Rider Profile

· A Grade/Masters 45-50 Cyclocross Racer

· 73 kg, 183 cm

· Ridden & raced on natural terrain, rocky, technical rough trails, sand, mud & gravel with plenty of ups and down

· Ridden 2 times a week with around 2000kms on wheels and 15 Cyclocross races

At the start of the Cyclocross season it was clear the wheels on my race were feeling a bit dull. I had big goals for the year of racing, and I wanted a wheelset that reflected the effort I was going to put in to achieve the results. My EIE Carbon Wheels on my mountain bike had been performing flawlessly so I reached out to EIE to discuss options for suit demanding Cyclocross season.

The EIE Customer service team quickly provided options to suit my requirements of 25mm internal carbon rims, 36mm depth, around 1200grams or less, built with DT Swiss or compatible hubs. Within the same day I had multiple options and chose the build with EIE hubs, CX Ray Spokes coming in at just 1265grams for the set. Within a few weeks the box arrived in Australia with spare spokes.

Set up

I set the wheels up with 25mm tubeless tape, 50mm length valves, Joes Sealant and a brand-new set of tyres. The wheels seated easily with both an air compressor and a floor pump with no drama. I left them over night and didn’t lose any air pressure or in the days later.

· 25-27mm tape, one strip 1/3 diameter of wheel diameter past the start of tape

· 50mm Tubeless valve stems

· Joes Sealant around ml

· Fitted with Floor pump and Air Compressor

· Running 26-28psi front and rear

Tyres used

·         Maxxis All Terrane 700 x 33mm

·         Pirelli Cinturato Cross Hard 700 x 33mm

·         Vittoria Terreno Mixed 700 x 35mm

·        Kenda Alluvium Pro 700 x 40mm & 45mm

·        Kenda Flintridge Pro 700 x 40mm & 45mm

On the bike

Compliance and acceleration improved and the bike had a lighter feeling turning in the tight corners. The wheels were very durable, allowing me to run the lower pressures without fear on more aggressive racetracks. At times the tyres did bottom out but the rim stayed strong, and the tyres never burped.

The EIE hubs deserve a lot of credit for the ride feel and speed. They felt as fast as the first ride after a season racing in some truly horrible muddy conditions. The ability of the 60T rachet to engage quickly but also not create an drag was very impressive.

Bikes Used on:

·         2023 Giant TCX

·        2024 Liv Brava

·        2026 Flyxxi Fe-806

·        2026 Specialized Crux 5

Summary

I have used the wheels in a wide variety of conditions and races on multiple bikes and will continue use these in the cyclocross offseason. These wheels provide you with a very light and durable option for tyres from 33-55mm. If you want a wheel that accelerates well, climbs well and is complaint these wheels offer a versatile solution for road, cyclocross and gravel.

The ability to work with EIE to get a wheelset built to my specification and budget made it possible to get the performance I was hoping for. When you combine the purchasing experience, warranty, spare spokes and the overall performance I highly recommend getting into touch with EIE Carbon Wheels. Get in touch with EIE Carbon Wheels you won’t be disappointed.

Wheel Specs I choose:

Model: ARG35TC30H WHEELS

Version: SL:370±15G 

Hole Type: Standard

Weave: UD

Finish: Matte

Decal: Oil slick EIE decals: wing shape

Front Axle: 12*100mm

Rear Axle: 12*142mm

Brake System: center lock

Holes Count F/R: 24H/24H 

Hub Brand: EIE RSS SL 270

Ratchet: 60T             

Freehub Body: SRAM XDR 12S 

Spokes: Sapim CX-Ray 

Nipples: Aluminium Black

Approx weight: 1265±25g