First Look: 2015 FSA Mountain Bike Wheelsets 17

bturman
12/17/2014 11:59am

Full Speed Ahead (more commonly known as FSA) is diving headfirst into the mountain bike wheel game in 2015. Those who have followed the brand may remember FSA wheels back in 2009/2010, which lasted just a short while in a saturated marketplace. While competition is still strong today, FSA took the past few years to re-invest their efforts into road bike wheels under the Vision brand name, and they learned a lot about how to make better wheels in the process. That fresh knowledge will be reflected in three all-new mountain bike wheelsets set to make their aftermarket debut in 2015. The wheels come close behind FSA's new disc brakes, rounding out a more complete product line for mountain bikers.

How can road wheel technology translate to MTB? Just like FSA's Tour de France hotshot Peter Sagan's skills, more than you'd imagine. Tech features that transfer over include FSA's fast rolling Preload Reduction Assembly (PRA) hubs with Quick-Draw freehub design, asymmetric rim profiles, and carefully balanced spoke tensions.

FSA's hubs allow you to fine tune preload on the wheel bearings, which can minimize bearing drag when properly adjusted. The user friendly design is easy to access and can't be over tightened, unlike many other hub systems. FSA claims increased performance, speed, and bearing longevity.

The Quick-Draw freehub uses a 6-pawl design where 3 pawls are engaged at any time on the 27-tooth ratchet ring. This adds up to 54 engagement points and super quick 6.6-degree engagement, helping you to put power to the dirt quicker.

Perhaps the most interesting aspect of the new wheels is the high-offset asymmetric rim profile. By drastically offsetting the profile to one side, FSA says they're able to balance spoke tensions up to 30% better than traditional symmetric designs. This balance allows them to increase spoke tension by 20%. The combined effect is increased lateral stiffness, rigidity, and durability. It also comes at less weight because FSA chose to capitalize on the advantages by reducing the number of spokes. All three wheels are laced with double butted spokes and brass nipples with 2 to 1 lacing on the rear wheel.

FSA's new wheels include 27.5 and 29-inch options in the K-Force Light (XC and XC race), SL-K (XC and Trail), and Afterburner (Trail and light Enduro/All-Mountain). Nearly all of the components are made in-house, ensuring an extra level of refinement and control over the end product.

K-Force Light Wheelset Highlights

  • Application - XC and XC race
  • Rim - Asymmetric Carbon Clincher with UD Carbon Finish
  • Hubs - 6 Ceramic Cartridge Bearings (2 F+4 R), Anodized Red
  • Spokes - 2 Cross Double Butted Black Aero Spokes with Anodized Red Alloy Nipples
  • Graphics - Red, Black
  • Weight - 27.5 inch: 1,414 grams / 29 inch: 1,464 grams (w/o QR)
  • MSRP - $2,049.99

SL-K Wheelset Highlights

  • Application - XC and Trail
  • Rim - Asymmetric Carbon Clincher with UD Carbon Finish
  • Hubs - 6 Stainless Steel Bearings (2 F+4 R), Anodized Black
  • Spokes - 2 Cross Double Butted Black Spokes with Black Brass Nipples
  • Graphics - Red, Black
  • Weight - 27.5 inch: 1,450 grams / 29 inch: 1,500 grams (w/o QR)
  • MSRP - $1,799.99

Afterburner Wheelset Highlights

  • Application - Trail and Light Enduro/All-Mountain
  • Rim - Asymmetric Alloy Clincher with Black Anodized Finish
  • Hubs - 6 Stainless Steel Bearings (2 F+4 R), Anodized Black
  • Spokes - 2 Cross Double Butted Black Spokes with Black Brass Nipples
  • Graphics - Black
  • Weight - 27.5 inch: 1,590 grams / 29 inch: 1,660 grams (w/o QR)
  • MSRP - $649.99

Shared Features

  • All three wheelsets feature a 25mm deep X 26mm wide rim profile with 21mm inner bead width
  • 24 spokes per wheel
  • Artisan built, entirely by hand
  • Includes Stan's NoTubes kit or FSA tape and tubeless valve kit
  • Alloy PRA hubs for DP spokes
  • Front hub with 9QR/15TA axle compatibility / Rear hub with 135QR/142TA axle compatibility
  • Aluminum freehub body for Shimano 9-11 speed or SRAM XD for 11 speed

Visit www.fullspeadahead.com for more details. Wheelsets should be available in summer 2015 through your local FSA dealer.

Related:
FSA
17 comments

View replies to: First Look: 2015 FSA Mountain Bike Wheelsets

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ChampionP
9 years ago
If the weight is accurate, the afterburner blows their other wheels away on a price per gram basis. too bad they're not 27-35 mm wide....
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eb1888
9 years ago
No 30mm inside and no hookless gets no consideration for my carbon hardtail after 35/30 carbon and 29.3mm Wide Lightnings this season.
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wydopen
9 years ago
Really makes no sense to release a rim in 2014 thats 21mm inside..I had to run a 21 in the rear after running a 30 and it is definitely noticeable..it's managable in the rear but would not want to run such a narrow rim up front..
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bturman
9 years ago
There are merits to both types of rims. Did you know that Anne Caro mentioned to us that after trying wide rims she wouldn't ride such a wide rim in the back because she prefers the "spring" and accurate feel of a narrower rim? Up front she was all about it. ~21mm widths have been used for many years without issue. Only a handful of manufacturers offer super wide rims, they just happen to be very vocal about it.
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wydopen
9 years ago
I would say that the market is moving towards a wider standard though. I don't even believe "super wide" to be best. I think a 27mm inside is about perfect. I do think a 21mm inside "enduro" set is going to be dismissed by allot of potential buyers on that merit alone. I think a 27mm inside front and a 25mm inside rear would be optimal.

