Home > Bike Types > Fatbike

SOC16: Knight Composites forms new 35mm road and CX tubulars, shows super light 27.5+ Rim

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

Knight composites road 30 cx tubular carbon fiber wheels plusIMG_3762

When it comes to industry experience, newly formed wheel company Knight Composites has it in spades. The newly formed super group includes industry veterans Jim Pfeil, Beverly Lucas, and Kevin Quan who combined have loads of experience with companies like Reynolds composites, EDGE and ENVE, Diamondback, and Neilpryde. Together, they’ve each made contributions to changing the carbon bicycle landscape and for their next project, they thought they could make a better wheel. Again.

After launching the brand with their first road wheels which promised to be faster and more stable, Knight Composites turned their focus towards mountain bikes with some wide but super light carbon options. Back in January, Knight promised some news in the form of tubulars for both road and CX, and they made good on the promise at Sea Otter…

Knight composites road 30 cx tubular carbon fiber wheels plusIMG_3763 Knight composites road 30 cx tubular carbon fiber wheels plusIMG_3764

Starting with a 35mm road tubular, the wheel builds on their aero philosophy introduced with their first wheels that places the emphasis on the trailing edge rather than the leading edge. Knight claims this is because the tire messes with aerodynamics no matter what you do to the rim profile, while working the trailing edge allows you to better control how the air transitions from the wheel to the frame. The result is supposedly an even faster wheel with great stability in crosswinds.

Now with a tubular wheel in the line up, Knight is offering that speed in both rim and disc brake options. One important distinction from what’s shown above – the production wheels will have external nipples, not internal as shown. This is good news for anyone who has had to take off a tubular just to true a wheel (or more likely, tension loose spokes). Like other Knight Composite wheels, the tubulars are made using an EPS foam mandrel which allows for a more compact carbon structure than bladder molding and makes for a lighter wheel since they can use less carbon where it isn’t needed.

Labeled as both road and CX, their tubulars have a slightly different layup than the road clinchers to withstand the abuse from CX racing. Weights are listed as 368g per 25.5mm rim, with prices ranging from $2099 with Aivee SR5 hubs to $2349 with Chris King R45 Ceramic hubs. Rim brake models see 20h radial laced front/24h 2x rear, while disc wheels are 24h 2x front and rear.

Knight composites road 30 cx tubular carbon fiber wheels plusIMG_3758

Knight composites road 30 cx tubular carbon fiber wheels plusIMG_3759 Knight composites road 30 cx tubular carbon fiber wheels plusIMG_3760

Knight was also showing off their 35mm road disc wheel which at the moment is clincher only and not tubeless compatible. While they mentioned that tubeless was in the works, at the moment the demand was higher for standard clincher so that’s what is coming first. The 35mm rim comes in at 420g with a 25.5/17mm external/internal width and pricing ranging from $2299 for DT 240 CL hubs to $2549 for the Chris King R45 Ceramic hubs.

Knight composites road 30 cx tubular carbon fiber wheels plusIMG_3766

Knight Composites carbon fiber plus rim mtb mountain bike super lightIMG_4162

Knight Composites carbon fiber plus rim mtb mountain bike super lightIMG_4164 Knight Composites carbon fiber plus rim mtb mountain bike super lightIMG_4166

As part of their mountain bike lineup, the new Plus rim is pretty impressive at 488g for a 50mm/45mm internal rim. The hookless rim will be offered in 28 or 30h drillings with complete builds on DT Swiss 240 Boost hubs running $2399.

knightcomposites.com

Subscribe
Notify of
guest

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

11 Comments
Oldest
Newest Most Voted
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
steve
steve
7 years ago

too expensive for a “your name here rim” wheelset.

Kernel Flickitov
Kernel Flickitov
7 years ago
Reply to  steve

Hype costs money.

Peter
Peter
7 years ago
Reply to  steve

You realise these rims are their own design, not generic rims right? Oh no wait, why would you check when you can just leave a comment on a website complaining about something else you can’t buy because you didn’t try hard enough at school.

Marin
Marin
7 years ago

Wheels are the last part you want to be made in carbon, especially on a mountain bike.
Maybe if you’re sponsored and don’t pay for your gear or ride mellow trails without rocks.

Next are the cranks…

EM2
EM2
7 years ago
Reply to  Marin

try first
thank me later
Carbon rims are way more strong than aluminum

ChrisC
ChrisC
7 years ago
Reply to  Marin

You sure about that?

\m/
\m/
7 years ago

I love my carbon ebay rims. Light strong stiff and priced in the real world:-)

Thomas
Thomas
7 years ago

I got a chance to demo a set on one of the Turner bikes at Sea Otter- they will be my next set of wheels for sure. Stiff, light, vertically compliant.

Kima
Kima
7 years ago

i guess Steve has no clue. They make their own rims bud!

greg
greg
7 years ago

Does this mean all their rims are going to external nipples? Please say that’s the case.

Beverly Lucas
7 years ago

Hey guys, thanks for leaving your comments. Yes, our wheels are 100% proprietary. If it was a case of sticking a decal on an open mold rim, we’d all be larging it on a beach in Cabo. Our wheels are also super strong, thanks in part to our EPS molding technique (read about it on our website – it’s how your carbon frame is made) so they can take on any terrain you can chuck at them – and finally, yes, all mountain wheels will have external nipples, so you can tweak as necessary!

Subscribe Now

Sign up to receive BikeRumor content direct to your inbox.

Subscribe Now

Sign up to receive BikeRumor content direct to your inbox.