XR 361

With a rim weight of 390g the XR 361 sits very nicely in the DT Swiss XC line up. The downside to including this rim size as part of this test is that we intend to use the same 27.5x2.4” tyres we will be using for both the XM 421 and XM 481 – this smaller rim is not designed to be used in such an aggressive style that the All Mountain rims are. It’s probable that this lighter and narrower rim size won’t cope with our intended riding style and therefore won’t stand up against its colleagues – XM 421 and XM 481, but let’s not get ahead of ourselves. This rim size represents where a lot of wheels are in the market, so it’s a great comparison for if wider is better.

THE RIDE

With an internal rim width of only 22.5mm the XR 361 is noticeably smaller than our other two test subjects the XM 421 and the XM 481. Kicking off with our baseline air pressures of 27psi in the rear and 25psi in the front we first off hit the Thredbo Flow Track. This resulted in a fairly considered descent as we had to keep reminding ourselves that this is a slim, light XC rim and perhaps more suited to a 27.5x2.2” tyre than the 27.5x2.4” tyre we were using. Repeated runs at Stromlo Forest Park down both trails confirmed the above mindset: these rims are not ideal for the riding style used within this test, but more