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Interbike 2012: Xentis’ turbulator-charged, standard pad carbon wheels

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Handwritten runout and final inspection signature

Despite enthusiastic support and strong reviews overseas, Austrian carbon fiber wheel specialists Xentis are all but unknown in North America.  Distributors Stage Race are determined to gain the company a beachhead in the new world.

Seen here in Stage Race’s Interbike booth, the 1,394g (claimed) Squad 4.2 Silver Line clincher wheelset has a number of features that set it apart.  First and foremost is Xentis’ patented carbon fiber brake track, which is claimed to deliver aluminum-like braking—even in the wet—when used with standard (non-carbon) pads.  Just below the brake track sits a series of active turbulator scallops, which serve to prevent the drag caused by smooth air as it ‘sticks’ to the trailing edge of the wheel.

There’s more below the break!

There's a magnet under that label

Added to are these niceties like handwritten runout and signature from the builder as well as rattle-reducing valve stem grommet and in-molded computer magnet.  See the entire line, including 26in and 29er mountain wheels, at www.xentis.com.

edit:  MSRP for the 4.2 clinchers is $2,695, the 5.8 tubulars $2,795.  “Silver Line” ceramic versions of each will be available in November.

www.stage-race.com

Xentis don't like rattle-y valve stems either
The Squad 5.8 as seen on our Scapin Style test bike
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Rob
Rob
11 years ago

I’m all for better braking on carbon hoops, but those little shards of aluminum embedded in your brake pads from your training wheels will still wreak havoc on anything carbon.
Unless you get a new set of carbon wheels every year, you will still want to change your pads!

I dig the molded in valve stem spot and grommet.

Psi Squared
Psi Squared
11 years ago

How about asking Xentis what they’ve done to manage heat from braking on their Squad clincher brake tracks?

rpdupre
rpdupre
11 years ago

These are awesome. I’d be interested in a review of their braking as well. Also, do they offer a “fat rim” design? I would be all over them if I wasn’t a cheap college student.

Andrew
Andrew
11 years ago

A bit of a correction here. There wouldn’t be an issue if the laminar (smooth) airflow stuck to the trailing edge of the wheel, as that would result in minimum drag. However, rims are generally too shallow to allow the laminar flow to smoothly come back “inwards” after the tire, resulting in the laminar flow separating from the rim at some point. This leaves a nice eddy of low pressure air directly behind the rim, resulting in drag as the high pressure at the tire and low pressure at the rim result in drag.

The turbulator will trip the air up a bit, causing the smooth flow to stumble. This stumbling actually helps the laminar flow dive inwards a bit, increasing the amount of rim surface with laminar flow. Therefore, less drag. So the turbulator actually increases the amount of laminar flow that goes around the rim.

Canucklehead
Canucklehead
11 years ago

Is there a disc specific rim?

Brian
Brian
11 years ago

Andrew – Amazing, that’s exactly what I was thinking.!!

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