e*thirteen Announces New Lightweight XCX Race Wheels

Dec 10, 2019
by Dan Roberts  
photo


Building on from their XCX Plus cassettes and XCX Race cranks, which are proudly touted to be the lightest production MTB crankset in the world, e*thirteen set about broadening the XCX moniker to wheels.

Their new XCX Race wheels are targeted firmly at iconic races such as the Cape Epic and BC Bike race and compromise of two complete wheelset offerings blending carbon fiber composite rims with aluminum hubs.

The XCX Race wheels are split into two categories. The IW24 wheelset, as the name hints at, has an inner rim width of 24mm and points more at the XC and even gravel crowd with its lean weight and rim width for a narrower tire range.
XCX Race Wheels Details

Intended Use: Gravel, XC & Trail
Wheel Size: 29"
Axle & Hub Width: 15x110mm & 12x148mm
Rotor Mount: Six Bolt
Rim Inner Width: 24mm or 28mm
Claimed Weight: 1,350g (IW24 wheelset), 1,520g (IW28 wheelset)
Price: $1,799 (IW24 wheelset), $1,599 (IW28 wheelset)
More info: e*thirteen

The IW28 wheelset sports a 28mm inner width for use with slightly larger tires needed for more trail riding, while still being pretty skint on grams.

All wheels come with e*thirteen's lifetime warranty.

photo

photo
photo




Rim

e*thirteen use carbon fiber to construct the hookless rims. Optimised XCX layup doesn't say much about what's going on in there, but the rims come in at 380g for the IW28 and 340g for the IW24, +/- 15g tolerance. The IW24 is aimed at tires ranging from 2.0" to 2.3" while the IW28 best suits 2.1" to 2.4" wide tires.

Another difference in the rims besides the inner width is the depth of the rim profile. The IW24 has a taller profile to best balance the rim's impact strength and weight while the IW28 has a shallower profile to balance out the increased rim width. They will come taped up ready for tubeless with the valves included.


Hub

All hubs are machined aluminium with 28 spoke holes and six bolt rotor attachment, apart from the 24-hole version on the IW24 front wheel. The hub axle is also aluminum and now tool free for assembly and disassembly making it that bit easier to work on the hubs or swap out freehub bodies.

Freehub bodies are available for XD and Microspline and have a 6-degree engagement.


photo


Spokes & Nipples

A sight for sore eyes is the use of J bend spokes, no need for pliers and angry screams.

The IW24 wheelset uses DT Swiss Revolution spokes, the company's lightest round spoke, which are butted to within an inch of their life (2mm, 1.5mm to 2mm). The IW28, needing a little more meat, uses DT Swiss Competition Race spokes (2mm, 1.6mm to 2mm).

Aluminum nipples are used throughout the range and the wheels also use washers between the nipples and rims to ensure a good spoke/nipple alignment while maintaining a good amount of surface contact to the rim.


Options & Price

Looking to e*thirteen wheels of the past, they come with a few spare spokes, nipples and washers as a handy backup.

The full IW24 wheelset has a claimed weight of 1,350g with the IW28 at 1,520g.

IW24 wheel options and prices are:

• XCX Race Carbon Front Wheel – 29" x 24mm – 24 hole – 110x15mm – $809 (€899)
• XCX Race Carbon Rear Wheel – 29" x 24mm – 28 hole – 148x12mm – XD or Microspline – $990 (€1,099)
• XCX Race Carbon Wheelset – $1,799 or €1,998

IW28 wheel options and prices are:

• XCX Race Carbon Front Wheel – 29" x 28mm – 28 hole – 110x15mm – $719 (€799)
• XCX Race Carbon Rear Wheel – 29" x 28mm – 28 hole – 148x12mm – XD or Microspline – $880 (€979)
• XCX Race Carbon Wheelset – $1,599 or €1,778





Author Info:
dan-roberts avatar

Member since Apr 6, 2019
137 articles

140 Comments
  • 106 7
 Breaking news...
  • 2 1
 Good one :d
  • 12 1
 "The XCX Race wheels are split into two..." Probably should have used different verbiage.
  • 4 0
 @vjunior21: Hey, they are trying desperately to squeeze into Enve’s niche of the market...
  • 5 4
 I also just want to point out that these are more expensive than Weareonecomposites wheels with a poorer reputation and insignificant weight savings. For 1555USD you can pick up a wheelset built with I9 Hydras and CX-Ray spokes. The Revive rim weighs 355g for 25mm and the Faction 420g for 27mm for something built in north america with enough quality control to not need to list +/- 15g. Are they heavier?... when you factor in the 15g, I9 hub and CX-Rays, maybe? but not enough to matter, especially when you consider how much stronger the weR1's are. I dont understand how people spend this kind of money on Chinese carbon. If you want rims from Xiamen doesn't it make sense to buy them from Xiamen.
  • 1 0
 @mgrantorser: I agree!! Just bought them from their shop two hours south of me and they are killer wheels! They need more people realizing how good they are especially compared to all this mass-China stuff.
  • 1 0
 @mgrantorser: bingo.

