26 DH:
I have been comparing the ENVE DH rims directly to what in my mind are without question the best DH rims on the market, in terms of durability and stiffness: The Mavic EX729 and EX823. Both of these rims are ultra durable, and brake and corner exceptionally well. They also weigh 675-700g per rim (or 200-plus grams per rim more than the 26 DH), so the pedaling performance while sprinting with the lighter ENVE rim was readily apparent, and totally in line with the above comments about the 29 XC and 26 AM.
If you are into running light DH rims, such as a DT EX500, Stan’s Flow, or WTB i23, then look at the 26 AM ENVE rim. The 26 AM will out-class the ride, durability, and performance of these lightweight aluminum rims. If, however, you look at a DH rim as an investment in performance, then the 26 DH deserves to be tested against the top dogs of the DH class.
The 26 DH uses the same external mold as the 26 AM, but a different internal mold, which results in a thicker and heavier wall of the rim and a narrower internal width. At 21mm, it’s, for me, right at the edge or being too narrow. The DH rim also uses a different resin system than the XC and AM rims to maximize the durability against rock hits. This resin system accounts for the slightly higher price and weight of the rim.
I personally tend to run a Maxxis DHF 2.5 (actual width of 2.35) tire in the rear and a Maxxis DHF 2.7 (actual width of 2.5) tire on the front. I have grown used to the squared-off profile these tires have with the super wide Mavic EX729 (29mm internal width) rim. However, given the popularity of the EX823 (23mm internal) and EX721 (21mm internal), a 21mm rim is plenty wide for most users. I am pleased with the profile of a 2.5 DHF on a 21mm width rim, but the 2.7 Maxxis and the Schwalbe 2.5 Muddy Mary (which measures true to size) were a bit round on the rim for my tastes. The wider tire will work fine, no issues, but just not how I prefer my tire profile.
For me on the downhill, wheel stiffness manifests itself in two ways: cornering and braking. A stiffer wheel will transition for center row to cornering row quicker, cleaner, and more predictably, and because the rim deflects less, it allows you to put more power into those cornering knobs, which offers more bite. The ENVE rims do exactly that. I felt that the transition from center row of the DHF tire to the cornering row was a little crisper and more defined on the 26 DH compared to the Mavic products. A small, subjective difference, but the 26 DH just felt a bit more predictable and cleaner.
Please note, though, that this is a 475g rim being compared to 675-700g rim, one widely regarded as the stiffest, hardest cornering rim on the market. The ENVE rim simply blows similar-weight rims that are occasionally spec’d on DH bikes out of the water (Stan’s Flow 470g rim, for example).
The braking on the ENVE 26 DH was right on par with the EX729 and EX823. It put a ton of power into the tire without any wheel flex and gave the rider the increased ability to hold their line under heavy braking. I didn’t notice any huge advantage for the ENVE rims here, but also did not feel any reduced performance either. Again, we are comparing it to a rim that is 200-plus grams heavier and the absolute stiffest rim on the market. Comparing the ENVE DH 26 to rims closer to its weight class is truly night and day—so much more control and power into the tire and dirt, it’s not even funny.
I have not had the same amount of saddle time on the 26 DH rims as the 26 AM rims (these days I get out on the DH bike 1-2 days a week), but because the 26 DH rim is the same general rim, just more heavily reinforced, I do not expect to see any durability issues. The lighter 26 AM has held up so well to repeated, intentional abuse.
One little anecdote: I recently cased a step-down jump with my EX729 rear wheel. It was decent size—about 12 feet down, 10 feet out, with a tight, technical landing. I tried to hit it as slowly as possible to manage the semi hairball runout. The case point is constructed out of square-edged stone, and it put a massive flat spot in the EX729. Rideable, yes, but, well, I can very much feel the hop while riding down the road, and the impact de-tensioned numerous spokes. I hit the same step-down a couple of times with the 26 DH wheels with similar speed, and… well… cased it. No spoke de-tension, no rim damage, no stress cracks. Good for continued service. I am stoked on that.
Strangely, I had initially figured that the 26 DH would be the smallest, most incremental performance gain, but it actually was the most polarizing, compared to aluminum rims. I got the acceleration and deceleration benefits of a super light rim with the stiffness that only a very heavy rim can offer.
NEXT: CONCLUSIONS