Industry Nine BackCountry 360 wheelset review
The BackCountry series is Industry Nine’s take on ultra-wide rims.
Lowdown: Industry Nine BackCountry 360 Wheelset
At $1315 as tested, the Industry Nine Backcountry wheelset is on the higher end for aluminum. For a few hundred dollars more, you’ll be in carbon territory. But if you don’t have the extra cash or simply prefer alloy, this wheelset is reliable, gorgeous, and a noticeable upgrade when compared to the majority of stock wheelsets.
| Total weight: 1865g (29er) | Inner rim width: 36mm |
| Rim weight: 570g | Extras: Tubeless valves and tape pre-installed |
| Driver: Shimano or XD | Price: $1315 as tested |
| Hub engagement: 120 points, 3 degrees |
Rating:  4 out of 5 |
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Review: Industry Nine BackCountry 360 Wheelset
The BackCountry series is Industry Nine’s first foray into the plus size wheel market. They’re available in two different widths. The 450 was launched first and is the wider of the two. It features a 45mm inner width, which pairs nicely with 2.8”-3.8” tires.
For those riders looking for something a touch more conventional, Industry Nine recently released the BackCountry 360. These rims have a 36mm inner diameter which is optimized for tires between 2.4”-3.0.” Both wheelsets are available in 27.5” and 29” versions.
Technology
Why does internal rim width matter so much? Well, there’s a lot of reasons, but the word you’re looking for is traction. A wider rim provides better lateral support. Since your sidewalls don’t have to do as much work, you can get away with running less air pressure without burping or squirming. The end result is improved traction.
Rear frame clearance on the Santa Cruz Hightower with 2.3” Maxxis tires mounted on the Industry Nine BackCountry 360 wheelset.
There are some downsides. The big one is frame clearance. The other is that most tires were designed around much narrower rims. When mounted on new generation rims, the tire profile can be a little square, which can get sketchy when you lean your bike over.
For all things rolling, head over to the Mtbr wheels page.
Luckily, manufacturers have caught on quickly. Not only are there some excellent plus sized tire options now available, but brands have a slew of new 2.5” and 2.6” offerings in the works. When paired with wider rim offerings, the end result is magical. Not that we’ve covered the theory, let’s get back to the goods.
The BackCountry 360 rims have a 36mm inner diameter and a 40mm external. They come pre-taped from the factory with tubeless valves.
Rims
The BackCountry 360 rims weigh a claimed 570g. They have a narrow center channel and a wider bead shell to ease tubeless setup. The bead walls are also flared to help stand up to impacts and improve tire profile.
Claimed weight for the front hub is 150g. The rear hub is 260g.
Hubs
The rims are laced to Industry Nine’s Torch Hubs. These hubs are manufactured in the United States and feature a dependable 6-pawl freehub that delivers 120 points of engagement (or 3 degrees). We love them because they’re lighter than almost anything else on the market (ok, DT hubs are lighter, but they don’t have nearly the same POE) and they’re available in anodized purple.
Continue to page 2 for more of the Mtbr Industry Nine BackCountry 360 wheelset review »
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