Easton EA90 SL Disc review

Easton has been in the tubeless road wheels market longer than many and the latest generation EA90 SL Disc wheelset brings the company’s knowledge and modern thinking together into a beautifully engineered package.

• Easton EC90 SL Disc wheelset review
• How to set up road tubeless tyres

Tyre volume is everything these days, and the black anodised aluminium EA90 SL rim has a very generous 19.5mm internal width. It’s 24mm externally and 27mm tall with a rounded aerodynamic profile.

The bead is hookless, something that’s been common on mountain bikes for years but for us roadies not seeing a lip on the rim to retain the tyre bead seems something a bit like witchcraft.

Easton’s oversized M1 Disc hubs look immensely tough, but aren’t exactly aerodynamic. They have sealed cartridge bearings and are laced with 20 front and 24 rear Sapim double-butted, straight-pull spokes.

They come with end caps for quick release, 12mm front and rear and 15mm front thru-axles as well. Also supplied are tubeless rim tapes and valves, and my wheelset comes with those and 12mm end caps installed, weighing 1,567g.

I found the EA90 SL one of the easiest wheels for tubeless tyre fitting and they’ve sealed perfectly every time. The 25mm tyres I’ve tried open out to around 28mm giving plenty of air volume, and it’s easy to make use of.

For their rim dimensions, the Easton’s weight is good and it doesn’t feel like all that much of the weight is in the rims because they’re really responsive.

Excellent rigidity means they accelerate and climb impressively, while the increased tyre width they create is well supported, ensuring very stable handling even when the surface gets sketchy.

Their low rim height is unaffected by strong winds too and although not cheap, they’re worth considering if you want some tough, reliable tubeless wheels for plump road tyres.