Theres no shortage of aftermarket wheels out there, so thats forcing brands to figure out ways to stand out in the crowd. For NOBL, that means hand-building wheels in Cumberland, BC, for Canadian customers or in Bellingham, WA, for the Americans. While those wheels cover a wide range of disciplines and styles, NOBL seems to be planting its flag as a premier builder of ultra-lightweight wheels with the help of BERD spokes. Wheels like the Ethos SL would certainly qualify. Which makes it even more amazing when you consider that these arent even the lightest that they offer. Built with a 29 rim that measures 30mm internally and 20.5mm deep, the Ethos SL gets a pair of NOBLs own TI70 hubs that were designed in conjunction with BERD and Erase Components out of Belgium. The hubs are hooked so they offer a perfect mount for the looped BERD spoke ends and provide 5.14 of engagement. The Ti part of the name hints at the titanium freehub, and the 70 references the 70t ratchet. Hubs are offered in either 6-bolt or centerlock with HG, MicroSpline, or XD freehub options. Each wheel is built with 28 BERD Polylight Dyneema spokes which loop around the hub and attach to a rim with standard Sapim Alloy Secure Lock nipples that thread onto the stainless steel threaded section bonded to the end of the spoke. The BERD spokes are a big part of the lightweight story, but far from the only part. Compared to the NOBL Ethos XC wheelset, which is said to have a reinforced layup that is 21% stronger, the Ethos SL rims opt for an ultralight carbon layup with T800 and T1000 carbon fiber (and a 2mm taller rim profile than the XC rims). Calling them their lightest rim ever, the 270g SL rims are hookless with a 2.9mm-wide rim bead thats angled and reinforced with a flexible material to make them more durable and impact-resistant. On our scale with rim tape and NOBLs own valve stems installed, the actual weights come out to 489g for the front and 590g for the rear. Just 1079g for the pair. If you need something lighter, the Ethos SL180 drops to a claimed 993g for the pair thanks to DT Swiss 180 hubs. Unfortunately for us, by the time these wheels showed up, the bike I had intended to use them on had to go back, and the freehub wasnt right for any other bike I had to test them on, so we didnt get any time on them before the wheels themselves had to go back to NOBL. Overall, though, the NOBL Ethos SL wheels are a very interesting option if youre looking for an insanely light set of 29 wheels. Like the old adage goes, light, strong, cheap, pick two you will definitely not find the Ethos SL to be cheap. The SLs sell for $2,399 for a set, with options for glossy white, gold, silver, and black decals included. The Ethos XC wheels are only $100 less for a 1,175g claimed weight, but with a stronger rim as mentioned. Or go the other way with the Ethos SL180s priced at $2,799. All NOBL rims include a lifetime warranty for the original owner, so long as it fails while being used as intended.noblwheels.com