We all know carbon wheels have their big benefits, but there’s no hiding their propensity to explode if hit hard enough, while aluminium rims can withstand a beating for longer. Sure the top downhill and enduro pro riders might have carbon wheels, with a rack of spares at the ready but you can bet the privateer racer who bets on aluminium to get them through.

From our standpoint, we are currently seeing a divide in the mountain bike scene when it comes to the material of choice for wheels. While there are weight and ride quality properties to be benefited from the more expensive carbon option, aluminium rims have gained a lot of ground and a decent wide rim wheelset is more commonplace on high spec bikes than ever before.

Wheelworks are not your average wheel, they are handbuilt in Wellington NZ to an exceptionally high standard, dive into the Wheelworks story a little more here – we interview Tristan Thomas about the ins and outs of the brand, dis[elling many wheel myths, and what makes them different to the masses.

We’re fitting this set to our Norco Sight C 9.2 test bike which currently has RaceFace 30mm wheels on Shimano XT hubs, which have been great, we’ll see how these handbuilt wheels with wider rims stack up. Stay tuned for more!

Specs

Wheelworks FLITE Wide Alloy Trail 29″.

1900 grams with rim strip and valves as pictured.

35mm internal width.

2″ up to 2.8″ plus tyre width compatible.

Dial hubs, 72-point engagement with angled flanges and low-friction seals.

Hub weights – 135/250g.

DT Swiss Aerolite spokes with Wheelworks lifetime broken spoke guarantee.

Tubeless tape and lightweight aluminium valves included.

Custom ordered decals, CNC in-house, available in about 30 different colours.