Head to Head: e*thirteen LG1 Carbon vs. Aluminum Enduro Wheels 35

If there is one thing we know with certainty, it’s that mountain bikers love debating the intricacies of bikes almost as much as they enjoy riding them. And we get it, mountain biking is a highly-technical sport, and significant performance differences exist between products—case in point: discussing the superiority of carbon vs. alloy rims. There are riders who champion each material, and both have their pros and cons. Carbon wheels are expensive yet light; when they fail, it’s often catastrophically, but a lifetime warranty usually protects them. Conversely, aluminum wheels are cheaper yet often heavier; they bend instead of crack and can be mended back into functionality but usually are not protected by an all-encompassing warranty. 

When e*thirteen sent us a set of their latest carbon and aluminum enduro LG1 wheels, the opportunity to weigh in on this heated debate was too easy. Sharing the same intended use and general design but with different price points and weights, the stage was set. What performance difference would exist between the two, and would those differences place one material above the other?  

Highlights 

Overview

It's no secret that e*thirteen had a few rocky years that saw the durability of their wheels put in question, especially their aluminum models. Unfortunately, incorrect OEM spec was a huge culprit for why so many consumers experienced wheel failures. Downhill or enduro bikes being specced with trail-rated wheels is always a recipe for disaster. Never a brand to make excuses, e*thirteen used the situation as an opportunity to redesign their aluminum rims. Multiple iterations were created using finite element analysis, then tested by their World Cup athletes, followed by extensive lab testing and optimization. The outcome was a refined LG1 Plus rim that is three times stronger than it was in 2018.

Additionally, all e*thirteen wheels are hand-built to an incredibly high standard. Every wheel undergoes multiple rounds of detention and retention to ensure a balanced, evenly tensioned wheel. All nipples are thread lock treated with oiled nipple washers and spoke freeze after tensioning. The result is solid and consistent wheels that are within .4mm of lateral and .5mm of radial trueness with 120kg of tension.

e*thirteen's enduro wheels are descendants of their LG1 downhill wheels that have been tailored to meet the needs of enduro. The main differences between their downhill and enduro wheels are weight, spoke count, and carbon layup. The enduro wheels weigh less, use 28 instead of 32 spokes, and the carbon rim receives a slightly less aggressive layup of e*thirteen's World Cup carbon. The goal was to create wheels that offer the perfect blend of strength, support, durability, and performance without excess weight.

The LG1 Enduro Race carbon and Enduro Plus aluminum are extremely similar, hand-built wheels. They both feature a hookless rim profile with a 30mm inner width laced to e*thirteen's Gen 3 SL Race hubs with triple-butted spokes. The hubs are fully machined from aluminum and use triple-sealed bearing protection, e*thirteen's simple Captive End Cap system, and have 60 points of engagement. Pulling the rear hub apart doesn't require any tools, and loosening the non-drive side end cap can be done by hand. Both wheels also arrive tubeless-ready with rim tape and e*thirteen's Gen 2 Quickfill valves installed. In case you're wondering what's up with the tall valves, the valve can be unscrewed in the middle allowing for sealant to be added without removing the valve core or breaking the tire bead.

The differences between the two enduro-focused wheels are slim. The LG1 Race Carbon wheelset is 197 grams lighter, $770 more expensive, and has about a 1mm thicker rim wall. The thicker carbon wall is more in line with the width of tire sidewalls, which in theory, makes it more susceptible to impacts. However, we never experienced any issues during testing. Should you experience a wheel failure, e*thirteen offers a no-fault lifetime carbon wheel/rim warranty to original owners. Initial rim failures that occur within the first year of ownership will be resolved with a completely new wheel. Subsequent failures within the first year, and failures that occur after the first year, will be resolved with only a replacement rim, and the cost of rebuilding the wheel becomes the rider's responsibility. If you are interested in building up your own wheels, the LG1 Race Enduro carbon rims retail for $499 and come with the same warranty. However, if it was our money, we would just buy the complete wheelset for only ~$400 more. The LG1 Plus enduro wheels don't have a no-fault warranty, but replacement rims are available for a reasonable $94.95.

