Just a few weeks ago, Berd introduced what they claimed was the “lightest 30mm XC wheelset in the world.” Well, it didn’t take long for someone else to take the crown. But good news for Berd – they’re still part of the new record holder.
Recently, NOBL introduced the TR36 and TR38 in its Signature Series. The new wheels bucked the carbon wheel standard, opting for a layup that provides more compliance than the stiff carbon wheels we might be used to.
And, now, NOBL introduces a completely new lineup of wheels–Ethos. Ethos features six new wheelsets from XC to gravity, providing the perfect option for each discipline.
NOBL built the wheels in each category to hit a specific weight, strength, and ride feel. They did this by using a new rim design, Berd Spokes, and the new Ethos Ti70 hub.
And, at the very front of the Ethos mountain wheel lineup is the SL 180 wheel. The carbon wheelset weighs just 993g, which makes it the lightest production wheelset with a 30mm inner width in the world. But, honestly, all the weights are pretty impressive.
Here’s a bird’s-eye view of the new wheels.
NOBL Ethos Lineup
Superlight
Ethos SL180 Wheelset
As mentioned, these are now the “world’s lightest 30mm inner width production wheels.” They were built with short track XC and ultralight XC racing in mind and are the only wheels not using NOBL’s new Ethos hub.
- 29” only
- DT Swiss 180 hubs
- Berd Polylight spokes (28 F/R)
- 30mm internal width
- 993g
- $2,499 USD // $3,369 CAD
Ethos SL Wheelset
Here we have essentially the same wheelset as above, but NOBL uses its Ethos Ti70 hubs in the build. This adds 40g but still keeps the SL wheels incredibly light and perfect for short-track XC and ultralight XC racing.
- 29” only
- Ethos Ti70 hubs
- Berd Polylight spokes (28 F/R)
- 30mm internal width
- 1033g
- $2,299 USD // $3,069 CAD
Ethos XC Wheelset
NOBL added a bit of strength and stability with a reinforced layup on the XC wheelset. The XC wheels are intended for XC riding and racing, but also for the everyday rider who wants quality performance from their wheels. Like the SL wheelset, the XC wheels feature Berd spokes and the new Ethos hub.
- 29” only
- Ethos Ti70 hubs
- Berd Polylight spokes (28 F/R)
- 30mm internal width
- 1175g
- $2,199 USD // $2,969 CAD
Still Pretty Light
Ethos Trail Wheelset
NOBL says their Ethos Trail wheels span the “trail” spectrum, from lighter-duty to all-mountain riding—an aggressive claim for a wheelset under 1,400g. Tuned for better performance in rougher terrain, the Trail wheels smooth out chatter yet remain snappy in corners.
- 29” only
- Ethos Ti70 hubs
- Berd Polylight spokes (28 F/R)
- 30mm internal width
- 1338g
- $2,299 USD // $3,069 CAD
Ethos Enduro Wheelset
As the name suggests, these are the go-to for enduro riding. Unlike the four previous lighter-duty Ethos offerings, the Enduro wheels feature a smaller 27.5 rim. Builds are available in full 29, full 27.5, or mixed-wheels. And while the same Ethos hub is used, NOBL opted for the beefier Polylight-X spokes with the enduro build.
- 29”, 27.5”, or MX
- Ethos Ti70 hubs
- Berd Polylight-X spokes (28 F/R)
- 30mm internal width
- 1551g
- $2,299 USD // $3,069 CAD
Ethos HD Wheelset
Simply put, NOBL says these are the strongest wheels they’ve ever made and tested. “HD” is for delivering “Heavy-Duty” performance, which is needed to sustain the significant impacts of DH and bike park riding and the torque of e-bikes. However, they do venture a bit from the other five wheelsets in the lineup.
They are the only wheels with 32 spokes, front and rear, and Berd spokes aren’t used for this build. The rims are also a touch wider at 35mm internal.
Despite these “weight penalties,” NOBL still delivers a wheel under 2000g.
- 29”, 27.5”, or MX
- Erase J-Bend hubs
- Alpina Extralite steel spokes (32 F/R)
- 35mm internal width
- 1971g
- $1,799 USD // $2,469 CAD
Rim Profile
The Ethos wheels represent a completely new rim from NOBL, each engineered with its discipline in mind. Along with emphasizing performance in those disciplines, each rim is designed to improve impact durability and ride quality.
NOBL did this by designing the rims to be intentionally shallow. Rim depths range from 18.5mm on the SL wheels to 23mm at the gravity end of the spectrum. A shallower profile reduces torsional stiffness, allowing the rim to absorb impacts and provide the amount of lateral deflection NOBL wanted.
A high strength rate is maintained with a flared hookless bead profile. The rim flares outward at the bead, creating a larger surface area to absorb and disperse impacts more effectively. Then, the bead wall is tapered, allowing extra strength where needed and weight savings (due to less material) where it is not. NOBL also integrated a flexible material into the rim bead to dissipate impact energy without adding weight.
Durability is also enhanced with specific rim profiles for the front and rear wheels (excluding the HD Wheelset). On the Ethos wheels, NOBL provides a bit more compliance and weight savings up front, and a bit more durability in the rear.
But wheels still break. Fortunately, NOBL offers a lifetime rim warranty: “If you break your rims while using the product for its intended use, we will send you a replacement rim at no charge; you will only pay shipping costs.”
Hubs
Matching the performance of the Ethos rims are the Ethos Ti70 hubs (which seem very similar to the Berd Talon ESL hubs). The hubs feature 70 points of engagement (5.14°) on a titanium freehub body. NOBL worked with Berd to use its proprietary Hook Flang design on the Ethos hubs, optimizing strength while ensuring a secure and straightforward build.
The Ethos wheelsets on both ends of the spectrum don’t use the Ethos hub. To achieve the goal of a sub-1000g wheelset, NOBL opted for the DT Swiss 180 hub on the SL 180 wheels. Likewise, the HD wheels use the Erase J-Bend hub.
- Titanium Freehub Body
- 70T ratchets and 5.14° engagement
- Berd Hook Flange Design (ESL Technology)
- 331g (centerlock hubset)
- 6-bolt or Centerlock
- Boost Spacing
- XD or Microspline (assuming; NOBL didn’t specify)
Spokes
NOBL uses Berd spokes for the vast majority of the Ethos wheel lineup. Berd’s spokes weigh less than half as much as their steel counterparts but offer higher tensile strength. They also absorb vibrations much better.
On the Ethos SL 180, SL, XC, and Trail wheelsets, NOBL opted for Berd PolyLight spokes. These have 12 times the strength of steel spokes by weight. For the Ethos Enduro wheels, PolyLight-X spokes are used. These have a 50% larger diameter than the PolyLight spokes and are 44% stiffer.
Due to the added weight and torque of e-bikes, the Ethos HD wheels use Alpina Extralite steel spokes. Both wheels have 32 spokes.
See all the details at noblwheels.com.
