in, and if required, the rear is easily adjusted using a 1.5mm allen wrench. I did notice a slight grittiness on the non drivetrain side in the race, so I added a touch of grease and they have been smoother. The freehub has been trouble free, and the subtle amount of HPOE drag is hardly noticeable. The freehub body using the tougher 7068 alloy has only minimal gouge marks, and the cassette slips off easily. I9 has some decent instructions on their website for servicing their hub’s if one was so inclined, though the drive system service does take some mechanical skills and expertise, and the proper tools.

I like to run my wheels in a tubeless mode, getting the benefits of lower pressure and a lack of pinch flats. The rims are not tubeless ready, so I ran a thin layer of rim tape (Stan’s, or whomever) to seal up the spoke holes, and then used a Stan’s rim strip. They never popped up with that distinctive tubeless sound when the tire bead snaps into the rim’s socket (love that sound), though they sealed up and have worked just fine, after performing the usual sealant treatment techniques. I would like to see them add their own optional tubeless kit made specifically for the rims and spokes.

I like the green color of the spokes and hub, as they almost sort of glow, with great brightness and vibrancy. I have gotten a few compliments on the combination, and they certainly have a high bling factor, and make for some nice eye candy. With 11 spoke and hub colors, you can have quite the plethora of zing.

Bottom Line
The Industry Nine All Mountain wheelset is lightweight, stiff, and their innovative system uses fat aluminum spokes and an accompanying straight pull hub, that work in synergy for great strength, durability and lightness. The high point of engagement freehub (120 points), gives instant power application to the wheel, with virtually no lag to the drivetrain, and it’s especially useful in technical terrain. The hubs have a plethora of axle adapters, so that almost any size or combination can be created to match any bike currently on the market.

They aren’t the cheapest wheelset, and the proprietary spokes might be a hindrance, and I do wish they came tubeless ready. They are well built, and have incredible attention to detail, and with the 11 vivid colors and trick hubs, they certainly have a huge bling factor.

Strengths

• Stiff and tough wheels
• High POE – Points of Engagement
• Bling factor and color combination’s
• Lightweight
• Large array of axle adapters

Weaknesses

• Expensive
• Proprietary spokes
• Lack of a tubeless kit

MSRP: $1085.00

Overall Rating: 4.5 Flamin’ Chili Peppers

Industry Nine All Mountain Specs

• FRONT : Enduro hub: 100 mm QR // 9mm thru axle // 15mm thru axle // 20mm thru axle // 24mm Maverick // 25mm Specialized
• REAR : Enduro hub: 135 QR Axle // 10x135mm // 12x135mm
• DRIVER : 120 point, 3 degree engagement, 6 pawl mechanism
• SPOKE : .100″
• RIM : Industry Nine AM rim: 26mm wide // welded // single eyelet //450 grams // Black or White (adds 30 grams)
• WEIGHT : 1750 grams
• PRICE : MSRP-$1085.00
• COLORS: Red // Black // Silver in any hub/spoke combination
• CUSTOM COLORS: Blue // Brown // Gold // Green // Orange // Pewter // Pink // Purple*
• OPTIONS: Singlespeed* and Lefty versions available. Ceramic hybrid bearings available.* Can be built to any 32hole rim*. => *Extra charge will apply

I just got in a fresh set of the Industry Nine All Mountain wheels to test, and I was pretty stocked up to try them out. I had always respected the build quality of their wheels, and the highly engineered innovative hubs, but I was craving to try out the 120 point of engagement freehub. All the I9 wheels use their straight pull hubs, and aluminum spokes, which makes them pretty unique system. Everything except rims and bearings are made in their Asheville, NC site.

The freehub uses two sets of three pawls (second one phased three degrees from first), which are made from A2 tool steel, and each has three points, for 9 points of contact per set into a A2 hardened 60 tooth ring, giving 3 degree engagement (120 point, 3 degree engagement, 6 pawl mechanism). The I9 All Mountain come with a 26mm wide and 32 hole All Mountain rims, and their Enduro hubs, and .100 inch aluminum spokes. The hubs can be spec’ed in almost any size (adapters are available to convert the hubs) or color, while the rims are either black or white. I9 has a great selection of adapters for their hubs, and the replaceable end caps, allow the front to be 9, 15, 20, 24, or 25mm, and the rear to be 9, 10 or 12mm.

