Reynolds AR29x Tubeless Disc Wheelset

Reynolds AR29x Tubeless Disc Wheelset is a carbon disc wheelset built with climbing in mind, trimming weight without giving up the stiffness needed to put power down when the road tilts up. At 1,390 grams for the pair, it sits in the range where dedicated climbing wheels tend to live — light enough to feel eager on a sustained grade, stout enough not to flex under a hard out-of-the-saddle effort. It's tubeless-ready throughout, so riders looking to drop tubes and run lower pressures don't have to compromise on weight to do it.

The 29mm rim depth is shallow by current aero standards, and that's the point — Reynolds keeps the profile low to shed rotating weight rather than chase aero savings the wheel doesn't need for its intended job. A 27mm external width paired with a 19mm internal channel gives modern tires a wider base to sit on, which rounds out tire profiles and adds a bit of stability when you're out of the saddle grinding up a switchback. Bladed spokes bring a modest aero benefit into the package too, so the AR29x isn't a strictly one-dimensional climbing wheel — it holds speed reasonably well on rolling terrain and in flatter sections of a ride.

That 19mm internal channel also makes tubeless setup easier to live with day to day. The added air volume over a narrower rim lets you run wider tires at lower pressure without giving up rolling speed, which shows up as a smoother ride on rough pavement and more predictable traction when the road surface gets inconsistent. For riders who've been putting off the switch away from tubes, this wheelset removes most of the excuses.

Reynolds builds the AR29x around CNC-machined hubs with 10-degree engagement, quick enough to matter on technical climbs where you're constantly modulating power through switchbacks. The rear freehub is compatible with Shimano/SRAM 9-11 speed, Campagnolo, and SRAM XD-R drivetrains, so the wheelset isn't locked into one groupset ecosystem — useful if the bike underneath it ever sees a drivetrain change. Spoke count is tuned front to rear (20 front, 24 rear) for the different loads each wheel carries, and axle spacing covers 12x100 and 15x100 front thru-axle standards along with 12x142 rear, which fits the large majority of current disc-brake road and gravel frames.

Reynolds has been building carbon wheels since the early 2000s, when it began producing the industry's first carbon clincher rims, and that background shows in how the AR29x is put together — carbon fiber construction that prioritizes a light, stiff platform over anything flashier. It's a climbing wheelset first, built for the rider who plans routes around vertical gain rather than flat-road top speed, but it's capable enough on rolling terrain that it doesn't need to sit in the garage the rest of the time.