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Just In: Ultra Wide Ibis 741 Carbon 27.5 Wheels

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Ibis 741 carbon mountain bike wheels super wide enduro (3)

As the march to a wider wheel seems inevitable, certain companies are pushing that notion to the extreme. At this point in the evolution, you can’t talk wide wheels without including Ibis Cycle’s new line of carbon hoops. Boasting massive internal and external widths, the wheels are barely a step below the “+” size rims found in 29″ and now 27.5″.

Aimed squarely at the growing Enduro market, honestly the Ibis 741s look to be an enticing option for anyone looking for ultra wide, light wheels for their mountain bike. Then there’s the price – considering they are less than a set of rims from some competitors, Ibis seems to be building momentum for their stand-alone wheels…

Ibis 741 carbon mountain bike wheels super wide enduro (5)

Ibis 741 carbon mountain bike wheels super wide enduro (8) Ibis 741 carbon mountain bike wheels super wide enduro (7)

RimComparison

Labeled as the 741, the Ibis naming structure is pretty simple. The first number is either 7 or 9, for 27.5 or 29” wheels. The second number is the outside diameter of each rim, either 41 or 28mm. In this case the 741 is a 41mm wide, 27.5″ rim, which is ridiculous.

Built from carbon, the rims feature a hookless bead design which Ibis found to be dramatically stronger in impact tests than hooked rims. Ibis also claims that in testing, their carbon wheels tested 50-300% stronger than competitors in impact tests.

The tubeless ready design relies on a layer of rim tape that seems dwarfed by the gigantic rim cavity. Just wide enough to cover the spoke holes, the built in bead shelf is designed to be air tight around the bead while still allowing the tires to be installed and removed by hand. Both the rim tape and tubeless valves came installed on our review sample. When mounting the Continental tires below, we used the Continental tire sealant and were able to install the tires by hand, and seat them with a floor pump without any issues.

Ibis 741 carbon mountain bike wheels super wide enduro (2) Ibis 741 carbon mountain bike wheels super wide enduro (1)

Ibis 741 carbon mountain bike wheels super wide enduro (6)

Measuring in at just under 41mm externally and 35mm internally, the carbon rim has a claimed weight of 473g. While the carbon rims point towards light weight, Ibis wanted the wheels to be as durable as possible so 32 spokes are used across the line. This should mean that even if you break one of the triple butted 2.2/1.5 /2.0 gauge spokes, the alloy nipple won’t pull through the reinforced spoke holes, and the wheel will still be rideable.

Ibis 741 carbon mountain bike wheels super wide enduro (9) Ibis 741 carbon mountain bike wheels super wide enduro (11)

Ibis 741 carbon mountain bike wheels super wide enduro (10) Ibis 741 carbon mountain bike wheels super wide enduro (12)

Really, the only options for the 741s come in the form of the rear hub. The front hub is a non-branded 15mm thru axle only, 6 bolt disc hub. At the rear, you have the choice between a standard or DT Swiss 350 hub which includes their special 54 tooth star ratchet for an engagement angle of 6º. Both hubs are available in 142×12 TA standard with Shimano or SRAM XD freehubs and 135×10 QR adapters are available separately.

Suggested retail price for the wheelset with the standard rear hub is set at $1299, while the DT Swiss 350 version ups the price to $1499.

Ibis 741 carbon mountain bike wheels super wide enduro (17)

Ibis 741 carbon mountain bike wheels super wide enduro (19) Ibis 741 carbon mountain bike wheels super wide enduro (18)

The obvious question – what does the width do for tires? We’ll go more into depth on this in the future, but for initial testing we threw on a Continental X-King Protection in 2.4″. In this case, the protective sidewall is probably a very good idea since the super wide rim causes the sidewall to stick out farther than the tread side knobs. The width also causes the tread surface to flatten out a bit, so it’s probably best to run the highest volume tires with the best tread wrap you can fit.

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.