On The Trail

Both wheelsets arrived tubeless-ready with rim tape and e*thirteen's Gen 2 Quickfill Vave stems installed. During our three-month test, we cycled the wheels between multiple bikes and used the same set of e*thirteen Grappler tires with 25 psi in the front and 27 psi in the rear. Slipping the tire bead over either rim was painless, and we had no issues seating tires.

All testing occurred in Southern California amid mostly dry, rocky and loose overhard pack conditions with a few days of chocolate cake dirt thanks to a very wet winter. To derive meaningful feedback on the differences in compliance, durability, and rolling weight of both wheels, we rode a mixture of rocky and rough downhill tracks, high-speed chattery single track, and buffed-out flow trails.   

Compliance 

Compliance is one of the most popular words thrown around when discussing wheels. When we test wheels, we gauge compliance by the amount of comfort, damping, and support a wheel provides in different situations. Generally, aluminum wheels are more compliant than carbon, which rang true during testing. 

LG1 Race Carbon

Responsive is the best word to describe the feel of the LG1 Race carbon wheels. Compared to other carbon wheels we've tested, the LG1 race is one of the stiffest, especially laterally, creating a fast, supportive and snappy ride quality. The minimal give of the rim allowed us to firmly press our weight into our bike without fearing the wheel would squirm. Support through corners was exceptional, and energy put into pumping turns was rewarded with forward momentum. The wheels surprised us in really chunky sections, remaining planted and tracking where we wanted without beating us up in the process.

Even though they were stiff, we experienced minimal deflection when hitting harsh compression head-on. It wasn't always the smoothest or most comfortable ride, but there was more vertical compliance than expected for a stiff set of carbon race wheels. The only times we disliked the stiffness of the LG1 Race Carbon wheels was when trying to find traction turning over rock-hard soil with loose topsoil. In such situations, the lateral stiffness of the wheels made our bike feel skittish, and holding a line became inconsistent. 

LG1 Plus Aluminum

As you might expect, the LG1 Plus aluminum wheels were more compliant than the LG1 Race Carbon wheels, but only marginally. The aluminum rim offered excellent lateral stiffness and a similar confidence-inspiring ride quality, allowing us to slap corners and dive headstrong into deep compressions carefree. Differentiating the feel of both wheels was often difficult. During severe lateral impacts or hucks to flat, the aluminum rim did flex under pressure sooner than its carbon equivalent. Such instances only occurred a handful of times per ride, and overall didn't keep us from riding as hard as we pleased. 

When blitzing tricky rock gardens, the LG1 Plus rim provided considerably more comfort and damping over repetitive compressions than the LG1 Race rim. It was an awesome Goldilocks amount of compliance that took the edge off impacts without making our bike feel like we were rolling on wet noodles. 

Comparing the two wheels, the increased vertical compliance of the LG1 Plus aluminum wheels made it our preferred wheel for our testing conditions. The lateral support, albeit less than the carbon rim, was still plenty appropriate for enduro riding. If we were riding undulating trails with fewer rocks, we'd reach for the LG1 Race carbon wheels for their fast and responsive feel.

Durability

Most riders are probably itching to find out how each rim held up during testing since e*thirteen's reputation for producing durable wheels has been rocky at times. They were adamant that their latest wheels were stronger and more than capable of withstanding abusive riding, and we wanted to believe them. We also want to stand confidently behind any stamp of approval we give products. Thus, we did our best to ride both wheels unapologetically hard and, at times, irresponsibly.

We rarely go into a test, almost feeling challenged by the brand to break their products. e*thirteen's confidence in their latest rim design motivated us to let off the brakes, drop our heels, and charge into sections we would typically approach methodically. Three months of teeth-gritting impacts later, both wheels have made it out the other side unscathed. And we'd be lying if we didn't admit some surprise. Neither rim has experienced any failures or dents, and all spokes have remained evenly tensioned. We inflicted multiple rim-pinging impacts that forced us to stop and check for cracks or wobbles. But in every case, we failed to phase either wheel. Both rims produced horrible screams when impacted, the aluminum LG1 Plus rim being the louder of the two, which only reminded us when we were taking poor lines. 

