The wheels are one of the most important elements of our bike. They must take all the beating when we decide to ride some rocks and roots. Normaly carbon material is mostly thought to be perfect for super-light parts, but with limited strength. Meanwhile, WTB decided to create rims and whole wheels that will be light, but at the same time thrust worthy to go with them thru the hardest and bumpyest trails out there. They are so confident about toughness of CZR i30 rims that they even cover it with “Ride with confidence guarantee”, which covers it for its all lifetime and provides a free replacement if anything happens with it while riding. How the strongest wheels in the WTB offer look and how do they perform in really demanding terrain? Here is our presentation and the first ride impressions.
WTB CZR i30 – specification
WTB CZR i30 wheels are wheels designed for Enduro and Trail riding. The main idea of the creators was to build the strongest wheels that will not let us down while riding even on the toughest trails and terrain. The basis are the CZR i30 carbon rims. They have internal width of 30 mm, external width 37,3 mm, height of less than 24 mm. An asymmetrical design of the rim allows to compensate the differences in the tension of the spokes on drive and non-drive side of the wheel. The material has been reinforced with a special layer of carbon in the areas most exposed to impact and around the spoke beds. WTB used the properties of carbon material, so that the rim is as stiff as possible to the sides, but at the same time absorbs the energy of any impacts without risking the structure to crack or break. The main priority here was durability. It took more than 2 years of testing and research to develop a satisfactory solution, but in the end the manufacturer is so confident in his solutions that each rim is covered by a special lifetime guarantee, more on this later.
Of course, the CZR i30 rims are tubeless ready. It has also WTB Solid Strip patent. It is a nylon strap that sits between the rim and the tubeless tape. This prevents the tubeless tape from pressing into the spoke holes even under high pressure, and ensures a smooth connection between the tire and the rim. This makes easier with the assembly and sealing of the tires. The solid strip also protects against punctures in the event of a broken spoke. CZR i30 rims currently only come in 29″ size. They are available in complete wheels, and as a separate parts when someone wants to build the wheels on their hubs. Then there are available options with 28 or 32 spoke holes.
Another important element of the wheels are the hubs. WTB used its Frequency high-engagement hubs here. The CZR i30 wheels are equipped with strong ratchet springs as standard. They instantly and flawlessly mesh every 5 degrees of a turn, making a quite loud sound at the same time. For those who prefer to roll more silently, there is an option to change the springs for the lighter version. The hubs rotate on top-class sealed bearings, which are protected against the external conditions by additional oversized seals. WTB CZR i30 complete wheels are available in boost standard 15×110 front and 148×12 rear. You can choose between Shimano Microspline or Sram XDR version. The disc mount is a 6 bolts standard.
WTB CZR i30 wheels are built with 28 spokes. These are double butted spokes with a classic J-bend shape mounted with brass nipples. The wheels are handbuilt by the proffesionals and go thru complete final spoke tension process. Thanks to this, they are ready for hard riding straight out of the box. As a high-quality product should be, there is no need to tighten the spokes after the first couple rides. Weight calculated with the rim tubeless tape on and with the valve is 878g for the front wheel and 1033g for the rear one. In total, this gives us a set of strong 29-inch enduro wheels weighing 1911g. The manufacturer himself admits that it is not the lightest option on the market, but what makes it stand out from the rest is durability. Of course with such a weight result, it cannot be said that the CZR i30 wheels are heavy. When it comes to looks, the rims in the black matte color, and feature only the barely visible WTB and CZR i30 logos.
WTB CZR i30 “Ride with confidence guarantee”
WTB is confident in the strength of the CZR i30 rims, so that each of them is covered by a special lifetime guarantee. “Ride with confidence Guarantee” in short means that if you damage the CZR rim while riding, WTB will give you a new one completely for free! Did some case on a big gap, or a rock that “suddenly jumped on the middle of a trail”? It doesn’t matter. There are no strange disclaimers here, all you have to do is be the first private owner of the CZR wheels or rims and fill out the warranty form which is directly on the WTB website. Even if you regularly race in tough enduro competitions, it also will cover the damage. If you buy whole wheels, you can count on a complete rebuilding of the wheels with new nipples and spokes. What’s more, even if something happens to the CZR rims not while riding, but in an unfortunate accident, WTB will then provide a new rim for 50% of the current price. This special lifetime warranty is provided for CZR rims only. The hubs and other components have a standard 24-month manufacturer’s warranty.
