The Trail 35 is the only 27.5in offering in Maxlight’s new wheel range (there’s a 28.5mm internal 29er wheel). Once taped and sealed it’s a reasonable all round performer at a reasonable price if you don’t go crazy.
The 32 double-butted spokes give it a forgiving rather than feisty handling feel
Getting it sealed is more of a pain than normal as construction holes in the outer well of the pointed crown, sleeve-jointed rim mean it needs extra wide tape.
The shallow rim gives a baggy fit and meant that it needed the valve core removing for a maximum air dump to seal it onto the rim. The loose fit also makes it more likely to fart air out and potentially pull the tyre off if you corner too hard with pressure too low.
I’ve not managed to dent the rim so far, though, despite some significant rock slams during testing.
The 32 double-butted spokes give it a forgiving rather than feisty handling feel, but that means surefooted cornering connection and a noticeable amount of impact damping/conformity that works particularly well on hardtails.
Ten-degree maximum engagement lag and a low weight mean it accelerates well for a plus wheel too. Long-term reliability of the new hubs is unproven though and it’s splined rotor fit only unless you buy adaptors.
- Weight: 870 + 1,020 = 1,890g
- Width: 35/40mm
- Pick up: 10 degrees
