Test: "Inexpensive", "light" and "functional" usually do not go together; a property must be left behind. But sometimes squaring the circle works - as in our case with the Alexrims RXD3 wheels for cross use.
Aerodynamics beats weight - this applies to cycling wherever the pace is high and the route is ridable, which is almost always the case with racing bikes. However, when it comes to cross-country skiing, it's usually the other way around: Even in World Cup races, riders with average speeds of around 30 km/h over an hour of racing rarely get into the area where streamlined material is worthwhile. Cross-country riders have to lift, carry or push their bikes again and again, and accelerate enormously after every obstacle and every tight bend.
Putting a cross bike on a diet makes sense, but it is not easy. Disc brakes are great for deceleration, but they weigh around 400 grams more than Cantis, and many self-payers still rely on a robust aluminum frame. With average wheels and heavy SPD pedals, it can quickly add up to almost ten kilos - and when the top tube then presses into the shoulder on a running passage, it's no fun.
Strong, light, cheap – pick two. Is Alexrims lying to Keith Bontrager?
Expensive material is usually the only way to change that. But every now and then the feat of combining low weight with an attractive price succeeds. The wheel manufacturer Alexrims has recently achieved this. The Taiwan-based company is one of the big players in the wheel industry; numerous bike manufacturers equip their models with rebranded Alex wheels. It often falls back on rather simple material, which is not necessarily conducive to the reputation of Alexrims; so the wheel manufacturer strives to improve its image with high-quality products under its own name.
This is where the RXD3 comes into play - a wheelset that doesn't particularly stand out at first glance, but at the latest makes you sit up and take notice when you weigh it. It only shows 1.560 grams if you omit the supplied rim tape - 730 grams for the front wheel and 830 grams for the rear wheel, plus 10 grams of tubeless tape each.
In view of the purchase price of 329,99 euros, this is extremely light - in this price range, 1.800 to 2.000 grams are the norm. And even if you shouldn't overestimate the "rotating masses" - with frequent off-road acceleration, many a watt should be saved in the rotational acceleration of the wheels. With 400 gram rims, the RXD3 are also quite light on the outside, especially given their 30 mm profile depth - a comparably dimensioned DT Swiss rim weighs 120 grams more. With an internal width of 19 mm, the Alex rims are also quite wide and therefore ideal for cross-country tires with low pressure.
Alexrims RXD3: Classic design without extravagance
The connection to the hub is made by 24 double-crossed, cranked DD round spokes (2,0/1,8 mm), which are threaded into the flange in the classic way. This shows a certain economy, because tangentially inserted hammerhead spokes, as found on many much more expensive wheelsets, can better transfer the braking forces of the disc brakes and chain pull to the rim. When it comes to weight, the thin steel spokes and narrow hub flanges are of course ideal. And the round spokes have another advantage: They enable easy centering, because unlike bladed spokes, they do not have to be held and carefully aligned. A flat spoke that has twisted is an aerodynamic nightmare. For our purposes - cruising at 20 to 25 km/h - round spokes are fine anyway.
The hub bodies have a rather classic shape, apart from the thick middle part. This supports the transmission of deceleration and braking forces and ensures that thru axles fit in. Alexrims lets you choose between Centerlock and six-hole brake disc mounts; The latter has the advantage that the rotors can simply be "shimmed" - i.e. adjusted to the brake calipers with 0,1 mm thick plates ("shims") so precisely that nothing rubs when changing the wheel. Last but not least, there is a ratchet freewheel with 36 grid points and a clearly perceptible, full sound.
Alexrims RXD3: Convincing even in muddy practice
So much for the theory - but how do the light cross wheels prove themselves off-road? Already after the first few meters it is clear: Concerns that the light wheel set might not be stiff enough can be safely thrown overboard. Unless you're super heavy, the Alexrims shouldn't falter; The conventionally spoked wheels also cope with sharp braking maneuvers without a hitch. The concentricity is still good after several test drives and two races, the bearings have coped well with mud and moisture. The rim profile also works - the Schwalbe tubeless tires - we drove the excellent X-One Allround - lose almost no air in the days between two rides; at pressures of around 2 bar, no "burping" can be observed when cornering sharply.
What you notice, of course, is the lower wheel weight compared to standard material - especially when lifting and carrying, for example on the super steep steps of the "Kendenich Wall" at the Raiba Radcross, the third run of the Genesis NRW Cross Cup supported by Alexrims. Our aluminum editorial crosser weighs only 3 kilos including pedals with the RXD8,9, but it has not become significantly more expensive. Low weight, top functionality and a low price do not usually go together, but the RXD3 can offer all three properties. The Taiwanese wheel set has thus earned a very good grade.
