For 2013, Stan’s NoTubes is rolling out disc brake ready road and cyclocross wheels, new ZTR Alpha 400 road wheels, wider Crest Flow EX rims and a new OEM offering aimed at putting their rims on more price point bikes. Want more good news? Virtually all of this will be available next month!
For the road, the New ZTR Alpha 340 Disc uses their 3.30 mountain bike hubs with a lower 24/28 spoke drilling. Rear spacing is 135mm, spoke lacing is 2-cross front and rear. Retail is $650 and will be out July 2. Look for these as OEM spec on the Cannondale Super-X Disc. Their Crest wheelset is still lighter,which probably makes it a better option for cyclocross, but the wider 21mm inside rim width on the Crests doesn’t make it ideal for road. Stan’s Mike Bush says the rim bead profile for their road rims is designed specifically with Road Tubeless in mind.
The updated ZTR Alpha 340 with thicker spoke bed shown here in the center with the old one at right. The new ZTR Alpha 400 rim profile shown far left.
The new ZTR Alpha 400 that uses an extra wall inside the rim extrusion with slightly thicker sidewalls to make it about 26% stronger and stiffer. It’s aimed at bigger and/or stronger riders that needed a more stout wheel. Rim weight is about 420g, and width is 20.5mm outside width, 17mm inside. Retail is $120 for the rim, available July 2. Complete wheels will be $635 for the Comp (g), $750 for Team and $1100 for Pro.
Assuming you don’t want to put a 29er mountain bike wheelset on your disc ‘cross bike, there’s the new ZTR Iron Cross Disc wheelset.
It’s based on their Alpine rim extrusion, which hasn’t been offered in 29er/700c before, but the “V” shape makes it a good option for muddy courses. Inside rim width is 20mm, which should fit 30-33 tires well. It’s built on their 3.30 hubs with 24/28 2-cross DT Super Comp spokes. Retail is $550, will be out July 2.
MOUNTAIN BIKE
The new ZTR Flow EX builds on the four year old Flow rims, growing the inside width from 22.6mm to 25.5mm. Outside width went from 27.9mm to 29.1. While the numbers mislead, the sidewall actually got thicker, but the bead hook was shortened. Bush says the shorter hook combined with their short sidewall lets the tire take a more natural, rounder shape. It also let’s the tire sit wider, which lets you run lower pressure for better traction.
Rim weight is about 490g in 26″, a bit heavier than before. Bush says they’ve had a World Cup DH team racing prototypes (anonymously) since last year and are racing them at Mont St. Anne this weekend in production form. Rims retail for $90 (26″) and $93 (29er). A 650B size will be offered in August.
They have a new ZTR Rapid wheelset and rim that’s for OEM only. It’s a sleeved rim rather than welded, and it’s their first rim with eyelets. They’ll be machine built (all of their other wheels are hand built) and are a price point item, but they have the same tubeless rim shaping and performance as usual. They’re built on 3.30 hubs mostly, but OEM customers will have the option to build the rims to any hubs.