The I9 spokes are CNC machined from 7075-T651 aluminum,  and have a larger cross section than comparable steel spokes, but weigh less and have a higher tensile strength. The rim end of the spoke is just a flared flange, and it floats in the rim hole, while the other end threads directly into the straight pull hub, and the thread section (very coarse) is larger than the spoke diameter. Nipple less! The I9 hub shell body is CNC machined from 7075-T651, while the freehub uses 7068 alloy for durability, and they turn on one piece aluminum axles and ABEC grade 5 bearings.

They are very light, coming in at 1663 grams for the test pair, which are 20mm front and 12x135mm rear.

Impressions
I have been pummeling them pretty hard on some local terrain, including lots of rock gardens, rocky ledges and plenty of abuse. The front wheel is one stout beast, and I couldn’t feel any sort of flex coming from them, though they still had a lively feel and would turn on a dime. You could toss them into a corner or berm, with hardly a whimper from them. The rear hub is simply amazing, and I am highly impressed with the high point of engagement. In difficult technical terrain, you could just crank on the pedals, and the hubs would react instantaneously, as there was no lag whatsoever. I could apply power almost anywhere I wanted, at any angle, direction, and terrain obstacle. They also allowed you to track stand, catch your balance (and composure), and start up again, almost like you were on a Fixie (ok, just sort of!). They were pretty quiet, and only gave a muted whirl noise, buzzing up to a whiz sound at higher speeds, but not very noticeable when hammering down the trail.

Conclusion
The I9 AM wheels are pretty darn sweet! They are lightweight, brutally strong, look good, are well made, and have one of the most amazing freehubs I have ever used! Instant power can be applied to the wheel, with virtually no lag in the power transition, making pedaling a joy, especially in highly technical terrain. I am looking forward to more testing and riding.

Measured Weight:
20mm Front – 747.1 grams
135 x 12mm Rear – 915.7 grams
Total – 1662.8 grams

Industry Nine All Mountain Specs
FRONT : Enduro hub: 100 mm QR // 9mm thru axle // 15mm thru axle // 20mm thru axle // 24mm Maverick // 25mm Specialized
REAR : Enduro hub: 135 QR Axle // 10x135mm // 12x135mm
DRIVER : 120 point, 3 degree engagement, 6 pawl mechanism
SPOKE : .100″
RIM : Industry Nine AM rim: 26mm wide // welded // single eyelet //450 grams // Black or White (adds 30 grams)
WEIGHT : 1750 grams
PRICE : MSRP-$1085.00

Visit the Industry Nine Website

At the 2009 Interbike, I was highly intrigued by the Australian rim maker Velocity P35 or Pacenti 35 rims. The ultra wide 35mm rim, is 22mm deep with an inside width of 29.5mm, and seemed ideal for fat tires and brutal All Mountain riding. The rim was co-designed by Kirk Pacenti, who is also well known for his development of the 650b wheel size for mountain bike use. The P35 is available in 26”, 650b, and 29” sizes, drilled with either 32 or 36 holes, and comes in black, silver, white, electric red (shown) and antifreeze green.

Velocity was kind enough to send along a set of the P35′s, which were built with their own hubs, and their brand new tubeless kit installed. They have been thoroughly tested on my Ibis Mojo, and recently the front has been used on my Yeti ASR 7.

Build Specs:
Rim: Velocity P35
Size: 26 inch
Color: Electric Red
Front – Velocity ATB 20mm 32 hole black
Rear – Velocity ATB 32 hole black
Spokes: DT Competition 2.0/1.8
Spoke pattern: 3 cross
Nipples: brass silver 2.0

Installation
The rims came installed with their new Velotape (blue tape not yellow) which is specifically designed to convert P35 rims and wheelsets to a tubeless mode. You can also purchase a two tire kit for $24.99, which includes 10 meters of tape, and two tubeless valves with removable cores. I have installed the same sort of tape, and basically you apply the tape in the center of the rim, and slowly lay it down, keeping the roll of tape taut, with a strong enough pull to stretch it slightly, and push it down with your finger tip to adhere it to the cavity, until you cover the entire circumference plus a couple of extra inches. Then you pierce the valve hole, and insert the valve stem and tighten its nut down.

