[Closed] Enve Wheels

tis another reason (next to cost) I wont go Carbon..

£750 for a rim is just downright pathetic and makes it a pro-only item, or for those with so much money they dont care about spending huge amounts for such a marginal gain.

Carbon i agree with, a wheelset that costs as much as a decent fully built bike is insane.

If they last forever then it would be acceptable, as they seem to last for a shorter period than a decent alloy rim they are a joke.

They come with baby blue or magenta pink stickers though so i suppose all can be forgiven.

Just get some stickers.

Did I read that you cannot tighten spoke without removing the tires, sealant, strips etc?

They are pretty though eh?

I agree, Enve rims are expensive. My team have been using carbon 29er rims to race on all season. Price ~£150 per rim. My experience so far has been nothing but positive. They have built up into a stiff, lightweight set of wheels that have stood up to all the abuse hurled at them. Never had to true them (if i did no need to take the tyre off) and they certainly ride better than last years Crest rims.

munkyboy - Member

Did I read that you cannot tighten spoke without removing the tires, sealant, strips etc?

I think it's a bit like shim under bucket cams- on the one hand, it's a bastard to adjust, on the other hand you don't plan on adjusting them much.

There are some precious people on there, who can't seem to accept that they might not be the perfect wheelset some seem to think they are.

Not being able to adjust them without stripping the wheel bare is silly too.

And as usual the ones gobbing off about Enve or any other carbon rim being blah blah blah have never ridden them. And fair enough. If you're not good enough to get the most out of them they are over priced.

How do you get the most out of them? They are just a set of wheels. They won't make you go any faster.

Are pinkbike good enough to get the most out of them, I'm confused by your logic?

I have carbon wheels* I'm certain I'm not good enough to get the most out of them but they are very stiff accelerate really well and make climbing easier

* they are the 'cheap' light bicycle ones

Either way I imho youd be silly to spend enve money on a set of wheels

I have some light bike ones. I have ridden them for 5 days at the bike park. They still look brand new. I intend to run them in the alps in August as well.

Things break

We spoke to ENVE, and they said they had determined that the stiffness of the spokes, DT Swiss Competitions, was causing more stress than the rim could handle under certain situations

so they are brittle then - carbon wheels
just don't seem suited to mountain biking.

set on the road bike - well 2, just switched 45 tubulars for 65 clinchers
set on the mtb - well 2 sets, switched 26" for 29" - running XC rear, AM front

built with Sapim XC-Ray/DT Aerospoke

done 3000km on the road bike and 1000km on the mtn bike this year

never had to true them,

stuff however, will sometimes break if you hit it hard enough

£750 for a rim is just downright pathetic and makes it a pro-only item, or for those with so much money they dont care about spending huge amounts for such a marginal gain.

How do you get the most out of them? They are just a set of wheels. They won't make you go any faster.

Well they do actually, that's sort of the point of any development in kit. You might as well say that suspension versus a hard tail doesn't make you go faster. Clearly it does.

The benefits of very stiff carbon wheels can be felt readily but, in my view, you have to be really pushing it to feel the difference and thus to benefit from it. Whenever I've been coming back from injury and taking it steady, I've always felt the wheels never really make much difference, but as soon as I was back up to full speed and hitting turns hard, that was when I could feel the wheels really making a difference.

A mate has been borrowing them and has been so impressed he's now bought them off me (as I've effectively mothballed my mountain bike for the foreseeable future). He says the same thing; they help the bike track really well, they improve the accuracy of your line and stay right where you want them through chatter.

Anyway apart from anything else why does anybody really care what other people spend their money on? Why be so judgemental and why, oh why, try to define anyone else's experience of something.

I can feel the benefits. You can't. Get over it.

I think the point is getee you could buy another much much cheaper brand of carbon wheels and get exactly the same benefits (and the same increased risk of catastrophic failure?)
All without having to patronise the enve-les unskilled paupers on here 😉

Maybe. Oh and yes I was being deliberately patronising because that is what other people were doing. It was an unsubtle point.

Well they do actually, that's sort of the point of any development in kit. You might as well say that suspension versus a hard tail doesn't make you go faster. Clearly it does.

The benefits of very stiff carbon wheels can be felt readily but, in my view, you have to be really pushing it to feel the difference and thus to benefit from it. Whenever I've been coming back from injury and taking it steady, I've always felt the wheels never really make much difference, but as soon as I was back up to full speed and hitting turns hard, that was when I could feel the wheels really making a difference.

