Here is the last word on FSA’s XC-290 wheel set that we started reviewing back in April. You can see the first post here, and the second post here. There were several observations made during the First Impressions post and I want to revisit each with a final conclusion at the end.

The Rotor Issue: I mentioned that I had an issue with one rotor rubbing. Well, it turned out it was the rotor, and not the wheels. After I sussed out that issue, there were no issues at all with the rotor interface with the wheels. I did switch out the wheels to my Dos Niner, and they performed flawlessly on that bike in regards to fit and brake interface.

The Quick Releases: The Scatto quick releases were as I felt them in the beginning. A stiff, secure interface with the wheels and bicycle. the stiffness imparted by the larger interface was appreciated and noticeable, reducing the flex usually noted in my Dos Niner. While through axles are now all the rage, it may be good to revisit that 90’s notion that a larger axle interface stiffens up the fork and rear end of a bike. Especially a 29″er.

Whisper Quiet Freehub: The freehub remained totally quiet throughout the test. It was an amazing thing, almost like riding a silent clutch hub. Engagement was normal. Not surprisingly quick, nor sloppy or slow. The wheels never pinged, snapped, or made any untoward noise throughout the test period. Definitely a “stealth” wheel that probably would make many a single speeder happy with a conversion kit and single cog instead of a cassette full of gears.

Smart Build, And Plenty Of Mass: The FSA XC-290 wheels were solid, trouble free, quiet, and never gave me any reason to not believe they would be a long lasting, great performing wheel set for the long haul. The only thing that was a bit of a concern was the over all weight, which could be felt at times on climbs and when trying to get accellerated quickly out of a corner. This wouldn’t be my choice for racing wheels, but for an every day, training set of wheels, these are solid, reliable, and make a lot of sense.

Conclusions: The FSA XC-290 wheels are a smart build, smooth rolling, and offer an incredibly quiet, smooth ride. There are a couple of things I would like to see here though that would be an improvement. First, for what these wheels weigh you can get a custom wheel set built that weighs considerably less. Should FSA reduce the weight on these to be competitive? I think no. I would rather see these excellent wheels be even less expensive instead. Then they would make even more sense as an everyday, all around wheel set. Secondly, my opinion on pre-built wheels is that they should offer some sort of tubeless option out of the box. With the proliferation of tubeless ready and UST 29″er tires, a tubeless option is getting to be a necessity. Finally, the proprietary splined nipples and wrench are mechanically sound, but are kind of a pain, especially if you misplace the spoke wrench and need to touch up the wheels. I will say the set I had never needed anything in the way of maintenance.

Are these wheels worth it? If you’d rather not mess with getting a wheel built, appreciate a two year warranty, appreciate traditional wheel building techniques, and like near silent, solid, smooth rolling wheels, these 29″er hoops should be on your radar.