Sun Ringle Black Flag ceramic mountain bike wheelset review

It would be easy to miss these conventional looking race wheels among all the pimp sets on the market.

The Equalizer 21 rims are skinny enough to make any tyres over 2.1in feel precarious, but their shallow profiles keep them tight and tough.

The 28 super-skinny double-butted spokes at either end mean you’ll need to allow for torque elasticity and wander under braking or hard cornering – but that’s to be expected on a sub-1,500g wheelset.

Not so common are the fantastically smooth rolling ceramic bearings that minimise rolling drag and maximise lifespan.

The freehub needs regular servicing and engagement isn’t all that quick, but they’re damn quick once they’re hooked up, and there are no weird spoke replacement worries.