TAG Wheels to Introdue New Carbon Fiber and Composite Wheels at Interbike
September 19, 2008 by Carl Martens
Filed under Uncategorized, Wheelsets
Hopefully you read our first post and watched the video on how TAG Wheels are indestructible. Aside from being heavier (between 1075g - 1271g per wheel depending on model) than traditional wheelsets, we love these wheels for downhill and freestyle riding.
TAG Wheels located in Newport Beach, California is a U.S. manufacturer of composite bicycle wheels and will be expanding its product line to offer cross country, all mountain, and BMX wheels scheduled for release early December.
The new TR3 models use the same advanced technology as the FRX5 wheels, yet are lighter in weight, but still just as strong.
TR3 WHEEL FEATURES
Tough Wheels Made to Last
- The shock absorbing hollow formed composite wheel is designed to last many seasons.
- The reinforced aluminum rim design extends rim life.
Sturdy Responsive Ride
- A rib inside each spoke adds lateral strength and stiffness to the wheel for enhanced handling and cornering.
- The shock absorbing wheel design helps provide a more comfortable ride.
Less Maintenance, More Convenience
- No ongoing maintenance of the composite wheel is required since the wheel is aligned and permanently interlocked and bonded to the splined hub.
- A robust 4-Pawl hub with sealed cartridge bearings ensure smooth, reliable long life. Read more
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CLIX is the Fix for the Common Quick Release Skewer Blues
September 9, 2008 by Kovas Lapsys
Filed under Wheelsets
Every once in a while, I find myself stumbling across a product or invention that just makes sense. It doesn’t have to be the latest trend-setting goody, or the most expensive high-tech gizmo, but a product that makes you say, “geez, why-didn’t-I-think-of-that!” The CLIX Wheel Release system is one of those simple yet super products.For as long as we have all ridden bicycles, our wheels were attached either by bolt or by quick-release. Bolts hold our wheels on tight and secure, but when it comes down to fixing a flat, changing a tire, or mounting a bike to a rack, nothing beat the convenience of a quick-release lever. The QR has been around so long, that it’s almost surprising that someone would come around so late in the game and try to improve upon an already well-designed solution. Sure, we’ve all seen QR skewers with titanium shafts, anodized aluminum or carbon ends, silly twist and turn mechanisms… But until the CLIX, no significant improvements have been made to this simple yet functional part.
The one gripe of quick releases through the years (and a minor one at that) has been that although they work conveniently to release and mount your wheels, they still require full two-handed action: loosening the cam lever and subsequently loosening the opposite bolt. The same would go for replacing the wheel. The bolt and lever would have to be tightened and adjusted, maybe tightened some more, maybe loosened a bit, then tightened a tad more…… before fully locking the wheel in place. The CLIX system addresses that very issue, and fixes it. CLIX makes your front wheel have an even quicker quick-release! In fact, CLIX is so proud of their system, that they don’t call it a quick-release, but rather a wheel release system… I suppose “SuperFast Front Wheel Release” drew some issue in their legal department.
Through its simple and innovative design, the CLIX system does away with the spinning of the adjustment nut on the opposite end of the lever. No more spinning the cam, tightening or loosening the cam until it ‘feels’ tight in your dropouts. With CLIX, you just release the lever, grip the release cup with your middle and fore finger, and out comes your wheel! It’s even simpler than it sounds. Even with the little retention tabs found on most suspension fork dropouts, the CLIX system still released with ease, yet locked down solid when it was time to ride.
The construction of the CLIX is simple and strong. The cam lever is forged aluminum for light-weight and strength, the shaft is constructed of steel, as are the grip areas that secure the skewer to your fork’s dropouts. The wide-throw lever pivots smoothly and requires no lubrication. A deep black anodize coats the lever and the retention cup and a crisp laser-etched CLIX logo rounds off the whole package with a pro-look.
