Words & Image Lance Pilbrow
RRP $3600
Distributor Wheelworks

Way back in November 2022, I was lucky enough to get my hands on not one, but two sets of Wheelworks’ new wheels to review. These were the Flite Trail model; one set in carbon and another in alloy. The idea was to do something of a side-by-side test on each pair over the summer and write something up for print after giving them each a good thrashing.

Needless to say, they both flew through the tests (and I did an unusual amount of wheel and tyre swapping that summer). At the end of that I was a little torn; the carbons were lighter, stiffer and no doubt, won on bling, but the alloys provided serious value for money, and Wheelwork’s after (and before) sales support meant that either way, you would no doubt be a satisfied customer.

Even better, though, was the opportunity to hold on to one of the sets for a long-term review. “Are you interested in holding onto these $3000 wheels for a bit longer?” they asked. “Ah… Um, yeah!” (What kind of question is that?) By now I had grown quite attached to the carbon Flite Trail wheels, and though I knew one day I would inevitably have to give them back, I was going to do everything I could to put that day off for as long as possible.

Many readers might be unaware that long-term reviews of high-end products are not all that common in this industry. Often, something arrives, you have it for a month and then it’s back on the courier again to the distributor to be used in a demo fleet, or to be sent to another media organisation for them to do their own review. It’s just the way the industry works. However, these long-term reviews are the sort of reviews I think most people would like to see more of.

We all know most products will work just fine for a month, but a year or 18 months down the track? That’s when the cracks begin to show, and that’s the kind of information you really want to know when you open a magazine for advice.

So, enough background, but suffice to say, props to Wheelworks for believing in their product enough to trust it to be reviewed over almost 18 months.

A quick recap: the TrailLite Carbon wheelset comes in at 30mm internal / 36mm external width and it runs 28mm high. The wheelset I rode weighed in at 1650g grams including rim tape and valves installed. The carbon rims were matched to Wheelwork’s own Dial hubs and laced with DT Swiss Aerolite spokes. Mine came with red decals on the hubs, a small red ‘TL’ (TrailLite) icon, and a larger, silver Wheelworks logo that follows the arc of the rim. These are all customisable to match whatever colourway your bike is, because we all like to be matchy-matchy. They came pre-taped and with valves installed.

As I mentioned in the earlier review, Wheelworks really are all about wheels. That’s their sole focus, and that focus is part of what makes purchasing a set of wheels more engaging than just scrolling through an endless list of options on the internet. It’s personal. Prior to getting the wheels, I spoke with their team about my riding style, bike, weight, and what I was hoping to achieve or improve over my current set up. This conversation dictated the build, and having their expertise guide the process means that, as a buyer, you are going to be massively confident in what is a significant purchase.

So, 18 months in, how did they fair? Well, I’ve got to be honest… the Wheelworks decals have started to show some signs of wear. A travesty! Jokes aside, that is quite literally the only thing I can fault them on. Over the review period, I rode a Whaka 50, a Whaka100, some Enduro, as well as 18 months of just everyday regular riding. In that time I cased more jumps than I would like to admit and did zero maintenance on them. I had no reason to. In terms of ride quality, what I was most taken aback by was the impressive lateral stiffness and how that enabled me to track a line through uneven terrain; and the awesome acceleration they enabled.

When the day finally came to send them back, I thought I should see just what state they were in, just in case I needed to send an apologetic email to the Wheelworks team before they unboxed them at their end. Grabbing a few zip ties to make an impromptu wheel alignment jig, I realised that, yep, they’re still dead straight. I ran my fingers over the Dial hub bearings and, yep, still silky smooth – smoother in fact than when they even arrived. I am honestly really impressed. To be fair, these are a $3600 product so, yeah, I would expect them to be faultless, for a good long time. But mountain biking is a sport that is tough on gear. We seem to keep on asking our gear to be lighter, whilst also being stronger – and wheels are a perfect example of this. At some point, something has to give…. Unless there is a real commitment to maintaining quality and not cutting corners. I think the Wheelworks wheels hit the sweet spot with this. As I said, they weigh in around 1650gm. I think this is bang on for most trail riders. They feel light enough to have that ‘zip’ about them (and to also feel like you have a slightly unfair advantage over your mates in the Whaka100), but clearly still enough strength to go the distance. I wouldn’t say I ‘abused’ these wheels (especially not on record as I would quite like them to send me other wheels to review… ahem… Berd’s?) as, to be honest, I’m just not that sort of rider, but I like to think I ride pretty hard when I’m in the zone and often kid myself into believing I’m a better rider than I actually am…. That combo means that at least once, on most rides, I have that moment of wincing as I slam into a root or rock and think “doh! that is going to be a cracked rim.” But, after 18 months of testing, they really are still running as good as new; a real testament to the strength and layup of the carbon, and the craftsmanship involved in the build.

All in all, this is probably one of the least surprising reviews most of our readers will read. My final thoughts after 18 months of solid testing; Wheelworks wheels are great. About as surprising as saying water is wet. Wheelworks have built a business based around their reputation; a reputation for building consistently solid wheelsets, for backing them up with an outstanding warranty and after sale support and, ultimately, for creating a culture of really valuing their customers. When you do that wheelset after wheelset, it’s no wonder they are so consistently recommended.