Yes, e-bikes are awesome.
They’re fast, get you places you wouldn’t be able to on a non-assisted bike, and make riding more fun.
They also have a tendency to destroy wheels.
Unfortunately, not all manufacturers spec their e-bikes with great wheels. Some are pretty lousy.
This makes a wheelset upgrade one of the best investments when looking to improve your e-bike.
Let’s look at what your rim upgrade options are, currently available in South Africa.
(I’ll share a separate post about hubs suitable for e-bikes)
Strong rims are crucial.
A durable wheel depends first on the robustness of the rim, above all else.
Of course, this assumes that decent spokes and hubs are used too, and the wheel’s assembled properly.
Below, we’ll look at my 3 favorite e-bike alloy rim options currently available in South Africa, and explore whether or not carbon rims are a valid e-bike option.
Stan’s NoTubes Flow EX3
These rims are simply an outstanding option for an e-bike. They’re also perfect for enduro and DH as well, or for heavily-laden touring bikes.
The triple-cavity construction results in a rim that withstands massive impacts and resists dents and air loss.
The 29mm inner width suits tyres between 2.25″ and 2.6″.
WTB HTZ i30
WTB has been a staple mountain biking brand since mountain biking began.
These purpose-designed e-bike rims use internal I-beam construction as well as an offset spoke bed which allows the use of equal length spokes on both sides of the wheel.
This also allows better spoke tension distribution for a stiffer and more durable wheel build.
WTB say these are proudly over-built. I concur.
Raceface ARC Offset Heavy Duty
Another offset spoke-bed rim, this one from Raceface started life as a DH rim, which is perfect for e-bikes too.
This one rounds out my top 3 alloy e-bike rims and either of these would be a superb upgrade for most stock e-bikes.
Here’s a comparison table showing the differences between the 3 models:
| Stan’s Flow EX3 | WTB HTZ i30 | Raceface ARC HD | |
| Price | R2390.00 | R2425.00 | 2495.00 |
| Weight (29″) | 618g | 718g | 601g |
| Rim finish | Satin bead-blasted | Satin bead-blasted | Brushed, anodized |
Are carbon rims a viable e-bike option?
The short answer is: “It depends.”
I’ll start by answering another question.
Why would one opt for carbon rims over alloy?
Weight saving. Of course.
Carbon rims which are strong enough for heavy duty DH or e-bike use aren’t feather-light either. That said, at between 550-575g, they can offer a modicum of weight saving.
Is such a small weight saving worth 3-4x the cost of alloy? You must decide.
On the other hand, carbon rims look great, are really strong and stiff, and make for a more responsive ride.
If you’re looking for incremental gains, and have the budget, I say go for it.
Here are 2 seriously great carbon rim options you can investigate, which I can get for you.
Questions about e-bike wheels, or need a quote?
Click here.
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