They were easy to set up tubeless, with either UST or normal tires, and popped up without any issue. Their Velotape tubeless system worked well, and I had no issues getting my usual assortment of tires to bead up on the rims. Some tires may require some sealant to hold air, but I use sealant with all my tubeless systems, so it was a moot point. I had more luck with tires that have a stout sidewalls, then floppy ones. After many months of use, I noticed the Velotape was starting to pull up in a couple of areas, although it wasn’t leaking, but my prodigious tire swap outs greatly exacerbated the issue.

Impressions
I have been riding the Velocity P35 wheelset since mid spring, and I must say the rims are monstrously wide. It took me quite a few rides to get used to the stability and rigidity that they offer, and until you have ridden a rim this wide, it’s hard to understand the feeling they imbue. The rims let a tire flare out wide, giving a larger footprint, and allowing lower air pressure, all which give excellent traction, control and comfort. It may slightly alter the characteristics of a tire, since the tires sit out wider, and their corresponding profile is changed, and I found that  fatter tires seem to work better than narrow ones. The rim profile along with the width, gives excellent lateral stiffness without much of a weight penalty.

I bashed these beasts through any terrain that I could toss them at, and they just stayed on line. I tossed them over sideways, torqued them hard, plowed them through rock gardens and smashed them into square ledges, and it did nothing impede them. You can pretty much bowl your way over anything, without any hesitance nor flex (2.0/1.8 spokes help). The stable and wide platform does mean it takes an extra touch of effort to roll them over, but it’s not much in the grand scheme of things. I did notice that they don’t accelerate very well, but when you can drive straight into anything it doesn’t seem to matter, and the monstrous tractor like traction certainly offers a more than a fair advantage. The Velocity hubs are somewhat primitive and a tad heavy, but have so far proven to be pretty stout and smooth, and I didn’t have any issues with the bearings nor pawls.

Measured Specs:
Front – 1002.7 grams
Rear – 1053.8 grams
Total – 2056.5 grams
Note – weight includes tubeless tape and valves

I noticed the other day, that on some technical terrain, where I needed to make a laser like steering adjustment, that the rims were slow to respond, making it more difficult to choose a precise line. I have ridden other wide rims that have slightly better steering, but there seems to be some other synergy going on (rim shape, spokes, hubs, ?) that makes it more anomalous. Fortunately, you can plow your way through whichever line you are left with, but it did make for some awkward transitions. They are very stable and want to stay in an upright position, and they take some initiative to muster them over on their side, but once there, they rail like crazy, and the width allows you to plunge them into berms to your heart content.

The wheel build has been bombproof, and the spoke tension and rim’s true have stayed the same the entire test period. I do wish the front hub had conversion adapters, so that it could be used with 9mm, 15mm or 20mm forks. The rim’s are painted, in contrast to the usual anodization, and I have found they’re getting chewed up and scratched quite easily. In daylight conditions, you can also see some minor painting imperfections (not a big deal).

Bottom Line
The Velocity P35 rims are stable, rigid, ultra wide, with a large footprint, which makes any tire have better traction, control and comfort. It is highly suggested to use fat tires due to the tire flare out. The stability and width allow you to blast through most anything, and ignore your line, which is a good thing, since quick steering changes are more difficult. It takes some initiative to roll them over on their sides, but once there they are rail masters. Their new tubeless Velotape system worked just fine, and will allow a plethora of tires to be run in a tubeless mode. The Velocity wheel build was a surprise, and was strong, durable, smooth and remained true.

The P35 rims are uber wide monster!

