RIDEFAST RACING HOTLINE WHEELS

Having tested all types of wheels, we realize how different each set can be. When we got our first look at the Hotlines from RideFast, we knew we were in for a treat. RideFast Racing is an up-and-coming wheel company based in Southern California. It focuses much of its attention on carbon wheels, and treats every pair with a hands-on approach. RideFast prides itself on making affordable yet tough carbon wheels for shredders looking to hit the trails hard without breaking the bank. This month we put RideFast’s Hotline wheels to the dirt to see if they could stand up to our wrecking crew’s torture test.   

Tech info: The Hotlines are RideFast Racing’s flagship wheelset designed specifically for enduro and gravity riders. The Hotlines weigh approximately 1720 grams (800 grams front, 920 gram rear). RideFast offers the Hotlines with Boost hub spacing only. If you’re looking for a 142mm or Super Boost 157 hub, you can go through WheelBuilder.com to obtain those sizes. The hoops feature RideFast’s signature 30mm internal Right Wide technology, and suggested tire widths range from 2.25–2.6 inches. RideFast hubs are U.S. built and feature straight-pull spokes. A titanium driver body with 72 points of engagement offers a snappy feel as soon as you step on the pedals. Driver options are available through RideFast, including Shimano’s HG 9/11 (SRAM NX 12-speed), Shimano 12-speed or SRAM’s XD driver. One of the cool things about the Hotlines is that they arrive at your door ready to ride with RideLock tape and valves installed, assuring that your tubeless setup is flawless. All of the goodies and options added to this wheelset drive the price up to $1500. A lifetime guarantee is granted to the rider when purchasing a complete wheelset. 

On the trail: Upon pulling the Hotlines out of their box, we wondered how easy it would be to install the tires and set them up tubeless. We tried two different brands of tires, Maxxis and Goodyear, both of which were easy to install. The hookless design made it easy to bead up our tires, and RideFast’s RideLock tape and valves aided in the process. When our wheels finally touched the trails, we quickly noticed just how smooth the bearings were. This was the first sign that we were in for a great ride. We took our test wheels out to an enduro race where we knew the Hotlines would be put through a true torture test. Bootleg Canyon, Nevada, was that venue—a location well known for shredding tires and bashing in rims due to its jagged rocks and desert conditions. Dropping into the first stage of the race was a rock garden; however, this wasn’t your average rock garden. Insanely sharp rocks littered the course and, to our dismay, a rock spiked our rear tire, tearing a massive hole in it. 

All the air spewed out not too long after the tire was demolished, but we were determined to finish our race and charged on, bashing our carbon wheels in an effort to salvage our time. Riding hard through rock gardens and flying off drops made for a wild ride and a teeth-chattering race run without the added comfort of air in our tire. Finally, we reached the bottom, throughly expecting a demolished carbon wheel. When we saw there was no damage to our rear wheel, we were immediately in awe, and silently thanked RideFast for making a product so bombproof.

We swapped out the tire and finished the day of racing. Countless more hours were spent pushing the limits of that same wheel with absolutely no issue. The wheels somehow managed to stay true, even at our next races. After beating these wheels mercilessly and seeing them continue to push on, we have to give it to RideFast for building such top-quality equipment. If trusty and durable carbon wheels are on your wish list, check out the Hotlines from RideFast Racing.

Hits

• Bombproof construction

Misses

• Shimano 12-speed freehub body not yet available

4.5 out of 5 stars