KOM, King of the Mountain. This is the name of the new, lightweight all-mountain rim from WTB. Carbon was deliberately omitted from the material in order to achieve a long service life despite the low weight. Thanks to the so-called 4D drilling, the spokes in the rim are aligned precisely in the direction of pull. This should reduce tension and also save weight. In addition, tubeless-ready suitability is said to have been improved. A small bead on the inside of the rim keeps the tyre stable on the rim even at low air pressure. The price is 120 euros, but we have not yet been able to find out the final weight.
The already familiar Frequency rim has been given a wider version. The designation i25 refers to the rim width of 25 millimetres. All three wheel sizes are available. The area of application is primarily in the enduro sector.
WTB is putting the pedal to the metal with three new tyres. The Beeline 2.2 has been specially designed for cross-country and marathon use. It is only available as a 27.5-inch version and in a width of 2.2 inches. The dense centre lug row is designed to reduce rolling resistance. The carcass consists of a dual compound and is designed for tubeless use. The Beeline should feel particularly at home on dry surfaces.
The Vigilante 2.3 was developed in collaboration with enduro pros Jérôme Clemenz and Mark Weir. The 1060 gram tyre also consists of a dual compound. A 45 compound on the upper side is intended to generate perfect grip, while the 60 hardness of the lower layer prevents punctures. The sidewall has also been reinforced.
The Warden should prove to be particularly useful in the recent adverse weather conditions. The mud tyre with particularly coarse outer lugs should also dig through deep mud holes on the rainy German trails. WTB specifies the width as 2.3 inches. However, the Warden, which incidentally has the same compound as the Vigilante, is actually much narrower.
WTB also offers a new aluminium valve for all tubeless systems. Compared to the steel version, this only saves around 3 grams. However, this is a weight reduction of almost 50 per cent. Two lengths are available: 34 and 43 millimetres, as well as the colours red and blue.
All products will be available from summer 2013.
Stefan Frey
Editor
