Editors Note: This report is filed by Captain Bob with further comments by Guitar Ted at the bottom Look for our previous Easton XC-One post here

It’s time to report back on the Easton XC-One single speed wheelset. I have quite a few good rides with them mounted on the Dillinger. I have been enjoying the rides on these wheels. They are light and stiff enough for me, even at my 200 pound weight. There is some flex in these 1700 gram wheels; however, there is not any unwanted flex for me. It actually softens the ride I think. They have a springy feel to them. Acceleration is nice. Diving into the corners for me was confidence inspiring too. I never got the “oh no” thoughts as the wheels tracked straight even in the technical stuff. Hub engagement is quick and flawless so far, which is what you expect from a good wheelset. For single speeding I love a quick engaging hub and the Eastons have pleased me. The rear hub is almost silent, by the way.

Easton XC-One SS wheels

There are two things about the XC-One wheels that really stand out for me. For starters, the smooth bearings are really amazing. I have to say that I have never noticed that before in a wheelset- how easy coasting can be. Easton did a stellar job by choosing the bearings they have. They feel smooth and creamy when doing the hand held spin test and do not dissapoint on the trail. Even just sitting on the bike you can feel it want to start rolling. The hubs have stayed tight too. No play to speak of.

My other standout impression is how tough the skewers are. The knurling on the inside of the quick release is really beefy. I have been able to get a wheel to slip in the dropouts of the Dillinger (and that’s a vertical dropout) but I have been completely impressed thus far with the Eastons. Not a bit of slipping. That’s even with a rather light clamping force. Noramlly, I have to really clamp the quick release down but, not with these. They even come with the bolt on kit for the rear wheel. (which I haven’t seen yet. It’s in the G-Ted lab somewhere). The front quick release is just as burly as the rear but I found it interesting that on the hub side of the clamp area there is no knurling. Just smooth metal. But with all the handfuls of front brake that I have grabbed, I still haven’t shifted the wheel in the dropouts. So, I am impressed there as well. I would love to try them on a horizontal dropout to see if they would hold tight there too. I think that they would.

Easton XC-One front wheel

Have I found any downsides or have any negative thoughts on the Eatson XC-One’s? I don’t think so. I thought the rim (23.5mm) was a bit narrow for aggressive riding but they are pretty tough and rigid. My 2.4 Racing Ralphs are not quite as wide on these rims but that’s okay for me. They are also still holding perfectly true after a few 2 foot dropoffs that didn’t end like I wanted them too. I almost popped the tires bead off one time but it held on. The low spoke count was a concern too but, heck, these wheels are way way stiffer than the 32 spoke wheels I own. Time will tell though how these will hold up, but I have a good feeling about them so far. They feel light, quick, and strong and that makes me feel good when I am trying to keep up (or catch up to) my riding pals. The all black stealth look of the Eastons are of course at the top of my “likes” list too. I think Easton made a nice choice when designing the graphics.

I am not sure how much more I can say, but if you are looking for a lightweight single speed wheelset these just may be the ones for you. We will continue banging around on them and report back on a final review after we get some long term miles on them. -Captain Bob

The following is from Guitar Ted: I’ll admit, when I heard about Easton’s XC-One wheels, I was a bit disappointed. Only 24 spokes in a wheel and that narrow rim? Well, I figured that they were going to be pretty noodly. I have to also admit that whatever Easton has done here, it is pretty amazing stuff.

As Captain Bob relates, the XC-One single speed wheels flex, but in a way that makes the wheels seem comfortable and trustworthy. Not sketchy or scary at all. Not even for me, and I weigh well over 200lbs. The other thing Captain Bob mentions, the bearings….yeah! They are all that. Really amazing in the way they coast. There isn’t enough “o’s” in smooth to describe how they feel.

So would I ride these in a race or train on them? Yes. They are great wheels, but they are what they are: single speed racing wheels. I would’t probably use them on my days where I went on an all day epic, or just to mess around with my buddies for a weekend, but you probably could. They seem pretty reliable and trustworthy to me. The Easton engineers have done some sort of magic with this spoking pattern and with the bearings. I don’t know what it is, but they seem to defy logic and go way beyond my expectations.

As the good Captain says, we will bang around on these for an extended period and see just what the long term durability of them is. Stay tuned!