Strengths
- Stable
- Massive width
- Strong
- Tubeless via Velotape
- Large footprint for tires

Weaknesses
- Lack of front hub adapters
- Heavy hubs
- Takes initiative to roll over to sides

MSRP: Rims $99, Wheels $600

Overall Rating: 4 Flamin’ Chili Peppers

Velocity P35 Company Specs:
Outside Width: 35mm
Inside Width: 29.5mm
Depth: 22mm
Weight: 29” 595 grams, 650b 570 grams, 26” 535 grams
BSD: 29″ 622, 650b 584, 26″ 559
ERD: 29″ 598, 650b 560.5, 26″ 536
Drillings: 32h, 36h (28h for 26″ only)
url: http://www.velocityusa.com/default.asp?contentID=715

I got a spanking pristine set of the new Sun Ringlé Charger Pro wheels in the late winter, and I have put them through a beastly thrashing, and they are light, fast and amazingly tough. The Charger Pro is an All Mountain wheelset which is available in 26″ or 29″ sizes, featuring tubeless ready aluminum rims that come with swanky labeling that screams, “Go Fast”.

Sun Ringlé partnered with Stan’s No Tubes to license their patented BST (Bead Socket Technology), to give the Charger Pro rims proven tubeless compatibility. The BST system allows rims to have a wider inside dimension than other designs, offering a wide base for the tire. The design has shorter sidewalls, that help reduce pinch flats and rim denting from running low pressures.

The wheelset comes with Stan’s yellow tape installed, and valve stems and mini bottles of sealant in the box, so everything is ready to go. The rims are 28mm wide, and use Wheelsmith double butted spokes connected to direct pull hubs, using 24 holes on the 26″ version (alloy nipples) and 28 holes on the 29er (brass nipples). The kit also comes with 9mm, 15mm and 20mm adapters for the front hub, which is really unique, since most companies offer additional adapters only as an option. The rear hub comes with standard QR 135x9mm (as tested), but can be optionally ordered in 135x12mm or 142x12mm versions.

Measured Specs

Weight:

• Valve stem – 6.4 grams
• Adapters – 9mm: 39 grams, 15mm: 35.2 grams, 20mm: 30.4 grams
• Front- 9mm: 792.7 grams, 15mm: 788.9 grams, 20mm: 784.1 grams
• Rear – 900.4 grams
• Total- 9mm: 1693.1 grams, 15mm: 1689.3 grams, 20mm: 1684.5 grams

Widths:

• Outside – 28mm
• Inside – 22.6mm

Setup
I installed a set of normal tires on the rims, and initially tried 40-50 psi to get them to pop, but it took 80 psi for the beads to seat. (Note: this was the line in pressure, tires were only filled to 40 psi). I let the tires sit as long as possible to stretch out the carcass, and then pulled the valve core and filled them with the supplied 2 ounce bottle of sealant. I re-inflated, and shook the tire while rotating it to get the sealant up into the sidewalls. After a couple of minutes laying on each side (after doing the shake step) the tires were topped off to 40 psi to sit overnight. I tried a couple of UST tires, and they popped on without any problems, though some of the sealant from the previously installs made the job easier, and kept them sealed better (and longer).

I was easily able to install/remove the 9mm and 15mm adapters on the front hub, since they simply slide into the slot, but I was a bit confused on the 20mm set? It turns out to be a very simple, albeit primitive, process. Just place the 20mm adapter into the slot followed by the ring, then using either a 1 inch PVC coupler (my fave) or a socket, give it a good couple of hits with a mallet, and the ring seats nice and tight! To take it off, insert a 20mm axle into the adapter about a 1/2 inch, and ever so slightly lever it sideways and the ring pops off. Thanks to Scott at Sun Ringlé for the pointers on what he calls the Caveman approach, which I happen to find effective, “Simple is, is simple does.” I think it’s really nice that the front wheel comes with all the adapters you could need (9, 15 and 20mm), while most manufacturers charge you extra for additional versions.

The rear hub came as a 9mm x 135mm,  but you can purchase an adapter kit for 12mm x 135mm or 12mm x 142mm, for $20 each. The non drive adapter slide off and on, while the drive side is threaded on. To install/remove the drive side adapter, mesh the adapter kit tool into the notch on the non drive side axle. Then  use a 17mm cone wrench on the slot of the drive side adapter to tighten/loosen, while holding the opposing non drive side tool. It is a simple and innovative idea that allows their hub to be used in the vast majority of the rear axle system on the market today.

