Reynolds 27.5 Enduro carbon wheelset review
The Reynolds 27.5 Enduro carbon wheels in 40mm internal Plus model are ideal for 2.8 to 3.0 tires since one can experiment with low pressures because these carbon hoops are tough enough to withstand a few hits.
Lowdown: Reynolds 27.5 Enduro Carbon Wheelset
The Reynolds 27.5 Enduro was our wheelset of choice on our dream Nomad build. Industry Nine hubs with a hookless 28mm internal rim allowed us to try a variety of tires from 2.2 to 2.5 without compromising the profile of the tire. It was wide but not too wide for what tires are currently designed for.
This wheelset is light at 1660 grams but not so light that usage is restricted to lighter duty rides. The rims are asymmetric and spokes are bladed for a build that’s balanced and strong. Spoke lengths are equal on both sides and with spoke tensions not too far apart.
Reynolds 27.5 Enduro has a 28mm internal width.
Most important of all, this carbon rim is not only light but bomber with what Reynolds calls MR5 technology. This refers to 5 different types of carbon weave that they utilize in different parts of the rim. Areas that see impact are built to withstand that and areas that see great tension receive design benefits as well.
| Weight: 1660g | Hub: Reynolds Hub by Industry Nine |
| Width: External: 34.00mm, Internal: 28.00mm | Rotor type: Center Lock Rotor |
| Rim depth: 29.00mm | Price: $2500 |
| Spokes: 28 front / 28 rear |
Rating:  4.5 out of 5 |
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Review: Reynolds 27.5 Enduro Carbon Wheelset
We took our time with this review as wheels are quite hard to evaluate these days. There’s a lot of good wheels out there, especially carbon and it’s not easy to tell the differences between them immediately. But we put this on our most demanding bike, the Santa Cruz Nomad and we later realized it was the exact same wheelset we’ve been using on our test Pivot Switchblade in 29er and Plus forms.
Reynolds 27.5 Enduro features bladed spokes.
These wheels have been flawless on the Nomad as they’ve been stiff performers, complementing the carving abilities of the bike. Wheels were never an issue as there’s very little lateral movement of the hub and spokes. It’s just a solid build.
Hub performance has been solid, too as the quick engagement comes in handy on technical climbs. We’ve never hear a pop or hesitation from these hubs under full power.
These two great bikes have the same wheelset.
But the real revelation of the wheels are how strong the rims are. Taking it to Downieville, Tahoe and Moab, we’ve hit the rim on rocks several times as the hard landings with insufficient pressure gave us that dreadful rim impact sound. On two occasions, we pinch flatted, with the worst one puncturing the tire on the bead and on the tread! Our tubeless tire had no chance of sealing but a careful inspection of the rim revealed a half millimeter nick on the edge of the rim but no other damage.
While in Downieville, we heard the rear rim hit bottom as we landed on rocks using a 2.8 Plus tire. We stopped and realized that pressure was too low at 14 psi but there was no damage to the rims at all. It was a great reassurance that we could experiment with tire pressures using this wheel and not be overly concerned that the carbon rim would get damaged.
Reynolds 27.5 Enduro front wheel comes in at 769 grams with rim tape. Light enough for XC race and strong enough for downhill World Cup.
So there we have it, a great new option for high end carbon wheels. They were flawless in our testing and our only reservation with giving it a 5-chili pepper rating is the high price at $2500.
But given its performance, weight and strength plus the availability in different wheel size options, the Reynolds 27.5 Enduro is surely a standout in the wheel arena.
For more information visit www.reynoldscycling.com.
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