| Format | Shot put | Internal Channel | Price |
| 29" | 1940 gr. | 30cm | €740 |
Damil Components is a Vicenza company founded in 2015 by Andrea Repele, owner of Torneria Damil. His "luck" was being an excellent biker and, at the same time, having great mechanical skills: in fact the Damil turning shop was founded in 1995 and immediately stood out for its great professionalism in the precision mechanics sector . Andrea's passion for MTB led him to create, over time, his own line of products and to work as a contractor for large brands, such as Cannondale.
I managed a team with more than 400 members and there were many wheel problems: why not do something? – Andrea Repele
VIDEO STORY OF DAMIL
FEATURES OF THE DAMIL FLOW MK4 WHEEL
For several years now, the Flow rim from 'Stans no Tubes' has been the point of reference for every athlete in the Enduro and Gravity world: let's remember that Damil has been the Italian importer of American brand products for about 2 years (December 2020).. The rim has an offset 30mm channel to ensure a solid, high-performance wheel. In this MK4 version the resistance of the hole area has been increased and therefore the rigidity of the wheel has been significantly improved.
| Circle | Stans no Tubes Flow MK4 32 holes – Aluminium |
|---|---|
| Hub | Damil Mtb J-HOOK |
| Rays | Sapim Race with ergal nipples |
| Version | Front 100mm or 110mm boost, Rear 135-142mm or 148mm boost |
| Shot put | 1840g 27,5″ – 1940g 29″ |
DAMIL MTB J-HOOK HUB
The hub is created in Italy at the Damil headquarters (Valdagno, Vicenza) and is called Mtb J-HOOK. Damil recommends it from XC to Enduro, Shimano HG/Shimano Microspline/Sram XD compatible: this makes us understand the seriousness and quality of the products that come out of the Vicenza headquarters. Resistant, reliable and allows for easy maintenance. When creating a wheel, Damil allows the user to choose their own color to fully customize the wheel and the choice between 60/120 free wheel engagements.
| Candle Dyes | Black, Silver, Gold, Orange, Red, Turquoise, Green |
|---|---|
| OLD | Front: 100mm / Rear: 142mm |
| PCD | 57 mm |
| Holes | 28-32 |
| Shot put | Front: 148g / Rear: 277g |
| Version | Front: 15mm axle, 12mm axle / Rear: 12mm axle |
| Corsage | Shimano HG/Shimano Microspline/Sram XD |
| Engagement system | 60/120 engagements |
TECHNOLOGIES
The hub is the heart of a wheel and Damil produces them in house with quality materials, which give sturdiness and smoothness to the wheel. The material used is 7075 aluminum (Ergal) with some parts in 39NiCrMo5 steel, a high-quality alloy that is used as a base for drill bits. The bearings are made in Japan (EZO) in oversized versions: these are the reasons why Damil wheels are synonymous with reliability.
The hub comes made from full which makes everything more resistant and of quality. The wheel is assembled in the factory and the user can customize the color of the hub and nipples: the spokes used are Sapim, also a leading company in the sector, and the tensioning is done strictly by hand and calibrated in the company with special tools (think that the wheel is stressed before reaching the end user, so as not to have to record the spokes after the first outings).
It's easy to understand that all this leads to higher costs and, in some cases, a greater weight (it's simple to make lightweight wheels by undersizing hubs and bearings), but in any case the Damil product list always maintains an excellent quality/price ratio given the quality and Made in Italy production.
FIELD TEST
After this incipit, which is necessary given the quality of workmanship of Damil products, we move on to the field test. The wheel, in 29" format, features a SRAM XS body and BCA Yod4 discs (tested here). Appreciated is the fact that the wheels arrive already "race-ready": tensioned/tested, taped and with pre-mounted tubeless valve.
The freewheel can be chosen at 60 or 120 engagement. As a rule, 60 is recommended for gravity and 120 for XC. Why this? Because a lower engagement angle allows for quicker pedaling (if you want to delve deeper into the topic, I refer you to this article). The fact of having a low engagement angle (therefore a high value) leads to having a quicker push on the pedals but increases the pedal kickback. Ok, these are technicalities that many bikers are unable to perceive, but since we are testers it is right to be picky.
In our case, using this wheel on a Cannondale Jekyll equipped with a high axle (read the test here), this difference is difficult to distinguish (I challenge anyone to perceive the number of rear hub engagements), so on bikes of this type the 120 is also advisable.
From the point of view of smoothness, important aspect in a wheel, these Damils have undoubtedly proven to be among the smoothest at Enduro level: Ezo bearings that work perfectly on axis, bringing less friction with advantages both from the point of view of durability and from the point of view of smoothness. Damil uses plenty of 10mm pads and one 7mm pad in the bodice.
On the side opposite the bodice, we even find a 30mm bearing. This leads to it not having a record weight, especially on XC products, but in this wheel for Enduro use it is excellent: there is no point in having a 200g lighter wheel if it then leads to headaches during the roughest races.
Having an enduro wheel that feels nice when relaunching but not too stiff when riding, given its 32 spokes, is a guarantee of safety and allows you to enjoy the ride to the fullest. The reliability of these wheels repays the price: during the entire test period the wheels never needed to be re-centered (and I guarantee that, with other types of wheels on the same trails, there were true centerings). The taping is of excellent quality both from a visual and practical point of view, given that there have never been any drops in pressure.
| Particular signs | HUBS The hubs are entirely made in Italy with the highest quality materials: 7075 aluminum (Ergal) and 39NiCrMo5 steel. The bearings inside are Japanese made (EZO). |
| + | Quality materials Excellent smoothness Reliability |
| - | nothing to report |
HOW MUCH DO DAMIL DM-30A FLOW MK4 WHEELS COST?
Damil's Enduro model costs €740 per pair.
FINAL VERDICT
Wheels so you don't have to worry anymore
If you want to have a high-performance and reliable Enduro wheel model, this DM-30A Flow is certainly for you. The hubs are excellent, with excellent smoothness, and the rims are durable. All assembled to perfection: what more could you want? I honestly couldn't find a flaw and this makes the product highly recommended, with an eye also on the other models, given that the same construction quality is at stake.
MORE INFORMATION TO THE OFFICIAL SITE
