We Are One broke into the mountain bike scene just a few years ago with a somewhat different approach to making carbon MTB wheels. Like other companies, their goal is to make the best carbon wheel possible. But unlike most companies who manufacture their rims overseas, We Are One builds theirs entirely in-house at their North American facility, which allows them to control every element of the design and production process to ensure that quality never suffers. So far their wheels have received universal praise for their strength and positive ride quality, but also for being offered at an approachable price point--at least for Canadian-made wheels that are built from US-sourced carbon fiber and backed by a lifetime warranty. The Union Vesper's are designed for high-level enduro racing, built for riders who ride hard, ride often, and want to worry as little as possible their setup. The Union rim is lighter than We Are One's previous enduro rim The Agent, yet brings a dramatic increase in strength along with improved radial compliance. This makes for a wheel that accelerates more quickly, tracks better through rocks and roots, and is better able to withstand impacts--an impressive feat considering there were very few complaints with The Agent to begin with. They're laced up with Onyx Racing's new Vesper hubs, which use a sprag clutch mechanism that offers instantaneous engagement when you put power to the pedals, yet remains totally silent when you're coasting down the trail. The Vesper's also feature a slimmed-down profile that saves a considerable amount of weight compared to Onyx's original hub design.