A mate has been borrowing them and has been so impressed he's now bought them off me (as I've effectively mothballed my mountain bike for the foreseeable future). He says the same thing; they help the bike track really well, they improve the accuracy of your line and stay right where you want them through chatter.

Really? How much faster? Could you quantify it?

That's a serious case of Enve coolaid being thrown down, with a large side order of patronising sauce.

I've used, and broken a set of Enve's, and other carbon wheels. I didn't go any faster, or slower with them. I noticed the extra stiffness but still question whether that's a good thing, it has both positives, and negatives.

People can spend their money on whatever they like, has anyone ever suggested otherwise? Sounds like you're pushing some purchase justification onto us though.

I can't feel the benefits, apparently you can. Get over it.

I did timed tests and found it made about 10% difference. The 'feel good factor' though was about 50%.

I can't speak for carbon stiffness- mine went into a wheelset that was never going to be stiff, low spoke count and skinny spokes, the other wheels are still getting built. But weight, I don't understand how anyone can not notice a weight reduction in wheels tbh. Whether it's carbon or lightweight alu or whatever.

No offence Geetee but are you not skeptical of your timed tests given the feelgood factor? If a bike feels good and fast you're likely to push it harder... Or are you happy that's not the case?

I did timed tests and found it made about 10% difference. The 'feel good factor' though was about 50%.

sorry are you saying that enve rims make you go 10% faster than on the same bike running a standard set of rims (ie crests)?

because i find that very hard to beleive

10%? Really? That's a huge difference to quantify just to a set of carbon wheels.

If I consistently went 10% faster I would win nearly every single race I have entered, in the last 12 months! Some of those podiums must have been down to the wheels then....

😉

The 'feel good factor' though was about 50%

If that's what you're after according to this place you should be on a fatbike

Mavic EN321 or Enve rims.
Does anyone actually care as long as you're having fun?

yes - carbonz is everything

No offence Geetee but are you not skeptical of your timed tests given the feelgood factor? If a bike feels good and fast you're likely to push it harder... Or are you happy that's not the case?

Am I skeptical? Yes and no; I think you're assessment is spot on; the bike felt so much better I had more confidence to push.

If that's what you're after according to this place you should be on a fatbike

LOL yes I can quite believe it. Ironically though I am now on a road bike and incredibly happy with it though that probably has as much to do with being four stone lighter and quite a bit better able to actually, you know, ride up hill!

Why don't Mavic make carbon MTB wheels? They do loads of road ones and as the world's leading wheel company could certainly make more money if they did.

But I'm sure I read in Dirt that they don't see it as a suitable material.

Just saying.

What makes them the world's leading wheel company? Perhaps previously, but IMO they're trading significantly on heritage these days, not a hugely innovative or bold company.

They've not long progressed from alu rims with a carbon fairing either.

chakaping - Member

Why don't Mavic make carbon MTB wheels?

Because they can sell aluminium ones for £700 using tech and designs they've had for years? Their most exciting product innovation recently was painting some old crossmaxes yellow, and people got trampled in the rush to the shops...

What makes them the world's leading wheel company? Perhaps previously, but IMO they're trading significantly on heritage these days, not a hugely innovative or bold company.

I meant in terms of money and brand recognition really, wouldn't like to say who is leading the way on the tech side (maybe not Enve though, ho ho).

There's a bit of truth to what you say, but I like the way Mavic are willing to buck the trends and stick with what they believe in.

Internet warriors get all angry because their rims are "too narrow" or they have special spokes, but they work really well and the Crossmax SX is a really ****ing tough wheel at a great weight.

Because they can sell aluminium ones for £700 using tech and designs they've had for years? Their most exciting product innovation recently was painting some old crossmaxes yellow, and people got trampled in the rush to the shops...

Ahem, see "internet warriors" comment above.

If I spent ridiculous money on a set of wheels, I'd try to justify it too!

I have a set of Enves. I also have a set of reynolds AM carbon rims, and a set of Crossmax ST's, all in 29 inch.

Are the Enves any better than the Reynolds? Yes - much. stiffer, lighter, stronger. Are they better than the Mavic's? Marginally, they're wider so give the tyre a better profile and are a bit lighter.