Impressions
They are a light wheelset (1690 grams) for their intended usage, offer excellent acceleration, quick steering, and the 28mm rim width provides good stability and negligible flex. I like the graphics and red hubs, but they might be a bit much for some tastes? I have been amazed how stout these wheels have been, and I have thrashed them through some pretty rough terrain, and they have only belayed a micro hint of flex, at the very extreme end of their usage zone. The wide rims, strong spokes, and the direct pull hubs synergistically create an amazingly low flex wheel, especially considering their weight. They have stayed true, which is again amazing for a 1700 gram wheelset, and being tossed into heavy duty AM terrain. If you are going to do huge hucking sessions, or spend all your time in freeride terrain or park, I would look elsewhere, but for anything for anything else they are pretty stout beasts! The pawl system is somewhat primitive, being the generic 24 points, but I never found it a hindrance in any of my riding, and I love ugly long climbs and technical terrain.

Bottomline
Having the ability to change (with ease) the front to 9, 15, 20 mm or the rear to 9 or 12 mm makes them an ideal candidate for swapping between the multiple bikes that many of us have gathered over time. This wheelset is an incredible generalist, and one of the best wheelsets I have ever used. Their new licensing of the Stan’s No Tubes BST tubeless system was a gold mine for them, and I must say it works pretty darn good. Saving rotational weight, really makes the wheel accelerate and turn on a dime, and can make even a sluggish handling bike comes to life. The rear hub pawl system might be a bit primitive, but it has been reliable, and easy to maintain when required. The direct pull hubs have really helped the rigidity, as I didn’t feel much of any sort of flex.

The Sun Ringlé Charger Pro is light, robust, tubeless ready, strong as an Ox, an excellent generalist for Cross Country to All Mountain riding, with an abundance of adaptability for most any frameset and fork made (outside of pure downhill). The best darn wheelset I have ever used.

Strength
- Light
- Strong
- Tubeless
- Front hub adapters (9,15,20mm) come standard
- Plethora of hub adapters
- Good price

Weaknesses
- Primitive pawl system

Overall Rating: 5 Flamin’ Chili Peppers

Specs

• MSRP of $650.00.
• Stan’s No Tubes BST™ Tubeless Technology.
• Premium Direct Pull Hubs with Japanese Precision Bearings
• Wheelsmith Double Butted Spokes
• Wheelsmith allow nipples
• Lightweight AM Wheel – 1699g / Pair
• Colors – Black rims w/ White stickers or White rims w/ Black stickers
• 26 inch and 29 inch sizes
• Front hubs are easily convertible to today’s axle standards – 20mm, 15mm and QR end caps included*
• Rear hubs – standard QR or optional 135×12 and 142×12.
• Wheels include Stan’s No Tubes Yellow Sealing Tape, Sealant, and Valves*

At the 2009 Interbike, I was highly intrigued by the Australian rim maker Velocity P35 or Pacenti 35 rims. The ultra wide 35mm rim, is 22mm deep with an inside width of 29.5mm, and seemed ideal for fat tires and brutal All Mountain riding. The rim was co-designed by Kirk Pacenti, who is also well known for his development of the 650b wheel size for mountain bike use. The P35 is available in 26”, 650b, and 29” sizes, drilled with either 32 or 36 holes, and comes in black, silver, white, electric red and antifreeze green.

Velocity was kind enough to send along a set of the P35′s, which were built with their own hubs, and their brand new tubeless kit installed.

Build Specs:
Rim: Velocity P35
Size: 26 inch
Color: Electric Red
Front – Velocity ATB 20mm 32 hole black
Rear – Velocity ATB 32 hole black
Spokes: DT Competition 2.0/1.8
Spoke pattern: 3 cross
Nipples: brass silver 2.0

I have been riding the Velocity P35 wheelset for about a month now, and I must say the rims are monstrously wide. It took me quite a few rides to get used to the stability and rigidity that they offer, and until you have ridden a rim this wide, it’s hard to understand the feeling they imbue. The rims let a tire flare out wide, giving a larger footprint, and allowing lower air pressure, all which give better traction, control and comfort. The rim profile along with the width, gives excellent lateral stiffness without much of a weight penalty.