I have had great luck with rims from Asia (lightbicycle and carbonfan) but the prices used to be significantly cheaper (my last set I purchased 3 years ago were well under 1k with dt240 hubs)

At comparable prices now I will certainly be sending any wheel budget funds to Dustin / WR1.
  • 1 0
 Yeah, I especially don't get Nobl. They're literally more expensive rebadged lightbicycle wheels.
  • 47 2
 Cracking deal
  • 18 5
 E thirteen had a great rep for a while but too many OEM specs and they couldn’t keep quality standards up. Now their rep is exactly what these comments show. Sad.
  • 28 37
flag chriskneeland (Dec 10, 2019 at 6:26) (Below Threshold)
 How is this company still in business? Literally every e13 product I've owned in the last 3 years has failed. Now I avoid this trash like it has full blown AIDS.
  • 11 4
 @chriskneeland: ditto. Wheels (hubs kept self-destructing, multiple replacements), chain guides (multiples), and crank. All failed in short order. Great customer service but you can only tolerate poor quality for so long even if you get fast replacements for free. I'd rather pay for something good and not have to replace it frequently.
  • 6 0
 @chriskneeland: have you considered prEP?
  • 7 4
 @chriskneeland: same: 5 different products - 5 complete failures
  • 41 5
 @chriskneeland: Hey Chris, Sorry that was the experience with our products. That certainly is not the norm. We have reached out to you in the past via DM to try to address the issues but never heard back. I just sent you another DM to try to make this right. We would appreciate the opportunity to straighten things out. You also can drop me a line directly at chris.costello@bythehive.com. Thanks in advance and sorry again about the experience you had.
  • 2 1
 the Chub Hub is the only E13 component I ever trusted lol. Discontinued tho Frown
  • 2 1
 @dontcoast: I was overly harsh with my first comment. I forgot about the SS I have with a Chub Hub. That thing is still going strong. (3) sets of TSR race cranks (1 alu, 2 carbon), a LG1+ top guide, and an earlier model bash guard all met a way too early death. So, only 5 out of 6 were bunk and the warranty support was great- just didn't want to keep putting on parts that would need to be replaced.
  • 5 0
 @ethirteen-components: people just wanna hate. Dirtworks in Australia look after me very well and I've never used a better tyre on the rear than the DH All Terrain plus compound. The 11s 9-46 has been faultless since I fitted it and now don't need to upgrade to 12s. I can wait to build some of their rims up!!
  • 2 0
 @Cashman39: the 11s 9-46 is flawless until it comes time to remove it from the freehub body, lol.
  • 1 0
 @stp567: Just a heads up. The 9-46 cassette I had on for about 12weeks came off without too much difficulty. It didn't fall of but a little bit of a jiggle and it came straight off
  • 1 0
 @Cashman39: That's good. Mine seized to the freehub body after a couple rides. (Aluminum locking plates will not budge from the steel ones) Local shop tried everything to remove. Assumingly from the additional torque of the ebike but the cassette is e-rated. I have to degrease on the bike now but great cassette otherwise.
  • 10 4
 Not sure anyone would run them for the Cape Epic or any other endurance event considering the reputation they've gained recently.
  • 7 3
 They get a bad rag for their drivetrain components, but if you look most of the reviews of their wheels are positive. They now have a lifetime warranty on the rims so you at least have some protection there. I've got a set of their trail carbon wheels (came as a promotion with Intense's 2019 model year bikes) and was thinking about selling them but ended up keeping them. only have a few hundred miles on them so far, but I've had no problems yet.
  • 11 4
 @OpeSorryAbootThat: Thanks! We appreciate the comment. We started offering that lifetime warranty because so few people were sending our carbon wheels back in for warranty so it just made sense to do it. We're happy that people have enjoyed it. Check your DM's, we'd love to send you some swag as a thank you for your support.
  • 12 30
flag chriskneeland (Dec 10, 2019 at 7:08) (Below Threshold)
 @ethirteen-components: How about you send some replacement parts for your failed products instead. I'll take a new chainguide, two cranksets, and rimset. I'll DM you my shipping address.
  • 18 1
 @chriskneeland: That's odd. last year during a race I launched off a drop at speed straight into a square edge rock. It did crack my front rim but I would have expected it to crack any carbon rim or completely destroy an aluminum one. The wheel stayed together long enough to get to the bottom. I sent @ethirteen-components a picture, they had me a new wheel within a few days, no questions asked. Couldn't ask for a more solid company to do business with. And the rear wheel is still going strong with 3 seasons of DH racing on it, as well as the chain guide and carbon cranks.
Did you try to contact them when your parts failed JRA?
  • 3 19
flag chriskneeland (Dec 10, 2019 at 7:50) (Below Threshold)
 @haybine: That's the thing, they didn't really fail, they just broke down over time. Hubs that developed so much play I thought my rear triangle was loose. Chainguide that would open on every downhill run. Tension ring that loosens every ride eventually allowing the direct mount chain ring to loosen up. How do you show that in a picture.
  • 21 1
 @chriskneeland: instead of pictures you just use words, while also not being a dick about it.
  • 8 2
 @ethirteen-components: I am also very pleased with the set of e13 carbon wheels I received as part of Intense Cycles recent sales promo! They look sweet, rear XD driver was so easy to put on I didn't realize it was done, and the tires sealed 100% the first inflation. The lifetime warranty on these wheels was what really firmed up my choice to purchase the Intense bike - no need to worry about a gnarly rock leaping out and ruining my rim! Although seeing the weight on the new IW28 set makes me wish I had those instead!
  • 3 18
flag chriskneeland (Dec 10, 2019 at 9:17) (Below Threshold)
 @silkyrhino: Just used my words homeboy. Disseminating my experience with crap products will prevent anyone else from spending a grand on parts that'll break down and end up collecting dust in the back of the garage. But if you're suggesting I contact e13 for replacements, that's a great idea. I'll keep everyone updated on how that goes down.
  • 15 2
 @chriskneeland: don't forget the not being a dick about it part. Good luck, homeboy.
  • 3 19
flag chriskneeland (Dec 10, 2019 at 9:40) (Below Threshold)
 @silkyrhino: If you don't want customers to be dicks, don't sell them shitty product.
  • 16 0
 @chriskneeland: We've DM'ed you a couple times now. Please reach back out to us either via DM, to support@bythehive.com or best would be to me personally at chris.costello@bythehive.com

