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Boyd Cycling’s Jocassee gravel wheels get wider, lighter 700c version

Boyd Jocassee detail 1
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Boyd cycling introduced the Jocassee gravel wheelset in early 2017, just as the gravel bike boom was finding its path. Initially offered in only a 650b option, the Jocassee offered a competitive edge for the gravel crowd. The wider 24mm internal width offered an excellent footprint and nicely cradled most 32-35mm tires. The 36mm deep semi-aero rim shape is something we still see used on many gravel wheels today. The only fault is the Jocassee was only available in the 650b size configuration — until now.

Boyd Jocassee 700c gravel wheel set

Boyd cycling didn’t just make a 700c Jocassee though, they went through and updated the entire line to better suit today’s gravel standards. The new Jocassee wheelsets offer a more comprehensive rim platform and a shallower depth to suit many gravel grinders.

Boyd Jocassee carbon gravel wheel rim detail

 

Boyd’s updated Jocassee rim.

The new Jocassee rim is a tubeless compatible hookless carbon rim, boasting a 26mm wide internal width and a shallower (and lighter) 25mm depth. This new construction takes overall weight down to a svelt 338g in the 650b and 353g in the 700c configurations.

Boyd Jocassee carbon gravel wheel detail 5

Boyd settled on the 26mm internal width noting the 36mm+ tires now used on gravel bikes. The 26mm width is just enough to cradle the tire and keep voluminous casings happy without distorting treads.

Boyd Jocassee carbon gravel wheel detail 3

Spoke drilling is the same as the previous model (24h front/28h rear) with a 2.8mm offset, which Boyd claims to offer more uniform spoke tension.

Boyd Jocassee carbon gravel rim from the side

The new Jocassee rims are laced to Boyd’s Quest hubs via Pillar Wing 20 spokes. The wheelset employs external alloy nipples for lightweight construction and easy truing.

Boyd Quest hubs

The go-to hub for most Boyd wheels is the Quest center lock. The in-house hubs weigh in at 120g for the front and 245g for the rear.

Boyd Jocassee Quest hub detail

Inside the Quest hub, the 12 x 142 axle spins on Enduro Abec 5 LLU/LLB bearing — keeping the ride smooth and maintenance at a minimum. The Boyd Quest hub features a fast 5-degree engagement and tool-free service/assembly.

Boyd Jocassee Quest front hub detail

One nice thing about tool-free service is the ease of swapping freehub bodies. The Quest hubs are available in Shimano Hyperglide & Microspline, Sram XDR, Campy, & Campy N3W.

Boyd Jocassee Quest rear hub detail

Boyd Jocassee Wheelset Specs:

Inner Width: 26mm
Depth: 25mm
Spoke Offset: 2.8mm

Front Spoke Count: 24 (2x lacing pattern)
Rear Spoke Count: 28 (2x lacing pattern)

Front weight: 575 grams (650b) / 605 grams (700c)
Rear weight: 725 grams (650b) / 745 grams (700c)
Set weight: 1300 grams (650b) / 1350 grams (700c)

*Wheels come with tubeless tape and valves installed.

Pricing and availability

Price: $825 front / $925 rear / $1750 set

The Jocassee wheels are handbuilt in Greenville, SC, feature a lifetime warranty against manufacturer’s defects, and come with a lifetime crash replacement program. Boyd Cycling wheels and accessories through dealers and online at www.boydcycling.com

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K-Pop is dangerous to your health
K-Pop is dangerous to your health
2 years ago

I appreciate all the options 2nd tier wheel brands provide, however it seems that some are missing the mark on price points with all the cheap Asian made parts. For $1750 you’d think it would be laced up with at least a White Ind or i9 hub set.

K-Pop is dangerous to your health
K-Pop is dangerous to your health
2 years ago

Just shopped around a bit and not surprisingly finding some really great stuff, prime example here.

Light Bicycle WR35, 25mm internal hookless laced to DT180 hubs, 1382gm for about $1400 shipped. Why can I get a wheel with basically the pinnacle of aftermarket hubs for $350 less than a Jocassee?