I bashed these beasts through any terrain, I could toss them at, and they just stayed the line. I tossed them over sideways, torqued them hard, plowed them through rock gardens and smashed them into square ledges, and it did nothing impede them. You can pretty much bowl your way over anything, without any hesitance nor flex (2.0/1.8 spokes help). The stable and wide platform does mean it takes an extra touch of effort to roll them over, but it’s not much in the grand scheme of things. I did notice that they don’t accelerate very well, but when you can drive straight into anything it doesn’t seem to matter, and the monstrous tractor like traction certainly offers a more than a fair advantage. The Velocity hubs are a tab heavy, but have so far proven to be pretty stout.

Measured Specs:
Front – 1002.7 grams
Rear – 1053.8 grams
Total – 2056.5 grams
Note – weight includes tubeless tape and valves

They were easy to set up tubeless, with either UST or normal tires, and popped up without any issue. Their blue tape (not yellow!) tubeless system worked well, and I had no issues getting my usual assortment of tires to bead up on the rims. The rear wheel required sealant to hold air, but I use sealant with all my tubeless systems, so it was a moot point.

I am looking forward to some more quality time with the wheels or in my case, more smashing and bashing time! The P35 offers a fat footprint, allowing you to float over the rough terrain, with more bite, traction, and steering control. They look pretty cool, especially the Electric Red color.

Update (7/18/10): The rims area painted, as opposed to the usual annodiztion, and I have found they’re getting chewed up and scratched quite easily. In daylight conditions you can also see the painting imperfections (not a big deal). A couple of weeks back I added a set of UST tires to the rims, and at first they held up fine. But they started to leak fairly quickly, until they eventually would no longer hold air at all, and the culprit area was around the valve stem. Since they were UST tires, I did not use any sealant, which might have sealed up the errant valve stems. I also noticed that the blue tape (aka Velotape) is starting to pull up in a couple of areas. I had to resort to using tubes for now, as a stop gap measure, until I can doing some further testing.

Per their website:
Velocity is proud to announce Velotape, the newest accessory in the Velocity line. Velotape is specifically designed to convert P35 rims and wheelsets tubeless. The kit includes 10 meters of transparent Velotape, enough to setup two 29” P35s, and 2 high quality tubeless valves with removable cores.  Installation is easy, requiring only a small punch and sharp scissors.  Velotape is available through your favorite local bike shop or online dealer for around $24.99.

Velocity P35 Company Specs:
Outside Width: 35mm
Inside Width: 29.5mm
Depth: 22mm
Weight: 29” 595 grams, 650b 570 grams, 26” 535 grams
BSD: 29″ 622, 650b 584, 26″ 559
ERD: 29″ 598, 650b 560.5, 26″ 536
Drillings: 32h, 36h (28h for 26″ only)
url: http://www.velocityusa.com/default.asp?contentID=715

I first saw the new American Classic Tubeless wheelset at Interbike 2009, and was immediately drawn in by the vivid red hubs, and the fact that they were tubeless. After bashing through the snow, rocks, mud and anything else Mother Nature tossed at me this winter, they have proven themselves to be an excellent cross country and trail wheelset. They are light, well made, stiff for their category, and offer great acceleration and low rolling resistance.

American Classic MTB Tubeless

At the Interbike trade show, I had a wonderful technical and in depth walk through of the product, by the man himself, President, founder, engineer and techno geek, Bill Shook. I learned a lot of the minute details that go into the hubs, nipples and rims. It proved to be a thought provoking enlightenment, and a great learning experience. Bill led me through some interesting engineering features of their products that relate to the wheels.

American Classic MTB Tubeless
The AC MTB Tubeless wheelset, also known as known as the ‘MTB Disc Tubeless’, are available in both a 26 inch and 29 inch size on a 26mm wide 32 hole aluminum tubeless rim, and come in either Alphatype White or Crest Black. The wheels come outfitted with black 14/15 gauge steel spokes with silver aluminum nipples in a 3 cross pattern. The hubs come with a few options, foremost is a front 15mm thru axle. The tubeless rims come pre-taped with 25mm yellow tape, and valves. All the hubs use the ubiquitous 6 bolt IS interface. I tested the 26 inch version, with the optional 15mm Thru Axle Disc front on my usual Ibis Mojo Steed.

