Formula Linea 3 wheelset review
Light but occasionally loud alloy wheels
Formula’s Linea 3 is the Italian brand’s enduro wheelset, which joins the Linea 2 (XC/trail) and Linea G (downhill) wheels.
At 1,870g, including valves and rim tape, they’re fractionally lighter than the benchmark alloy Enduro wheelset, the DT Swiss EX1501 at 1,893g, and comparable in weight to some similarly intentioned carbon wheels.
The skinny hubs may look disconcertingly spindly, but that’s because the driveside bearing sits outboard of the hub shell inside the freehub body rather than being housed inside the hub shell. This provides a wider bearing stance which should, in theory, help the bearings to last longer because less load is placed on them when the wheel is pushed laterally.
The hubs are easy to take apart and, according to Formula, should be easy to service too, although I haven’t put enough time on them to need to see for myself.
The freehub uses four large pawls which provide 60 points of engagement and a rapid 6o engagement angle. The pawls are lightly sprung and lubricated with a relatively thin grease to minimise coasting drag. The hub’s axles and freehub spin particularly freely, though I can’t say I noticed a significant speed boost on the trail.
Formula Linea 3 ride impressions
Unlike most wheels, the 28 straight-pull spokes cross with a gap between them, rather than passing behind each other and locking together.
As a result, there is an occasional ringing sound from the spokes when hammering through rocky terrain or when stamping on the pedals. However, the freehub is quiet when coasting.
Ride comfort is on par with other enduro alloy wheels which were tested in parallel, and in my opinion slightly the Formula Linea 3 is comfier than most carbon-rimmed wheels.
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Product Specifications
Product
| Price | GBP £780.00 |
| Weight | 1,870g (29in) – Measured weight (with valves and tape) |
| Brand | Formula |
Features
| Features | Measured Internal rim width: 29.7mm External width: 34.6mm Rim sidewall thickness: 2.45mm |
| Brake type | Disc |
| Freehub | SRAM XD |
| Rim internal width | 29.7mm measured |
| Rim material | Aluminium |
| Spoke count | 28 front, 28 rear |
| Spokes | Straight Pull Double Butted Laced 2-Cross |
| Wheel size | 27.5in/650b and 29in/700c |
Authors
Seb's been riding and racing mountain bikes for half his life. Since getting hooked on mountain bikes aged thirteen riding a tiny 24Seven Crosser, he's raced downhill, enduro and cross country, and while no athlete, still enters the occasional race. Seb studied experimental physics at university, and he's now happily using (wasting) his degree experimenting with different bike setups, trying to work out what works best and why. You'll often find him riding the same track ten times in a day, changing just one thing to pin down the differences. Seb's much happier back-to-back testing suspension on a wet Welsh hillside than riding the latest five-figure bikes on some sunny press trip - although he quite likes that too!
