ELITE GNAR TRAIL PR CARBON WHEELSET REVIEW

January 3, 2025

The Elite Gnar Trail PR carbon wheelset packs some impressive specs into an affordable $939 price tag. With a sub-1600g weight; 320 points of hub engagement, and a 30mm inner rim width, this 29-inch wheelset is built to rally across a variety of terrains. After 16 months of rigorous testing, including natural single track and countless bike park laps, would we recommend these carbon wheels? Keep on reading to find out.

ABOUT THE ELITE GNAR TRAIL PR WHEELS

Elite Wheels started their journey in 2009, when the founders met in engineering school and shared a passion for design and mountain bikes. The company first got its roots in 2015, and they now hold 32 patents in the wheel manufacturing space. The brand is based in China and utilizes a global distribution network to sell products in all major markets. Finding a shop that stocks Elite wheels can be a bit of a chore, but they also offer direct sales through their website.

The wheelset we have here for our long-term review is the Elite Gnar Trail PR. This is a 29 inch wheelset, with no 27.5” or mixed-wheel setup offered. Elite has other wheelsets available in 27.5” if needed. These wheels land in the trail and all mountain category in Elite’s lineup, but are specced and approved to be run on eBikes.

The 29” Elite Gnar Trail PR wheelset weighed in at 1,596 grams. It has a 30mm inner width with a 36mm outer width. The rim is 24.5mm deep, utilizing an asymmetrical profile and a 3.5mm spoke offset. Both front and rear rims have 28 spokes, using the Sapim CX Ray spokes.

The hubs are forged in-house at Elite Wheels Manufacturing Facility. The 320 POE hub uses a 80 tooth ratchet with eight pawls in four groups of two. Each pawl has 2 teeth, increasing the total contact area. The machining tolerances of the bearing flanges are claimed to be just .02mm. These wheels have an impact rating of 126 joules, which is similar to that of the Roval Traverse carbon wheelset for reference. The wheels are approved for rider weights up to 275lb/125kg.

Should you encounter any issues similar to those sustained in our testing, Elite offers a three year manufacturing warranty. The $939 price includes free shipping and all import fees for the EU, UK, or Australia. You get a choice of freehub bodies: Shimano HG; Microspline, or SRAM XD. Additional options include a black or silver graphic for the rims.

THE DIRT

SETUP | Our test period has spanned 16 months, with the Elite Gnar Trail PR wheels fitted to a variety of bikes, from trail mountain bikes to mid weight and full-fat eBikes. They were ridden on a wide scope of terrain, from natural singletrack to bike park laps.

A wide variety of tire setups were fitted to these wheels, ranging from trail/xc casings up to the current fitting of the Pirelli Scorpion DH T’s, which have been my favorite pairing for these wheels. I landed on 20 to 22PSI up front and 23 to 24PSI out back to suit the conditions with this burly DH casing tire. Since we have had these wheels through an entire year of riding, they experienced every condition on them imaginable.

CLIMBING | Pedaling with the Elite Gnar Trail PR wheels was very pleasant, especially when it came to smooth singletrack climbs, where the low overall weight made for snappy acceleration. There was nothing crazy to report here, they just melted away into the ride. On more technical hill climbs and features, the 320POE hub did a great job of managing power and had impressive engagement for the mini cranks to give a rewarding boost of speed.

DESCENDING | The Elite Gnar Trail PR wheelset had some unique characteristics that set them apart from the current carbon fiber mountain bike wheel trends. They evoked memories of those early carbon wheels, feeling sharp and raw, but not overly refined. This was appealing when paired with the right bike and terrain, but won’t suit every rider. If you’re a lighter rider – under 170 pounds – you most likely will find these wheels uncomfortable, as they transmit a fair amount of trail feedback directly to your hands. However, this sharpness was also part of their appeal.

Where this wheelset truly shone was in heavily loaded corners. The support they provided was undeniable, giving confidence when pressing into corners or big g-outs, and plenty of snap coming out the other side. They are on the border of being overly stiff, but performed well when pushing hard. There is no squirming, even under significant compression. This may not be a drawback, depending on your riding preferences. However, it is a distinct feel compared to the smoother trail feeling of the arguably more refined and much more expensive modern crop of premium carbon fiber wheels.

