PRESS RELEASE
Race Face Introduces the Next SL Wheelset
Rupert enjoys spending time in the Race Face office, but he lives for mountain biking. As a rescue from Northern British Columbia, his life started out rough and he doesn’t hold back when it comes to voicing his opinions. Rupert believes all creeks are for swimming, all squirrels deserve to be chased, and all trails should be hit at speed, because going through the woods fast is what is ancestors did. Rupert dislikes hot weather, big scary German Shepherds, and excuses for not going mountain biking. But most of all, Rupert hates a slow ride, because noodling up the climbs or pushing to the trailhead means less laps before dark. Rupert always wants to do more laps.
Race Face is excited to introduce our new down-country XC/Trail wheelset, the Next SL. Next SL wheels are ready to maximize your trail riding; light for XC, but wide and strong for aggressive days on the mountain. Designed to complement our award winning Next SL Crankset, Next SL have been designed to take full advantage of the benefits carbon fiber has to offer - durability, compliance and weight savings in a 26mm width. The asymmetrical build onto our Vault Hub gives you a stronger, stiffer wheel construction and the Vault’s Super-Fast Engagement, long bearing life and tool free end caps simplify your life. Produced with the Step Cast 34 Factory Series rider in mind, the ultimate trail wheelset is for attacking the climbs and pushing the descents. Get ready to take your ride to the Next level.
Race Face Carbon Confidence: Our Next SL Carbon Wheelset is covered by our Carbon Confidence Guarantee – 2 Years, No Fault, Guarantee to the original retail purchaser with proof of purchase. More details here.
Next SL Wheelset Specs:
HUB FEATURES
• New 15mm dedicated front hub for 50gram weight savings.
• Large oversized flange for improved bracing angle and larger bearings.
• Wide bearing stance.
• 6 double tooth pawls (3 engage at a time).
• 120 points of engagement (3 degrees).
• Individually sprung pawls.
• One length spoke used throughout wheelset (F&R).
• Tool-free interchangeable end caps (sold separately).
• Low drag labyrinth cassette body seal.
RIM FEATURES
• 29’er rim size.
• Full carbon fiber construction.
• 26mm Internal width.
• Tubeless ready rim (tape and valves installed).
• 4.5mm Offset improves spoke tension balance and wheel stiffness.
• High gloss black logos and interchangeable vinyl decals.
WHEEL SIZE: 29"
WEIGHT SET: 1555g
FRONT HUB: 15X110 BOOST FRONT (15X110 TORQUE CAP CONVERSION)
REAR HUB: 12X148 BOOST REAR
FINISH: CARBON FIBER / VINYL DECALS
TYPE: TUBELESS READY CLINCHER
RIM MATERIAL: UD CARBON COMPOSITE, OFFSET SPOKES, MATTE FINISH
RIM DEPTH: 21mm
INTERNAL RIM WIDTH: 26mm
EXTERNAL RIM WIDTH: 31mm
SPOKE: SAPIM LASER, 28 F/R, 3X PATTERN (5 SPARES INCLUDED WITH REAR)
Next SL are available now!
USD MSRP: $1599.99 USD
NEXT-SL F 15x110: $774.99 USD
NEXT-SL R 12x148 SHI or XD: $824.99 USD
Comments
Applesauce
4 years, 5 months ago
Looks almost as good and only slightly more expensive than WR1 Insiders on DT350s.
Reply
Andrew Major
4 years, 5 months ago
If you care about hub engagement and/or ease of user-service the Vaults are WAY better than DT 350 hubs.
I LOVE WR1; I think it’s more accurate to talk about Hope or I9 spec for pricepoint in a true comparison.
Reply
Applesauce
4 years, 5 months ago
I prefer a hub that doesn’t require frequent service, by the user or his/her shop. Even 350s will get multiple seasons from the rear driveside bearing - the only one that lacks a degree of user-serviceability.
After almost two decades in a shop, I haven’t seen a freehub mechanism more durable than DT’s. Yeah, I’m not crazy about the ubiquity; I like variety. But they work, and I like the ease of selling that fact. And you can use their other “user serviceable” side to your advantage if you own multiple bikes, and interchange wheels, end caps, and freehubs all willy-nilly.
I like RF/Fox/Easton’s current effort at rebranding (OK, not so much Fox’s effort...). But I’m pretty sure I have yet to meet a durable Raceface product.
Reply
Andrew Major
4 years, 5 months ago
There’s no argument DT makes a reliable product (and it’s high value at the 350 price point) if you’re happy with 20° (16t) or, depending on the application, 10° (36t) float between engagement points. I get that lots and lots of riders don’t care about hub engagement.
Unfortunately, the 54t ratchets and the 36t ratchets for some applications, don’t live up to the reputation for durability and even then, unless we’re talking really budget product, I’m firmly in the instant to 3-degree engagement camp.
On the flip side. I have lots of hours on the Vault hubs (review pending) and they’ve been excellent. Tool-free swapping between various end cap options, no proprietary tools, 3° engagement and I haven’t touched them since the initial teardown.
I expect to clean and lube the pawls a couple times a year for how often I ride but it’s a tool-free <5-min job.
Anyways, my overly hyperbolic point was simply meant to be that WR1 with Hope or I9 would be a more apples:apples comparison on price/performance.
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