Aluminum wheels that make gravel riding fun and offer excellent value for money. Industry Nine 1/1 GRCX Wheelset
The Industry Nine 1/1 GRCX wheelset is a gravel bike wheelset that hits all the right notes.
- Aluminum rim with a 24.5mm inner width compatible with the latest gravel tires
- Reasonably light and very precise
- Good cost performance
This wheelset is perfect for upgrading your gravel bike if you want a lighter and more affordable wheelset, high-performance wheels without needing carbon, or want to go tubeless.
I have them on my Cannondale Topstone, and riding on dirt is significantly more enjoyable than with my previous wheels.
Why I particularly recommend them for gravel rides
There's another reason I recommend these wheels for gravel riding.
That is, the hub engagement is very small compared to typical road hubs. This is what's known as a high-engagement hub.
The Industry Nine 1/1 hub used in these wheels has an engagement of 4° (90 points of engagement).
Engagement refers to the degree of freewheel (play) from when you start pedaling until traction begins. A smaller number means less play.
For example, when climbing on dirt, if there's an obstacle on the ground and you think your pedal might hit it if you pedal through, you'd probably stop pedaling temporarily, pass the obstacle, and then resume pedaling.
In such cases, if there's a lot of play, it takes longer for traction to engage after you start pedaling again. During that time, you'll slow down and are more likely to lose your balance. That moment of freewheeling is less than a second, but it's a very significant second. This is especially true on steep inclines. You might even have to put your foot down.
On the other hand, with less play, the time it takes for traction to engage after you start pedaling is shorter, minimizing deceleration and making it easier to maintain balance.
The shorter the freewheeling time, the higher your ride success rate, and the more enjoyable your ride becomes.
Furthermore, even on road rides, the annoying "clunk-clunk" freewheeling when dancing is reduced, making for a smoother pedaling experience. They are actually good for hill climbs too.
They even give you the feeling that you've gotten a little better.
While there are many models with even smaller engagement than the 1/1 hub, such as the company's Solix hubs and other high-end models, I don't think you'll find a high-precision, small-engagement wheelset at this price of 121,000 yen (including tax) elsewhere.
The ratchet sound is also crisp and pleasant.
If you're considering upgrading your gravel bike's wheels, these are a highly recommended option.
Test rides are available, so if you're interested, please speak to Shimizu.
Overview of 1/1 GRCX Wheels
Weight: 1710g (front and rear), aluminum rim, inner rim width of 24.5mm, compatible with tires from 33c to 55c. The rim tape is precisely and neatly pre-installed, making tubeless setup easy.
The hubs are Industry Nine 1/1 hubs. These are models that reduce costs by streamlining manufacturing processes, finishes, and supported standards, based on the company's high-end HYDRA and SOLIX models. However, despite being a more affordable version, they are produced on the same manufacturing line as the company's high-end models, so the precision and quality are equivalent to high-end models.
Front 100×12mm / Rear 142×12mm disc road standard with 28 holes. Hub engagement is 4° (90 points of engagement). Disc rotors are center lock.
Price: 121,000 yen (including tax)