Reynolds Blacklabel 347 29 Wheelset

The Reynolds Blacklabel 347 29 Wheelset is built for riders who refuse to compromise between width, strength, and responsiveness on the trail. The "347" designation isn't arbitrary — it tells you exactly what you're getting: 34mm of internal rim width engineered to the exacting standards of Reynolds' Blacklabel Wide Trail program. Paired with Industry Nine's legendary Hydra hubs, these wheels deliver the kind of immediate, planted feedback that changes how you read and respond to technical terrain.

Reynolds built the 347's carbon rims using their proprietary MR5 construction — five distinct carbon fiber layup zones applied to five distinct regions of the rim. It's not a uniform layup scaled up or down; each zone has been independently engineered to balance stiffness where you need it (the brake track, the bead wall) against compliance where it helps (the center section). The result is a hookless, asymmetric rim profile that runs true under load, absorbs repeated rock strikes without cracking, and tolerates the kind of tubeless setups that put real demands on the bead seat. At 25mm deep, the rim stays light enough to keep rotational weight manageable while still providing the structural backbone that modern wide tires demand.

The wheels roll on Industry Nine Hydra hubs, and if you've spent time on trails where a split-second lag in power transfer costs you a line, you already know why 0.52° engagement matters. Six independently spring-loaded pawls engage simultaneously, eliminating the dead zone that conventional ratchet hubs introduce when you're powering through a technical climb or sprinting out of a berm. The front runs on a 15×110mm Boost axle, the rear on 12×148mm Boost — standard for modern trail geometry — with freehub options covering Microspline, Shimano HG, and SRAM XD Driver.

Design Benefits

1. MR5 Five-Zone Carbon Layup: Rather than applying a single carbon schedule to the entire rim, Reynolds engineers five separate layup zones — each tuned to the structural requirements of that section. The bead walls are stiff enough to hold tubeless pressure and resist tire burp; the center section is tuned for vertical compliance. The outcome is a rim that feels responsive on fast terrain and durable in rocky, rooty conditions without being built like a tank.
2. 34mm Internal Width: Modern trail tires — 2.4, 2.5, 2.6 inches — need a wide platform to develop their intended casing shape. The 34mm internal width lets you run lower pressures without risk of sidewall fold, which translates directly into better traction and more predictable cornering. The asymmetric design equalizes drive and non-drive side spoke tension, keeping the wheel stiffer and truer under the lateral loads trail riding generates.
3. Industry Nine Hydra Engagement: At 0.52° of rotational play before the pawls engage, the Hydra hub is among the most responsive in the industry. Six pawls work simultaneously rather than relying on a two-pawl ratchet — so there's no dead zone, no delay, and no hunting for the engagement point. On technical climbs, that immediacy keeps momentum where momentum is hardest to build back.
4. Hookless Tubeless Ready Construction: The 347's hookless bead profile is designed from the ground up for tubeless tires. The straight bead wall provides a consistent seating surface that's more forgiving to set up and more resistant to belching sealant under impact than hooked alternatives. Reynolds backs the rim with a lifetime warranty to the original owner — a reflection of confidence in how the construction holds up over years of hard riding.

Final Take

The Reynolds Blacklabel 347 29 is the wheelset for riders who want a wide, carbon trail wheel that's genuinely engineered rather than just marketed. The MR5 rim construction and Hydra hub engagement put real performance behind the price, and the 34mm internal width positions these wheels squarely at the center of where modern trail and light enduro riding has landed. If you're building up a capable 29er or replacing stock wheels on a bike that deserves better, the 347 delivers.