[Xiphias] 26" Fat Rim 105mm

This is my long term, second review of the Xiphias 105mm rims. I’ve been on them now for two years and they have been absolutely reliable. They’ve never unseated on me even with 3psi riding at -30F or colder using Stans sealant. Spokes have stayed tensioned and perfectly true. They’ve taken a few hard hits and come away unscathed. I don’t worry about them, I just go and ride, adjusting my pressure to suit the conditions. I have no worries about my wheels leaving civilization for multiple days. They are light and make spinning a massive float wheel about as painless as possible. An expensive purchase but 100% worth it for the capabilities my bike gained in soft conditions and all others as well. I weigh 180lbs and am not the most finesse-full rider out there but their strength hasn’t been an issue for me. I ride a lot and definitely recommend these wheels.

These are excellent rims. I built them up as a backcountry wheel set for soft conditions in Alaska, paired with studded 4.6" 45Nrth Dillinger and Wrathchild tires. They have been flawless over two seasons now. They were a little difficult to tape due to the raised spoke nipples on the single wall, but clear Gorilla tape was stretchy enough to work ok. The tubeless tires seated fairly easily, and basically never lose air. I'm running Stan's sealant in case of punctures, but they hold air well even without sealant. Most importantly, they have been totally reliable and durable in cold, rough backcountry use. They can be run at very low pressure (~3 psi) in very low temperatures at -30F or colder without burping air, which is a big advantage over aluminum rims. My HED BAD wheels tend to unseat and leak air at low pressures and temperatures below about -10F, so I trust these Xyphias wheels much more for cold, remote riding.

I bought a set of Xiphias 105mm 26” as I wanted a wide set of wheels that I could use a 5” wide tire to deal with the large amounts of fluff we get here in Alaska. I occasionally race also and wanted a light wheel set with max floatation.

I was impressed by the quality and the subtle graphics look sharp! The rims weighed a few grams less than advertised. They were easy to lace up and tension/true. They practically built themselves. I saved well over a pound over my prior 80mm Mulefut aluminum wheel set. I set them up tubless and even in -40F Aired down I’ve never had a problem with the bead unseating, unlike my aluminum rims. I’ve ridden them and abused them nearly daily during the winter months problem free for close to a year. They’ve been strong and have stayed true. They role beautifully and feel like half their size. I’m absolutely happy with my purchase. Enough so that I will be buying another narrower set of these rims to build a hard pack oriented pair.