For me, having a decent set of stiff wheels on a 29er makes the bike. I've ridden one with standard OEM rubbish and they were just that - rubbish. Made the handling vague, felt sluggish and nasty to ride. Do you need to spend Enve money to stop this happening? No, of course not. A set of Flows would probably do almost as good a job.

I got the Enve's because they look cool and at the time there wasn't really anything that compared. I can't comment on the LB rims as I've not ridden a set but I'm sure they're very good. I think hating a rim because its expensive is a bit of a joke - you don't have to buy them, there are alternatives.

You spend your money, you takes your choice. For the record I don't think they are perfect but I've found them to be very good. The reynolds on the other hand were similar money and are rubbish. And this is my second set (I've had them in 26inch too) and neither were great. Bought as complete wheelsets, these have the i9 hubs which I've also found to be bobbins - bearing life is laughable.

Cost aside, a set of Enve's on Kings is in (my opinion) the optimum wheelset. Look good, light enough, strong and stiff.

What part of my post isn't true, though, chakaping? Mavic have little reason to innovate. If they can sell an old product for a top price, with you can assume higher profit margins than most due to huge product lifecycles, why would they get into an unfamiliar technology and all that entails?

They don't need any other reason to stay out of carbon. And this isn't a carbon specific thing, you can see their pragmatic approach to development in all their products- my 819s are from 2007, there's no question they could improve that rim if they had any desire to. It's just logical not to innovate, for them.

I'm sure they are good wheels, but in reality the percentage improvement will be tiny, way way less that 10%. Otherwise as hobnob states above they'd be the difference between winning a race and being middle of the pack.

I can't speak for carbon stiffness- mine went into a wheelset that was never going to be stiff, low spoke count and skinny spokes, the other wheels are still getting built.

You say that, but I went from 26" wheels with 32 Revolution spokes and lightweight alu rims to 29" wheels with 32 Revolutions and light carbon rims and they're day and night in difference, I was really impressed. Dunno if that translates to real world speed, but they feel far better.

Definitely agree on Mavic though!

njee20 - Member

I went from 26" wheels with 32 Revolution spokes and lightweight alu rims to 29" wheels with 32 Revolutions and light carbon rims and they're day and night in difference, I was really impressed. Dunno if that translates to real world speed, but they feel far better.

So your 29er wheels felt different to the 26ers?

geetee1972 - Member
How do you get the most out of them? They are just a set of wheels. They won't make you go any faster.
Well they do actually, that's sort of the point of any development in kit

So it's not about sales and profits?

geetee1972 - Member
I did timed tests and found it made about 10% difference. The 'feel good factor' though was about 50%.

Come on! I just need to ride at my limit, stick ENVEs on, and I'm 10% faster and X points up the results?

Listen to yourself...

So your 29er wheels felt different to the 26ers?

🙄 There's a context there - my lightweight 26" alu wheels were flexy (and you could see/feel it), my larger carbon wheels, with the same spokes are noticeably stiffer. I'm not saying they're faster, becuase it's a daft comparison, but the stiffness difference is hugely noticeable, despite still using lightweight spokes.

What part of my post isn't true, though, chakaping? Mavic have little reason to innovate.

What would you like to see them doing?

Their newest MTB wheelset has narrower rims on the 29er version to keep the weight down and because they don't think you need such a wide tyre as on smaller wheels (bigger contact patch).

This is something I'd noticed on my 29er - more grip/drag for the same volume tyre on a 26er - so that's what I think is smart innovation rather than making 50mm wide rims out of tinfoil.

Listen to yourself...

I don't need to. I'm not trying to convince anyone of anything. I'm just happy riding my bike fast.

chakaping - Member

What would you like to see them doing?

Some sort of cool new material that's lighter and stronger than aluminium 😉

Apart from that- shopping list)

Simple stuff, bring the ancient kit up to spec. Take everything that went into the 821 and make a new 819, frinstance.

Get over UST, it didn't catch on for a reason, go TLR and make either lighter or stronger rims that are easier to live with. For that matter, hookless rims. Though, I think they'll resist all that stuff just because UST is theirs.

Oh and stop making wheelsets where the rear wheel's weaker than the front. They had a wee production line of rear Enduros getting rebuilt with front rims at the EWS... Fine if you get a new one free but it's pretty iffy for paying customers. Would you really build a wheelset that way yourself?

And yeah, more width. I've got a mixed bag of wheels and with decent sized tyres, the difference between my 819s and my flow exs is pretty unmissable. It just feels stuck in the past.

