Spank Oozy Trail 295 Bead Bite Wheelset
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Free shipping on orders over $50 (continental U.S. only).
International shipping available. Some exclusions apply.
Free shipping on orders over $50 (continental U.S. only).
International shipping available. Some exclusions apply.
Free shipping on orders over $75 (contiguous U.S. only).
Free international shipping available with minimum order values. Some exclusions apply.
Tested: Spank Oozy Trail295 Bead Bite Wheels
Rating:
Vital Review

Review by Lee Trumpore // Photos by Lee Trumpore, Damian Breach, and Brandon Turman

I was a huge fan of the Spank Oozy Evo 26 wheels I tested last season, and after a year and a half of riding they are still going strong and straight. My biggest complaint with that model was the difficulty in mounting and removing tires and their relatively narrow 21mm internal width, especially given the trend towards ever wider tires for all-mountain riding and enduro racing. The Oozy Trail295 Bead Bite wheels seek to address both of these issues while building on the strengths of the previous model. Starting at just 1670 grams, these race-ready wheels retail for just $599 and are available in 26, 27.5, and 29-inch sizes.

Oozy Trail295 Bead Bite Wheel Highlights

  • Oozy Trail295 Bead Bite Dynamal Alloy Rims

  • 29.5mm Outer Width

  • 25mm Inner Width
  • 28H Straight-Pull
  • 9/10-Speed 12mm x 142mm Rear Hub with Included QR Adapter

  • 15mm Front Hub with Included 20mm Adapter

  • Super-Lite CNC Optimized Alloy Freehub Body
  • 27-Point, 3-Pawl Engagement
  • Japanese Bearing Upgrade in Hubs

  • Oversized SSL (Single Spoke Length) Flange Design
  • 6 Bolt Disc Mount
  • Hand Built and Trued with 3-Cross Lacing
  • 
Sandvik T302 Triple Butted 2.2/1.8/2.0 SP Spokes

  • Alloy Nipples
  • Tubeless Ready
  • Colors: Black Only
  • Weight: 1,670g (26") // 1,700g (27.5/650b) // 1,800g (29")
  • MSRP: $599

The Oozy Trail295 wheels are the first to make use of Spank’s new “Bead Bite” technology. See the tiny ridges inside the rim where the tire would sit? This is one of those "Why didn't I think of that?" improvements to the tried and true bicycle rim design. The six 0.2mm ridges per side (three on each face) provide additional sealing surface area for tubeless tires, and are said to essentially "lock" the tire bead in place. The ridges are made during a three-channel extrusion process, which makes them finer at each step.

Compared to the 21mm internal width Oozy Evo rims, the new Oozy Trail295 rims benefit from an additional 4mm of width at 25mm internally. The hubs are nearly identical, but Spank now includes front 20mm and rear QR adapters in the box.

Spank uses a unique Dynamal alloy that is claimed to be 20% stronger than 6061 aluminum to build their Oozy rims, while their patented OohBah profile is designed to add increased structural strength and stiffness while allowing for much thinner walls. The inner channel of most rims curves down to match to general outer profile of the rim, but the OohBah profile curves up. The corrugated profile adds additional rigidity much the same way a corrugated sheet metal roof can be walked across while flat sheet metal can be bent by hand. Proprietary forging and drilling profiles allow the rim to be constructed without point-loading the spoke nipples and thus eliminating the need for heavier eyelets. Combined with straight-pull stainless steel spokes, this equation should add up to a light, stiff, strong and durable wheel.

Initial Impressions

Spank has come a long way from just cranking out colorful components for the dirt jumping crowd, with pedals, bars, and stems that rival the best offerings on the market. They also produce high end rims for several other major brands.

Out of the box, the new Trail295 wheels didn’t disappoint. Straight and true with evenly tensioned spokes, they feel like a set of wheels that has passed through quite a few human hands during production. Attention to detail is top notch with under paint decals (no stickers to peel up), end caps that stay firmly in place without the axle installed, one single straight-pull spoke length used throughout the entire wheelset, and no special tools required for tensioning spokes or servicing the hubs. At first glance Spank has produced a promising wheel without trying to reinvent it. To top things off, the tires mounted easily without levers!

On The Trail

I’ve been on a few versions of these wheels for quite some time now (full disclosure: I help with testing of early Spank prototypes), and have ridden the 650b/27.5-inch version for about six months and the 26-inch version for the past two. They’ve been through countless days of shuttling, raced xc, downhill, and endured an epic week-long journey into Taiwan’s central mountain including the first mountain bike ascent/descent of East Asia’s second highest peak.

