Mavic

Crossmax Enduro 27.5in Wheelset

Mavic's Crossmax Enduro 27.5in Wheelset won the 2013 Enduro World Series title, so there aren't any questions about its ruggedness or durability. Enduro's a pretty new discipline, so manufacturers are still figuring out what works and what doesn't, so a proven, enduro-specific wheelset like the Crossmax is one of the things that'll help you open up a gap on the rest of the field.

What's special about it? Well, Mavic recognized that, in Enduro, the front and back wheels have to perform pretty differently. The front wheel, at 21mm wide, is 2mm wider than the back, and has 24 Zicral spokes in comparison to just 20 in the back. A wider, stiffer front wheel enables better tracking through tough terrain, while the softer back wheel is actually designed to flex under impact, so you won't feel the back end of your bike kicked out sideways when you hit rocks at a bad angle. Zicral is stiffer than traditional stainless spokes to ensure the perfect amount of wheel rigidity, and Mavic's Inter Spoke Milling technology reduces excess material around the spoke holes to keep weight down.

Mavic also claims that its Fore drilling technology makes its wheels stiffer and more damage resistant. As importantly, Fore means the Crossmax is ready to be run tubeless right out of the box, and gives it a strength-to-weight ratio that's comparable to carbon wheelsets. The company also hooked the Crossmax up with its own hubs, which use buttery-smooth QRM+ cartridge bearings for easy rolling.

Mavic also ships this wheelset with a Charge tire on the front and a Roam on the back. The Charge is big, burly, and based on a classic DH tire, while the roam is slightly smaller, lighter, and faster rolling. Both are optimized for use with the Crossmax, so it's a setup that's tough to beat.