As the old saying goes: "You only ever get two out of three." Light and stiff is not cheap, light and cheap is not stiff, cheap and stiff is not light. This applies to almost all mountain bike parts, but especially to wheels. Carbon has also set new standards in wheel construction in terms of stiffness and lightness, while prices have skyrocketed. Especially with cult brands such as Enve and Ritchey, you can easily buy a sensibly equipped touring fully for the price of a wheelset.
Zeal: Light and stiff carbon wheels at fair prices
The wheel builders at Dutch company Zeal are said to have successfully squared the circle. Stiff and light carbon wheels at a fair price in direct sales. First the hard facts: The new 29er MTB wheelset "Houffa", named after the legendary World Cup course in Houffalize, Belgium, is said to weigh just 1445 grams. 50 grams less than the XMC 1200 from DT Swiss, for example, which costs a good 600 euros. The intended use is clear from the name: Cross Country. The inner rim width is a sensible 25 millimetres, the manufacturer promises high rigidity and top quality - spoked by hand. At 1399 euros for the complete set, the price is a real challenge. Matching wheel bags, pre-assembled Schwalbe Evolution tyres (Racing Ralph/Rocket Ron) and a six-year warranty are included.
Even on closer inspection, the wheelset is no slouch. The hubs were developed in collaboration with DT Swiss and are produced in Switzerland, with 28 Sapim bladed spokes being spoked by experienced wheel builders in Europe. The maximum system weight is a solid 120 kilograms, the carbon rim is laminated using the UD layup process, weighs just 370 grams and should offer lateral stiffness and therefore steering precision as well as comfort. Zeal is so confident in the quality of its own product that it offers a six-year guarantee from the initial purchase for normal cross-country and marathon use, even for a second owner should the wheelset change hands within the six years. Incidentally, sporadic jumps up to a height of 60 centimetres are included. A first test soon in BIKE will show whether the Zeal wheels actually deliver what they promise.
25 years of industry experience: the brains behind Zeal
Sounds like a pretty coherent overall package at a fair price. And that's no coincidence. Although Zeal was only founded in 2016, the two leading figures at the company, Roland ten Brinke and Daniel Bley, have a combined 25 years of experience in the bicycle industry. While Roland ten Brinke was initially responsible for the European consumer market as sales manager at Sram for many years and then became co-owner of FFWD Wheels, Daniel Bley was in charge of marketing at Canyon.
On Zeal's customer-friendly website you will find all the details about the Houffa wheels, as well as lots of exciting background information. It's worth clicking through: Link
Adrian Kaether
Editor
