Customer Review: Industry Nine Enduro 305 Wheels

This review was written by one of our customers, Michael Van Buren, looking to upgrade the stock wheelset on his Intense Tracer. Michael made a great decision to go with the Industry Nine Enduro 305 wheels, let's hear his thoughts on the new upgrade!

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I bought these wheels because I live in Asheville, North Carolina which is very close to the Industry Nine factory. It is rare to ride in this area without seeing riders sporting I9 wheels. After talking to many people on the trail about I9 wheels I decided to purchase a pair and support a local company.

On my last ride, I met one of the engineers for I9 zipping down the Ridgeline Trail in DuPont Forest. I was with a friend who had a pair of the Enduro 27.5's and I was accustom to listening to that I9 buzz. The engineer told us about the process and the fact that they are hand made right in Asheville. All components but the rims, but he said they were in the process of making them in house as well and we were invited to tour the factory.

My friend and I did a tour of sorts. He needed to get a spoke fixed on his wheel after we rode a trail near Morganton off the 181 that was not groomed and a large branch stuck between his spoke and fork. We went to the factory where they fixed the wheel on site. The first thing I noticed was that every vehicle in the parking lot had a bike rack on it. These guys at Industry Nine are true riders. While the mechanic was fixing his wheel, I was watching employees build the wheels right there in front of me. It was very impressive and I knew I needed a pair.

I opted for the all black Enduro 305 27.5 as opposed to the normal color bling that most have. My bike is a 2015 Carbon Intense Tracer 275 that is stealth black and grey and I wanted to keep it simple and of like color scheme.

The wheels are beautiful. The unique size and lacing of the spokes really stands out as well as the well made hubs. Each component of the wheels bare the I9 marking. Even each spoke has "Industry Nine" etched in them. And of course the identifiable I9 sound-ziiiiiiing.

The first thing you will notice with these wheels when riding is the engagement. It is immediate. There is no delay like most other wheels. They are also stiff and strong, which they need to be to handle the rough environment of the Pisgah Forest--the back yard of the I9 Factory. The width of these wheels are 30.5 millimeters and although not as wide as the fat bikes, they are as wide as you need on a standard bike and will inspire confidence on the trail. These wheels track like they should and are well suited for rough enduro riding. I am glad that I finally have a pair. Thank you Worldwide Cyclery for setting me up with these wheels and great customer service.

To learn more about all of the different wheel offerings from Industry Nine, click here. Click below to see some of our other reviews on Industry Nine Product.
Industry Nine Enduro 305 Wheelset Review
Industry Nine Enduro Wheels + Matchstix axle
Industry Nine Torch Wheels: The Ultimate Wheelset