Anyone from Boyd care to explain your high price tag? When somebody asks the hard questions on this site 9 times out of 10 we normally don’t hear from the brands to back anything up. Change my mind.

Boydcycling
2 years ago

Hey K-Pop,

There will always be somebody who is willing to sell a product for cheaper, and there will always be somebody who is willing to cut the corners needed to sell a product for cheaper.

Light Bicycle (using your example) has done a good job in the past few years of making a name for themselves and there are plenty of people happy with their wheels. However, I still think we have some great advantages.

The rim differences.
We use an offset rim bed on all of our wheels which helps to even out spoke tension between right and left side. The new Jocassee wheel is dedicated hookless as it’s specific to gravel wheels. With this, compared to the LB rims we are coming in at 353 grams for the 700c whereas the rim example you gave is 430 grams.

One thing to note as well, we have our 36 road disc and Pinnacle rims that are made in the same mold. By swapping out the sliders we make a hooked version for road and a hookless version for gravel. The gravel version has an internal width of 23.4mm, whereas the hooked version has an internal width of 22mm. I have noticed where the Light Bicycle rims share the same inner and outer dimensions, which should not happen given the different width requirements of a hooked versus hookless rim.

The hubs differences
Obviously DT Swiss is a great hub option, and they are selling a lot at OEM prices. This is where the “always somebody willing to sell cheaper” comes into play. For the companies who won’t want to follow the MSRP rules set forth by the manufacturers they will sell the hubs for less than wholesale pricing. A lot of times these companies will get cut off, but then will buy at OEM pricing again under a different company name.
This may do the consumer a “favor” at the expense of bike shops and the manufacturer, but is not the game of ethics we want to play.

Our Quest hubs tick all the boxes of what you could want in a hub set. We stock them with Enduro Abec 5 LLU/LLB bearings, they have great flange geometry, tool free service and freehub body swapping, and come in at a very respectable 120 grams for the front and 245 grams for the rear. Add to this the 5 degree engagement, and the ability to run J-Bend spokes versus straight pull, and we have a hub that quite a few custom wheel builders have started buying as one of their premium options.

We do all of our wheel building in house in Greenville, SC and for over a decade the quality of our wheel builds has been the consistent mark of praise for people who rides for years without ever having to touch their wheels for service. All wheels are hand built, go through multiple levels of QC, and have to be held to the tightest of specs to leave the building.

We also employ one of the most amazing crews I have ever seen (sure, I am biased). Our wheel builders and other crew work incredibly hard and as a business owner I am proud to pay them a wage that has allowed them to raise a family, buy a house, and even plan for retirement. Since 2009, since we started the company, we’ve had 5 separate people buy their first ever house while working for us. This is something I take a lot of pride in.

Lastly, we have tons of inventory in stock, including all the parts needed to quickly get a customer rolling again if anything should happen. Gravel riding sees people taking their equipment to the extreme, and sometimes an unexpected situation can occur where a new part is needed. We have a lifetime warranty, and a lifetime crash replacement program that gets a customer back up and riding again. We also support independent bike shops throughout the country (and world), and continue growing our dealer network. It’s a lot of fun working together with other small business owners, especially when we can be in a situation to help them.

Overall, we are having fun and business is going crazy. Sure, there may be somebody will will try and sell cheaper. However, when you look at the combination of wheel design, build quality, product availability, product support, and our standing behind every product then I really like our price to performance ratio. I know a lot of customers and bike shops agree with me.

Andy Holak
Andy Holak
1 year ago
Reply to  Boydcycling

THIS, is a tremendous response from the companies OWNER! Great explanation by Boydcycling and support for their product. You positively influenced me and I WILL be buying a set of Boyd Jocassee wheels! I’ve done a LOT of research on gravel wheelsets and truly believe the weight/performance to price value is just about the best with the Boyd Jocassee. It made it to the top of my list even before I saw this review and response from Boyd. Add to that, a company employing locals and paying them a living wage – I’m sold!!!

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