Select MTB

Mountain bike wheels are a challenge, and that's putting it mildly. To start, while the world has sort of coalesced around two sizes (27.5 and 29), the legacy of 26" wheels means that there are three wheel sizes. Front axles can be QR, 15mm (in 100mm or 110mm widths), 20mm, or Lefty, while rear can be QR, 10x135, 12x135, 12x142, 12x148, and even a few others. And that's without getting into fat bikes. On top of all that, there are rims appropriate for cross country, trail, enduro, all mountain, downhill... You see the point.

We're going to try and keep this simple and bite off only what we can chew. We have absolutely no experience or expertise with downhill, having been on downhill bikes for a combined grand total of 4 hours (although they were possibly 4 of the most fun hours I've ever spent on a bike).

This one time at downhill camp (and thanks, Rob!)On the other hand, we have quite a bit of XC experience, and if you ride XC enough that sort of bleeds into what the cool kids call trail and light all mountain. To put it into a parlance that many will understand, the spread of uses we aim to initially serve are covered by Stan's Crest, Arch, and Flow rims. 

Unsurprisingly, we will offer those three rims as options. We will also offer Easton/Race Face ARC rims, Easton and Race Face being different brands of identical products from the same company. You're covered for tires from a 2.1" Racing Ralph through to a 3" Minion Plus. If we see another compelling option then we'll jump on it, but that range gives you just about everything you could want if you're riding your bike, and not a lift, to the top.

Hubs are of course where a mountain biker's bread gets buttered, and where we see ourselves adding the most value. There are lots of wheels you can buy off the peg with so-so hubs. We aim to give you cost competitive options to those with hubs that will happily catch anything you might throw at them, with a full range of axle options, future proof-ness, and of course the stylish colors. Between White Industry, I9, and Chris King, what more could a gal ask for?

There are others like them, but these ones are mine

We go a little extra on the spokes, with the Select option using Sapim Race for the on side and D-Lights for the off side, while Select+ will use CX Sprints and CX Rays for those respective duties. 

Okay then, so Select MTB. There you have it.

 

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18 comments

Hi JLP – That would indeed be awesome, but with all of the possible permutations of build options, it literally represents about 2 months of work just to build the wheels, another month to photograph them, and deep into the 5 figures of components, so it's not possible to do. Sorry.

dave

I see that you have added the wheel size option. Also, would it be possible to show/build the wheel as the options are chosen? It would be awesome to see the wheel with all my options prior to final purchase.

JLP

I don't see a drop down menu for the valves as one of the options.

JLP

JLP – The wheels come with tubeless tape installed. Valves are available as an option.Tim – This is honestly the very first time we've been asked about a Powertap option for any disc wheel. Yes, we will do Powertap builds. Adding it into the options might be a right royal pain, I have to figure out how to do that without making a giant mess.

dave

Powertap hub option??

Tim

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