IN BRIEF
Cadex is launching the Max XC, and the official product page states that these are its very first mountain bike wheels. Claimed at 1,248 g per pair, they were developed and tested with the World Cup riders of the factory team. Hookless carbon rim with a 30 mm internal width, carbon spokes bonded directly into the hub, 120-tooth ratchet hub. In its own tests, Cadex claims 5.3% greater lateral stiffness than the Roval Control World Cup.
| Claimed weight | 1,248 g per pair |
| Rim | carbon, hookless, 30 mm internal width |
| Sidewalls | reinforced, 5 mm |
| Spokes | six-strand carbon, bonded into the hub flange, titanium threads |
| Hub | M1-C120, 120-tooth ratchet (engagement every 3°), ceramic bearings |
| Listed price (French page) | €1,799 to €2,299 |
The official product page states that the Max XC is Cadex’s very first mountain bike wheelset. Cadex developed and proved them with the World Cup riders of its factory team, with a stated goal: race efficiency.
The Cadex Max XC: spokes that become one with the hub
The wheel’s signature lies in its construction. The carbon aero spokes are bonded directly into the hub flange, forming a single piece with it. The official product page describes spokes woven from six carbon strands, intended to provide both lateral stiffness and impact resistance. The spoke threads are titanium rather than stainless steel, to save weight.
Cadex applies its DBL technology here: a wider spoke bracing angle and balanced tension under pedalling load, to transfer power more directly.
A 30 mm rim and thicker sidewalls
The hookless rim measures 30 mm wide internally, enough to run lower pressures for more grip, Cadex argues. Escape Collective specifies a depth of 22 mm, front and rear. The sidewalls are reinforced to 5 mm to absorb rim strikes and pinch flats: the brand believes they make tyre inserts unnecessary, along with the weight that comes with them.
The official weight comes in at 1,248 g. Escape Collective, for its part, gives 1,208 g before fitting the tubeless valves and rim tape. The outlet also notes that the rim profile and hookless design are reminiscent of the Giant XCR wheels, which appeared last year with the Giant Anthem, with a notch more high-end specification.
Up against Roval: Cadex’s in-house tests
Cadex measures itself directly against the Roval Control World Cup. In its tests, the Max XC shows 5.3% greater lateral stiffness, and withstands a 75.8% higher compression load before failure. These results come from the manufacturer itself.
The M1-C120 hub combines a 120-tooth helical ratchet freewheel mechanism, meaning engagement every 3°, with ceramic bearings that Cadex presents as 1.5 times smoother than steel bearings.
On price, as of 5 October, the French Max XC page listed prices from €1,799 to €2,299, without detailing what each of the two amounts corresponds to.