Thanks
  • 15 0
 @chriskneeland: so...bearings wore out and you needed to put more locktite on some threads?

That sounds like wear and tear...maybe premature, but doesn't exactly scream warranty.

They also sound like they *really* want to take care of you in these comments, are you ignoring them just to raise a ruckus?

(not an E13 fanboy...only ever used their old company's fixed gear hub)
  • 2 0
 I've been running the trail carbon wheels on my Evil for a whole year and have been happy with them so far. I did however opt to run my spare alu wheels in Finale last spring after seeing the destructive Enve M735E moment that Paul Aston had on Ingenere last Feb.
  • 6 0
 My wheels have been bomber for 2 years now. So have my friends wheels (2 of them ride E13 carbon and one aluminum) For sure they have had issues in the past, but recently their stuff has been great. My cassettes and tires are awesome too....I'm a big e13 fan. I think a lot of these comments are a hangover from some older product issues. If you look at their product reviews from he last 2 years or ,so all have been positive.
  • 2 14
flag chriskneeland (Dec 10, 2019 at 11:22) (Below Threshold)
 @dontcoast: Already emailed them. But I'm not asking for anything. I don't want apologies. I don't want replacements. I don't want consolations. There's a level of trust a company needs to maintain in this game. That the sacrifices people make to participate in this lifestyle aren't taken lightly. It's personal to me.
  • 4 0
 Recognize the sacrifices people! This "game," of riding bicycles in the dirt should not be taken lightly. Word, homey.
  • 1 9
flag chriskneeland (Dec 10, 2019 at 11:59) (Below Threshold)
 @silkyrhino: If you're rich and pissing money around isn't a big deal then you wouldn't understand. Must be nice.
  • 12 0
 @chriskneeland: You clearly don't actually want anything other than to hate. E13 literally f*cking replied to you multiple times and yet you're still here talking shit rather than trying to come to a solution. Reply to them you nonce.