While I’ve not spent much time on carbon rims, I’ve yet to find an aluminum wheelset that has proven stiffer, stronger, or more durable than these at any price point. At equal weights the difference between various wheels and rims comes down to width, stiffness, and frequency of maintenance, with the latter being the biggest deal breaker for me. The additional width of the rims much improves the stability of the 2.3 to 2.5-inch tires, as well as making them much easier to mount both with and without a tube. Switching between my 650b/27.5 and 26-inch bike I can’t discern any noticeable difference in wheel flex, nor has the extra diameter led to a premature loss in spoke tension.

Spank has their own data supporting their new Bead Bite technology, but I prefer the more real world assessment. What good is a data point when I’m on the side of the trail with flat tire? At 22-25psi I have had no issues with tire burping or leaking with three different sets of tires in the course of several months. While there is no definite way of knowing if this is the direct result of the Bead Bite, I certainly don’t have any real world data to the contrary.

Put simply, the Oozy Trail295 wheels perform on the trail exactly how I like, essentially by not reminding me that they are there at all.

Things That Could Be Improved

With the introduction of Bead Bite, Spank certainly tried to address half of the ongoing battle with tubeless systems, but my experience with inflation has been a bit more variable. Five of the six tires I mounted sealed right up with an air compressor, while one took a bit more coaxing (none inflated with a hand pump). I never had issues with leaking on any tires, just initial inflation with one of them. Given the variation in bead diameter and size between tire manufacturers (and from one model to another), this isn’t altogether that surprising, and perhaps it’s a tradeoff for not breaking tires levers like I did on the Oozy Evo wheels. Even so, I’d like to see a bit more consistency across the board.

If it sounds like I’m grasping a bit, I am. Truth be told there is very little to complain about, and these are among the best wheels I’ve owned at any price point.

Long Term Durability

I have various Spank wheels from this test and others that I’ve ridden anywhere from two months to a year-and-a-half. The only durability issue I’ve had so far was an occasionally creaky bearing on the rear hub of the oldest wheelset (and these were pre-production units). Given my past experience and the fact that these are essentially the same as the Oozy Evo 26 wheels with an upgraded rim, the Oozy Trail295 wheels have given me no cause for concern.

What’s The Bottom Line?

It has taken a while for all-mountain and enduro branding to catch up with the needs of actual all-mountain riding and enduro racing, with many wheels being the former without meeting the latter. Such is not the case with Spank’s new Oozy Trail295 wheels. With a 25mm inner rim width, weights ranging from 1,670-1,800 grams per pair, and price of just $599, these wheels meet all the needs on paper, and on the trail performance is among the best the market has to offer. Don’t be fooled by the low price, the lack of carbon or color coordinated stickers - these are the real deal. They’re light, affordable, use a unique Bead Bite system that really works, and have proven to be very durable.

Visit www.spank-ind.com for more details.

For US purchasing, hit up The Gravity Cartel.


About The Reviewer

Lee Trumpore has been riding bikes for more than 20 years on just about every material and technology the bike industry has come up with. In more than a decade of professional DH racing, Lee won a Collegiate National Championship and was a mainstay at major North American races as well as occasionally snagging a last page result in the World Cup series. Testing prototype components and suspension setups was common during his racing days. He has a smooth, light style on the bike even while holding it wide open. An East Coast native, his favorite trails are fast and flowing technical descents with as many corners as possible and just enough moisture to keep things interesting. Nowadays, rather than racing the clock, he'd rather enjoy a rad descent after a hard pedal to the top. A closet nerd with a Master's degree in education policy Lee currently lives in Taipei, Taiwan where he splits his time teaching mathematics to the next generation of computer geniuses and behind the lens as a photo mercenary for Vital MTB and other industry clients.

3 comments

Post a reply to: Tested: Spank Oozy Trail295 Bead Bite Wheels

2 member reviews

Better wheels out there for the money...
Rating:
The Good
Customer support, pretty colors...if riding on red rims is your thing...
The Bad
Unreliable freehub, spoke tension and lateral strength...
Overall Review:

Granted I'm 6' 1" tall, weigh about 200lbs and wail on and load my wheels on some pretty technical trails, I still think the wheels should have performed much better. I've had the wheels for about 5 months and have had many challenges with the hub, the spoke tension and the outer rim. 

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FREE HUB:

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These wheels have inspired me to buy and build my own wheels again. The 3 pawl and 27t engagement isn't enough and typical of lesser quality hubs/wheels. This roomy engagement can have an effect on technical climbs and has a slippy feel all around. My rear hub in particular threw a pawl and left me stranded out in the middle of nowhere because the pawls failed to engage.  When I disassembled the hub, one of the pawls was floating free inside the hub and had popped out of it's hole.  Upon further inspection, I noticed that the hole was dramatically worn to the point that the pawl no longer fit flush into it's machined seating hole...the remaining pawls showed the same wear after only 4-5 months of riding.  I even rebuilt the pawl system and re-lubed the internal system with free-hub lube only to have the hub fail again 2 miles into a ride. My point is that the hub showed a couple of years of wear after only 4-5 months of use.  I think it's well worth the money to buy a wheelset with better quality hubs that wield a better pawl and engagement system.

