Review of Industry Nine’s Torch Trail carbon 29er wheelset
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Very few options are available when looking for a light and durable high end carbon wheelset for a 29er mountain bike. This year, Industry Nine has redesigned and improved their already respectable hubs and combined them with Reynolds carbon rims to create possibly the best 29er wheelset ever made.
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Out of the box and ready to ride, my wheelset weighed in at 1564g (with rim tape and tubeless valve installed). This wheelset is fully compatible with UST or tubeless ready tires but the first thing I did was setting them up on a set of Maxxis Icon (non-tubeless) tires with some Stan’s latex. No change in tire pressure or burping was noted during my rides (usually ride them at 25-35 psI for XC riding). Also tested was a pair of Continental race kings (non-tubeless) with the same results. Although there is loss of air through the sidewalls of the race kings (very porous) compared to the Icon Maxxis EXO EXC which hold air perfectly well.
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First ride impressions: light wheels = quicker acceleration and faster climbing. Wheels are rock solid stiff, no flexing at all, resulting in very confident riding, accurate cornering and control. Also immediately noticeable is the amazing instant engagement these hubs provide. The six-pawl freehub offers 120 engagement points and that translates into immediate engagement. Compared to previously ridden XTR, Mavic or DT Swiss wheels, you don’t waste that fraction of a second every time you apply power to the pedals. Also noticed on my first ride was the buzz emitted by the rear hub when coasting. After the first rides, it fades somewhat and I don’t notice it anymore.
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Industry Nine’s new Torch hubs :
-Redesigned to save weight and decrease drag while coasting
- Three-degree engagement and 120 points of contact in the drive system = instant engagement
-New seal system with silicone lip, o-ring and Teflon seal that protects the bearings and inner mechanism
-Super smooth bearings, also available in ceramic
- Oversized and butted axle provides exceptional hub stiffness
- Rear hub is compatible with QR, 10x135, 12x135 and 12x142 just by swapping endcaps
- Front hub is compatible with QR, 9mm thru-bolt, 15mm and 20mm by swapping endcaps
-Freehub is compatible with 9/10 speed or XX1.
- Freehub is very easy to remove and clean
-Available in your choice of colors
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Industry Nine’s spokes :
-24 aluminum spokes per wheel, straight-pull 2/1 lacing pattern ; 16 spokes on the rear drive and front disk side
- Tangential spoke lacing, this increases wheel and spoke durability
- Butted driveside spokes are thicker near the hub, this reduces the risk of spoke damage due to overshifting and improves lateral stiffness
- Torx fittings for easy removal or maintenance
-Finer thread pitch reduces the risk of spokes losing tension over time and easier to true
-Available in your choice of colors
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Reynold’s Carbon rims :
-Inner width : 21mm, depth : 28mm (deep rims = the shortest 29er spokes I9 has ever done)
-MR5 carbon
- Engineered with durability and strength in mind to accommodate almost any riding style
-Weight : approx 430g
-No nipples required
Bottom line
Unlike most top of the line wheelsets, this isn’t a “race day only” purchase. These wheels are built strong, light and durable to provide exceptional performance whether you’re racing or just having fun on your bike. They are built to last and offer rock solid performance, without need of regular tuning, spoke adjustments and bearing changes. I’ve been riding aggressively and took a few hits, the wheel are 100% straight and with carbon rims and I9’s solid spoke set-up, I don’t expect them to warp anytime soon. If every second counts in your world, the instant engagement is a real plus. Industry Nine had the Torch series in development for two years now and they made improvements wherever necessary to make sure all features of their wheelsets are class-leading. The Torch series is available in various sizes (26, 27.5 and 29) and they offer different rim and lacing options. The Torch Trail wheelset is priced at 1170$ and the carbon rimmed version is 2500$. In my opinion, this made in the USA wheelset from Industry Nine is the best one money can buy. I’ll follow up later this summer on how the wheels are holding up and performing on race day.