Syntace MTB Carbon and Aluminum Wheels at Eurobike 5

Syntace has fresh, new wheels in both aluminum and carbon for 2018. Keeping up with demands of modern trail and enduro riders, Syntace offers their C and W wheels with internal rim widths of 28, 33mm and 40mm. The wheel names translate into the product - the W28i is aluminum with a 28mm internal width and the C33i is carbon with a 33mm width.

Rim profiles are new with a V shape for impact resistance, internal bead lock, and a groove in the rim seat. Lots of work went into the durability of the carbon rims, as Syntace worked on different layups and shapes of the sidewall, especially in the bead area, which can be quite sensitive on carbon rims as per recent experiences.

Syntace's wheels use an all-new set of hubs, both front and rear. Completely redesigned, there's a star-ratchet system that looks like VP's but offers 45 teeth for improved engagement. The previous versions used only 28 or  36 teeth, so it's quite a big step up in engagement.

All the wheels use 28 straight-pull spokes, and they've still managed to keep the weight of their hubs on par with what the old j-bend hubs were. Typically a straight-pull spoke hub weighs more than the j-bend equivalent.

Syntace claims a 1,580-gram wheelset weight for the C33i with a very high level of impact resistance. The price of about $1,800 USD for the carbon wheelset is inline with what the competition is doing. The aluminum W33i rolls at 1,790g for the set and a price of about $950 USD.

The Syntace C and W wheels are available now in 27.5-inch and they are making 26- and 29-inch versions of almost everything. Find your way over to www.syntace.com to get more info.