Component manufacturer e*thirteen has added a new carbon wheelset to its line that it claims is lighter, stronger and cheaper.
- e*thirteen TRSr / TRS 29x2.35 review
- e*thirteen TRS Race Carbon 29er wheels review
- e*thirteen TRS dropper first ride review
e*thirteen TRS Race SL Carbon wheelset highlights
- Internal width: 28mm
- Degrees of engagement: 6
- Spoke count: 28 hole
- Actual weight: 760g front / 930g rear / 1,690g complete
- MSRP: £1,499 / $1,599 / AU$2,199
The TRS Race SL Carbon wheelset is aimed at trail riders and enduro racers. It builds on the success of the TRS Race Carbon wheelset by adding width, shaving weight, and reducing cost.
The 'SL' in the name of this new wheelset signifies it’s a lighter-weight version of the well-regarded TRS Race Carbon wheelset released in 2016.
According to e*thirteen, the company was able to save an average of 30g per rim by reducing the sidewall thickness of the hookless carbon rims from 3mm to 2.5mm.
But there’s more to this new set of hoops than weight savings.
Internal width has been increased from 27 to 28mm. e*thirteen recommends pairing these wheels with tires up to 2.4in wide.
A focus on the carbon layup has made these lighter wheels stronger, too. The company claims the impact strength of the TRS Race SL Carbon rims is double that of the non-SL series carbon rims.
Last but certainly not least on the list of important upgrades is a price cut. Where the TRS Race Carbon wheels spin on e*thirteen’s oversized hubs with carbon hub shells bonded to aluminum flanges, the TRS Race SL Carbon hubs rely on more affordable 7075 aluminum, with no increase in weight.
While e*thirteen sticks to large flanges with the goal of improving spoke triangulation, the flanges along with the hub bodies are slightly downsized from the chubby hubs of past designs.
The hub internals remain the same. The hubs rely on the same bearings and a stepped, three-pawl system to provide six degrees of engagement.
Connecting the carbon rims to the aluminum hubs are 28 double-butted spokes laced three-cross to external alloy nipples.
We’re testing the 29er version with boost axle spacing and a SRAM XD freehub. e*thirteen also offers the TRS Race SL Carbon wheelset in a 27.5in version.
There are also 29 and 27.5 non-boost variants for 100x15 / 142x12mm thru-axles with end caps that can be swapped for compatibility with quick-release axles.
Stay tuned for a review once we log some trail time.
