26″ wheels aren’t dead yet. Well, at least not when it comes to dirt jump and park bikes. While the wheel size is very much alive, it’s easy to kill individual wheels while trying to hone your skills. You need a wheelset that is burly, something that won’t immediately go out of true on your first 270° when you were going for a three. Something like the all new DJSinglé from SUNringlé.
Out of the box, the DJSinglés are ready to go with a purpose built single speed cassette body, an oversized rear axle designed for horizontal drops, and 15 or 20mm thru axle compatible front. All this, and at a price that won’t break the bank.
Flip past the break for more.
The DJSinglé is essentially the production equivalent of the custom dirt jump wheel set I built up years ago. Wheels that, other than replacing the occasional nipple thanks to the salt covered car rides to Rays, have been rock solid. Back then, the SUNringlé Inferno didn’t exist so it was a pair of SUNringlé MTX33s. The use of Inferno 31 rims for the DJSinglé helps to strike a balance between longevity and light weight.
At 31mm wide externally, and 25.3mm internally, the Infernos will provide a stable foot print for your tire to keep it from rolling over on side impacts. Offered in 26″ only, the DJSinglé is not tubeless compatible, because come on – no one rides tubeless on their dirt jumper. Built with a unique finish that is accomplished by media blasting the rim before anodizing, the wheels are finished off with subtle graphics that won’t make you immediately peel them off. But it that’s your choice, they are removable.
Held in place with 32 spokes on both wheels, the hubs are one of the biggest draws of the DJSinglé. Considering the wheels retail for $499, the inclusion of a dirt jump specific single speed cassette rear hub is impressive considering similar hubs retail for over $250 alone. The use of a cassette body instead of a single speed driver like a BMX hub, allow you to fine tune the chainline or in some cases fit more than one gear on the hub. This can be used for setting up micro drives, or just having different single speed ratios ready to go.
The hub includes the cassette lock ring, but does not include a spacer kit for the cogs. These are available separately, or if you’re wanting to do it on the cheap go down to your local bike shop and ask them to save some old, worn out cassettes for you. Most of them can be pulled apart and you can scavenge the spacers inside. SUNringlé doesn’t mention this, but due to the alloy freehub body, we wouldn’t recommend use of the cheap single speed cogs because they will probably cut into the splines. Instead, use something that has a wide foot print on the freehub body, there are plenty available.
The rear hub is held in place with 3/8″ steel axle bolts that sit in aluminum caps. Specifically designed for horizontal drop outs, the hub is only offered in 135mm spacing which is the standard on most dirt jump frames. Inside, you’ll find a burly 3 pawl drive system capable of withstanding hard landings. Service of the freehub body is fairly simple using two 17mm cone wrenches, though you will probably need an axle vice after you break the first end cap free.
The front hub is shipped in the 20mm configuration, but includes the adapters need for running a 15mm axle. Both hubs are fitted with premium cartridge bearings and are 6 bolt disc compatible. The specs list the DJSinglé as having straight pull spokes, but it’s probably better that they don’t. If you break a spoke, replacements for the Wheelsmith double butted spokes and brass nipples should be easy to come by at your local shop.
I’ve had a chance to run a number of lighter wheels on my DJ bike over the years, but it’s one bike in my fleet that light weight usually doesn’t win out. Still, the DJSinglé aren’t exactly heavy. In fact, considering the build they actually pretty light at 940g for the front, and 1,160 for the rear with all hardware, rim strips, and cassette lockring. Remove the rim strips and they’ll definitely be close to the 2065g claimed weight for the set.
We can’t wait to get these up to Ray’s MTB to try them out! (Definitely not me above).