Measured Specs
Front 720 grams w/ valves (6.9 g)
Rear 829.4 grams w/ valves (6.9 g)
Total 1549.4 grams w/valves

Rims
The 32 hole rims are wider, deeper and lighter, and the geometry (tall wedge shape) has increased the stiffness and strength. The rims are 26mm wide, and are 23.5mm tall and 7mm at their base (slightly rounded). I really liked the white color of the rims, as they tended to blend with most forks, and showed dirt a lot less than the typical black rims.

Rim Shape and Size

Valve Identification
They have one white spoke (the rest is black) which points to the valve hole, so no more wondering where the valve is at when you need to check your tire pressure or fill your tires. I can’t count how many times I have to do the old twirl the tire until I see the valve stem. I can’t count very well anyway, just ask my Wife how much I spend on the bike related things!

White spoke points to the valve

Hubs
The IS disc mounts are a bit different than traditional ones, and the built-in stand offs on them (interface posts on the hub are slightly raised) allow the rotor to mount flat, and prevent warping while tightening. The raised post keeps the pressure equal across the mounting area to reduce or eliminate rotor flex. AC keeps the hub flanges as far inward as possible so that the bearings, which sit on the very outside, are not directly loaded, meaning the bearing’s seat free from spoke tension. This gives more precision in the bearing seat, lower rolling resistance and longer life.

Disc Mount w/ Stand Offs

Instead of using brass nipples, Bill uses aluminum nipples, which are extremely lightweight and hence reduce rotational weight. He extended the body of the nipple so that the threads go slightly past where the nipple is cradled in the rim, so that the nipple is held in compression in lieu of tension, which reduces fatigue and breakage.

Oh, you can milk just about anything with nipples.
I have nipples, Greg, could you milk me?

AC Special Aluminum Nipples

Front Hub – Disc 130
The front is a 15mm specific hub (optional), and uses 17mm axle and 17mm stainless steel bearings with double seals, and is forged out of one piece of aluminum. I found the hub to be a very stout and durable. In comparison to an older 15mm AC hub that I have used, the new one was slightly tighter while in the fork, which meant a bit less play in the system.

Weight  – 130 grams (not verified)
Drilling  – 32 holes
Spacing  – 100mm
Bearing  – 6803C3 Stainless Steel, Ceramic Upgrade available
Brake Interface  – 6 Bolt International Standard
Option – 15mm thru axle

Rear Hub – Disc 225
The Disc 225 has been in their product line for many years, and weighs in at 225 grams. The hub has a 17mm axle, and a one piece forged 7075 aluminum cassette body. A unique feature on the rear hub is the use of steel inserts/attachments on the aluminum cassette body to prevent galling and tearing of the cassette body. Aluminum cassette bodies are lightweight, but are soft, so they are prone to damage from a cassette’s interaction during drivetrain use. Bill Shook came up with a brilliant idea to add a couple of steel inserts on the splines, so that the tougher steel can take the abuse, and you still get the lightweight of the mostly aluminum cassette body. The steel face design is very innovative, and will not only increase the longevity of the cassette body, but it will keep the tolerances tight with better drivetrain performance. The Disc 225 has been reliable and stiff, although a 10mm axle would have been nice.

Weight – 225 grams (not verified)
Drilling – 32 holes
Spacing 135mm
Bearings – 6803C3 Stainless Steel, Ceramic Upgrade available
Brake Interface – 6 Bolt International Standard
Option – 9mm Cr-Mo QR

On the left is an aluminum cassette body and the gouging damage that occurs through normal usage, while on the right is the newer steel faced American Classic aluminum cassette body, notice the significantly less damage that has occurred.

Cassette Body - normal on left and steel insert on right

The American Classic Six Pawl Cam Actuated Engagement System is an interesting beast. All the six pawls engage in unison when pedaling input is applied, and the cam plate powers the pawls up into engagement with the 24 toothed ratchet on the cassette body simultaneously. There is a secondary ratchet system that does the coasting, and forces engagement of the pawls only for drive torque transfer. Each steel pawl is double tipped for 12 points of engagement.

Cutaway of Pawl system

Impressions
I spent a lot of time on my local home terrain, bashing them through my favorite rocky singletrack trails. They were subjected to rock gardens, twisty tight switchbacks, rolling berms, jumps, and the usual ugly Pike Peaks pea gravel.  The latter adds some spice to life, since it requires a stand up cornering style, and can cause bike traction to wash out at any moment, usually when you least expect it. The wheels proved to be quite durable for the abuse I piled on them over the winter.

