We tested the Miche K1-RD wheels: technology and aesthetics at the service of high performance

The Italian company Miche is one of the great references when it comes to quality wheels. Last year they introduced their new top-of-the-line model for MTB, the Miche K1-RD. Wheels with the latest technology and a spectacular design. We have put them to the test and we tell you all the details.

Miche K1-RD: born in competition

The Race Division of Miche program includes those top-of-the-line wheels that are the product of development and testing in the highest competition. They are products with the latest technology that bring the technical solutions of the highest competitive level to the end user.

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Our test model K1-RD represents the maximum exponent for XCO from the Italian brand. Starting with its hubs, we see a very well-worked aluminum body, with straight pull anchors for the spokes. The anchor for the brake disc is CenterLock. And one of its most distinguishing features is its oversized CeramicSpeed bearings, which guarantee minimal friction and great durability. The core has a ratchet system and is offered in Shimano Micro Spline or Sram XD versions.

The wheels have 24 spokes each. They are flat steel spokes, double butted. In the crossings there is no contact between the spokes, which eliminates the possibility of generating any kind of noise under the tension of pedaling or braking.

In the rim you can clearly see meticulous design work. They are carbon rims that combine unidirectional T800 and T700 fibers. The internal width of the rims is 30mm and their profile is 25mm on both wheels.

The rims have a marked asymmetry, which will balance the tensions on both sides, resulting in greater wheel stability and reducing the possibility of future centering problems. Quality is evident in details such as the valve area, whose nut sits on a flattened surface.

According to the brand, stiffness has been increased by 20% compared to its predecessors, the K1-EVO, while also announcing a 15% improvement in impact resistance.

The wheels come with the Tubeless tape already installed and the valves in place so that we only have to worry about mounting the tires directly. The set also includes disc adapters to mount 6-bolt discs on these wheels and a closure with a lightweight design and a striking anodized red finish. In addition to this, high-quality bags are included where we can store the wheels already equipped with tires.

Our test with the Miche K1-RD

We received our wheels with all the mentioned accessories. At first glance, as soon as we took them out of their bags, we appreciated a great quality of finishes. The shapes and details of their rims are very striking and the rotation of their hubs is simply spectacular.

We weighed them before equipping them and the figure marked 1365 grams with the tape and valves already in place. A very competitive weight for rims with a 30mm internal width.

The tubeless process posed no problem at all. The tape was perfectly placed and the tire seating was perfect. We mounted them on one of our regular bikes and the aesthetic improvement is immediate, as they are wheels with very striking details in their shapes.

In our first rides we noticed, as expected, an improvement in acceleration and agility of the bike.
The wheels are very quiet thanks, in part, to their contactless spokes. The only sound they emit is from the ratchets when we stop pedaling. This sound is clear but not the loudest we have tested.

In climbs we benefit from the lightness of the wheels and, the more rugged the climb, the more difference the agility that wheels like the Miche K1-RD give to the bike makes. Also pedaling standing up we can feel the spark and energy transfer from a set of wheels with the lateral stiffness typical of competition wheels.

Having an internal width of 30mm maximizes tire grip, giving us great confidence in corners. We can also run quite low pressures without penalizing rolling efficiency, which gives us great riding comfort.

In slightly rugged descents, where wheels of this type can show some weakness, they have shown very good precision in the trajectory, allowing us to pass technical sections with total confidence, demonstrating that they are wheels designed for the most technical XCO circuits. In steep descents and using the brakes, they also do not emit any sound due to spoke tension, which speaks to the quality of the wheel assembly.

As for the rotation of their CeramicSpeed bearings, it is simply another level. While riding we perceive an ultra smooth and silent roll, although it is difficult to perceive the difference between a good bearing and an exceptional one, like the ones these wheels have, while on the bike it is difficult to perceive the difference, but when we lift the wheel and spin it, it has that eternal and ultra silent spin that very few wheels offer.

Ultimately, the Miche K1-RD wheels seem to us to be one of the best wheels that have passed through our hands. They combine in the same set the reliability and high technology of a competition product and a very successful aesthetic that sets them apart from the rest in a component where it is not easy to stand out without resorting to some extravagance. Miche has achieved it and this set of wheels will raise the level of any bike they are mounted on.

Its price is as exclusive as its features: 2,100€. You can find this and other models on the brand's official website.