Every time I come into a main page comment section I get to see your comments constantly downvoted. Could it be that you're just a troll? Seems likely.
  • 1 11
flag chriskneeland (Dec 10, 2019 at 15:37) (Below Threshold)
 @sherbet: Cool story bro. Been in touch hours ago.
  • 8 0
 @sherbet: pretty sure he has communicated w e13, but his emails are trapped in their spam filters because his domain is @whineybitch.com
  • 1 8
flag chriskneeland (Dec 11, 2019 at 14:36) (Below Threshold)
 @onemind123: Onemind? More like one braincell. Jesus christ... If you don't think I'm justified with putting companies on blast when their shit breaks down, I have a bunch of parts for sale. I'll give you the super sucker discount.

On the positive side Chris from e13 is really making an effort to take care of issues on the customer service side, as others have also noted in their experience with him, so I have to give him respect for that. I don't know what kind of shit they went through with past designs, but he clearly cares about turning the company's rep around. I wish him and the company the best of luck going forward.
  • 8 0
 @chriskneeland: Slow down there skippy. Nobody is beefing you for being discontent with broken parts, it's the way you're handling it, the hate seething from you, and your goal posts moving.

E-13 contacted you here, and you replied with "How about you send some replacement parts for your failed products instead. I'll take a new chainguide, two cranksets, and rimset. I'll DM you my shipping address."

You then say several comments later; " Already emailed them. But I'm not asking for anything. I don't want apologies. I don't want replacements. I don't want consolations. "

So which is it? Do you want replacements or not? Cause you're demanding them, then moving goalposts to make it seem like even that would not satisfy you.

Past that, you're being massively over the top. A simple "their stuff broke, wasn't for me!" and moving on is one thing. Being a pest in the comment section over several comment chains and constantly on the attack is, well, f*cking annoying.

And finally, the one issue you are noting doesn't sound even remotely like a warranty concern. You needed to change bearings? Uh? Welcome to literally any hub on the market? The fact E-13 is willing to help you when you're acting this childishly, and essentially don't have a warranty concern, is honestly a massive faith installer for me in their product.

You do you, but maybe do it more maturely. Cheers.
  • 1 8
flag chriskneeland (Dec 11, 2019 at 15:57) (Below Threshold)
 @sherbet: Always doing me.
  • 9 0
 @sherbet: Kudos on one of the best comments I've ever seen on here
  • 1 6
flag chriskneeland (Dec 12, 2019 at 13:45) (Below Threshold)
 @Squinned: Well, not really considering how presumptuous it was. I was going to just let this die out, but since you mentioned it, I'll address a few things he didn't quite get.

@sherbet

1) Seething is accurate. And entirely justified. Some people ignore injustices, some people cry alone in their rooms at night, I prefer to scream it from the rooftops...and in the comments on pinkbike.

2) E13 didn't contact me here. They subcommented on a subcomment in an article which I subcommented on other comments. So, when I clicked the notification on my dashboard, it went to the most recent subcomment, not E13's. So I didn't see it until a lot later. I would have replied had I saw it first. I do feel bad about that.

3) Nah, no moving of any goal posts. I don't want replacement parts. Ask Chris. I told him I wasn't interested, and the damage couldn't be reconciled. He's insistent, cares about the rep of his company, and wants to make it right. I told him I'll take the cranks because that's what I currently have to replace. I'm already onto a really good wheelset and hopefully I'll never have to look at another chainguide in my life.

4) Yup, I'm over the top. Most of the people I hang out with are too. And I love it. If there's another level to take things to, I'm going to do it. Funny thing is, I was actually being pretty tame here. You should see me in person. You'd hate me.

5) It wasn't bearings wearing out. It was end cap tolerance. That's not a wear and tear issue, it's a design flaw. Or a quality control issue. On a $900 purchase I shouldn't have had to deal with it. But, it's a 3-4 year old wheelset they don't make anymore, and to be fair I haven't heard of the issue since. Hopefully their new wheelsets don't have any similar problems. And the same with the crank issue. It was a poor design flaw. And now I have to replace them. Chris understood, wants to help me out, and explained that they changed the design and resolved any issues on the new cranks. So I'm taking his word for it and we'll see how they are.

