You may think Atomik Carbon is all about the rim, but they’re always looking at the wheel as a complete package. And if the hub is the part that’s slowing you down, they want to figure out a way to make it better. There is a lot made about high engagement hubs. In many situations they can be a benefit to your riding. But they also tend to have a lot of drag. So much so that a number of companies like Atomik are beginning to look to lower drag solutions for the road to save those precious watts…
Utilizing magnets that gently pull two ratchet rings together, Atomik says they are under lower tension than a spring which still provides positive engagement but lower drag. The system provides 36 points of engagement or 10°, which is a little sparse for mountain where you may need a quick pedal kick, but on the road it should be just fine. And based on the demonstration Atomik had set up with the exact same wheels but two different hubs, it’s clear that the magnetic drive hub spins with less resistance – especially considering the standard hub was actually fitted with better Japanese EZO stainless bearings while the mag drive hub was running standard. Expect to see these hit the road this fall.
On the wheel side of things, Atomik had their newest mountain bike option, the AM35. Featuring a 35mm external and 28mm internal carbon rim with a 3.5mm thick hookless bead wall, Atomik says they really stressed durability over weight with these. That still works out to 460/480g per rim for 27.5 or 29″.
About a month out from production, the wheels will sell for $1350 per set with DT Swiss 350 hubs and Sapim Race spokes and brass nipples. Rims are also available for $435 each and come with your choice of 13 decal colors.