I was pleasantly surprised when my all singing all dancing new full-sus was about 10% quicker than my hardtail! I should have just got some Enve wheels, would have been cheaper... 😉

Just confirming what some other posts say - they do track noticeably better and I can get on stay on high lines for example where it was 50/50 on my Stans rims. I didn't get this at first but the more I ride them the more I notice they track really well.
First ride I definitely felt they accelerated better. I wouldn't pay £750 a rim for Enve's but Light Bicycle seem pretty on the money. Not risking them in the Alps though 🙂

Just confirming what some other posts say

So to sum up the thread, the people who've ridden carbon rims all agree they are better and offer an increase in performance that translates to better riding (even if not everyone would consider shelling out specifically for the Enve product) and then there are those who think it's all just marketing guff and that we're all in some way of questionable sanity or just have more money than sense ans they also seem to be the ones who've never ridden them.

I may have more money than sense or I may have been seduced by the marketing. Frankly I don't really care as I just love riding my bike fast.

Enve's are just silly money. Same weight as Light Bicycle etc but at least 6x the cost.

From what I've seen at races and on here they are no more durable.

Even if they are a bit more durable, they are a PITA to true.

Even if they are a bit more durable, they aren't 6x as durable.

They may have an excellent warranty but so do Light Bicycle.

I'm not sold on Enve.

However, I am sold on carbon rims being worth the risk of damaging one on a rock because they are just so much stiffer when giving it the beans in a sprint and round berms.

geetee1972 - Member

So to sum up the thread, the people who've ridden carbon rims all agree they are better and offer an increase in performance that translates to better riding (even if not everyone would consider shelling out specifically for the Enve product) and then there are those who think it's all just marketing guff and that we're all in some way of questionable sanity or just have more money than sense ans they also seem to be the ones who've never ridden them.

Not at all, stop trying to polarise it.

No one's buying a 10% speed gain.

What gee said...
I wouldn't fork out for the enves, but I do have a set of lightbicyles 35mm, 29er rims. Still not exactly cheap mind, but they do make a really noticeable difference.

they're so stiff they only really work well on a jones spaceframe with all it's lovely vertical compliance...

The man from Derby kindly warrantied my rims, somewhat unexpectedly this week, so in light of the (not dubious at all) potential race winning gains I can benefit from, i'm going to build them back up to take to Whistler in a few weeks, for racing the EWS.

That extra 10% should see me right up the sharp end. Watch out Jared!

cynic-al - Member

No one's buying a 10% speed gain.

I can totally buy a 10% speed gain. Just not for performance reasons. Feel's as important as outright performance I reckon, a bike that feels right on the trails and in the garage can go a hell of a lot faster than a "better" one that doesn't.

a bike that feels right on the trails and in the garage can go a hell of a lot faster than a "better" one that doesn't.

I don't think its that simple - a bike that feels fast isn't always faster.

I've just got some enve m50s and they feel and ride completely differently to cheaper carbon rims.

They also ride so much better then the equivalent light aluminium rims.

I'm not here to convince anyone, I fancied some and could afford them. I like the fact they're not cheap knock offs. Too much in our world is built to a price point.

Long term I will let you know.

But this is only the same argument as someone buying tesco BSO and some one on here telling them to spend 1500 on a real bike. All relative.

I don't understand the the race to the bottom in consumerism; let's have some stuff produced to a high quality too?

That's the problem though innit. What do they do over and above a Light Bicycle rim at 1/6 the cost? Other than give you a warm glow because everyone knows you spent so much? The alternatives are not poor quality.

They're not lighter
They're not stronger
I've never seen data to suggest they're stiffer?
They're less user friendly

Well anecdotely I spent 1150 on some U.S.E carbon wheels and they didn't feel that great to me; leaden and not particularly stiff. That made me understand that just being carbon is not the be all and end all.

Also isn't the aim of riding to come away with a warm fuzzy glow. No matter how that is achieved.

And for the quality (as I was trying to buy a cheaper alternative to Enve in USE ) - they split when I took a tyre off.

cynic-al - Member

I don't think its that simple - a bike that feels fast isn't always faster.

Of course- hence "can" not "will". But there's no reason to doubt "I put carbon wheels on my bike and went 10% faster", that's a completely reasonable idea once you add a human brain to the equation. I fitted a louder exhaust pipe to my motorbike and went faster 😆 Power was slightly down because the jetting was wrong but I opened the throttle more.