Installation of the CLIX system is simple and takes only a few minutes. A slight wrench- tightening to the lock-nut inside the adjustment nut (yes, there’s a nut inside a nut), and you’re ready to ride. Once in place, the CLIX never has to be re-adjusted to fit your dropouts. When removing the wheel, I found that I could easily do it one-handed, and in most cases, re-install it with one hand as well. If you can turn a screw, you can install a CLIX – it’s just that simple. Read more
“Gearing Up” For Our Wheelset Reviews
August 19, 2008 by Kovas Lapsys
Filed under WheelsetsWe thought it might be fun to build some excitement for our upcoming series of posts which will review these high-zoot wheelsets.
Subscribe to our site so you’ll be sure not to miss out on the reviews of the wheelsets!
Industry Nine (I9) has been all-the-talk the past year or so. The guys who ride them swear by them. 3 month wait for a custom set - what?! Super stiff alloy spokes, 120 points of engagement, proprietary spoke and hub design, any anodize color you can image, tubeless or tubed…they sound too good to be true. Promises to be lighter, stiffer, faster, stronger than anything out there…
Ok, so not necessarily a wheel, but more a hub/transmission system the Rohloff speedhub gives you 14 speeds, the equivalent gear ratio of a 3×9 drive-train, but without the mess of derailleurs, dual shifters, extra cables, triple rings, and cogsets. You use only 1 ring up-front, so clearance on your bike is improved while maintenance is reduced. This is not the funky Toy’s-R-Us transmission system of old - this is a hardcore part that takes all-mountain rides and gobbles them up and spits them out… There’s two guys who ride Ellsworth Truths on the same trails I do. I run into them now and then. They both have Rohloff hubs and they swear by them - almost cult-like. With a Rohloff hub you can shift at a standstill, and even better, shift under load. The whole system is sealed (from shifter through hub), so there’s next to no maintenance for your ride. You can run a disc or rim-brake setup (who does rim brakes?!) and you can chose the rim and spokes for your personal set up.
Mavic 29er TN 719 DISC Rim Review
August 16, 2008 by Kovas Lapsys
Filed under Wheelsets
MAVIC’s Answer
Up until recently, the 29er crowd had few options for quality rims. The choice was either go cheap, or go broke. It meant accepting a stock wheelset, which often used a modified hybrid or road rim simply labeled for 29er use, or taking out a second mortgage to purchase for a race-quality aftermarket wheelset. There seemed to be little or no middle-ground for the riders hoping to upgrade their heavier stock wheels, or the wheel builder looking to build a solid set.With more bike manufacturers accepting the 29er platform, tire and rim makers have also stepped up their game. In 2008, Mavic released its TN 719 rim. Mavic touts it as the rim for “29er addicts” built from the ground-up for the rigors of true off-road duty. No longer a modified road rim, the TN 719 is being offered as the rim for those choosing to go the 29er route while still allowing for traditional hub and spoke options. Building a strong 29er rim is a fine balance between weight and strength. Build it too heavy and the rotational weight will be amplified by the larger diameter size of 29” wheels and tires. Build it too light, and the rims will flex more noticeable than on smaller diameter 26” cousins. The TN 719 is Mavic’s answer to this equation.
First Look
Sometimes a component just ‘looks the part’ before you even mount it on your ride. The TN 719’s give a sold first impression. Out of the box, the taller profile of the TN 719 is immediately noticeable. In your hands, the rims look and feel stout, though at the same time light. Mavic’s SUP machining leaves every surface and weld on the rim smooth and clean, a very uniform and balanced look. Mavic has perfected their clincher system, and the Maxis tire beads seated themselves perfectly the first time through, with little to no adjustment being necessary. In the truing stand, the rims were Mavic-true. The French company doesn’t let any rim leave the factory without testing its trueness, and the TN 719 rims are no exception. Naturally, I was going to hold out for the ‘true’ test after giving them some good off-road time.On an aesthetic note, I should mention that the dark ebony rims contrasted nicely with the big bold white graphics. They gave my bike a beefier and tougher face. Looks don’t matter much, but they do when it’s your ride… right?