Their first foray out onto some tough terrain the spokes pinged a bit as they sat themselves in, but after that they have been silent. Although they are not the lightest wheelset I have used, they do feel light, and they roll and accelerate nicely. The AC MTB Tubeless really shined where acceleration was required, whether that was when putting the pedal to the metal while racing or when a quick technical move was required like climbing up a rock ramp or some stair stepped ledges. They were lightning quick due to a combination of their lightness, and greatly engineered rim geometry. Add in the fact that the rear hub pawl and ratchet system give a positive, solid and and low friction engagement, all make for a winning synergy. Even though it only has a 24 point engagement, it feels like it snaps quickly into action, with a buttery smooth feel. This acceleration makes climbing easier, and requires less energy output. They really rolled nicely, and that was a welcome feeling on long rides and climbs. It could be felt when rolling into berms, up and over rock rollers and descending. They swoop! Less input was required, and they just seemed to keep gliding along after pedaling had stopped. The wheels have enough stiffness to keep the traction on the tarmac, offer a nice deft touch, and give good feedback during steering.

It is only when pushed hard in rocky All Mountain terrain, that they have a tad of flex. Bring them up to Mach 10 in a rock garden, and they belay their lightness and slight lack of width, and then they feel slightly out of place, but not appreciably so.

AC meant these wheels for cross country and trail riders, which mostly use 150mm or less of travel. Fox and Marzocchi use 15mm as a standard, while Magura, Manitou and Rock Shox use 20mm. I would like to see an optional 20mm axle for these other forks.

I installed a set of my Rubber Queen 2.2 UST tires, and they popped out without any issue. I have used NoTube rims quite a bit, and for some reason, these rims seem a tad easier to get tires to pop on? I do love that sound when a tire bead pops up into the hook of the rim. I have also put on a set of normal tires, and had no issues getting them to work. When I install any sort of tire, whether tubeless (UST) or regular, I always use sealant when I run them in a tubeless mode. It is pretty much required to get normal tires to seal up in a tubeless mode, and it also helps seal up leaks or punctures on either tire type. I have a set of the AC All Mountain wheels, and I used a rim strip to run them tubeless, and it was hit and miss getting tires to work. A well engineered tubeless system works much better than any sort of retrofit.

AC MTB Tubeless

Bottomline
American Classic updated their cross country mountain bike wheelset to be tubeless, which is a welcome change. The rims were re-designed for better stiffness, control and strength, while still retaining their lightness. The steel facing on the aluminum cassette body is a clever feature that will increase that life of the body and keep the drivetrain snug. The wheels are well made, with many hidden engineering features, that are carefully thought out an innovative. They did display some flex when pushed to their limits in difficult All Mountain terrain, but they were better than most in their cross country category.

I have been very happy with the American Classic MTB Tubeless Wheelset. The rims are easy to set up most tires in a tubeless mode, although they did seem to leak air more than other rims? They roll and accelerate like demons, and give nimble and precise steering. They look good (love the red hubs), and have so far proven to be durable.

Strengths
-Steel face on cassette body
-White spoke pointing to valve
-Lightweight
-Quiet rear hub
-Excellent acceleration
-Good rollers

Weaknesses
-No option for 10mm bolt on
-Hint of flex in tough All Mountain terrain
-Not the lightest
-Slight air leakage

Overall Rating: 4 Flamin’ Chili Peppers

AC Specifications
Hubs Front Disc 130 100mm & Rear Disc 225 135mm
Brake Interface – 6 Bolt International Standard
Color – AC Alphatype White, AC Crest Black
Options Ceramic Bearings, Titanium QR’s, Wheel Bags, 15mm Front Thru Axle Disc Hub
Rims – MTB Disc Tubeless Aluminum 26”
Spokes – AC 14/15 Gauge Spokes Black
Nipples – AC Aluminum Nipples Silver
Pattern – 32h 3 Cross Front and Rear
MSRP $790

AC MTB Tubeless url: http://www.amclassic.com/en/products/mtbwheels/mtb26disc.php