Carbon wheels tend to be stiffer and a little lighter than aluminium rims, but for most riders, the initial cost and expense of crash replacements is prohibitive. At £750 for the pair, these 1,900g, 650b Ridge Pro Carbon wheels aren’t exactly cheap, but they’re a good whack less than most of their rivals, though they may weigh a little more.
We found it easy to seat tyres on the 35mm (external) hookless rim and out on the trails we’ve yet to burp a tyre or put a rim out of line, despite our best efforts — whether that involves hanging the back wheel out to dry or recklessly squaring off turns at speed.
Their stiffness means they’re relatively rapid to get up to speed despite not being the lightest wheels out there and the precision when tackling ugly terrain is seriously impressive, bolstered further by the great tyre profile produced by the 29mm internal rim width.
The near-constant whir out back reminds you just how many points of engagement lie within the own-brand freehub, and when you get on the gas the pick-up is instant.
Although we’ve not subjected them to a full UK winter yet, the bearings are still running smoothly too.
While £750 may still sound a lot for a wheelset, the Ridge Pro Carbons more than justify the cost.