Ibis 741 carbon mountain bike wheels super wide enduro (16) Ibis 741 carbon mountain bike wheels super wide enduro (15)

Ibis 741 carbon mountain bike wheels super wide enduro (20)

On the actual measurement, the 2.4 Conti came in at 61.45mm (2.42″) wide for the casing and 56.4mm at the widest point in the tread. That may not seem like much, but for a tire brand that tends to run on the smaller side, it’s impressive.

Ibis 741 carbon mountain bike wheels super wide enduro (14) Ibis 741 carbon mountain bike wheels super wide enduro (13)

Even with a claimed weight of 1734g, our sample managed to come in nearly 30g less with both the tubeless valves and tape installed. How’s that for under promise, over deliver? At 795g for the front and 911g for the rear, the 15mm/142×12 wheelset with an XD driver is pretty light considering the crazy wide rims.

ibiscycles.com

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28 Comments
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Dingo
Dingo
9 years ago

They look cartoonish.

CeeJay
CeeJay
9 years ago

@Dingo – In what way?

Droptop
Droptop
9 years ago

In my experience the conti 2.4’s were oversize, while the 2.2’s were under. (The 2.4 measured almost to spec initially, then grew bigger after a week or so mounted). I’d like to see it on another rim for comparison, perhaps a Stan’s flow.

Mitts
Mitts
9 years ago

41mm width, not diameter

wydopen
wydopen
9 years ago

Hate to say but as someone who has allot of time on i30 rims I can tell you that the exact opposite it true. For 650b tires 2.3 is the largest Minion you can get which still causes the sidewall to stick out further than the tread. The 2.4 Highroller 2 has a wide enough tread that the side knobs are still wider than the casing. If you turn hard the 2.3 Minion is pretty much unrideable. The 2.4 HR2 is hands down the better option of aggressive riders. It baffles my mind to hear people recommend a 2.3 minion for wide rims…it does not work

MM
MM
9 years ago

High on my 2015 purchase list… very high.

Kris
Kris
9 years ago

“The second number is the outside diameter of each rim, either 41 or 28mm”. I think it should be width instead of diameter.

Ilikeicedtea
Ilikeicedtea
9 years ago

Nah. Fat bike wheels look cartoonish. These look appropriate.

Mr. P
9 years ago

Lusty bits.

P

Bati
Bati
9 years ago

Tires manufacturers will have to evolve, also.

duzzi
duzzi
9 years ago

Real progress: $1300-1500 for a set of wheels that weights more than an All Mountain aluminum costing 1/2-1/3.

wheelz
wheelz
9 years ago

I demoed the new Ibis HD3 with these exact wheels last weekend. Unbelievable traction and control. Also, the HD3 as good as the hype!

SRay
SRay
9 years ago

Derby knock-offs. Didn’t Derby come up with this design first?

Randy
Randy
9 years ago

This is bordering on fat bike lite territory. Are these long shorts or short pants? Ridiculous really.

Pete
Pete
9 years ago

But still no asymmetric spoke holes?

Brigand
Brigand
9 years ago

Conti’s X-king and Rubber Queen/Trail King ran true to their size or even bigger unlike other models which are ridiculously small (2.2 MK is smaller than 2.0 Spesh rubber) 😀

Chris
Chris
9 years ago

So some don’t deal with change well… It’s not about looks kids, it’s about performance. If the looks make you worry then you’re just superficial and petty. Perhaps spending money on therapy instead of wheels is the best idea?

Ripnshread
Ripnshread
9 years ago

Seems like the tire companies need to start making tires with more tread spread to fit the larger spread casings.

Andy
Andy
9 years ago

Zelvy carbon 40mm.. Best carbon wide rim on the market. Low pressure tubeless zero tyre roll, more grip than you can ask for with more tyre contract to the ground and I’ve never had a problem running 20psi or less. If your going to spend money on carbon rims you might as well buy the best product..

thesteve4761
thesteve4761
9 years ago

360/54=6? Creative maths!

