Introducing the Spengle Carbon Monocoque; a tri spoke carbon wheel that is both futuristic and strangely retro all at the same time.

>>> Are carbon wheels worth the extra money?

Spengle Carbon Monocoque wheels need to know

• Multi-directional carbon lay-up
• 27.5in only
• 24mm internal width
• Adapter for Boost, non-Boost, bolt-thru and QR supplied
• Hookless rim tubeless design
• Lifetime warranty
• 30 day return
• Shipping in early 2018
• €1,490 for basic ‘Naked’ wheelset
• €1,790 for ‘Plug & Play’ wheelset inc. cassette, chain, rotors and tyres

If you’re a rider of a certain age then the first thing that will have already popped into your head when you saw the pic of the Spengle wheels is “Spinergy”.

Spinergy wheels were one of the unarguably classic mountain bike products of the nineties. The famous Spinergy wheels actually had four pairs of blades/spokes, rather than three but hey. (SPIN were the brand who did tri spoke wheels but not as many people remember them)

Aside from the retro rose-tinted good vibes, what do these quirky new hoops from Spengle have to offer the 21st century mountain biker?

Pic: Spengle / Instagram

The Spengle Carbon Monocoque is a 27.5in wheelset that ditches spokes and uses three carbon blades instead. Why? The reasoning proffered is partly aerodynamics, and partly shock dispersion and strength.

Aero: “The blades that form the SPENGLE Carbon Monocoque Wheel have been developed to minimise turbulence, increasing stability at high speeds; the unique SPENGLE elbow handles sudden shock before it reaches the rider, helping keep the trail in focus.”

Strength: “Being a ‘Monocoque,’ it is comprised of just one piece. This means that when exposed to stresses, the forces are distributed and absorbed across the entire structure, via the carbon. This results in no one area of the wheel being prone to failure, even when exposed to the most demanding forces”… “The SPENGLE Carbon Monocoque boasts the most advanced wheel construction in the world. Cutting-edge aerospace technology provides safer handling, superior shock absorption, and the strongest tyre bed of its type. The bed enables the wheel to remain functional under incredibly low tyre pressures.”

There is a total weight limit however. Spengle recommend a total weight of 120kg – that’s rider, bike, and kit.