First Look: Industry Nine PillarCarbon Wheels
Known for its extremely durable construction and multitude of anodized spoke and hub color options, Asheville, North Carolina wheelmaker Industry Nine recently announced the release of an all-new PillarCarbon wheel series. By teaming up with the composites experts at Utah-based Reynolds Cycling the companies have created a 100-percent US made wheelset.
After testing a variety of different carbon wheelsets over the last six years on the nearby trails of Pisgah and Dupont State Forest, the folks at I9 gained a great understanding of what makes a carbon wheelset that rides with just the right amount of lateral stiffness without sacrificing overall ride quality.
In order to balance stiffness with strength and compliance, the hubs, spokes and rims on the new PillarCarbon wheels were all designed together for outstanding performance, and a new “TwinPillar” hookless rim bead wall delivers burp-free performance, impact resistance, lateral stiffness and an outstanding strength-to-weight ratio.
PillarCarbon rims also feature Reynolds proven MR5 technology that assigns specific base fiber, epoxy resins and fiber orientation to each of the five specific rim areas (bead wall, tire channel, rim sidewall, spoke bed and spoke face). This technology delivers an ideal balance of lateral stiffness, controlled vertical deflection for shock absorption, light weight, impact resistance and spoke pull-through strength.
An Easy Fit bead channel makes installing tires a breeze, and most tubeless and UST tires should be able to seal with a high volume floor pump. Exit Angle spoke holes feature angle-accurate orientation to maximize spoke exit angles and minimize spoke bed stress to reduce spoke fatigue for trouble free performance.
Four New Models
To match a wide variety of riding styles, I9 features four different PillarCarbon models in ten anodized hub and spoke color options for both Shimano and SRM XD1 cassette bodies. All four models feature the same direct thread aluminum spokes, oversized axles, wide bearing placement and 120-point rear freehub body engagement that has put I9 on the map for their stiffness, strength and durability.
The Ultralite 29-inch wheelset delivers an outstanding balance of weight and performance and weighs a remarkable 1355 grams for the entire wheelset. Featuring 24-spoke construction front and rear with 24mm inner rim width and 28mm outer rim width, the Ultralite 29-inch is perfect for those who thrive on the cross-country racing circuit. And unlike other ultralight wheels that carry an unrealistically low rider weight limit, the PillarCarbon Ultralite wheels boast an impressive 220-pound rider weight limit.
PillarCarbon Trail 29-inch wheels are ideal for backcountry excursions, featuring 28mm outer rim width and 32 butted aluminum spokes, the PillarCarbon Trail 29 might just be one of the most versatile 29-inch wheels on the market thanks to exceptional strength for riders up to 250 pounds while maintaining a svelte 1495 gram total weight.
PillarCarbon Trail 27.5-inch wheels are ideally suited for all-mountain riders. Featuring 24-spoke construction, 26.25mm inner rim width and 31mm outer rim width, the Trail 27.5-inch is built to bomb the most punishing terrain. But unlike most wheels built heavy to last, the Trail 27.5-inch wheelset only weighs a scant 1395 grams while boasting a 220-pound rider weight limit.
First introduced in 2006, the I9 Enduro wheelset was built for those who wanted a bulletproof wheelset for aggressive riding. Tested extensively on the rigorous trails of Pisgah and Dupont State Forest, the new PillarCarbon Enduro 27.5-inch wheelset is ideally suited for long-travel full-suspension bikes. Featuring 32-spoke construction, 26.25mm inner rim width and 31mm outer rim width, the PillarCarbon Enduro 27.5-inch wheelset is still ultralight at just over 1400 grams while accommodating riders up to 220 pounds.
All four wheelsets retail for $2,850 and come with a two-year warranty. If you aren’t familiar with I9, have a look inside our recent tour of the Industry Nine factory to learn about their focus on American-made quality.
For more information visit www.industrynine.net.
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