Building off their Hawk27 XC/downcountry wheels, the new Berd Hawk30 trail/enduro mountain bike wheels get a wider rim laced to Industry Nine Hydra hubs with their signature flexible string spokes.
Both wheelsets are made and built in North America, featuring proprietary 18mm deep We Are One carbon rims handbuilt in Kamloops, British Columbia. Berd’s spokes are made in Minnesota, and I9’s hubs in Asheville, NC.
Where the Hawk27 uses a rim with 27mm internal width for 2.2-2.4″ tires, the new Hawk30 goes to 30mm internal to fit 2.4-2.6″ tires. Both use a shallow 18mm depth which, combined with Berd’s flexible polyethylene spokes, allow for a lot of compliance to soak up the big hits.
The spokes weigh just 2.5g each, which is 50-80% the weight of traditional metal spokes, but they say the material absorbs vibrations much better, further smoothing the ride.
Both the 27 and 30 rims have wide 3.75mm lips on either side, giving them better impact resistance.
The complete Hawk30 wheelset comes in at a claimed 1,394g weight (the Hawk27 is 1,350g, both are 29er only), with a 280lb rider+bike weight limit. MSRP on both is $2,195, available now with white or black spokes. Order white and you can use their paint kits to make them any color you want.
Tyler Benedict is the Founder of Bikerumor.com. He has been writing about the latest bikes, components, and cycling technology for 14 years. Prior to that, Tyler launched and built multiple sports nutrition brands and consumer goods companies, mostly as an excuse to travel to killer riding locations throughout North America.
Based in North Carolina, Tyler loves finding new travel adventures to share with his family and is always on the lookout for the next shiny new part to make his bikes faster and lighter. And, he’s totally gone down the NFT rabbit hole.