Bottom line is, shit happened, I said some shit, they took care of some shit, and we're moving on.
  • 3 0
 @chriskneeland: Thanks for your sacrifices and sorry for the injustices you suffer at the hands of the oppressors of this industry. If only everyone had the courage you do, to incessantly bitch and cry out loud in the pinkbike comments section (but not while on the computer in their rooms), the (mountain bike) world would be a better place.
  • 1 5
flag chriskneeland (Dec 12, 2019 at 14:03) (Below Threshold)
 @silkyrhino: Again, it must be nice to be someone who can piss hundreds, or even thousands around and not care. People like me have to be selective with the stuff they buy. We're not all dentists bud.
  • 4 0
 @chriskneeland: I would hate to be your dentist. Are there any Dental web forums where you are bitching about dental work?
  • 4 0
 @chriskneeland: Not going full reply here cause there's so much bullshit that I don't care to sort through, so just to call out one of your claims;

You stated you wanted replacements. You then stated that no replacements would suffice. That is very literally the definition of moving goalposts. This isn't a subject that can be debated, your comments are still saved above and are very easy to read.

Do better mate.
  • 1 5
flag chriskneeland (Dec 12, 2019 at 14:50) (Below Threshold)
 @sherbet: You ever heard of the word facetious? Look it up, learn it, add it to your vocabulary. My first comment was said in jest. I know it takes a bit if intellect to understand nuance, but again, you're just not getting it.
  • 4 0
 @chriskneeland: At this point, I'm just here to laugh at you and add to your negative scores. Keep trying to get a rise out of me if you want, it's honestly hilarious after what's been said.

Again, do better mate.
  • 1 5
flag chriskneeland (Dec 12, 2019 at 14:55) (Below Threshold)
 @silkyrhino: Pretty simple concept you can't seem to comprehend. Do good work and you got nothing to worry about.
  • 1 6
flag chriskneeland (Dec 12, 2019 at 16:51) (Below Threshold)
 @sherbet: Must be doing something to you. You're still here spending your 2 cents.
  • 3 0
 @chriskneeland: Yes, it's entertaining me. I literally just said that. Read?
  • 1 5
flag chriskneeland (Dec 12, 2019 at 18:03) (Below Threshold)
 @sherbet: So you're just a troll. Good to know.
  • 4 0
 @chriskneeland: And what was that comment? Something trying to incite a reaction perhaps? Not related to your original f*ckery at all? It's funny when the pot calls the kettle black.

Sorry to everyone reading this. I'll stop. Have a great holiday dudes.
  • 1 5
flag chriskneeland (Dec 13, 2019 at 2:54) (Below Threshold)
 @sherbet: It was me making the mistake following a troll down his shit hole. Peace out troll. But keep doing you.
  • 7 3
 "the wheels also use washers between the nipples and rims to ensure a good spoke/nipple alignment" That was the number one thing I hated about my previous wheels. The creaking never stopped....
  • 20 1
 Washers don't cause creaking. Lack of lubricant between spoke head and rim, or spoke head and nipple will cause creaking. With or without washers some times.

The spoke hole is the weakest part of a rim, alloy or carbon, imho. A nipple on to itself will place stress on just a small part of the shoulder of the nipple and small section of one side of the spoke hole. Washers serve to spread the load more evenly over the spoke hole, and also serve to reinforce it. They also generally help the nipple sit properly and orient the spoke more towards the hub flange, creating less stress on the spoke itself. Washers are a very good thing in terms of building a robust wheel that will last. We build the vast majority of our with washers, and have zero creaking issues.

Drop a couple drops of oil (grease would have been better at time of building of course) at the base of your nipple at the spoke holes. Spin the wheel and let the force push the oil in. Flex your spoke by hand to get things moving more. Repeat. Then clean the excess away. Hopefully that will cure your creak.
  • 5 6
 More egregious than that is the use of alloy nipples...yes thank you very much ethirteen, I love nipples that chemically bond to my carbon rims and round off when I try to tighten them, ffs eat the couple gram penalty and use brass nipples!
  • 7 1
 @mnorris122: we build with a lot of alloy nips. We use quality double anodized alloy nipples only (Paceline, WheelFanatyk, Sapim), in combination with stainless steel washers and proper building processes (oil bath or spoke prep for nips, grease coverage for washers), and proper length spoked that are custom cut often times to 1/2mm increments; we have yet to see a single broken or corroded nipple in any of our builds in the last couple years. I talk to a number of high end builders who share the same experience.

Alloy nips get a bad rep more often than not, because some people are using sub-par alloy nips, sub-par prep, and sub-par building practises.

I wouldn't advise to use them in every build, but for most mountain bike applications we favor them. Material weight savings where they matter most - at the extremity of the wheels. Color options are fun. And believe it or not, some (WheelFanatyk) are nearly impossible to round/strip - the spoke, the rim, or your hub flange, will likely break first. Proper truing technique will also stop you from rounding a nipple - lube the nipple at base and thread, and release tension (i.e. back them off a turn) before you start to tighten

Is e.13 using best building practises - probably not - I doubt the can afford to take the time and build every set by hand. The fact they are using washers says they are doing some things right though.