Ill be going back to my 30mm inside next week will be interested to see if it was as good as I remembered..
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wydopen
9 years ago
While we are on the subject of wide rims...

I would really like to see you guys do a front tire test with a 30mm internal rim..something like the specialized traverse fatty sl...I had/have been running an HR2 2.4 up front and it works great. After reading a review of the ibis rims with Minion DHF 2.3's I picked up a pair. After mounting them I was a little wary being that the casing was literally wider than the tread but I figured the unnamed reviewer on the unnamed website knew what they were doing. Long story short it was pretty much unrideable as a front tire. It was great until you actually leaned your bike over....I washed the front end out 3 times in one descent on my favorite trail..one that I ride for months on end without a mistake. I've ended up running those minions in the rear (good thing I go through 13-14 rear tires a year) where they worked fine, but I've been hesitant to stray from the HR2's in 2.4 as a front now..Would be interested in seeing what else works well with a wide rim by someone who can actually corner hard. I see people running a Specialized butcher on the 30mm rims but I'm not sure if it's the 2.3 or the bigger sizes in DH casings??
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elsinore
9 years ago
Just to clarify you thought the Minion DHF 2.3 was no good on the Ibis 35mm rim up front? Ive been wondering about this same thing as it would seem that the Minion's side knobs would no longer be on the side and more on the top of the tire with those huge rims and would give you that washing out effect as you ran out of tread the more you lean the bike over. I do have a riding buddy who has the butcher control (single ply) on a 30mm specialized rim and he loves it, he is a pro class enduro guy and knows how to corner aggressively. The butcher on the 30mm rim looks good, the side knobs seem to be in the proper place. Thanks for the report!
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wydopen
9 years ago
Yea minion 2.3 on a 30mm inside (not ibis they are the same rim as the specialized fatty) was completely unrideable for me in the front..That's why I know it wont work on a rim that's 5mm wider...it works well enough in the rear though but I usually run fast rolling rears without a lot tread though so I dont require allot of traction out back..kinda makes me wonder how people are raving about those ibis rims with minions mounted on them...I haven't raced for years but I would consider myself a fast expert/slow pro..if they still had semi pro that's what I'd race haha...Really anyone testing wheel/tire combos should be able to push them hard enough to notice something like that...thanks for the info on the butchers..I've never ran specialized tires, nor wanted to but I might have to try it sometime..
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wydopen
9 years ago
Funny comment from the Ibis guy on bike rumor..

Ibis’ own Scot Nicol recommends anything with a rounded profile using the example of a Maxxis Minion working well, but the High Roller not so much. He also mentioned Specialized tires since they are building in more tread wrap as well as the Bontrager X4, Schwalbe Hans Dampf 2.25, Maxxis Ardent 2.25, and WTB Vigilante 2.3 and Trailboss 2.25.

I seriously don't understand how someone could ride that 2.3 minion and recommend it...
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elsinore
9 years ago
I have an Ibis and love it, but sometimes those guys make curious statements. They are specking the Minion on their HD3 builds with the 741 rims... I remember like 2 years ago they made a statement about their short top tubes saying something to the effect of 'just put a long stem on it, shorter stems only real advantage was for more confident descending and with dropper posts the problem has been solved' hinting towards shorter top tubes making a comeback. Regardless, I love how my Ripley rides!
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wydopen
9 years ago
Lucky for me the HR2 is my favorite tire so it works out. Preferably I'd like 25 rear 27front insides but I can't afford enve's and aluminum rims don't last for me and I really like having a 400g rim. Ive had good luck with the carbon ones I'm on. I've replaced a few rears but not as many as I would have if they were aluminum.
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elsinore
9 years ago
@wydopen, So you have ridden the HR2 on the front with the 30mm Rim and it felt fine? That is my tire of choice as well. Im pretty close to getting some carbon wheels and I'm trying to feel this situation out. Thanks again! Im really curious about the wide rim thing. With some tires they look awesome, but I haven't seen this trend take off with the DH or Enduro pro's so much.
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wydopen
9 years ago
Elsinore-
Yea the 2.4 hr2 works great for me...Most of the specialized pros are running their i30mm rim and I believe Jill and Bryn Atkinson are on i30 rims as well...They have been using hr2s and shortys instead of minions I believe...I really do think that i30 is as wide as anyone should go...the ibis and derby rims seem excessive to me....I think there is a point of diminishing returns...
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bikeboardorblade
9 years ago
Engagement/hub looks good. 21mm inner width? Pass. Bring the hate but there's still a market for 26. Many of us are happy on our current frames but would still like options for wheels.
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taletotell
9 years ago
Nifty. I'll keep an eye out for those afterburners a fee yeats from now when I want so new wheels

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