SEA OTTER CLASSIC 2010 – A-Class debuted their new superlight VXD-1 mountain bike wheelset that features Scandium rims for a 1360g weight.
By going with the lightweight material for the rim, they kept the spoke count fairly high for a lightweight set with 28 front and 32 rear, and not a radial lace in sight. Even the hub flanges are tall, which should put these hoops on the stiffer side of the lightweight racing wheel spectrum.
Add to that the four Japanese cartridge bearings on the inside, and A-Class may just have a durable race winner on its hands. The icing on the cake? They use easily serviceable/replaceable DT Aerolite spokes, so you’re less likely to get stranded with a broken wheel when you’re away from home.
More pics and specs after the break…
The Scandium rim will also be available separately. It tips the scales at just 300g and retails for $140.
The rim has a 23mm outer width and 18mm inner width, so it’s fairly thin, but the intended use is XC racing only.
The aluminum hubs will be available in either red or black, and they’ll have both 6-bolt and CenterLock options. Weights listed are for 6-bolt version, the CenterLock will be slightly lighter, but then you have to add the weight of the adapter if you’re not running Shimano rotors.
Axles are 9mm QR skewer only. Individual wheel weights are 610g front and 750g rear, and retail for the set is $1,299 USD.
