Reserve Wheels Go Alloy - Review 9

Reserve has made a name for itself in the world of mountain bike wheels as a great carbon wheel option with relatively reasonable price points. For those who still consider their prices to be in the eye-watering category, cry no more as they now offer a better value wheelset with top-notch ride characteristics. Reserve says the 30|HD Alloy wheelset is a workhorse built as solidly as they come. Vital set out to see for ourselves by putting them through the wringer for a month and a half.

Highlights

• 6069 Aluminum construction
• Spoke Count: 28 (30|SL AL) and 32 (30|HD AL)
• 30mm inner width
• Recommended Tire Dimensions: 2.3 to 2.5
• DT Swiss 350 J-Bend hubs
• Sapim J-bend spokes and nipples
• Reserve Fillmore valve stems
• Reserve tubeless rim tape
• Sizes: 29” or 27.5”
• Wheelset Weight: 30|SL AL 1840g and 30|HD AL 1880g (tested)
• Rim Weight: 30|SL AL 27.5 - 460g, 29 - 500g \\ 30|HD AL 27.5 - 540g, 29 - 580g
• Lifetime warranty on manufacturing with crash replacements for rims or wheels at 50% off retail.
• MSRP: $699 USD

Reserve sent us their alloy 30|HD wheelset, but a 30|SL option is also available with 28 spokes instead of 32. Like their carbon versions, the HD signifies that they are built to withstand the most abuse, ridden on everything from casual trail outings to the highest level of enduro racing. They're ideal for those who either prefer aluminum rims or just don’t want the risk associated with a carbon wheel failing. The 30|HD features a 30mm inner width as the name suggests, 32 spoke holes, Sapim triple-butted spokes, DT Swiss 350 hubs with a 36t ratchet inside, and Reserve’s own Fillmore valve stems. Wheels come laced asymmetrically to equalize spoke tension front to rear and optimize drive side to non-drive side loads for front and rear wheels. With some of the most durably sound components to build the wheels upon, the alloy Reserves are topped off with the same lifetime warranty policy Reserve is known for.

Initial Impressions

We pulled the DT Swiss M1700 wheels off of our test bike with the same 30mm internal width for accurate analysis and comparison. Considering our DT wheels are one of, if not the most durable aluminum wheelsets available on the market, the Reserves had big shoes to fill. Visually, the wheels can easily be mistaken for carbon wheels with the exception of the raised spoke eyelets found on the carbon rims. They feature a smooth matte finish rim, unlike other anodized or bead blast finishes found on most aluminum wheelsets. Seeing standard drilled hubs with J-bend spokes was a delight. If any spokes should break, straight pull spokes may be fairly common but J-bends are generally easier to find. Installation was straightforward thanks to the ease of interchanging DT Swiss freehub bodies between our wheelsets. The high-flow Fillmore valve stems made seating tires a breeze.

On The Trail

We spent our test period on the new wheels between our home trails of Phoenix, AZ, Auburn, CA, and Laguna Beach, CA. There were many scenarios and trail types experienced for the duration. The common denominator of all three locations was frequent rock smashing with the California trails providing some high-speed scenarios and heavier loading in corners.

The California trails had more than a few off-camber sections where we noticed a higher level of lateral compliance from the wheels. This made holding a line easy without rattling us off the trail. The wheels seemed to wiggle their way through when leaning into turns littered with braking bumps, allowing our bike to stay on line rather than stepping out. Running into rocks resulted in a level of comfort that is welcoming over the course of a long trail. Turning hard we noticed a bit of that lateral compliance that isn’t overbearing. The rear wheel did seem to wind up a bit when really brapping into turns harder than anticipated. Even with these few scenarios where things did not go as planned, we think the extra compliance is beneficial for longer laps to minimize fatigue.

Climbing

We like to think the slight decrease in rotational mass over the wheelset we previously had on our bike made a noteworthy difference, but truthfully things felt more or less the same and performance was up to par with any DT Swiss hub-mounted wheelset. We had no issues with the 36t ratchet and liked having the option of upgrading to the 54t option should we feel the need for faster engagement.

Long-Term Durability

Our test period on the wheelset was thorough, but not long enough to determine any underlying issues. The wheels have been fantastic so far, and we don’t foresee any long-term complications arising from the wheel's build components. Should issues occur, the 30|HD AL wheelset is backed up by a lifetime warranty for the original owner, similar to Reserve’s carbon wheelsets. Crash replacements for rims or wheels are offered at 50% off retail. Reserve will send either a complete replacement wheel or a new rim and provide a service credit to have the original wheel relaced by a shop as a secondary option.

What's The Bottom Line?

For us, nothing in particular stood out about the aluminum variant of Reserve’s 30|HD wheelset. This is a highlight and about all that we can ask from an aluminum wheelset these days. The most notable difference between our EX1700 wheelset and the 30|HD AL was a slightly more laterally compliant ride quality. Compliance was most noticeable in chatter and when loading through turns — the wheels seemed to wiggle their way through bumps nicely more and felt slightly less sure-footed under heavy side loading through bermed turns. These attributes aren’t necessarily negatives when it comes to overall ride quality but are a different type of on-trail experience when compared to the wheels they replaced on our bike. If all-day comfort in a highly durable wheelset is a primary focus of your trail or enduro bike, the Reserve 30|HD AL wheelset is worth considering. If high-speed, flow-trail berm blasting is a frequent occurrence, something stiffer may be the way to go.

For more information, please visit reservewheels.com for more details.

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About The Reviewer

Jonathon Simonetti - Age: 28 // Years Riding: 19 // Height: 6'4" (1.93m) // Weight: 225-pounds (102kg)

Jonny started mountain biking in 2003 after a trip to Northstar showed him how much more could be ridden on 26” wheels than on a BMX bike. He began racing downhill in 2004 and raced for 12 years until ultimately deciding having fun on a bike was more important than race results. After working as a mechanic in the industry for a few years and developing a deeper understanding of bikes inside and out, he has an aptitude for pairing his riding ability with the analysis of bikes and breaking down what makes them work well. He spends most of his time between trail rides and skatepark sessions with occasional days on the downhill bike.