Home > Bike Types > Mountain Bike

Whyte Bikes Debuts Carbon Rim 29er Mountain Bike Wheels

16 Comments
Support us! Bikerumor may earn a small commission from affiliate links in this article. Learn More

Whyte Bikes carbon fiber 29er mountain bike wheelset

As bike brands grow, seems like they develop more and more of their own products. From a cost perspective, it certainly makes sense if the volume’s there, but it also gives them a chance to put their own signature on the parts.

The latter is Whyte’s reason for introducing new wheels, and their freshman effort looks pretty good. Two models are offered, XC and Trail, both with a new, in-house designed carbon fiber rim.

The rims are High Modulus UD carbon with a 1K outer ply to help stop surface crack to propagation in the event of a chip or hard impact. Whyte says they learnt this from the F1 teams they have worked with over the years. From their PR:

This fine mesh (1K stands for 1mm squared pattern) is used on all areas of the car that are susceptible to stone chips, so it seems logical to apply this to the final surface of the rim, which clearly operates in a highly aggressive environment, we call it a “Blast Skin”.

Specs and more pics below…

Whyte Bikes carbon fiber 29er mountain bike wheels

Here’s Whyte’s comments on the decision to get into wheels:

“We decided to make our own wheel sets because we felt many 29ers were let down in performance by the wheels they have specced. Choice both in after market and off the peg bikes has been limited, so we decided take control and make our own, both for the M109 and T129 but also for after market.

Every wheel is hand built in one of the top wheel building facilities in the world. 28 Hole front and 32 Hole rear 3 Cross spoke pattern might not be the lightest option out there but we feel it offers the best weight to stiffness to durability, so you can make the most of your bike week after week. After assembly, every wheel is inspected by our Whyte QC team.”

Hubs use cartridge bearings and are laced to the new rims with stainless steel DT Swiss Competition Double butted spokes with DT Swiss alloy nipples. Front wheels are 28 hole, rear is 32 hole. The two different wheels get a couple different axle options:

  • XC – Rear is 135mm with XT Skewer; Front is 110 x 15mm Maxle or Shimano E-Thru compatible.
  • Trail – Rear is 142mm x 12mm Maxle or Shimano E-Thru compatible; Front is 110 x 15mm Maxle or Shimano E-Thru compatible.

They include a Whyte Nylon rim strip designed specifically for these rims. The XT skewer set has an RRP of £999 and the standard set of £949.

Whyte Bikes carbon fiber 29er mountain bike wheels

NOTE: We’ve inquired about weights, rim widths, etc., and will update the post if/when we hear back.

Subscribe
Notify of
guest

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

16 Comments
Oldest
Newest Most Voted
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
Big Cow
11 years ago

That rim is a standard carbon rim from a taiwanese manufacturer, available for $300 direct on ebay. The rear hub is a Formula stock unit, also known as the Sram X9, and the front hub is a Chin Huar, also from American Classic. They did nothing here except buy things. Super Yawn.

Oh, and 1k does not mean 1mm square to the weave pattern – it means 1,000 fibers per tow, and the tows are what are woven together, so it makes for a finer weave than 3k, which has 3,000 fibers per tow to make the weave. Bikerumor “make it up as you go” strikes again.

nick
nick
11 years ago

@Big Cow.

nice rant. i don’t see anywhere that they claim to have designed or changed anything. only that they make their own wheelsets as they felt many bikes are let down by current offerings.

but credit to you, you got the first rant of the post in. well done.

Moosefactor9
Moosefactor9
11 years ago

@nick

“In-house designed carbon fiber rim” sure sounds like a claim to design. I agree with bigcow, they look utterly uninspiring. I see no weight is mentioned, I’m guessing with those POC hubs they won’t be light.

Big Cow
11 years ago

@nick

Hahaha. Thanks for helping no one at all with your comment. Make their own wheelsets? With generic, off the shelf parts? Yeah, wow, they must have spent a lot to have them laced up all special with standard spokes in a standard pattern. Their wheels ARE the current offerings. Nothing new to see here. Move along.

But credit to you, you got the first employee posing as a commenter post in. Well done.

Nick
Nick
11 years ago

“Bikerumor “make it up as you go” strikes again.”

Steady on – the stuff about 1k is from Whyte’s PR, and clearly says so.

Richy
Richy
11 years ago

The 1k = 1mm part looks like it is a is a quote from Whyte’s PR not BR.

GS1
GS1
11 years ago

That rim is a standard carbon rim from a taiwanese manufacturer, available for $300 direct on ebay. The rear hub is a Formula stock unit, also known as the Sram X9, and the front hub is a Chin Huar, also from American Classic. They did nothing here except buy things. Super Yawn.

Oh, and 1k does not mean 1mm square to the weave pattern – it means 1,000 fibers per tow, and the tows are what are woven together, so it makes for a finer weave than 3k, which has 3,000 fibers per tow to make the weave. Bikerumor “make it up as you go” strikes again.

Another snarky, internet no-it-all strikes again! Thank you for enlightening us all. If you have a problem with this site, just don’t come here.

Oh, and if you are not a fifteen year old, using the old computer at your local library, you are even more sad.

Josh
11 years ago

big cow has it right if u ask me haha

Jogan
Jogan
11 years ago

Let’s all agree not to read/post comments because it is always a a snarkfest from idiots on their underwear. Read the article, then click “back” without scrolling down and getting sucked into this meaningless drivel.

Kingsprinter
Kingsprinter
11 years ago

But he is right. A site like this needs to keep it’s credibility by sorting out various marketing blabber from the companies. (I do think that Bikerumor usually does that), and correcting factual stuff, like this creative explanation of what 1K means… Carbon has been around long enough that you can expect people with just a hint of knowledge to know what 1K, 3K 12K and UD means.

Canucklehead
Canucklehead
11 years ago

@Kingsprinter: News is scarce this time of year. I don’t mind press releases, so long as there are updates with facts eventually. Otherwise, Life™ gets boring.

mtbtec
mtbtec
11 years ago

I hate it when mom and dad fight.

Canucklehead
Canucklehead
11 years ago

Do any 29er’s use rim brakes?! How long is it going to take for the manufacturers to update for disc brakes….

I’m anticipating the weight is comparable if not heavier than Stans, and likely aren’t ideal for tubeless. So the benefit would be longevity?

erich
erich
11 years ago

I have to agree with Kingsprinter and Canucklehead. Though the comments here are often full of people who have drunk deep from the font of Haterade, it is nice to see some factual rebuttals in the comments. The bike industry is full of garbage PR, some well-intentioned, some manipulative, that stems from having to constantly pretend that the latest 1.5% performance increase marks a sea change in cycling technology. These wheels are probably fine, comparatively inexpensive to truly properitary wheels, and durable enough for the average rider, but it seems disingenous of Whyte to claim that these are anything more than a decent OE wheel they have decided to sell as an aftermarket part.

Pat
Pat
11 years ago

But, but, but “They include a Whyte Nylon rim strip designed specifically for these rims.”

RUSTYDOGG
RUSTYDOGG
11 years ago

Seriously people. Learn to spell.

That is all.

Subscribe Now

Sign up to receive BikeRumor content direct to your inbox.

Subscribe Now

Sign up to receive BikeRumor content direct to your inbox.