Announcing Bernard Kerr Signature Wheels with Lifetime Warranty

The new Blacklabel Bernard Kerr Limited Edition downhill wheelset from Reynolds marks the pinnacle of strength, performance and durability for any bicycle wheel. It is the culmination of a years-long research and development process, and it will forever elevate what riders will come to expect from a carbon rim wheel.

One of the reasons in undertaking the creation of this wheel was to better support sponsored athletes, chief among them downhill racer Bernard Kerr for whom this new wheelset is named. Bernard has ridden and raced a wide variety of Reynolds mountain wheels, and he has played a crucial role in development by providing high-level feedback on ride quality, durability and simply being able to test product in a manner that cannot be replicated in any laboratory or factory setting.

The BK Limited Edition marks the third generation product that Bernard has both ridden and evaluated. The process started when Reynolds enlisted his help on the creation of the Blacklabel Enduro 27.5, which was developed with his recommendations for both rim dimensions and ride quality. In fact, he raced that rim on the World Cup and it vastly out performed the first generation rim, but to better withstand race-pace abuse, it still needed some improvements.

While the rim shape of the BK is the same as the Enduro, the impact strength has been ratcheted up to handle the high-speed hits it will encounter on World Cup race courses. By taking an entirely new approach to materials, layup and curing, the new rim improves impact strength by 40% over the Enduro. That’s a huge number that has been validated in both controlled and track testing.

Increasing the impact strength was the key goal, but it had to be accomplished in tandem with ride quality. Simply upping strength can create a structure that is brutally strong, but in most cases results in an overly rigid wheel that deflects off objects lending a harsh feel rather than enhancing the ride. These new materials have allowed Reynolds to not only build the strongest carbon rim to date, but also one with more effective damping qualities to absorb and disperse energy from trail impacts. The result is a wheel that mutes impacts and improves traction with a smoother ride feel than its predecessor.

The rim is laced to Industry Nine downhill hubs with 32 spokes front and rear to match what Bernard races on the World Cup. The 6-pawl,120 point hub design provides near instantaneous 3-degree engagement crucial for jamming in quick pedal strokes when terrain allows.