The Carbon Wheel Experiment: Part V – REYNOLDS MT29 First Impressions: by c_g

Is it really already more than one month into riding these Carbon wheels? Indeed. Only a few days ago we had posted an interview with Paul Lew, the technical director from REYNOLDS

Some remember I have just come off the AMERICAN CLASSIC All Mountain 29″er wheels, which to me have met a very good balance of weight, stiffness and compliance … and therefore made it into the 2011 Top Ten list … and so I was very interested to see how the REYNOLDS carbon wheels would do. My prime question has been: How would 24 spokes and a 2x crossed lacing pattern translate in terms of stiffness and ride feel? And how would I like the rims´ tubeless characteristics and overall ride feel. What about the conversion between hub standards?

First to the technical aspects – for the specifications, look at my intro post here.

In terms of tire fit the REYNOLDS fall right between the UST conformists like MAVIC or WTB and the larger diameter STAN´s or FRM rims. As such I had been able to mount the tightest fitting tires, the GEAX TNTs – with some force, I may add – and all but the very loosest fitting tires settled on the pronounced shoulders with a very distinct “plop”. Like usual, it took a burst of compressed air to get the looser fitting tires (SCHWALBE and MAXXIS) to hold pressure initially. Seems like the folks from REYNOLDS have gotten the delicate balance of mounting and tubeless inflation characteristic pretty good.

Already mentioned in the interview – the axle conversion between standards on the front wheel is a snap – simply change the end caps, that´s all. It took me less than 5 minutes for both wheels.

Now to the ride: I have ridden these wheels plenty in all conditions possible around here on my ROCKY MOUNTAIN Element 970 (and on the BMC Speedfox, which we also have on test), including some nasty trails with drops and jumps and lots of muddy miles … and what can I say – they are great!! I had ventured to guess in the intro post that the REYNOLDS MT29er wheels would combine the good stiffness of the AC All Mountain wheel with the respectable weight of the AC XCs (about 1600 g) and indeed they were – regardless of spoke count.

REYNOLDS rep Chris Treugut had announced that the MT29er would be strong and stiff, but just how stiff still was a surprise to me. Not a bit of unwanted flex to be felt on front or back. It has been doubted by some comments on the intro, that the special built would lead to that, but by my own observations, it obviously does when combined to a stiff carbon rim and a high spoke tension. Yet there is something else about these wheels. They feel exceptionally compliant. I am not sure if there are any vibration damping characteristics built into these wheels or if it is something common with carbon rims but they sure feel like it. There is something about them that does not only make them feel fast but also forgiving. I will need some more time on them and on other bikes to investigate further but for now the REYNOLDS MT29″er wheels seem to combine some pretty good characteristics.

As can be guessed from the decent weight and great stiffness – acceleration and steering precision is very good also. No need for further words there. Engagement has been secure and fast, not exceptional or super quick but just like most high quality hubs and with nothing negative to report on.

So far I have not had to do any truing on them despite my best efforts of riding them hard, so the claim of durability stands to this point … but that isn´t worth all that much after only one month, is it ;) . I will keep on pushing them (and myself) over the coming months to see how the will hold up. Be sure to read about it here if anything worth noting comes up.

RIDE ON,
c_g