The downside of the stiffness that the Elite Gnar Trail PR carbon wheels possess, is that when it came to root-littered traverses and chunky rocks, there was a fair amount of deflection. The lack of compliance was notable, and sticking ambitious lines was that little bit more difficult as a result. Their ability to hold onto the bead at lower tire pressure allowed for some of that compliance to be reclaimed, but at the expense of rim protection.

With them being as stiff as they are, there was a noticeable amount of vibration transmitted on high-speed, chattery sections of trail. This was especially notable on long sustained descents, like those at Silver Mountain in Idaho. Switching to a thicker grip, such as the Race Face Chester, helped mitigate some of this feedback for me, but it’d be nice to avoid the need for this. Heavier riders, especially those over 200 pounds, may appreciate the characteristics of these wheels, especially if you are on an eBike.

FINISH AND VALUE | With a price of less than $950, there is no arguing that the Elite Gnar Trail PR wheels are a value carbon wheelset. They have their own personality, and whether you love or hate it depends on your body and bike weight, as well as the ride qualities you are looking for in a wheel. They have their own unique lines and the finish quality is reasonable, if not exceptional.

HOW HAVE THEY HELD UP | Overall, I am quite impressed with how well these wheels have fared under the abuse sustained during the testing period, from poor line choices to corner destruction. However, I did manage to crack the first rear wheel on its first outing, riding a very mild trail with proper tire pressure and no significant events. I got to the bottom of a compression and heard the “phhhhhhsshhhh” of air escaping. I thought what was that, did I flat? A few more meters down the trail, the tire was flat. Thinking it was a puncture, I began getting my plug kit out, but on further inspection I saw the wheel had cracked right at the spoke. There was no impact mark on the actual wheel itself and I didn’t feel it bottom out on a rock. For reference I was running 28 PSI with double down tires, which is totally normal for me.

After a conversation and sharing of photos, Elite deemed it to be a manufacturing defect and sent out a new hoop. As a consumer this would have fallen under their 3 year manufacturing defect warranty. This issue did leave me hesitant upon installing the newly built wheel, which is part of the reason why this review took place over such a long time period. Since that freak crack on the first ride, the replacement wheel has been problem free. I had enough confidence to take them with me down to Costa Rica for a week of shuttling and many road trips here at home. They have stayed mostly true, with a few spokes losing tension, but nothing out of the normal for such an extended test period and a completely hands-off approach.

HOW DO THEY COMPARE?

The two wheelsets that come to mind with comparison to these are the wildly expensive DT Swiss EXC1200’s at $2600 and the SpokeX SX310’s at around $1400. The DT’s are much more refined and have a very good balance of rigidity, weight and compliance. They are smooth and easy going, with no weird quarks other than their huge price tag. The SX310’s land in a bit heavier than both the Elite’s and DT’s, and are the middle ground of the price tier. They too offer a fair amount of comfort, but with a bit more trail feedback than the DT’s. All 3 wheels perform great when pushing them hard, the DT’s do this in a very refined and smooth way whereas the Elite’s feel sort of like a lightweight bulldozer. But with that said, the value that the Elite wheels bring is a really hard thing to ignore.

The Wolf’s Last Word

If you value a stiff wheel for a relatively low price, these are going to be right up your alley. With many eBikes coming with sub-par wheelsets, the Elite Gnar Trail PR’s could be an awesome upgrade. They have withstood the test of time outside of the freak issue we experienced. As an aggressive rider, I have come to really like how much support these wheels offer, but if you are under 170lbs they may be a bit too stiff if they are matched up to your everyday trail rig. On the other hand, pull the noodle-like OEM wheels of your eMTB and put these on, and you’re in business!

Price: $939 /£750 / €900
Weight: 1,596 grams / set
Website: Elite-wheels.com

ABOUT THE WOLF

Cole’s den is in Spokane WA, where he relocated a few years back. Growing up in the lush, loamy playgrounds of the PNW, his soul is forever tied to steep, rooty descents and that unmistakable squish of perfect dirt. After 19 years of shredding, Cole’s been on every kind of rig out there. Once a die-hard fan of big travel bikes, he’s now on a quest for the mythical short-travel do-it-all machine. And yes, skids may be for kids, but this middle-aged manchild is here to prove they’re also for anyone who loves having a damn good time.

Rank: Professional Amateur
Size: 6’1” / 185cm | 170lbs / 77kg
Social: @adventuresbycole

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