[Tested] Giant TRX-0 Wheelset

We spent a few epic days last Summer riding the new Giant Reign, on some long, technical trails in British Columbia. Featured on the bike were the Giant TRX-0 wheels. Knowing Giant as the largest bicycle manufacturer in the World, we were kee n to see what they had developed in wheel technology. Excited to spend some more time on the TRX-0 wheels, we got our hands on a set, and have been riding hard on them all Winter long. Read on for an entire overview, and specs on Giant’s own take on a high performance carbon wheelset.

specs

Carbon fiber 29 “rim (27.5” available)
28 spokes
$ 1,145 – Rear, $ 866 – Front
Tubeless Ready with supplied rim tape and valve kit
Rim Height: 25.8mm
Rim Outer Width: 37mm
Rim Inner Width: 30mm
Front Axle Size: 110/15 Boost
Rear Axle Size: 148/12 Boost
Weight (Pair): 1670g (Shimano), 1662g (SRAM)
DT 240 Hubs Front & Rear

Included black anodized valves are classy looking, and make it easy to set up the wheels tubeless. ‘DBL’ is Giant’s moniker for Dynamic Balanced Lacing, which, according to them: “Enhances transmission stiffness for faster climbing and provides stiffer braking condition for better control.”

The inner rim width of 30mm provides stability in corners, particularly with lower pressures, and also helps support larger volume tires. Overall 30mm is a good size for 2.3 “- 2.6” tires these days.

The TRX-0 Graphics are subtle, but if you’re wanting an entirely stealthy bike, the decals can simply be peeled off to attain a raw black / carbon look.

DT Swiss 240 hubs use Boost spacing front and rear, and Giant chose them in the straight-pull iteration to accomplish their goals with this wheelset. The short spoke flanges increase the spoke length, and combined with a 25.8mm rim height, the wheels were quite compliant, and forgiving in rougher terrain.

On The Trail

Having spent a fairly equal amount of riding time lately on both carbon and alloy wheels, the distinct difference in ride feel between them is always obvious right out of the gate. Often times the most noticeable characteristic of carbon wheels is how stiff they are, at times (especially if upgrading from an alloy wheel set) it can catch people off guard, and give them a feeling that they’re riding is less in control. We love the weight, and strength factors of carbon, but are not preferential toward having an ultra stiff wheel.

The aforementioned preferences are what led us to really enjoy the TRX-0 wheels, as they’ve got the attributes we’re fond of, but aren’t overly harsh and rough. We found the rotational weight to be low, making steep climbs feel all that much easier. The ‘DBL’ technology seemed to be in line with what Giant claims, making for controlled braking in the steeps, and a nimble feeling whilst cornering. The hookless rim profile combined with no tire inserts left us guessing which inside hit to a berm would yank the bead off, but that day never came, despite some rides with perhaps embarrassingly low rear tire pressures. As we’re always reviewing bikes that run the full gamut of specs, you can find us on Industry Nine’s top tier Hyrda hubs one day, and logo-less OEM spec hubs the next, hence, the DT 240’s 18 points of hub engagement was easy enough to get used to, though holds room for improvement. An upgrade kit from DT to 36 points of engagement can be purchased if you’re looking for that snap out of the gate to start your local enduro race.

We did find the wheels to have quite high spoke tension, which likely catered to the poppy feeling we got when airing off a jump, or exiting a tight corner. We’d expect that the straight pull spoke design would be a bit more difficult to dial in then standard J-bend spokes, but we never needed to make any adjustments, as the wheels spoke tension remained high, and the wheels spun true throughout our test.

Overall

At a price point just over $ 2k USD, the wheels aren’t cheap, but you’ll receive a high end, durable product, with a 60 day satisfaction guarantee. If you’re intrigued but looking for a substantially more affordable option, the $ 1,182 USD TRX-1 wheels use the same rim, but a cheaper hub and spoke assembly. We’ll be keeping the TRX-0 wheels on our personal trail bike for the foreseeable future, as they tick all the boxes for being our ideal wheelset, and we’ve no reason to swap them for anything else.