Unlike the cach carried by Zipps road wheels, particularly the 303, their mountain bike wheels simply havent caught on as either OEM spec or in aftermarket demand. Which maybe isnt surprising, but its also a bit of a shame, because theyre surprisingly good.I rode and reviewed the wider, more aggressive 3Zero Moto wheels at their launch and noted that theyre one of few products that lives up to all of the hype. I still have that pair, and theyre great for all-mountain.But for their 1ZERO HiTOP XC wheels, there was no launch event, just a press release that got lost in the noise of SRAMs Eagle Powertrain e-bike motor launch. And with only Lauf, Allied, and (at the time) Ari Bikes specing them, they just didnt get much attention. So, heres a quick refresher on the specs:XC to Trail wheels for up to 130mm travelTwo models S (1495g) and SW (1325g)SW gets better hubs, lighter spokes, and TireWyz 2.0Full carbon rims are the same on both models24 spokes per wheel37.7mm outer width, 30mm internal21.1mm deepLike the 3ZERO Moto, theres a compliance story about how the rims are made to help track the terrain. Unlike the 3ZERO Motos single-wall design, the 1ZERO HiTOP uses a more traditional design with a cavity (which prevents the spokes from pushing into the rim tape and causing tubeless leaks).The shape is modern and, honestly, not all that unique anymore. Shallow for compliance, with broad shoulders to prevent pinch flats. Without knowing the resin and fiber makeup, and the lack of ankle flex like the 3ZERO Moto, my assumption is its the depth and shape that makes it work.Which is fine, because it works great, so lets dive into thatZipp 1ZERO HiTOP Ride ReviewTwo of us have been riding the base model HiTOP S wheels for about a year. We havent been easy on them, either. For starters, I rode them hard both at the Lauf Elja launch, through three days of big climbs, rocky and rough descents, and some seriously challenging trails in Iceland.Then we rode them across the U.S. on some of the best mountain bike trails around Forks (WA), Flagstaff and Sedona (AZ), and Bentonville (AR). Hit those links to see the Trail Yeah! videos I did for Lauf, and youll see these wheels in actionand find some killer places to ride!They also continue to see plenty of miles on my home trails in North Carolina. After all that, theyre still impressively true on both bikes. As in, perfectly true radially, and within 1mm laterally. And theyve required zero maintenance.For a reasonably light set of wheels aimed at XC to Trail riding, these perform very well. They roll smoothly, and while certainly aided by the 2.6 Goodyear Peak tires specd by Lauf, they do seem to tame trail chatter and maintain traction. These tires are wide, but have low-profile tread, and yet across all of the dirt, loam, rock, and sand weve ridden, its rare that weve felt like we needed more, so I feel like the wheels play some role in that.The Hubs are just OKThe big difference between the base-level HiTOP S and top-level HiTOP SW is the hubs. The latter gets lighter hubs with slightly faster engagement (33-tooth w/ offset pawls for 5.45 engagement on SW, versus 26-tooth and 6.54 on S). Neither is particularly quick compared to premium hubs like Industry Nine, Project321, etc.Even the latest Shimano XTR hubs drop to 3.5 engagement. That said, Chris King is 5.0 and common DT Swiss hubs range from 6.6 to 10, with only their higher-end DEG models dropping to 4.0. So, Zipps hubs engagement speeds arent slow for the category, but in real-world riding, I wanted faster engagement, and heres why:Late in a ride, when pedaling form gets sloppy and lazy, I could feel and hear the hubs coast-engage-coast-engage while pedaling. It created a light yet frequent clang as the pawls re-engaged with the teeth inside the hub.Theyre not overly loud, and in fact I think the coasting noise hits the right balance between silent and obnoxious. But when theres a constant tactile and audible reminder that Im not pedaling perfect circles, it becomes annoying. And 6.5 is actually quite a bit of free rotation by the time it gets all the way out to your pedals.But here are the real problemsFor starters, there are only four pawls. And theyre offset, so only two are engaging at a time. Yes, theyre big, and theyre clicking through meaty teeth on the drive ring, but theres just something lacking emotionally when you see this inside a not-cheap wheelset.Second, theres the tiniest bit of play in the rear hub. And its not just my rear hub. Most of the bikes at Laufs launch had a little play in the rear hubs. Apparently, its a thing with Zipps 1Zero HiTOP wheels. So, I took mine apart. Pulled the axle out, the freehub body off, and felt the bearings. Ultimately, I think I found the culprit:Its the drive-side axle cap. Or, at least, thats the only thing I can find that isnt rock solid.It appears to be a two-piece design, which makes absolutely zero sense and, at the risk of sounding harsh, is a questionable design even if this is not the culprit. The pics above show how much flop the face of it has compared to its body. Zippwhy not just use a normal one-piece axle cap?Given that this is the piece that connects the wheel with the bike, this should be rock solid, and its not. And, as far as I can tell, its what creates a tiny bit of rear hub play once the wheel is installed on the bike.That saidThe only time I notice this is when I grab the tire and frame and try to wiggle it. The play isnt noticeable when riding, and it doesnt cause any shifting issues or brake rotor rub. And after more than a year of hard riding, it hasnt gotten worse. So, does it matter? I dont know, but it still seems like a silly design on an otherwise great wheelset.Thats honestly my only real complaint about them.Otherwise, the hubs have held up well, spin freely, and look good. Yes, Id love to have the lighter SW wheels to save on unsprung mass and bragging rights (170g = 0.37lbs).But at least most of the weight savings is toward the center of the wheel since both S and SW share the same rim. And, if you wanna get into the weeds, some of those weight savings come from the SW using Center Lock rotors and the S using 6-bolt, so by the time you add 10-30g heavier Center Lock rotors, you lose a bit of those gains.Yes, You Should Consider These If the Zipp 1ZERO HiTOP werent on your list, add them. Priced at $1,400 (S) to $2,050 (SW), theyre both weight- and price-competitive with other premium wheels on the market. And they come with a lifetime warranty.Weve beat the snot out of them on Sedonas hard rock, Flagstaffs jump lines, alpine rock gardens and high-speed flow trails, Bentonvilles skills parks, and Forks incredibly steep enduro trails. And here we are, still riding them hard. They may not get the attention of brightly anodized, deafeningly loud wheels from boutique brands, but the performance speaks volumes.Zipp.com