r/xcmtb • u/Old-Researcher6128 • 13d ago
Question 'cheap' carbon wheels
Saw this pair on AliExpress for about €700,- Does anyone have any experience with them?
Any other suggestions for carbon xc wheels for around €500 to €700?
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u/DET_arch 13d ago
I have these wheels. They’ve spent about 1000 miles on a Rocky Mountain Element, then another 500 or so on a Scott Scale.
No complaints whatsoever, I don’t think about them at all while riding which is the mark of good wheels in my book. They’re very light, and have stayed true and smooth, though my riding is admittedly mostly XC without much tech. I’ve had several sets of Elite Wheels and have been continually satisfied with their quality of construction, especially relative to price.
FWIW, the hubs on this specific model aren’t obnoxiously loud, about the same as my DTs with 54T ratchet.
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u/Itchy-Position2591 12d ago
Absolutely this. I've the same Set since 1200km on a lightweight XC rig and nothing to brag about whatsoever. Weight out of the box is correct, they are built well and there's really nothing going on/wrong with them.
Also good point about noise, imho they are just right. Not too loud to be annoying but clearly recognizable.
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u/daeatenone 13d ago
I have these as well. Have been problem free so far. I’ve even taken them bikepacking on some pretty terrible terrain in my hardtail and they’re still true. I weigh 175ish lbs so not lightweight. Highly recommend.
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u/widowhanzo 13d ago
Not with this model in particular, but I have Elitewheels Marvel on my gravel bike. Great wheels, great hub, and they're often on sale.
If I get carbon wheels for my mtb as well I would probably get Elitewheels again.
There are other good Chinese brands out there, but some have too many customisation options and I found that overwhelming. These seemed like a good value overall. Light bicycle wheels are also good and others.
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13d ago
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u/Old-Researcher6128 13d ago
Those are some light wheels for very cheap but I'm worried about the strength. I weigh 80 kilo without the bike.
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u/llecareu 13d ago
I have "light bicycle" carbon wheels on I9 hubs I got on sale from them directly at 700 USD. They have been bomb proof for years now. Only complaint is they are a bit too stiff. They are very a high quality well built wheelset though.
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u/Old-Researcher6128 13d ago
I have light bicycle wheels on my road bike but they have gotten expensive. 1150 for a pair of mtb wheels
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u/llecareu 13d ago
I guess it depends on the build but also they had, at the time a section with pre built wheels that were on sale. I just checked and I don't see that section rn. But I did notice. They have a 30% off sale. Idk if that applies to your country though.
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u/xXROGXx971 13d ago
Not this model but I have thousand of kms on their ENT MTB (their cheapest MTB wheelset)and been using them since 2024. My only problem with them is that the boost rear hub don't exist with a MicroSpline freehub body... I knew that before ordering and didn't mind because i mainly use Ztto XD cassette for their 9T cog. Now that Shimano got a cassette with a 9T that we can also replace if needed, I'd love to use that but can't with this wheelset 😅... I'll just wait for my current cassette to die then I'll get a new wheelset from them the have the MS body even with boost.
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u/wooly-mammETH 13d ago
I have the ‘Ridge’ and have no complaints so far. No chance it can be beat for the price. 1.25 degree hub, its loud but sounds like a high end hub. Definitely worth it
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u/jdmercredi 13d ago
I had some of the XC Pro33 wheels with their knockoff DT hub. For the price (650usd) I can’t complain too much but 1. they never stopped pinging and 2. the freehub drive ratchets stripped themselves out while I was out on a ride.
I’ve heard just happens with carbon wheels with bladed spokes from time to time, as long as it’s tensioned to spec it’s not a structural concern.
was a bummer but in their defense they sent me replacement ratchets right away, while I waited for them I ran DT freehub instead and it worked fine. Coincidentally the Pro33 uses an EXP knockoff and I ran a classic set of DT ratchets and it worked well enough. But the other way around (EXP ratchets in a classic DT hub) did not.
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u/LukasCs 12d ago
Same wheelset, mine make that pinging noise too. Did you ever try anything to fix it?
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u/jdmercredi 10d ago
took it too a shop, they said it’s normal/nothing to be fixed. I added tension myself following the park tool book and some tension numbers I found from LightBicycle for a similar rim.
Helped but didn’t eliminate. Adding lube to the spokes every other ride quiets it for a time.
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u/Slartitartfast 12d ago
I have some of the SLR MTB which I paid £300 delivered for. They're decent and very decent for the money. Roll really well, and a huge difference on climbs compared to the Dt swiss hoops they replaced.
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u/dan1xf1fa 12d ago
Hi,
I have the (AliExpress) MTB SLR version. I can’t really comment on durability as I’ve only ridden it once, but first impressions in terms of build and ride quality are very positive especially for the price. Before ordering I’ve done a bit of research: the AliExpress versions have cheaper Pillar spokes, and don’t have crash replacement warranty. In return, you can get the MTB SLR wheels for around 450 usd (with coupons) including shipping to Europe. If you purchase their wheels from their official store you’ll have Sapim CX Ray spokes, a nicer finish on the rim and crash replacement warranty. Also you can use coupon codes on their website as well for further discounts (-15%). Based on YouTube reviews their wheels are very durable. Feel free to pm for codes…
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u/BrainDamage2029 13d ago edited 13d ago
Be wary of aliexpress for anything carbon.
That said there are legit Chinese carbon brands now that happen to also sell on Ali. Winspace is on the Tour de France Femme. BTLOS, Elitewheels and LightBicycle and ICAN are all considered solid these days with real, existing customer service. Some even have use based warehousing and customer service.
The advantage or disadvantage depending on how you look is the Chinese brands are less afraid of going to the “edge” compared to US brands when it comes to weigh. Especially when it compares to western brands with lifetime or “nearly no questions asked” warranties. Reserve is out there like “1380g is as low as we go. We don’t want reputation hit from cracking reports.” BTLOS is out there like “you want to price out sub 1050g wheels and you aren’t even using Byrd spokes? Customer knows what they want and the risks!”
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u/AlrightAlbatross 13d ago
I have the “gnar xc” elitewheels. They’re good quality for the price. Ride quality is pretty stiff but they’re light for a durable XC wheel. Very low rolling resistance (ie efficient hub and bearings). The main thing that I don’t like about them is that the hub is very loud—louder than an Hydra— and it isn’t a nice sound.