The big news from Praxis Works at Sea Otter was that the company is getting into the wheel market. Showing two beautiful new carbon wheels, Praxis Works captured our attention with the Trail/AM C32 and the Road/Gravel/Cross focused RC21.
But it appears they have another trick up their sleeve. This time it’s an aluminum wheelset that should make XC/Trail riders happy if their budget for new hoops falls under $1000 (by a few hundred)…
Built around an aluminum rim with 29mm external and 24mm internal dimensions, the AL24 is narrower than their new carbon wheel but still fairly wide by XC standards. Like the carbon rims, the aluminum little brother uses an asymmetrical spoke bed for more even spoke tension and is tubeless ready but this time uses a hooked bead lock. While the carbon wheels have a built-in platform for the lock nut on the valve core, it looks like the AL24s get an adapter that sits under the lock nut and provides the same result.
Laced with J-bend spokes to external alloy nipples and DT370 hubs front and rear, the 32 hole hubs use a more standard 3 pawl freehub mechanism as opposed to the Star Ratchet. Weights are claimed to be in the 1660g (27.5″ w/ freehub and rim tape) and the 1798g (29″ w/ freehub and rim tape) ball park, with pricing set at $699. The aluminum wheels should be available around the same time as the carbon wheels which will be early summer.
