Durable and versatile, the South Industries RX wheels will handle anything you throw at them - dirt and adverse weather included. Various affordable build options are available but they are pricey when specced to the hilt
Pros
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Excellent build quality
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Wide internal rim architecture
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Understated yet refined aesthetics
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Easy tubeless set-up
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Aero 32/40mm front/rear rim profiling
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Lifetime / 50-per cent crash replacement warranty
Cons
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Lack of brand cachet
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Pricey
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South Industries might be a relatively unknown brand on a global scale, but the South Africa-based company has been making waves in Europe and the US with its durable enduro mountain bike wheels. Using its extensive off-road knowledge and technical acumen, the company recently branched out into the all-road wheel space and the result is the hoops you see here, the South Industries RX. Claimed to strike a balance between weight, performance and durability, the RX wheels don't pander to a particular discipline per say, but rather provide the key to unlock your bike's true potential and versatility but more on that later.
While the majority of our testing was done during the drier summer months in the United Kingdom, we waited a few months to see how they would handle a traditional British winter. We completed our assessment by baptising them over a ridiculously wet and muddy Rapha Festive 500 to get a better understanding of their resilience as well as establish where they sit in relation to the best road bike wheels.
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The unidirectional carbon weave is rich in detail and contrasts the minimalist black graphics(Image credit: Aaron Borrill)
South Industries is proud of its heritage and locally manufactured tagline(Image credit: Aaron Borrill)
The wheels are asymmetric in execution: the front is shallower (32mm) and wider (22mm) than the deeper (40mm) and narrower (20mm) rear wheel to aid in better aerodynamics and performance(Image credit: Aaron Borrill)
KillHill/ClimbHill front/rear hubs come from Tune and feature a 20/24h lacing pattern(Image credit: Aaron Borrill)
Design and aesthetics
There's nothing particularly out of this world when it comes to the visuals of the RX wheels but a couple of subtle references hint at its place of origin. First up is the 'Handgemaak' wording above the valve (Afrikaans for handmade). Then there's the South African flag rendered in keyline that accompanies the 'designed and manufactured in South Africa' lettering. Overall, the wheels don't deviate from the contemporary carbon wheel script - the unidirectional carbon weave is rich in detail and contrasts the minimalist black graphics.
Owing to the all-terrain ethos of the South Industries RX wheels, I elected to outfit them in Hutchinson Fusion 5 Gridskin Ltd Edition tyres, a 28mm tubeless option geared towards road and light gravel use. These particular tyres are lowkey in branding but utilise a reinforced, knitted mesh on the sidewalls that serves as both puncture protection and an oddly intriguing aesthetical measure.
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Rims are wrapped in 28mm Hutchinson Fusion 5 Gridskin Ltd Edition tyres(Image credit: Aaron Borrill)
With the 28mm wide tyre choice, I found the bigger tyre footprint complemented the wider rim architecture enabling me to eke out maximum traction and rolling benefits(Image credit: Aaron Borrill)
A closer look at the tyre footprint from above(Image credit: Aaron Borrill)
Specification and build
The wheels are constructed from a mixture of Toray 1700 and M30SC carbon fibre set at different areal weights (the mass/weight of fibre per unit area). The big secret, however, is in the resin system which uses Italian-sourced Prepreg from one of the Toray group of companies. Unlike many current wheel companies who source and manufacture in Asia, South Industries is doing things differently and keeping everything local. With a melting pot of technical and carbon fibre/composite knowledge to call upon, thanks to decades of experience working in the globally lauded South African Arms Industry of the 80s and 90s, the South Industries is fast becoming a recognised force in the wheel game.
The RX wheelset is available in one of two hub configurations - 24/24h Tune Price/Princess or 20/24h KillHill/ClimbHill front/rear (pictured) - all built using Sapim CX Ray bladed spokes and Securelock alloy nipples. The main difference comes in the weight department - 1,275g vs 1,350g but the 75g disparity is negligible for the average rider. In terms of bearings, there are three options available: standard (supplied by SKF), endurance (a polymer-filled bearing that is ideal for the wet European winters) and a ceramic option. The standard SKF bearings fitted to our test set were superb and dismissed the appreciably wet Festive 500 with not as much as squeak or creak.
The wheels are optimised around tubeless technology and feature a hookless bead design that will accommodate tyre widths ranging from 25-32mm. You'll also notice that they're asymmetric in execution: the front is shallower (32mm) and wider (22mm) than the deeper (40mm) and narrower (20mm) rear wheel to aid in better aerodynamics and performance.
