“Over two long days of riding in Bellingham and then spending more time on the rocky trails home trails in Bend, Oregon I really appreciate how my hands and feet felt and the traction and support these wheels offered.”

The wheels never felt too stiff or soft. Instead, they offered extra comfort and damping over chattery sections while remaining responsive and stiff through big hits and compressions. We enjoyed how they provided that snappy, instant feel we love about carbon wheels, allowing us to maneuver and pump our bike to generate speed out of rolling terrain. And the more energy we pushed into the wheels, the more they came alive. However, this stiff and active feel never came at the cost of compliance or control in tricky, technical descents.

“And that seems to be one of the more magical things about the Forge and Bond wheels. That they do offer noticeable compliance and the right kind of give, in the right directions, for performance benefits, yet they still feel snappy, responsive, and accurate. It’s a rare case where there seem to be no noticeable downsides to their prodigious upsides.”