New Stuff: e*thirteen TRS+ wheelset


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The Hive and e*thirteen joined forces a few years ago now and since then we’ve seen a bunch of cool products trickle out but none highlight the collaboration more than the wheelsets. Hive’s Chub Hub was the first product that really put them on the map and the new e*thirteen wheelsets all feature the crazy oversized hub. The defining features of the hub are the oversized carbon shells that are bonded to giant flanges.  The flanges decrease peak spoke stress under pedalling loads by a staggering 70%! Reducing peak spoke stress means your wheels wind up less and accelerate faster. The hubs also feature a 6 degree pawl engagement (60 point) for faster power transfer.

e*thirteen have three wheelsets: the XCX (Cross-Country), the TRS+ (Trail, All-Mountain) and the LG1 (Gravity, Freeride). We will be testing the 29″ version of the 1762 gram TRS+ set (the 26″ weighs 1650 grams) for the next month or so. e*thirteen claim the TRS+ are engineered to take extreme punishment dealt by riders on enduro bikes, yet they’re still light enough to use on XC specific bikes.
As I just photographed them minutes ago we haven’t had a chance to ride them just yet, but pulling them out of the box is almost as exciting as riding them. For starters all e*thirteen packaging is made from recycled products. While you’re feeling good about being kind to the enviroment you can decide whether you want to run 20mm or 15mm up front and a QR or 12mm out back. Yup, all wheelsets come with end caps to accommodate both. They also come with tubeless rim tape and valves which is all you need to get rolling tubeless as long as you have some sealant on hand. RRP on these is $1999. If the photos have done it for you and you want to buy a set right this minute hit up KRD Imports to find your nearest dealer here.
We are going to try to get these up and running this weekend so we should be able to post some initial ride feedback on Monday, but it is a wheel, and the proof will really be how they cope after a month or two underneath my 100kg hulk.

All photos Caleb Smith/Spoke

So I finally got these guys set up and out on the trail. On Sunday I took them out for a massive ride taking in some of Wellingtons most demanding trails. It all kicked off with a run down Deliverance (easily Wellington’s most demanding trail) followed by a spin to the top of Makara Peak and then down North Face back up and then a mission down Wellingtons finest, Ridgeline. Ridgeline eats wheels for breakfast. Right off the stiffness of the TRS+ wheels was evident as I headed into the minefield that is the Deliverance’s rock garden. They continued on for the rest of the day rolling fast and stayed true after some pretty heavy hits… I’m not a huge fan of loud freehubs and the rear hub is slightly noisy but I guess that just encourages you to spend more time pedaling…

 

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