If you don't have them and aren't going to get any why would you give a sh*t? If you have them and are happy why would you care if a bunch of cheapskates knock them?

I cant afford them and dont care if they give 10% or fold like tissue.

If they make the owner happy what's the problem?

"I like to ride my bike fast" has to be the best comment on here.
Total cock swinging, "I have ENVE wheels, I'm soooo much faster than you common folk". 😆

Put wheels on your bike, ride your bike. If you're fast, you're fast, if you ain't, you ain't. Bad workmen blame their tools...
They are wheels for christ sake. Unless you are racing in professional circuits what does it really matter?

Personally, I would never buy ENVE wheels, I can get the same for cheaper. But I am more than happy with my "cheapskate" EN521's, that do the job perfectly well.

So much "my dicks bigger than your dick" on here... Get over it, they are wheels...

I've just got some enve m50s and they feel and ride completely differently to cheaper carbon rims.

in what way and which rims? just curious...

But there's no reason to doubt "I put carbon wheels on my bike and went 10% faster", that's a completely reasonable idea once you add a human brain to the equation

Is there a 10% gap between those on carbon wheel and those not?

Total cock swinging, "I have ENVE wheels, I'm soooo much faster than you common folk".

I have 2 pairs. Thus I am twice as fast as the paupers.

Wow, 3 threads in as many days where strangers are asking me to defend my purchases. More chips than Harry Ramsdens...

cynic-al - Member

Is there a 10% gap between those on carbon wheel and those not?

There's a 10% gap between Geetee on carbon wheels and not.

Haha! Wasn't asking you to defend your purchase. Never once said you should defend what you buy, got the money to buy it, buy it. I'm just saying that personally I don't see the requirement for a pro piece of kit when I ain't no pro rider.

Like I said, they are wheels, buy whatever you like or can afford and ride your bike, don't sit there rubbing it in people faces and calling them "cheapskates" because they don't have a wheel set that costs as much as yours... Kinda sad ain't it.

Wow, 3 threads in as many days where strangers are asking me to defend my purchases

I dont think its about the actual amount spent, plenty of normal people spend more on cars, watches, holidays, laptops etc, not me I'm skint but I love seeing the really nice kit out on the trails, gives me something to oooh and ahhh over 🙂

I think its people struggling to understand how/why they are so much more than alternative carbon rims.
From a spec point of view it seems like a poor choice on the actual technical and provable aspects of it.

If you buy them cos you like them and can afford them then fair play to you, ive been known to buy things 'just because i like them' before and i wouldn't begrudge anyone for doing so.

Sam no one has ever called anyone a cheapskate and no one is swinging their dick least of all me. If that's what you thought people were saying or implying then it would explain why you seem so angry. So apologies if I played any part in that.

Honestly I do just like riding my bike fast, which like anything else is a relative term. It's relative to me. To whether I'm riding at 90% of my ability or at 100%. The carbon wheels gave me the confidence to ride at 100% whereas before I was riding at 90%. There you go that's your 10%.

Be happy guys. Life is short and youth is even shorter (Sammy boy).

adsh - Member
If you don't have them and aren't going to get any why would you give a sh*t? If you have them and are happy why would you care if a bunch of cheapskates knock them?

That's the cheapskates reference, I'm not angry 🙂 I don't mean to sound it.
I'm just baffled that people can be so defensive and argumentative over a set of wheels.
I fully agree with you with that geetee, life is far far too short to be bothered about things like this.

Wheels are wheels like I said, if they go round and round, and get you up or down the hill, where's the problem?
If you can spend £xxxx on wheels, do it! Lord knows I would! But the variances in the wheels are probably so slight, how many people can really really tell the difference? Placebo effect from having a lighter wallet probably has more bearing on how your new kit feels than reality.

I have 2 pairs. Thus I am twice as fast as the paupers.

i have 3 pairs at the moment

It is definitely more than just placebo and depending on what your coming from the difference can be pretty drastic. But in the grand scheme of things it is pretty marginal when compared to say going from a hardtail to a full suss.

Sorry that someone was rude enough to make that cheap remark. That wasn't cool.

There are two debates here. One is about carbon rims per se the other about Enves products specifically. I only bought the Enves because at the time there was no alternative. I trashed a set of haven carbons twice by that point and had got my money back. The havens just had too low a spoke count and I wanted rims I could have built up traditionally. I'd buy the Light Bicycle ones now if I ever get back on the mountain bike.