Additionally, the Gen 3 SL Race hubs are still spinning smoothly. The fine dust in SoCal can magically work its way into every crevice of your bike. But after weekly bike washes, a few rainy rides, and lots of miles, all bearings are still spinning smoothly, while the outer seal has kept dirt from working its way into the pawls. 

As stated above, both rims were quite stiff, which helped them weather harsh hits. However, we were worried the lack of compliance might cause a failure in the most extreme situations, especially with the carbon LG1 Race rim. After navigating sections of trail that have decimated other wheels previously, we are confident that most riders will be hard-pressed to push either wheel past its breaking point. Of course, riding is unpredictable, and you shouldn't take our experiences as a concrete guarantee that you can't break these wheels. Luckily, e*thirteen offers a Lifetime Warranty for the LG1 Race carbon wheels and replacement LG1 Plus aluminum rims for $94.95 USD. 

Weight

Do riders care about the weight of their enduro bikes? Rhetorical question, but at the end of the day, the 197 grams separating the wheelsets was negligible on the trail. And at just under and just over 2000 grams, both wheelsets are within range of other enduro-rated wheelsets. It's more placebo than anything, but the stiff and responsive feel of the LG1 race carbon rim did make us ride with an extra pep in our step, and our bike felt marginally lighter. At the same time, the LG1 plus aluminum rim deadened trail vibrations, making our bike ride calmer and more planted and, in turn, feel a tad heavier and slower. Again, with a weight difference equivalent to an iPhone 13, please don't buy the LG1 Race carbon wheels simply because it'll make your bike lighter. Please consider the differences in compliance to determine which wheelset best meets your needs. 

The Bottom Line: Which Wheelset Is Better?

Unfortunately, declaring one of e*thirteen's LG1 enduro wheelsets as better than the other just isn't fair. We wish one stood out as the clear winner and could claim a superior material for wheels, but that wasn't the case. Both wheels were incredibly durable and offered slightly different ride qualities, making each a great choice for specific conditions and riding styles. Putting on our diplomatic editorial cap, deciding which wheelset is best depends on a rider's specific needs and budget. 

Compliance was the biggest separating factor. The LG1 Race wheels were stiffer, both laterally and vertically, making them feel responsive and snappy, yet harsh at times. If you're a rider who doesn't mind occasional trail feedback or rides relatively smooth trails with minimal high-speed compressions, the LG1 Race is a solid option to make your bike feel precise and efficient. This isn't to say the wheels aren't meant for gnarly trails, but it will take more energy to hold on, which, if you can muster the ability to do so, will be rewarded with a fast and exciting ride. The LG1 Plus aluminum wheels were also very laterally stiff but with more vertical compliance, creating a calmer ride quality over chunky terrain. We preferred the feel of the aluminum wheels for our rocky terrain. However, they wouldn't be our first choice for undulating trails where pumping and maintaining trail-generated speed is crucial.

The last part of the equation is the $770 USD separating the wheelsets. If you have the means, the Lifetime Warranty on the LG1 Race carbon wheels does help justify the $1399 USD price tag. At the same time, buying two LG1 Plus aluminum wheelsets for the same price is tempting. Since the difference in weight was unnoticeable on the trail, we'd recommend riders base their purchase on the compliance characteristics of each wheel. Furthermore, if you plan to go racing, save some travel budget, pick the LG1 Race wheels and have the option to bend back dents during a race. At the end of the day, there is no wrong choice. e*thirteen has successfully created two killer wheelsets with slight performance differences but the shared ability to withstand the ever-increasing abuse of enduro riding. 

For more information, please visit www.ethirteen.com

Reviewed by: Jason Schroeder - Age: 28 // Years Riding MTB: 16 // Height: 6' (1.8m) // Weight: 175-pounds (79.3kg)

A once-upon-a-time World Cup downhill racer turned desk jockey, Jason has spent years within the bicycle industry from both sides of the tape. A fan of all day adventures in the saddle or flowing around a bowl at the skatepark, he doesn't discriminate from any form of two wheeled riding. A SoCal native who doesn't spend too much time in any single place, you can find Jason camped out in his van most weekends somewhere on the West Coast.