- Stellenbosch based South Industries have added a road bike wheelset to their portfolio
- A staggered front and rear design offers a combination of aerodynamic efficiency and crosswind stability
- With tubeless tyre compatibility the RX wheelset can go off-road too
South Industries are a highly skilled team of engineers, thinkers and cyclists with the aim of building the best products in the world.
Their tagline Handgemaak is a testament to the love and care that goes into building premium wheels, by hand, at the tip of Africa.
South have expanded their range, which traditionally focussed on mountain bike wheels, with the addition of a dedicated road wheelset. The RX wheelset promises superior climbing, descending and even rough road performance.
An ideal wheel, for local conditions
The RX wheelset features two rim depths and inner diameters. This creates a wheelset that is slightly different front and rear but which has real world benefits.
Based in Cape Town, South’s designers considered the need for a wheelset that was aerodynamic, but could also be ridden in the windy conditions prevalent in South Africa coastal cities.
Using a NACA 0024 aerofoil profile the front wheel features a 32mm exterior depth, paired width a 22mm internal width, offering weight advantages and crosswind stability. The rear wheel offers a deeper, more aerodynamic, 40mm exterior section combined with a 20mm internal diameter.
The wheels weigh 1280g per set, when built with Tune Prince/Princess hubs. South’s RX wheels are available in 20-, 24- or 28-hole spoke configurations and only work with disc brakes.
Works on tar and gravel
South Industries have spent the last decade perfecting their design and engineering processes. The company’s wheels have been proven at the highest levels of competitive mountain biking.
Its engineering team in Stellenbosch has mastered exact placement of the pre-preg sheets of carbon, allowing every layer in the final mould to be one continuous piece extending along the circumference of the rim. This makes South wheels less susceptible to delamination or peeling under impact.
The RX wheelset is tubeless compatible only, for tyres up to 32mm wide. South’s experience gained from building mountain bike wheels means that its RX wheelset is also suitable for hitting the gravel on your road or cyclocross bike.
South is marketing individual RX rims at R8 875. A complete wheelset with Tune Killhill and Climhill hubs, retails for R31 675. Upgrade to the Tune Prince and Princess hubs, and your RX wheelset will price at R36 295.