Of course my opinion is solely around custom hand built wheels. Should most factory machine build wheels use alloy nipples - probably not. Because of the lack of care that goes into them, they benefit more from brass.
  • 4 3
 @privateer-wheels: try cheese nips next time. Excellent compliance. They pair well with Yoann's baguette inserts.
  • 2 0
 Nipple washers strengthen the interface and reduce creaking. Talk to any reputable wheelbuilder about that. The are a bit of a PITA to use on deeper rims but are well worth it to prevent nipple binding at the rim/nipple interface.
  • 2 0
 @ckcost: definitely, they really decrease friction between carbon rim and nipple. They make a better wheel, and also make the job of building so much easier!
  • 1 0
 @privateer-wheels: youtu.be/-qsLYlVWkbQ
OK, so you use nice alloy, you're still combining carbon and aluminum, which is a bad combination. Watch that video.
  • 2 0
 @mnorris122: You realize good means a few important things. First, quality alloy. Second, and maybe more important, quality double ano job - which prevents galvanic corrosion. Combined with a steel washer between rim and nip, properly prep, and my experience is, zero issues.

Now, you can send me all the videos you want, but I come to you with real world wheel building experience. I build wheels - lots of them. I have guys on wheel built with carbon hoops, and alloy nipples, that are on trail 3-4 years now, with zero sign of issues. No galvanic corrosion. No cracking. Nothing.
  • 8 5
 Could e13 do a bit more for longevity of their products? I'm getting a bit tired of their chain guides becoming junk after just a few months of riding without any hits to the chain guide. We only have one planet so let's not fill it with chain guides that don't even last a season.
  • 15 4
 Can't even go to the beach these days without stepping on a broken e13 chain guide.
  • 2 0
 What's not lasting a season on your guide? My friend's YT's guides are fine after multiple seasons. One replaced the upper slider after 2 years but that's pretty normal of any guide, and that's just because the rubber moulding on the inner part of the guide wore out. It still worked perfectly but he liked the extra silence the rubber gave him (a lot of guides don't even use this rubber)
  • 1 0
 @Marky771: Whats been happening for me is the quick release interface develops sufficient slop for them to no longer stay shut, and the slop also can allow for the chain to come off even with the chain guide still engaged correctly.
  • 2 0
 @vtracer: Drop us a line and we will replace your upper slider at no charge with the updated version which addressed that issue. Support@bythehive.com with your shipping address and we will get one in the mail to you right away. Cheers!
  • 2 0
 When i first bought my sb5, I wanted to buy that e13 cassette because i thought it was quality but after two cassettes i decided to go back to my old xt cassette. It is way more durable than the e13 one. not doing it again. my buddy has yt jeffsy and his e13 wheels break spokes like they are toothpicks. My opinion of e13 products is completely different now. I would be hardpressed to buy anything else from them. just my experience
  • 9 3
 Bet people will be snapping these up
  • 3 1
 Although I haven't owned a set of E*Thrirteen wheels yet, I have had great experiences with their chain guides and more recently, tires. When all E*Thirteen wheels come with a lifetime warranty and everyone seems to say their customer service is excellent, I would ride them!
  • 2 0
 I will join the other people here saying that ethirtheen product quality is terrible. I had to return a brand new hub after 2 days and it took 3 months to get the new one, Their tires quality is so bad, the rubber is not evenly distributed, it's not a problem under 20 psi but hey start to bulge when you put 25+. The Alum rim I had also bend very easily. I'm not touching that stuff anymore.
  • 2 0
 FWIW I have destroyed a fair number of wheels and my E*13 carbon wheels have held up like heroes. Great ride feel, plenty quick hub engagement, and competitive prices. Just trying to balance out the haters ...
  • 3 0
 Will they improve the hubs then ? Mine dont work in UK riding conditions. They fill up with muddy water and the preload needs preloading every other ride.
  • 2 0
 Apparently the torque spec they assigned in the manual on trsr hubs is half of what it should be. After one of their engineers suggested I go to 90° past snug with loctite the preload has stopped loosening up.
  • 2 0
 @AinsleyTrimix - The issue you are experiencing with the loosening has a quick and easy solution. We can also make sure you have the correct seals in place. Drop us a line at support.eu@bythehive.com and we can get you sorted quickly. Thanks!
  • 6 1
 But at least their customer support is second to none
  • 6 1
 No. It is second to every customer support that you don't need. The best customer support is always the one you don't need.