I did timed tests and found it made about 10% difference. The 'feel good factor' though was about 50%.

😆 🙄

Couldn't make it up! Oh, wait... 😆

To be honest I would be devastated if I spent all that money and the feel good factor was just 50% better. How fun the wheels feel is the only thing you have a chance of quantifying and I'd want them to be at least twice as good as something so extortionate priced

Any hoo, the hole digging is amusing. Please continue 😀

I have the 26" Enve AM wheels... They definitely do feel very different, much more direct, but I am still undecided after 3 months if they are better or worse than alloy wheels. I think the flex in most alloy rims is maybe desirable? I do love how the Enves look and I also dropped about half a pound of rotating weight, but I am not entirely sure I would buy them again, for example if I went to 27.5"... Probably just stick with alloy.

I actually find the whole composite rims thing fascinating, on road bikes I think they work as they are, a straight replacement for an alloy rim in a traditionally constructed, spoked wheel...

For MTB use I think there is a way to go, what seems to have happened is that deepmsections and low spoke counts have been transposed from road wheels and they are not hacking it in all situations... I think maybe a deeper examination of the stresses MTB wheels are subject to and considering a change from traditional construction might be needed. Is "stiffer" necessarily better? Dunno, we've spent the last couple of decades fitting wider, lower pressure tyres to MTBs, we must want some level of compliance from our wheels...

One thing I do like about composites is that they are actually relatively simple to repair so rather that banning a cracked carbon wheel as you would with an alluminium equivalent I can seema benefit there...

The cost thing is what it is, composites are labour party intensive, prices will only reduce with volume or use of techniques which reduce the amount of skilled labour needed, I can foresee cheaper carbon rims in a few years then we'll see how anti carbon people really are...

Dan you're being a dick. Just don't ok.

you're being a dick. Just don't ok.

in what way and which rims? just curious

I explained about the U.S.E rims ?

[img] [/img]

I can foresee cheaper carbon rims in a few years then we'll see how anti carbon people really are...

They're already out there, and folk are lapping them up!

what seems to have happened is that deepmsections and low spoke counts have been transposed from road wheels and they are not hacking it in all situations.

I disagree, most MTB rims are about 25ish mm deep, which is very shallow, and most wheelsets are 28 or 32 spokes.

I have to admit that the driect feel ofmy LB carbon rims is awesome, not sure if the snappier acceleration is more about the reduced weight, than stiffnessofrim, shirley stiffness of spokes would make more difference to that feel?

they certainly feel better in turns too, although 35mm wide could be width too

but I do find on rock gardens etc that the extra stiffness results in a rougher ride, my frames already quite stiff, so im running a bit less pressure in my tyres and maybe in my shock too

I have 2 pairs. Thus I am twice as fast as the paupers.

Wow, 3 threads in as many days where strangers are asking me to defend my purchases. More chips than Harry Ramsdens...

I don't think anyone is asking people to defend their purchases? This was started from a link from one of the biggest biking websites who have tested a couple of sets of Enve wheels & had a couple of very public failures.

The debate was then sparked about whether they actually improve the ride & make you go faster in real terms, or just look pretty & have the feel good factor.

It's fair to say I think everyone is in agreement they do feel different. However, different doesn't always mean faster. We've had some fairly spurious improvement claims & then we had the "i'm fast" gem:

I have the 26" Enve AM wheels... They definitely do feel very different, much more direct, but I am still undecided after 3 months if they are better or worse than alloy wheels. I think the flex in most alloy rims is maybe desirable? I do love how the Enves look and I also dropped about half a pound of rotating weight, but I am not entirely sure I would buy them again, for example if I went to 27.5"... Probably just stick with alloy.

You have raised an interesting point, which I have in the past too about wheel flex. Maybe on a 29" they make more sense, as 29" wheels can be a bit floppy otherwise.

I have found the carbon wheels can be too stiff in some occasions, such as holding a line on a long rooty, off camber section. Stiff wheels cause the bike to feel like it's pinging off the roots, making it harder to hold the line, rather than wheel flex allowing for some movement.

There is some information out there from Vouilloz who used to run crazy low tension in his wheels to allow for wheel flex as it was faster, and more recently with the Syndicate riders running lower spoke tensions to try & bring some flex into the wheels. Being stiffer doesn't necessarily mean better in every instance.