HED’s rolling out a smaller brother for its fat bike rims, ushering in more options for smaller riders or those that just want a snappier ride.
“I think if fat bikes had not evolved from mountain bikes, they would have started with 24 inch,” said HED’s Andy Tetmeyer. “It provides the same outer diameter as a normal 26″ MTB tire, but has all the flotation and traction of a bigger fat bike tire.”
“The benefit is better handling because the bike’s geometry doesn’t have to be adjusted to accommodate the bigger wheels. Plus, for shorter people, it provides better stand over. That becomes particularly important if you’re stepping off the bike into deep snow.”
They’ll also be lighter. The rims will be about 40g lighter than a 26″ model. And the tires will be lighter, too.
It’s a single wall design, just like their 26″ version. These are handmade prototypes that were riveted together with a carbon plate to hold it together for the show, but production models will be welded. Look for it to go on sale in August or September.
They’ll have a carbon fiber version soon, too.
On all of their fat bike rims, they found washers that are steel with neoprene laminated to the underside, eliminating the need for rim tape to go tubeless. They say it’ll save about 10g, but it’s really more about ease of use.
Got a rim with a flattish bed? They’ll sell a pack of these washers so you can put them on your own wheels, regardless of brand.