Wouldn’t the more reasonable answer be one of the following:
6.6
6.67
7

craigsj
craigsj
9 years ago

“The width also causes the tread surface to flatten out a bit, so it’s probably best to run the highest volume tires with the best tread wrap you can fit. Ibis’ own Scot Nicol recommends anything with a rounded profile…”

I’m really tired of hearing this. It’s one thing for ignorant forum posters to say this and even uninformed blog “editors” to copy it, but it’s another for a manufacturers to repeat the same stupid myth. This is one example of many that proves the bike industry has a dire shortage of critical thinking skills.

The radius of curvature of a tire mounted on the Ibis rim is only about 5% greater than on a conventional “wide” rim like a Flow or i25. It’s not very much. Furthermore, it is only curved when not in contact with the ground as once under load the tire flattens. The curvature is something you see when it doesn’t matter, it’s not something that exists when the tire is working. Differences in performance come from the rim’s support of the sidewall, not anything visible on the top of the wheel.

You’re not seeing the curvature anyway, you’re seeing the sidewalls sticking more beyond the width of the outer knobs which gives the illusion of the tire being “squared off” which is where this nonsense originated.

While we are at it, stop talking about “highest volume”. The amount of air captured by the tire is irrelevant. A larger casing makes for a taller tire that could, perhaps, support lower pressures. A wider rim does not increase the height of a tire so air volume is NOT the relevant measure, casing size is (and rims don’t change that). Another example of the industry being driven by the ignorant.

We need bigger tires and proportional rims, not more “air volume” for more “cush”, I throw up a little every time I read that.

Tom
Tom
9 years ago

Looks good, but IMO, a just-right “Goldilocks” size is needed between the 928 and 941.

josh
josh
9 years ago

Tom – look at Derby rims. They have a 35mm wide 29″ rim. Plenty wide but not so much that it messes up 2.2 or 2.3 tires.

burritobeau
9 years ago

Craigsj– If i understand what your saying correctly you are wrong on one point. If you put the same tire on a wider rim it DOES in fact increase the volume and allow you to run lower pressure for more cush. i have done it more than once and am doing it now. I can run 10psi less on rabbit holes than i run on blunts and it does provide more cushion for sure. You are correct in that the tire does not get taller which will dramatically increase volume but it does increase volume.

ED
ED
9 years ago

@burritobeau
“If you put the same tire on a wider rim it DOES in fact increase the volume”

Read it again please !
The shape is certainly modified, but how can you assume the volume is ????????

Bati
Bati
9 years ago

I’m racing on them for about a month, using a Onza Citius 2.4 in front and Onza Ibex 2.4 in the rear. Very stiff, strong, and light. I stuck at 22psi in the rear and 20psi in the front. The extra grip really adds you lot of confidence/speed, specially when you lean the bike. I’ve never been so happy with a wheelset.

BillB
BillB
9 years ago

@ED Volume of a tire is related to 2 things. One being diamater of the rim (29″ x 2.25″ tire has more air volume than a 26″ x 2.25″ tire, assuming similar design). The second is the circumference of the rim + tire cross section. So a 25mm rim + 2.25 inch tire is going to have 25mm + sidewalls + tread. Taking that same tire and putting in on a 41mm rim you get 41mm + sidewalls + tread. So the higher circumference will hold more volume.

So with a larger volume you can run a lower pressure without having rim impacts. Ibis also makes a decent case for being more burp resistant since for a given lean angle you are more likely to still be under the rim. Explaned better with the video at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2x6saXUdA9o

Bails
Bails
9 years ago

@ED Imagine a string tied into a closed loop. Lay it on a table so it forms a circle. The most area you could possibly get inside that string is if it stays in a circle shape. Now grab the string on opposite sides and pull so it’s almost flat. While the string length remains the same the area inside is drastically reduced. In fact if you pinched the string together you could reduce the area to nothing. So Yes you CAN change Volume by changing shape.

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