HiFi Mix Tape Aluminum Clinchers

The Mix Tape wheels hit nearly all the notes we’d expect from hoops in this price range. Aluminum rims are paired with HiFi’s Fidelity Disc 11-speed hubs that use Japanese stainless steel bearings. Available in both tubeless-ready clinchers and tubulars, we opted for the tubeless-ready variety for convenience and peace of mind. With the right tires and a little liquid sealant, small punctures and pinch flats are a thing of the past.

HiFi’s front wheel measured 6.61 millimeters of deflection in our lab test making for a compliant ride over mixed terrain. However, if there was any flex during hard sprints, we didn’t feel it. The rear wheel, on the other hand, is much stiffer, measuring an impressive 5.73 millimeters of deflection, one of the lower scores we’ve seen.

Though the aluminum rims transmit some bumps and cracks in the road, the 20-millimeter internal rim width opens up wide tire options in the 28- to 30-millimeter range, which easily mutes this chatter. The wider rims also help optimize tire shape for better rolling efficiency and smoother corning.

For budget-minded riders, the Mix Tapes are impressively versatile and can swap between bikes with different end caps that accommodate both quick release and thru axle designs — which means they’ll work on most road and ‘cross bikes. Take them on long training rides or jump in your local crit. They’re not as light as carbon wheels but they get up steep mountain canyons just fine and they cost about half as much as those carbon options

Spoke count: 18 (f); 24 (r)
Rim type: Tubeless-ready clincher
Rim width: 20mm internal; 25mm external
Rim depth: 28mm
Moment of inertia: 5.22 (f); 5.25 (r)
Deflection: 6.61mm (f); 5.73mm (r)