About a year and a half ago, Industry Nine introduced two new wheel lines for All Road and Gravel. The move came shortly after introducing their new SOLiX hub line, which was built around offering lighter hubs with reduced drag, but still keeping the engagement very high.
The result is a hub with 605 points of engagement using 5 pawls that are continuously phased and a 121-tooth drivering. That 0.59º engagement sounds like a lot, and it is… just not as fast as their new Hydra 2 hubs with 0.41º engagement. Realistically, though, the 0.59º engagement is way more than you need for road riding, so the decreased drag and lighter weight of the SOLiX hub is a perfect match for the new Aero Road Wheels.
With Gravel and All Road already accounted for with the SOLiX G and SOLiX SL AR, Industry Nine is focusing on fast road riding with the new SOLiX Aero Road collection.
Offered in the R35, R50, or R65 (R for Road), the new rims are slightly wider with an updated aero profile meant to match modern wider road tires. I9 states that the wheels are optimized for 28-30mm tires for the best aero performance, but I’ve been riding them with 32mm tires without issue, as the safe tire range is listed as 25-35mm.
The main goals for I9 with the new Aero line were to offer more stability in varied wind conditions, while also reducing aero drag and rim weight. Notably, only the middle R50 changes in depth, with the previous middle rim measuring 45mm. Compared to I9’s most recent Aero road wheels, it seems that they’ve met their goals, claiming improvements on every rim size. Compared to previous models, the R35 boasts a 3% weight reduction and 7% reduction in average watt/hr, the R50 is 3% lighter and 2% more efficient, and the R65 is 5% lighter and 10% more efficient.
All of the rims feature a 22mm internal width (up 1mm from the previous 21mm), continuing with a hooked profile for easy tubeless setup and improved tire retention. Built with 24 bladed steel straight-pull spokes, the spoke nipples are external for easy maintenance.
Available with Centerlock hubs only, the hubs are available in either standard quick-release spacing (100/135), or the more modern 12 x 100/142mm thru axle spacing. Four different freehubs are offered, including Shimano HG11 or MS-R, SRAM XD-R, and Campy N3W.
Wheelsets start at $2,265 for the R35 in black and top out at $2,295 for the R65. Of course, you can customize the colors of your wheels with the I9 Ano lab, and choose individual hub colors, nipple colors, and upgrade to ceramic bearings, all for additional costs. Wheels will also be available individually, or as mixed sets with a deeper profile for the back.
SOLiX Aero wheels are covered by the Industry Nine Carbon Rim Limited Lifetime Guarantee, which provides lifetime rim coverage against defects or impact damage for the original owner – just be sure to read the warranty policy to get the full details.
I9 SOLiX R50 Aero Wheel Review
Industry Nine set us up with a set of the new SOLiX Aero wheels well ahead of the launch date, so we could frontload the miles. I opted for the middle R50 as that depth has been my daily go-to for a while now. A lot of my road riding is flat, but then there are plenty of climbs out of the river valleys where a lighter wheel is still welcomed.
On the scale, my R50s with tape, valves, and an XD-R freehub checked in at 779g for the rear and 664g for the front. That puts them at 1,443g for the pair, slightly over the 1,410g claimed – which likely means the claimed weight is without tape or valves.
One of my favorite aspects of the new SOLiX wheels is how easy it was to set up tubeless. I had decided to use a pair of Schwalbe Pro One tubeless tires in 700 x 32mm as my tire of choice. These were the same tires that I have been struggling with to hold tubeless on another wheelset for a year. Turns out, it’s definitely not the tire that was the issue.
The Schwalbes mounted up to the SOLiX rims incredibly easily, and without the need for tools. A quick burst from the air compressor seated the tires effortlessly, and they’ve held air since without any issue.
Notably, the same tires that barely filled out to the claimed 32mm on previous rims now measured 35mm on the SOLiX rims. For me, that was perfect because I wanted to run wider tires, and it fits in the frame and fork of my bike. But keep that in mind when you’re selecting your tire width.
The SOLiX wheels feel like a perfect fit for my Why Cycles PR road bike. It’s been a favorite of mine for years, and in spite of the 32mm claimed tire clearance for the frame, the 35mm tires on the SOLiX rim just fit. Note that my wheels were sent with blacked-out graphics from the previous I9 Aero line, and the production graphics will match the studio shots above. While custom graphics are not offered through I9, you can get custom decals through I9’s official partners: Slik Graphics or Groundkeeper.
The hubs have that trademark I9 sound, but it’s quieter and higher-pitched than the Hydra hubs. It’s also quieter and less aggressive than the DT Swiss freehub on the Roval wheels these replaced. People will still hear you coming if you’re coasting, but it’s not as intrusive.
At this point, I’ve had quite a few rides on the Industry Nine SOLiX wheels, including a few that were very wet. Everything is rolling just as smoothly as they were out of the box – maybe smoother. My test wheels have the standard steel bearings in them, but they still spin incredibly well. One of the main goals of the SOLiX hub design was to decrease drag, and you can certainly feel that on the road.
It’s always hard to quantify aero improvements out on the open road, but I can say that the wheels feel very composed in gusty cross winds. I’ve yet to have that hair-raising experience where the wind muscles your front wheel out from under you, forcing you to react and fight the gusts.
Just as important, the SOLiX wheels have an excellent ride feel. Coupled with the added cushion of a tire measuring 35mm, it will be very hard to go back to anything else. I had the realization the other day that I’m never going to ride a 25mm road tire again, and honestly, 28mm tires will probably be in that same category soon.
You can find lighter, or cheaper wheels, but there are few out there that offer this combination of ride quality, performance, ease of use, and the ability to make them your own. The new SOLiX Aero Road Wheels check a lot of boxes and are a perfect addition to your favorite modern road bike.