  • 1 0
 It's a tough market. I had some really bad luck with a wheelset that came on my bike last year- it was an aluminum wheelset and within three months wouldn't hold a tubeless bead from being bent back into shape too many times, I got way more punctures on that rim setup (using the same tires that I have used for years) and couldn't figure out why, and then the hub gutted itself midpedal stroke on an easy climb by stripping out the backside of all the pawls leaving them flaccid and useless. They did replace the hub but due to trust issues (probably a result of my early relationships?) I have left that wheel sitting as a spare and built up a trusty DT 350 with upgraded ratchet on a Flow. So I'm in the camp of wait till I hear enough positive about a new product as I won't gamble my money that way. There are a lot of wheels out there and lots from brands that haven't fully flunked for me. E13 has made some rad products over the years so I hope they can return to that form- it was really sad to be let down by a brand I had seen as iconic.
  • 1 0
 They have some problems - I only got 400 miles out of a chainring recently, and the proprietary lock system and custom crank/chainring tools suck - but I am so far very happy with the TRSr wheels that came on my bike, and I have to say the 9 tooth cog on their cassette is great, allows you to run a 28T in front and not have to use a big dorky derailleur and dinner plate 50 tooth.
  • 2 0
 Big fan of the products when new but they seem to degrade rapidly. I've also never owned rims that dent so easily, my lg1s look like the edge of a serrated knife after a couple months.
  • 3 0
 Very Nice. The sort of Carbon you need to offset with Titanium instead of trees.
  • 2 0
 Do companies not know many have handbuilt carbon wheels with 25-30mm rims and the likes of DT350 hubs for around $800 (give or take)??
  • 5 2
 E13,Crank Bros or never riding again?
  • 3 1
 Crank Brothers most recent wheels are pretty smart.
  • 1 1
 DT Swiss + Mavic and not worrying?
  • 3 0
 I didn't tread the article, I just came down here for the cracking puns.
  • 2 1
 Pinkbike testers. Let’s put some double down tires on them rims and go ride “Pemberton” because everybody wants to be Enduro Bruhhh
  • 2 0
 So does that mean e-13 makes a microsoline Hub adaptor now?
  • 4 0
 @Zwini - We do! They will be available around the start of the new year and we have versions that are backwards compatible with current wheels.
  • 2 0
 @ethirteen-components: I can’t wait!
  • 3 2
 We produce same weight wheels, for a third of the price and stiff af, so whats up with this?!
  • 1 1
 Have not had issues with the rims but my rear hub blew up season 1 and then the spokes one by one in season 2... After a rebuild with heavier spokes they are solid.
  • 14 12
 Stay away from e13 rims ...
  • 4 4
 Unless they are 26 LG1+ rims.I beat the shit out of them.Landed to flat off the cabin drop at Mt.Creek and my shock bolt bent but some how my wheels survived,perfect condition still.
  • 4 0
 I did have some of their older aluminum wheels that didn't last. However, I have put a lot of rough miles on their carbon DH and Trail rims and they have held up and performed amazingly. As far as I'm concerned, @ethirteen-components makes an awesome product and they stand behind everything they make with great customer support.
  • 3 0
 @PeaFunk - Dropped you a DM so we can get a better understanding of the troubles you have had. Please fire us a reply and we will get you sorted.
  • 2 0
 Nope. Me and my buddies rims have been bomber. Mind you we are using the carbon and Plus level (welded) rims. I've heard some heavier people not have great luck on their Base rims if they run too low pressure, but you can say that about most brands low end wheels. I've dented the crap out of DT 1900's but those are DT's lowest end offering and my low tire pressure also contributed to the failure...
  • 5 3
 Hopefully they start offering that XCX 24mm rim for gravel bikes now.
  • 1 0
 Is XCX what is fondly/jokingly referred to as downcountry?
I want to be hip to the lingo.....yo?
  • 5 0
 What does hip mean? In My country of North Korea We do not have such words
  • 2 0
 @DaFreerider44: The circumference of the body at the buttocks. Otherwise cool, fashionable, current, with the times. Smile
  • 5 0
 @DaFreerider44: better watch it...rocket man monitors your internet
  • 4 0
 @flipoffthemonkeys: How dare you insult dear leader!? Big Grin
  • 2 0
 @Ian713 - haha. Good point. Believe it or not, we released our first XCX product long before the term "downcountry" was part of the MTB vernacular. We do approve of going downhill fast regardless of what type bike you are on!
  • 2 0
 @ethirteen-components: I have always loved your products all have been great. I have had an og clear plastic bash guard and guide on my 06 v10 since 09 still going so are the dh wheels wouldnt hesitate to buy anything from them. Best customer service I have had.


