Let’s be honest, carbon rims offer an incredibly precise riding feel, sublime acceleration and they also look great! But it’s also true that a carbon rim can easily shatter if things go wrong on the trail, and can often feel too stiff or even uncomfortable to ride on. And that’s exactly what Santa Cruz wanted to change when developing their new Reserve-wheels. These wheels are supposed to present the perfect compromise, the best of the two worlds at a “reasonable” price.
Key features of the Santa Cruz Reserve wheels
- 29” rims available in 3 widths: 25, 27 and 30mm internal
- 27,5” rims available in two widths: 27 and 30mm internal
- Weight: 470 g per wheel (27,5”, 30 mm width)
- 28-spokes, 3x cross lacing
- DT Swiss Competition Race double-butted spokes
- Available with DT Swiss 350 or Industry 9 Torch hubs
- Sapim Alloy Secure Lock nipple
- External nipple-access for easy servicing
- Made in Santa Cruz, California
- Lifetime Warranty
- Weight in 27.5 1700g (Industry 9) or 1860g (DT350)
A perfect cocktail of stiffness and flex.
In order to reach a perfect compromise between stiffness and flex, Santa Cruz opted for a 25 mm deep rim, which connects to the hub via 28 spokes. The spoke holes are drilled, Santa Cruz assures this is the way to go, avoiding resin accumulation around the hole area during the carbon laying process.
Unlike most other manufacturers, Santa Cruz placed their carbon reinforcements around the spokes on the outer side of the rim. This guarantees correct positioning and centred drilling of the hole, any sort of mistake would be immediately visible. Santa Cruz claims that internal tests prove that a 2,0 mm spoke would tear way before any damage occurred to the rim.
With an asymmetrical rim comes a wider rim flange. Not only this makes the rim more stable but also reduces tire damage, as the tire can bead in properly on the wider rim edge.
Price and availability for Santa Cruz Reserve wheels.
At the moment the new Reverse wheels will be only available on a selection of complete Santa Cruz bike-builds. In a near future you will also be able to buy them as an after-market option. The price is set at a fair $ 1,899 with Industry Nine hubs and $ 1,599 with DT Swiss 350-hubs.
First-ride impressions for the new Santa Cruz Reserve wheels
After just one day of riding on the new Reserve wheels, we can comfortably say: Santa Cruz didn’t promise too much in terms of handling! The carbon wheels are well defined, accelerate nicely and don’t feel harsh in turns! Having said that, one of our test riders ended up with a classic carbon flat (snakebite in the tire) right in the middle of our ride. We can’t really comment on longevity yet, only a long-term test will tell – let’s see! The wheels are definitely not cheap, but the price seems fair considering the quality of the build and the lifetime warranty.
For more info please visit the Santa Cruz-Website.
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Words: Photos: Santa Cruz, Sven Martin
