Spank newest all-mountain/enduro wheelset offers a lovely combination of numbers. Firstly, it weighs in at one,640g; second, it’s accessible in 26in, 29er and 650b (27.5in) sizes; third, the wheels ar simply over £350/US$590, creating them, on the face of things, a bargain.
The chunky 28H EVO Dynamal alloy rims ar laced to Spank’s own outsized SSL (Single Spoke Length) flanged hub bodies with some tidy straight-pull spokes.
The Super-Lite CNC optimised freehub offers lots of snappy pick-up and, despite months of muddy and gritty all-mountain abuse, has thrown up no trace of play or provide.
The same may be aforesaid of the Japanese-made bearings, that ar wobble-free once being tanked into boulder once boulder on a recent Scottish excursion. The tank-like strength felt nearly at odds with the sunshine weight and tag right from the off. These were smart.
The Fratelli-made rims ar all made from one length of fabric (as opposition 2 or 3 being cut from a extended length). The result’s larger consistency and strength. they’re additionally sleeved and warranted as opposition fastened, additionally for accrued strength.
After being handbuilt, every individual wheel is then pre-stressed nightlong before being re-trued the subsequent day to make sure a fit-and-forget performance. It’s a powerful quantity of technical school and a spotlight to detail for the money.
The front shaft is swappable between QR15 and regular quick-release (QR), with 20mm adaptors for chunkier forked warriors additionally accessible. The rear is 142x12mm prepared however also can be swapped all the way down to regular 135mm QR, creating them a lovely upgrade proposition for many of riders.
Keith Bontrager’s recent expression of “Light, cheap, sturdy – select two”, is dispelled by the seeping wheels. We’ve been defeated by wheels doubly the value, nevertheless the Spanks provide a winning dance band of reliableness, feel and strength, which might have them sport gravity enduros at the weekends whereas endeavour once work cross-country throughout the week. They’re additionally accessible in black, if chrome isn’t your factor.
