RaceFace Next R31 Rear Wheel [Rider Review]

Our "Rider Review" article series features the honest reviews from verified purchasers of Worldwide Cyclery. They contain the photos, thoughts, feedback & overall review you are looking for.

If there is one single upgrade for your mountain bike that'll have a massive impact on the way it riders it 's arguably the wheels. This component can effect not only rolling weight but also feel. Our friend Cameron shares some thoughts on the RaceFace Next R31 Rear Wheel. Check it out!

Overview

Let me start by telling you, I am a 6’ tall 225lb motocross rider that recently took up mountain biking. On my dirtbike, a KTM 450XCF, I run bib mousse inserts in heavy-duty wheels. I do a lot of enduro riding in the mountain rocks and roots, this is a recipe for a brutal experience for wheels! Well once I got on a mountain bike it became apparent that this riding style had followed me over from my dirtbike and was going to make life rough for the stock wheels on my Specialized Enduro! It didn’t take more than a week and the stock rear wheel in the Enduro was destroyed and I was in the market for new wheels. After consulting with some fellow riders, I decided that due to my size and riding style, carbon wheels would be a better option than aluminum.

After some extensive research, I settled on ordering up a set of RaceFace Next R31 wheels. The combination of the boost spaced oversized hubs, straight-pull spokes, and offset spoke lacing to the wheels should combine for a very strong wheel! I already had a few RaceFace products on a couple of my bikes and their quality and durability are outstanding. They have an excellent reputation and their two years no-fault warranty is pretty hard to argue with! Upon receiving the wheels I knew I had made the right choice! Fit and finish on them is outstanding, engagement is almost instant. The sound of the RaceFace rear hub is like a pack of hornets but not too loud. As soon as I step on my pedals I can feel the hub engage.

I can’t stress enough how quickly these things engage and it has been extremely helpful during technical uphill sections.

I could not be happier with them so far. I’ve had the wheels on my Enduro now for about a month and have about 100 hard miles on them. Fit and finish is still excellent on these wheels, the spokes are still tight. They have completely changed the feel of the bike and the way I ride it, they are stiff but not harsh and extremely responsive. I was so impressed that I picked up an additional set for my Specialized Levo, and will be ordering a set of the NextSL wheels for my Stumpjumper. My Levo weighs 50lbs and I ride it as hard or harder than my Enduro and the set on that bike has fairies just as well.

Final Thoughts

I’m shocked that I haven’t even had to tighten a spoke yet! These wheels are light, fast, and tough, if they can tolerate my hamfisted dirtbike riding style, they can probably handle anything!