Ignore all the haters it's always the same people complaining. Just for the attention dont feed the trolls Smile
  • 3 1
 Not interested in a 24 hole front wheel.
  • 5 0
 for XC carbon hoops? You'd rather have enduro wheels on your XC race bike?

cause it's...you know...a race wheel...
  • 3 1
 What a breakthrough...
  • 1 0
 Perfect for all the Crash-Country Riders
  • 3 1
 Oh, hell no!
  • 3 1
 Nope.
  • 3 2
 I can already hear them cracking
  • 2 3
 What a joke. For $1,800 I’m just spending money on wheels from a good company. They’d be lucky to be selling these at $1,200.
  • 1 1
 Oh well, hopefully not again a constant service case
  • 8 8
 Max Tire Pressure 60PSI Max Rider Weight 60kg
  • 4 4
 Alloy nipples, just why...
  • 1 0
 If you use quality double anodized alloy, and good building practises, alloy nips don't really give you grief.
  • 3 1
 It's a RACE WHEEL.

brass nips are nice and durable. also 3x heavier. so...no brass on lightweight race stuff. you new here?
  • 1 0
 @dontcoast: good alloy nips are also nice and durable.
  • 1 0
 @privateer-wheels: yes they are, though more corrosion-prone for riders who don't take care of their shit.

brass for low-maintenance workhorses, alloy for anything premium. simple really.
  • 2 0
 @dontcoast: true, they are more corrosion prone compared to brass which really don't need any special attention. This is why picking a quality alloy nip with a really good ano job is important. A good ano coating (generally double ano with good nips) pretty much prevents corrosion, in my experience. Add a stainless washer and you aren't likely to ever have an issue. Even for those who aren't anal with bike up keep. Again, my experience only - but I do get to see/build a lot of wheels, for what it's worth.

That is for mountain use only. I wouldn't put that out there for anyone subjecting their bikes to any sort of city/road/commuting where you may encounter salt and so on.
  • 1 0
 @privateer-wheels:

Totally agree. Salt's the thing. I live in coastal mountains...nothing like salted city streets, but if you don't wash your wheels it'll still catch up to you.

Also...have you ever seen a nice front wheel that live in a trainer too long lol? Sweat salt is the deadliest
  • 2 0
 @dontcoast: yes, salt is terrible, no matter where it's from.

Salt isn't a huge concern for most of my customers, so alloy works really well. The moment you introduce it, I start leaning towards brass 100%.
  • 1 0
 @maglor, is this a question? All commonly used nipples are alloys, some of aluminum, others of copper and zinc. I'm having difficulty understanding the misapprehension of ideas that could lead to such a comment. Please do better next time.
  • 2 0
 @JohanG: I think it's pretty clear he means brass versus aluminum. If you know anything at all about wheels and nipples, its pretty obvious. No need to be hard on the guy, however misinformed he may be!
  • 1 0
 You guys don’t have to explain alloy vs brass I get the reasons. To elaborate, as someone who builds and maintains my own wheels I just don’t understand why anyone would make the decision to choose alloy, it save 40g which is sweet feck all yet when it comes to maintaining them they just don’t last and good luck trueing the wheel when it gets a bit out of shape, I know this is a race wheel but when you’re paying so much money surely you want them to last.
  • 1 0
 @maglor: when you can save 40-50g with no real downside (for some people) why wouldn't you? Especially at the extremity of the wheel where it matters the most?

You build and maintain you own wheels, much respect. And with all due respect, I build many sets, for many people, many of them with alloy nipples. With properly cut spoke lengths, properly prepped spoke threads and properly prepped nipples and washers - they give up very little, except for the weight. Even a stubborn and stuck nips (usually from factory builds that were not properly assembled) can be coaxed into turning freely if you know a few tricks. We build a lot with WheelFanatyk aluminum nips, and the spoke will break before you round one of those out - it's next to impossible.

The only time I wouldn't recommend aluminum nips is in salty environments. Exposure to road salt, etc.
  • 1 3
 Just buy some Hunts
Below threshold threads are hidden







Copyright © 2000 - 2024. Pinkbike.com. All rights reserved.
dv56 0.050330
Mobile Version of Website