Tech update: Carbon MTB wheels from Bontrager

In our tech news section a couple of days ago we featured some prototype carbon fiber wheels from Bontrager that one of our spies had spotted at the Snowmass NORBA round. We dropped Keith Bontrager a line to get more informaiton, but he wasn't able to get back to us before our publication deadline.

KB has now got back to us to say, "Those wheels are very early prototypes, nothing more. The idea is to get a feeling for what happens when pros, rough singletrack, and carbon rims mix. Testing the water..." So anyone who was excited about getting carbon rims for their racing MTB should calm down.

Bontrager did spill a bit more detail though, in response to our questions about weight, rotor fixing, spokes and tubeless compatibility. "The rims are actually a little heavier than the lightest aluminum rims we can make, though they are lighter than the current tubeless Race X Lite rims," he said. "he hubs can go whatever direction we choose (probably Center Lock given the recent trends). There is no sound technical reason for plain gauge spokes. These are just quick and dirty for now.

"The rims are not tubeless ready at the moment, though the race team guys can set them up without tubes using the usual work-arounds. They will eventually be tubeless.

"As these things go, eventually may be a while off."