Tech Specs
A deeper V-profile than previous road-adapted rims, the TN 719 is built for the demands of today’s big-wheel crowd. Unlike the previous A317 rim from Mavic, which was essentially a road-rim built for commuting and later adapted for light 29er duty, the TN 719 has been designed to be mountain-bike specific. Available in either 32 or 36 hole drillings, the single-eylet rims are built comfortably light at 510g, but Mavic’s proprietary rim material, dubbed “Maxtal”, is not spared to make the rims stupid-light. Although it does not share the extensive machining and scalloping of its more expensive race-light brothers, the stout build of the MAVIC TN 719 will last you multiple seasons, without making your wheels feel like boat anchors. Compared the earlier A317 Disc rim from Mavic, the TN 719 saves you a generous 28 grams per wheel. Currently, Mavic only produces the TN 719 as a disc-specific rim. V-brakes or other rim-brakes are not an option as the TN 719 has a very short sidewall that does not accommodate brake pad wear. Lastly, Mavic does not sell the rim as a tubeless “UST” design. Although compatible with Mavic’s tubeless system as an aftermarket option, the rim does not ship tubeless-ready. Read moreTAG Wheels Mountain Bike Wheelsets Are Indestructible
June 17, 2008 by Richard Martens
Filed under Wheelsets
If you were to take a poll of most bikers around the world, without a doubt one of the biggest fears you would find would be the fear of a flat down deep on a trail with no way to repair it. It makes sense; nothing in the world can ruin a kickin trail ride quicker than the loss of a tire, or even worse, a wheel. Most bikers carry a repair kit that can handle the occasional flat. However sometimes the flat is worse than can be easily fixed (pinch flats anyone) or the entire wheel decided to croak on you. With this in mind the guys over at TAG Wheels have decided to come out with some of the best wheels available.I know there is a whole lot of techie mumbo jumbo about aerospace engineering and something known as the lost core molding process, but don’t let all that confuse you. What they really mean to say is that their wheels are damn near indestructible because they are made right. Basically their idea seemed to consist of interviewing my psychopathic nephew and following him on a couple of trails. When they learned that by observing him they could witness first hand the insanity a biker can inflict on their bike, they must have put their heads together and said “We can make something even this force of nature can’t destroy!” The final result is a wheel that to date my nephew has not been able to destroy.
So the wheels kick butt but what about flat problems. Well again semi scientific words like high impact, glass reinforced, composite materials let you know that they spared no expense in helping every rider meet the end
of their trail with their bike in one piece. Again I figured they must have followed my nephew around to find every possible road threat to a tire. Again they made something near indestructible. I mean when was the last time you didn’t have to worry about a puncture flat? Admitted they still haven’t conquered the problem with pinch flats completely, but even these horrors are highly reduced compared to other wheels.So okay with all this good stuff you got to wonder what the down side is right. Well despite the totally awesome wheels they offer, the one downside is that you are adding weight. The composite wheel alone weighs 1600g and the front hub 220g and rear 330g, so the total wheelset weighs 3750g. However weight is a pretty small price to pay when you are looking at the fact that trails you have not been able to consider because of how rugged they were are now just a kick away. Admitted if you are doing a lot of hill climbing the weight can get kind of gruesome. So why not make a compromise? When you are doing a trail or just plain ride that weight is an issue, use normal wheels, but when you are planning on taking on a trail known for wrecking tires and wheels throw on the TAG Wheels and go nuts.
In the end the hobby of mountain biking is about seeing as much as you want to. Isn’t it a good idea then not to limit yourself because of fear that you might thrash a wheel or tire? Here at MTO bikes we believe on making sure everyone can reach their chosen peaks, so do so today.
Buy Now - Each wheelset comes with DT Swiss 440 freeride hubs and DT Swiss Skewers. The other benefits are that the wheels switch out very easily to accomodate all axle diameters with simple end cap adapters.
FRX5 Front Wheel 100mm QR - $343.00
FRX5 Front Wheel 110mm 20mm Thru - $358.00FRX5 Rear Wheel 135mm QR - $456.00
FRX5 Rear Wheel 135mm 10mm Thru - $456.00
FRX5 Rear Wheel 135mm 12mm Thru - $456.00
FRX5 Rear Wheel 150mm 12mm Thru - $487.00Pay with:
Call today to place your order, 770.676.6289!
