Today, led by Makoto-paisen, we are at the Kansai CX Hope Hill event.
I'm curious about everyone's results, but I wonder, was there really any hope at Hope Hill?
Anyway, today I’m going to talk about rims.
If the name "Rabbit Hole Rim" rings a bell, this might be an interesting story for you. It’s a rim originally made for Surly’s 29″+ Krampus, and now a 26-inch version has been added to the lineup.
Surly “Rabbit Hole Rim” 26″x50mm/32H” :¥18,900
These wide rims are perfect for tires ranging from 2.3″ to 4″ in width and will also be equipped on the newly released Instigator. By increasing the rim width, the tire's contact patch is increased, providing a plusher ride. While the extra width adds some weight to the rim, it remains lightweight thanks to its single-wall construction. With the air volume provided by fat tires, you don't even have to worry about the rim's strength.
Rims compatible with 29″+ or 26″+ are rare, but there is actually a rival rim out there.
Velocity “Dually” 26″&29″/32H Black:¥13,440 Polished:¥15,540
After moving from Australia to the U.S., Velocity has restarted its journey as a rim manufacturer. Since Velocity is always giving us various options, it’s no surprise that they would take notice of this.
So, here is the Dually. The rim width is 45mm, which is 5mm narrower than the Rabbit Hole Rim, but it is fully compatible with 29″+ and 26″+. The weight is also almost the same. And the most notable feature is that it is tubeless compatible.
You can go tubeless by using Velocity’s “Velotape tubeless kit” (¥3,150). Being able to shed weight on a bike equipped with Mid-Fat to Fat tires is huge news. The fact that they offer both Black and Polish finishes is exactly what you'd expect from Velocity.
The rims I introduced today are based on the premise of the Krampus or Instigator, but they would also be interesting for a Karate Monkey or a 1×1. Depending on clearance, there are likely other bikes that could run them as well.
Personally, I recommend combining the rims introduced today with 2.5″ Maxxis Hookworm tires on a 1×1!