Wheel Testing - Let's Go Racing Season 2, Episode 2 21

It's time to for Brian Cahal to figure out which mountain bike wheelset will work best for enduro racing. Brian has no component sponsors this season and is in a unique position as a professional rider to test and evaluate critical parts he will put on his Forbidden Dreadnaught for race season. He tries out wheels from DT Swiss, ZIPP and ENVE, ultimately deciding which he will run for this EWS season.
Credit: Brian Cahal and Drew Boxold
Related:
DT Swiss
Zipp
ENVE Composites
Enduro
Brian Cahal
Let's Go Racing
21 comments

View replies to: Wheel Testing - Let's Go Racing Season 2, Episode 2

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Jon_Angieri
3 years ago
Great video B the two different wheel setup got me thinking now
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bizutch
3 years ago
I'm here to find out where that trail is. Looks like Windrock or TTC.
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profro
3 years ago
Nothing to see here. Move along.
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bizutch
3 years ago
I've still never ridden the XC side.
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JVP
3 years ago
This makes so much sense. I've always found it rather insane that wheelsets usually have the same front and rear rim.
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TEAMROBOT
3 years ago
It’s a great discussion to have, and how cool were those slow mo shots of the rear wheel contorting into a pretzel in the berm? Like you said, I think there are different needs for a front wheel and a rear wheel. Similarly, I’m always surprised when good riders run the same tire pressure front and rear.
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matmattmatthew
3 years ago
Those Zipp Wheels use the same rim but it's Asymmetrical, and the front and rear rim are orientated opposite each other. I think that might have to do with the torque of the drivetrain on the rear wheel.
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TRex
3 years ago
I think that is so they can build as close to a zero dish wheel as possible giving equal spoke tension on the left and right sides.
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kcy4130
3 years ago
Agreed. What crank bros does with their synthesis wheelsets makes a lot of sense to me. But I've only ridden the synthesis rear thus far. Cahal has taken the idea pretty far, it'd be super interesting to try that setup. And yeah, that slow mo wheel flex was crazy!
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Mr. P
3 years ago
I'm liking your thinking! Nice vid!
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Yoda
3 years ago
Super. Great emphasis on mixing and matching products in the name of performance. It also is such a great example of selecting flex in products based on the pace of the rider or riding style (and ability), which is very common in other sports.
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BillyA
3 years ago
We all run different tires and pressures front to back, why not different rims. I think this is the concept that Crank Bros Synth wheels are trying to achieve.

Durability, compliance, or pinch flat resistance. Pick 2, and buy an insert. Lol
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Kyle_Kacmarcik
3 years ago
But how did he get his hands on a single wheel. Did he just buy sets and mix and match or did he get the hookup some place.
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bizutch
3 years ago
Probably Factor Components. Notice the hub the 511 is on. Benduro Hobbs company out of Georgia. They can build up most anything
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Btreglia
3 years ago
I've been using this type of setup for a couple years now. Thing I found with the Zipp rim on the rear was, flexing so much during excelleration, tire would rub on the chainstays with every pedal stroke.
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Milton 26"
3 years ago
I've been using the zipps on the bronson and they have been great for me after some initial issues. first of all build quality was poor, the rear wheel became noticeably untrue after the first bike park ride. had it rebuilt properly by a good wheel builder, since then didn't have to touch a spoke tensioner at all. Also no flats, no burping. Being light (touch above 60 kg) and not super aggressive on my 27,5" trail bike makes a difference I think. Probably weight is the biggest factor. If you build wheels for maximum stiffness, rider weight can be neglected. But if you try to tune stiffness to be 'just right', it cannot work for all rider weights in range between 60 and 90 kg. But especially for lighter riders this is a great option in terms of ride quality and maintenance.
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Paco77
3 years ago
Is price not a factor here, considering this content seems to be aimed at privateers?
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Primoz
3 years ago
It is. Swapping out a few wheels a year costs x € per wheel and y € per wheel rebuild (if you don't do it on your own). It could come close to or over the price of a carbon wheel, that's the logic here. I guess... What do I know, I'm running EX511s
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Primoz
3 years ago
Regarding different wheels front and back, a solution would be to run a 28h XM481 in the front and a 32h EX511 in the rear. I have experience with both (the XM481 via XM1501s) and in the front the straight pull spokes started giving way after 2 seasons. A rebuild with new spokes (and a new rim, because the original went to the rear to get destroyed as the third rim there) made it all fine and dandy. On the other hand the 240s/EX511 combo in the rear with 32 J-bend spokes has been rock solid for about two seasons now.

Mostly just riding, but the rear XM1501 did give up the ghost racing Enduro2 last year.
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