Industry Nine Enduro 310 Wheelset Review

Industry Nine is built around a core group of young cycling enthusiasts all striving to create the highest performing wheels on the market. Industry Nine spokes, hubs, driver bodies, end caps and Matchstix axles are all made in house in Asheville North Carolina. This small North Carolina based company has made a big play with the new Enduro 310 Pillar Carbon wheelset. With the support of Reynolds Cycling, the Enduro 310 features a strong, stiff, and compliant carbon rim designed for punishment. Just like all of the Torch series wheels, Industry Nine offers the Enduro 310 wheels in 11 different anodized colors and endless custom configurations. Here in this review, we will putting the Enduro 310 Pillar Carbon wheels through the paces. Let's see how they fair. 

Industry Nine Enduro 310 24 Hole Wheel

Industry Nine Enduro 310 32 Hole Wheel

Overview

The Enduro 310 wheelset features a strong yet responsive Pillar carbon rim. The Pillar carbon rim utilizes Industry Nine's TwinPillar hookless bead walls with a 31mm internal rim width. The Pillar carbon rim is mated with the i9 Torch hub and spoke chassis. Designed and manufactured with the support of Reynolds Cycling, one of the leaders in carbon composite technology, the Pillar carbon rim keeps the Enduro 310 wheelset performing at the highest level. 

• 32 whole spoke configuration tested
• 15x100mm front axle
• 31mm internal rim width, 36mm external
• TwinPillar hookless bead wall
• TwinPillar uses continuous carbon fibers around the corner of the bead wall - increased impact resistance
• Rim profile and carbon lay-up are designed to maximize lateral stiffness
• Tubeless ready
• Tires used: Maxxis DHR II 29x2.4 WT EXO/3C MaxxTerra/TR
• Bike used: 2017 Santa Cruz Hightower 29er

Max Morgan's Santa Cruz Hightower with i9 Enduro 310 Wheels

Enduro 310 Pillar Carbon Rims

Industry Nine Torch Hub and Unique Spoke Chasis

Riding and Performance 

Pros 

The wheels will absolutely sling shot you out of corners! They are so fast. Rolling through long sweeping corners is where the Enduro 310 wheels excelled the most. All Industry Nine Torch wheels are light and the Pillar Carbon rims keep the weight to a minimum without sacrificing any structural integrity. They roll up to speed quickly and the 29" wheels rolls over just about everything. 

Most people have seen Industry Nine's unique spoke chasis before. The straight pull spokes create a strong joint between the hub and spoke. What I have been most impressed with in the Enduro 310 wheels is how strong the new carbon wheels are. With months of thrashing and abuse, the Enduro 310 carbon rims show absolutely no sign of failure, cracking or stress. These rims are strong and are the real deal. 

The fit and finish on this entire wheelset is top notch. These wheels are truly hand crafted, designed, machined, assembled, and tested right in western North Carolina. 

Custom colors are fun. I chose to stay with a classy look with black spokes and silver hubs. You can almost see your reflection in the shiny hubs. Industry Nine will lace up any combination of there 11 different anodized colors to your specifications. Try out there AnoLab and see what your dream wheels would look like.

Cons

I believe the 24 whole spoke option would be a great option for the front wheel. When I first hopped on these wheels, I noticed the front wheel pinging off of sharp rocks and felt like I was a bit out of control. Carbon wheels in general are much more responsive than comparable aluminum wheels.

To achieve a more damped feel, I ended up opening my compression settings on my Fox 36 fork. With how incredibly stiff these wheels are, the 24 hole option would allow the wheel to flex a bit more and hopefully keep the bike tracking through rough sections.  

Max Racing the Sea Otter Downhill - Photo by Josh Sawyer Photography

Trails Ridden

Richmond, Vermont

Some would say the riding in Richmond, Vermont is a hidden gem, overshadowed by Perry Hill in Waterbury and the famous Kingdom Trails in Burke. The trails in Richmond feature a mix of tight, technical single track and fast sections ready to reward those who can push the limit. These are traditional northeastern style trails and I love it!

Brevard, North Carolina

Brevard is emerging as one of the most popular mountain bike destinations in the U.S. With endless singletrack littered throughout Pisgah National Forest, the Bennett Gap trail has been said to be the ultimate test for todays aggressive trail bikes. The rugged terrain in Pisgah will have you grinning ear to ear and coming back for more. Right next door is Dupont State Forest with a more manicured trail system. You get the best of both worlds!

Santa Cruz, California

The trails in Santa Cruz are so diverse and a blast to ride. There is a good mix of steep terrain, rough impacts, flowing trail and long sweeping turns. With so many different options, whatever you are up for, you can find it.

What's the Bottom Line?

The Enduro 310 wheelset is a huge step forward from the original Enduro Pillar carbon. With a 31mm internal rim width and handmade unidirectional carbon fiber layup, the latest carbon rim from i9 is there stiffest and most durable wheel to date. Industry Nine's Torch hubs feature 120 degrees of engagement, making power transfers through the pedals quick and snappy. Their proprietary aluminum spoke design increases lateral stiffness and keeps the complete wheelset very light. Having only ridden the 32 hole version, it seems the 24 hole model would also be great to try. In the most rough and rugged terrain, the 32 hole front wheel sometimes was not as compliant as I would have liked. Running a 24 hole front wheel and 32 hole rear wheel could be a great option. This rim is the real deal! 

About Me

Max Morgan is 25 years old, and lives in Brevard, North Carolina. Max grew up in Atlanta, Georgia and started racing downhill at the age of 15. He has now been racing professionally for the last 7 years, competing in the U.S. Pro GRT series and UCI World Cup series. Check out Max's rider spotlight here! 
Instagram: @mxmorgan77