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SPOKE TENSION and OUTER RIM:

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I know that spokes need to be retentioned every now and then ( I always check my wheels after every ride) and a few rides are needed for everything to seat and stretch on new wheels. After the first ride on these wheels I noticed about 7 different spokes (5 on the rear 2 on the front) that were loose to the point that I could have unscrewed and removed them with my fingers.  First ride...no big deal...I retentioned and made sure they were true and went on my way.  However, after about every two rides, spokes just kept coming loose to the point I could remove, again with my fingers. This constant loosing of spokes had an effect on lateral strength and the wheels eventually had some wobbles. After tensioning and truing the front a few times it is finally holding together and seems to be pretty straight.  However, the whole design of the rear wheel has something left to be desired. Between the free hub failure, constant spoke loosing and now a rear wheel that is better suited for a circus event, I am going to consider a different wheel set.

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SUMMARY:

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In short, the Spank wheels look great, have many color option and are probably great for a rider that is out to enjoy a weekend of riding.  However, if you are a strong, avid rider that weighs more than 150lbs and rides 4+ times per week then I would consider another wheelset option.  I've never had to be so vigilant with my wheel care as I was forced to be with this wheel set.  There are much more reliable and durable option for your money out there...I would spend any extra money on a 6-pawl engagement system and forgo the pretty colors.  After all wheels make or break the feel of your bike and it's overall handling.

1 comments

Post a reply to: Better wheels out there for the money...

Specifications

Product
Spank Oozy Trail 295 Bead Bite Wheelset
Riding Type
Trail
Wheel Size
26"
27.5" (650b)
29"
Rim Material
Aluminum
Rim
SPANK OOZY Trail 295 Rims, (420g/rim 26"), 29.5mm Outer Width
Inner Rim Width
25mm
Hole Count
28
Tubeless Compatible
Yes
Rear Hub
9/10-Speed, 28H Straightpull, Standard QR Rear Hub Adapter Kit Included, Japanese Bearing Upgrade, Super-Lite CNC Optimized Alloy Freehub Body, Oversized SSL (Single Spoke Length) Flange Design
Rear Axle
12mm x 142mm
Front Hub
15mm x 100mm O.L.D., 20mm Front Hub Adapter Included, Japanese Bearing Upgrade, Oversized SSL Flange Design (Adaptable to 20mm)
Front Axle
15mm x 100mm
20mm x 110mm
Disc Mount Type
6 Bolt
Spokes
Sandvik T302 Triple Butted 2.2/1.8/2.0 SP
Nipples
Alloy
Colors
Black or Chrome
Weight
26": 3 lb 10.9 oz (1,670 g)
27.5" (650b): 4 lb 3 oz (1,900 g)
29": 4 lb 5.5 oz (1,970 g)
Miscellaneous
The SPANK OOZY Trail 295 Wheelset is a real game changer in the world of All Mountain wheelsets. Starting at just 1670g per set, the Trail 295 is considered by many to be the benchmark in light weight alloy All Mountain wheels, yet its 29.5mm external/25mm internal width and burly OOZY straightpull hub system, inspires confidence and begs to be ridden hard. Whether on the EWS Enduro Circuit, or just out smashing your local trails, the OOZY Trail 295 is up to the task.

Don't let the OOZY Trail 295's classic refined looks fool you. Inside you'll find SPANK's newest trade mark rim technology. Bead Bite is a revolutionary tubeless enhancing bead hook system, with 6 rows of tiny interlocking teeth in each bead seat. Bead Bite rims and wheels trap the tire bead in place, providing increased tire sidewall integrity, and tire retention properties. Better yet, as the tire bead conforms into the Bead Bite ridges, multiple air seals are created, which improve tubeless performance and reduce burps, even at exceptionally low air pressures. When paired with SPANK's patented Oohbah inverted tube well rim profile, Bead Bite rims offer the highest strength to weight, and tubeless security available today.

SPANK OOZY Trail 295 Wheelsets come in 26", 27.5" and 29" sizes, and are hand built with exacting precision, in a 3-cross 28H configuration, using triple butted spokes and alloy nipples. Every OOZY Trail 295 rim is manufactured by hand in SPANK's in-house rim facility, Fratelli Industries, using Dynamal, a proprietary new era alloy developed specifically for highly weight optimized rims.
Price
$599.00
More Info

The Gravity Cartel - home of iXS and Spank USA

Spank website

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Where To Buy
Free shipping on orders over $50 (continental U.S. only).
International shipping available. Some exclusions apply.
Free shipping on orders over $50 (continental U.S. only).
International shipping available. Some exclusions apply.
Free shipping on orders over $75 (contiguous U.S. only).
Free international shipping available with minimum order values. Some exclusions apply.
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