Innovative New Alloy Wheels from I9 and Race Face Promise Fewer Pinch Flats

Just when you think everything has been done with aluminum rims, two new wheelsets were brought to market this week with a couple of new bells and whistles. The new Industry Nine EN300 use a triple-cavity design to create a larger hollow bead made to shrug off impacts and pinch flats. And the redesigned Race Face Turbine features the Anvil Edge, a wider rim edge engineered to prevent flats caused by a collision between the wheel rim and hard surfaces. Find details on both below.

Industry Nine EN300

The new Industry Nine Enduro 300 wheelset (EN300) features an all-new aluminum triple-cavity rim with a Hollow Bead Wall extrusion designed to shrug off impacts and protect tires from pinch flats. Industry Nine states that the bead wall on the new EN300 is 46% wider than their previous EN305 rim, with a gradual radius at the outer wall to protect the tire. I9 claims that the new bead design improves impact resistance over the previous Enduro rim, with a 41% reduction in bead shelf deformation during moderate impacts and a 28% reduction during severe impacts.

The hollow bead also helps the rims maintain a competitive system weight. Industry Nine claims the EN300 29er wheelset weighs 1,870 grams, which is pretty good for an enduro-ready alloy wheelset. Better yet, for those interested in a bit of bling, the EN300 wheels feature I9’s patented aluminum spokes—32 per wheel—and you can design your own color combos for an upcharge. Speaking of uncharge, the Industry Nine EN300 aren’t cheap, starting at $1,430 for a set. However, they’re made in Asheville, North Carolina, come with the brilliant six-pawl Hydra hub, and are backed by a two-year warranty.

Made in NC, USA / 1,870 grams / $1,430 at Industry Nine

Race Face Turbine

The new Race Face Turbine wheels were redesigned to meet the rigorous demands of enduro mountain biking while offering more vertical compliance for a comfortable ride. As Race Face put it: “The Race Face Turbine is a wheel that can take the abuse of the most aggressive enduro racer while giving the increased traction and comfort that every rider can appreciate.”

Even more interesting, the revamped Turbine rims feature a new Anvil Edge rim bed. As its name suggests, the Anvil Edge has an anvil-shaped rim edge that’s wider than its predecessor, made to disperse the collision energy that would typically cause a pinch flat across a broader, flatter surface. Think of placing a tire on a chopping block and striking it with a mallet or an axe. They explain it further and show some interesting testing in this video:

The new Turbine rim has a versatile 30mm internal rim width and comes with Race Face’s own Vault hub, featuring a quick three degrees of engagement. Each wheel has 28 straight-pull spokes and includes five replacement spokes. Better yet, the Race Face Turbine wheels are backed with a lifetime warranty, which covers all product failures related to riding, including crashes. Essentially, Race Face promises that if you have an issue, they’ll send a fresh wheel right away. Race Face also managed to lower the price of the Turbine wheelset and offer it for $799 ($999 CAD or €918).

1,865 grams (29er) / $799 at Race Face

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