The rear hub is compatible with both Shimano and SRAM 10/11/12-speed systems (Campagnolo 10/11/12 and XDR also available) and only accommodates 142x12mm thru-axle standard.
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Rapha Festive 500 Ride 1: Off to Windsor Castle(Image credit: Aaron Borrill)
Rapha Festive 500 Ride 2: Local solo ride to Box Hill(Image credit: Aaron Borrill)
Rapha Festive 500 Ride 3: The Devil's Punchbowl in Hindhead(Image credit: Aaron Borrill)
Rapha Festive 500 Ride 4: A dash around the Surrey Hills taking in the holiday spirit(Image credit: Aaron Borrill)
Rapha Festive 500 Ride 5: Dunsfold and the Surrey Hills(Image credit: Aaron Borrill)
Performance and handling
Let's start by looking at the RX wheel's aerodynamic party trick - the asymmetric front/rear design. In a move not too unlike that of the Roval Rapide CLX wheelset, the front is shallower (32mm) and wider to aid with crosswind stability, while the rear is deeper (40mm) and narrower. While it's difficult to scientifically test these attributes without a wind tunnel, I can confirm that wheels do track accurately and behave in windy conditions.
With the 28mm wide tyre choice, I found the bigger tyre footprint complemented the wider rim architecture enabling me to eke out maximum traction and rolling benefits. As a lighter rider (62kg), I settled on 45/55psi front/rear tyre pressure combination to start with but this proved a bit too firm for the conditions at hand. I dropped them to 40/45 front/rear which unlocked extra front-end purchase and rear-wheel comfort, which proved ideal for the mix of wet roads and light gravel sections.
Having used the wheels on two different bikes - a Specialized S-Works Aethos and Merida Scultura Team - it was interesting to see the effect they had on changing each bike's character. While they didn't really complement the Aethos from a performance perspective, they did soften the ride quality and allowed me to stitch in a bit of dirt here and there. On the Merida Scultura however, the difference between the standard Vision Metron 45 SL and RX wheels came more in the way of handling and unlocking extra confidence. While there is a slight acceleration penalty, once up to speed the RXs do a fine job of maintaining momentum not to mention ironing out pockmarks, and the rim stiffness means there's very little perceptible flex when accelerating out of the saddle.
The rear Tune KingClimb hub is crisp with immediate pick-up. The internals comprise a three-tooth ratchet and pawl freehub with 27 points of engagement (an engagement angle of 15-degrees), which is pretty much par for the course when it comes to the best road bike wheels.
It's safe to say the South Industries RX wheels are up to the task, regardless of weather, temperature and terrain type (Image credit: Aaron Borrill)
Verdict
In a well and truly saturated market, it's becoming difficult for companies to stand out from the perennial wheelset options but South Industries has the build quality and overall performance to challenge them all; the segment leaders, too. The RX wheels pictured here are an exceptionally well made, durable wheelset that will appeal to the rider who wants to explore rather than race. That said, with the right tyre combo you won't be out of your depth at the local crit race either.
What I like about the South Industries RX wheels are their resilience and ability to keep rolling no matter what comes their way - weather and terrain included. I truly threw everything I could at them: back-to-back days of wet weather, mud and crud, and long sections of gravel tracks - the wheels handled them all, with ease. The wider internal rim profile opens up another layer of comfort and confidence thanks to the allowance for wider tyres and lower pressure, enabling you to tailor your ride quality to the terrain at hand.
At €2,675 / £2,220, the RX wheels pictured here are not particularly cheap but there are various custom build options available to suit your budget (rims can be purchased at £535 / $550 each and built to spec). The company also offers a 'Lifetime/50-per cent Crash Replacement Policy' and established global dealer network in Europe, Great Britain, Australia and Singapore for peace of mind.
Aaron was the Tech Editor Cyclingnews between July 2019 and June 2022. He was born and raised in South Africa, where he completed his BA honours at the University of Cape Town before embarking on a career in journalism. Throughout this career, Aaron has spent almost two decades writing about bikes, cars, and anything else with wheels. Prior to joining the Cyclingnews team, his experience spanned a stint as Gear & Digital editor of Bicycling magazine, as well as a time at TopCar as Associate Editor.
Now based in the UK's Surrey Hills, Aaron's life revolves around bikes. He's a competitive racer, Stravaholic, and Zwift enthusiast. He’s twice ridden the Cape Epic, completed the Haute Route Alps, and represented South Africa in the 2022 Zwift eSports World Championships.
