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Three sets of hoops for the holidays

Wheel sets for road, 'cross and trails that your loved one deserves

A new set of wheels can have a huge improvement on a bike. They make a great gift for a ride looking to get a bit more from their ride.

For a enduro or trail bike, the carbon Bontrager Line Pro 30 ($1,590) can boost performance at a good price. With the Rapid Drive 108 hub, six pawls have 108 points of engagement to get the rear wheel spinning.

This year, DT Swiss came out with its CR line, for “’cross road.” While the wheels will perform well in muddy races, they are also excellent performers on gravel rides. The DT Swiss CR 1600 Spline DB ($1,070) is at the top of the line. The hoops have an internal width of 22 mm to hold wider clincher tires well.

The relaunch of Shimano’s Ultegra group this year also saw the introduction of the RS770 wheels ($1,030): carbon laminate, tubeless-ready rims that are brought to a stop by rotors. The company says it shaved off 60 g from the hubs.