WTB launches lightweight saddle, carbon rim and 27.5-plus enduro tire

TAIPEI, Taiwan (BRAIN) — WTB is introducing several new products at the Taipei International Cycle Show here this week, including the brand's lightest saddle to date, a carbon tubeless-compatible mountain bike rim, and a 27.5-plus enduro tire.

SL8 Saddle

The SL8 saddle is WTB's lightest production saddle to date, weighing 146 grams in its carbon-rail version.

"The SL8 saddle makes a statement," said Chris Feucht, WTB's product manager. "It proves that true comfort has never weighed so little. I think that people will really marvel at the SL8's comfort considering its weight truly resides within the competitive high-end road class of target weights."

The SL8 is not marketed specifically for the road or offroad. A long tapered nose shares similarities with WTB's popular Silverado shape and a very slight rise to the tail is reminiscent of the Volt saddle. All SL8 options uses WTB's highest-end DNA padding.

WTB SL8 saddles have spent the last year in development and testing underneath Team WTB and Cannondale and WTB athlete Jerome Clementz. Team riders used SL8 Carbon models throughout racing and development.

WTB SL8 saddles will be available in Carbon, Team, and Pro models ranging from $119.95 for the Pro to $249.95 for the Carbon option. SL8 Carbon saddles use WTB's 7x9mm oval shaped Carbon rails, are compatible with top-down clamp seatposts, and have no weight restrictions. All SL8 models should be available by June.

Ci24 TCS Carbon rim

WTB's new carbon rm has been in development for two years and went through five different iterations of design and redesign.

The rim has 4D-angled spoke drilling for proper spoke alignment.

"When you're dealing with a material as stiff as carbon, it's imperative that the spokes are aligned properly for departure from the rim," said Chris Feucht, WTB's product manager. "If the holes are just drilled in a standard, perpendicular manner to the rim's surface, there will invariably be binding and uneven application of stresses ... The result is broken spokes, nipples and even hub flanges in some extreme cases. WTB's 4D drilling on the Ci24 Carbon rims solves binding, while still allowing easy access to the nipples for simple tensioning."

WTB first introduced 4D drilling in 2012 with its Frequency rims, later expanding the option to their race-oriented KOM rims and more recently with their 45mm Scraper rims aimed at the plus sized 27.5" and 29" markets.

The new Ci24 rim also is compatible with WTB's TCS tubeless-compatible system. "It goes beyond just being able to air up with a floor pump, it is wholeheartedly designed around retention, yet still mountable without tools. Generally, you can't find that in carbon. Now we could go on and on about this type of layup, or that type of weave, direction, or modulus but when it boils down to it, the important thing is it works. We added extra material where it needs it, we thought about the material's characteristics throughout the whole process. Carbon isn't for everyone – once you ride it, you don't want to go back, but understanding that distinction is important. What we've done is make our Ci24 Carbon rims as strong as possible while staying true to that understanding that for certain applications or riders, alloy may be the better choice.

WTB Ci24 Carbon rims come in 27.5-inch and 29-inch options, weighing 414 grams and 420 grams respectively. The have a 30mm outer width combined with a 24mm full TCS profile inner width and have an overall depth of 31mm. Available only in 32 hole configurations, the rims retail for $549.95 and will be available in the aftermarket in June.

27.5-plus Bridger tire

The 27.5 x 3-inch Bridger tire features an open tread pattern composed of square shaped blocks designed for aggressive riding applications including enduro.

The Bridger will be offered in TCS Tough: High Grip option with Gravity DNA rubber coating a full 2-ply casing.

WTB TCS Tough tires use WTB's Enduro Casing, composed of two layers of their sealant-optimized Lightweight Casing. TCS Tough tire models are broken down into High Grip and Fast Rolling options, primarily intended for front (High Grip) and rear (Fast Rolling) uses.

"The Bridger 3.0 27.5+ TCS Tough: High Grip tire marks quite an opportunity for bicycle brands," said Jason Moeschler, WTB's global OEM sales manager. "It allows ground-up design – the tire has come before the bike, a capable full suspension needs a tire like this. We started this size and we are continuing to drive it through broadening its application and usage."

WTB Bridger 3.0 27.5+ tires will be available in TCS Tough: High Grip and TCS Light: Fast Rolling options. WTB lists preproduction weights of 1,235g and 1,510g for TCS Light: Fast Rolling and TCS Tough: High Grip options with a projected availability of August.

Bridger 3.0 27.5+ TCS Tough: High Grip tires will retail for $76.95 while TCS Light: Fast Rolling tires will carry a $67.95 MSRP.