WTB CZR i30 – First ride impressions
Before I even got the wheels for the test, I was a bit afraid of riding on carbon wheels. Until now, I have always ridden aluminum rims, and every one of them at some time has a dent. In the case of tapping the aluminum against the stone, apart from the visual aspect of dent, usually nothing more serious happens. How will it be with carbon? A cracked in a half rim is an extremely poor vision. Fortunately, WTB approached the topic of CZR wheels not only looking for low weight and stiffness, but most of all durability. When I read and asked about the terms of this additional guarantee “Ride with confidence”, I immediately realized that this is the perfect option for me! Especially that the CZR i30 wheels came to me when I was in Greece for 1,5 months. There I was riding very rocky terrain and trails which are demanding for the bike and its gear.
WTB CZR i30 wheels came straight to Athens on one of the few days that I had all free. That day I had already booked the shuttle bus, on the nearby Imittos mountain which have a lot of great trails. To get the best out of the day, I made a quick change and put new WTB tires on the tubes, and without additional inserts. It was quite a risky idea for the conditions here, but I had no option of doing it any other way myself. Fast action and a few pics before I start ride on the dusty and rocky trails here. Before I hit the enduro/dh trail, I only made a few quick turns on the asphalt. It is good that the CZR i30 wheels are fully ready to ride straight out of the box. There’s no need for extra spoke tightening or other combinations. First ride impression is, the wheels are light and super stiff sideways, the hub is ticking loudly, and catches up instantly. The wole bike reacts very quickly to turns, and the side stiffness is enhanced by the high pressure of the tires, which I hope will protect me from hitting the rocks.
The first warm-up runs made me sure that everything is working great. The bike has become a bit more silenced. The cornering is very precise, although the high pressure did not improve the traction of the tires in dust. I felt the biggest difference on the “Las” trail which at begining is leading through fast but technical traverse acros steep hill and a few tight corners. The side stiffness is amazing and the bike runs like on rails. Then I rode into a technical section which is gorge full of rocks. On the descent from a large rock wall, I was able to see for the first time that the WTB CZR i30 are really strong wheels and rims. The steep slope pulled me slightly to one side where there was pointing out a nasty stone. I’ve hit it with front wheel and all I heard was a bang and escaping air. Fortunately, I was close to the access road and a shuttle bus from there. Black thoughts flashed through my mind that it wouldn’t be good to use already this additional WTB warranty on the very first day. However, after examination, it turned out that the rim has absolutely no mark of the hit. The WTB Vigilante tire also survived unscathed, so a quick tube change and went up for the next ride.
For the next more demanding trails, due to the fact that I did not have good tire inserts with me, I simply put on tires with DH Casing. This time on the sealant provided by WTB and Tubeless valves. This allowed me to ride at a more “normal” tire pressure and feel improved comfort when riding fast sections over rocks and roots. In relation to a ride on aluminum rims, I can feel an improvement with less of vibrations going thru all the bike. A fairly deep canal in the center of the rim helps to mount the tires. The sealing of tubeless system also went easy and smooth. The wheels on Greek trails didn’t have an easy time. Mount Imittos and Parnitha serve a really rough ride thru interesting natural terrain. Local riders supported by Phil Atwill and the Propain Positive team know how to make good use of this potential. While riding, I have clearly hit the rim to a rock more than once. The tires are sticking well to where they should be, and I haven’t noticed a single sealant leak at the edge. There are also a lot of loose stones that hit the spokes and sides of the rims. After a month of riding in such terrain, the wheels no longer look like new, but most importantly, they work flawlessly. The spoke tension held perfectly and there is no need for any adjustments. The hub engages securely and effortlessly. How will it be further? This will show the long term test, which will also appear here. Will I have to use this special WTB Ride with confidence guarantee? We will see, but so far I am very positive about CZR i30 wheels. Definitely they give me no excuses to ride hard.
WTB CZR i30 – Summary
WTB CZR i30 are carbon enduro wheels designed with priority for durability and trouble-free riding. It is an ideal model for people who think about light and stiff carbon wheels, but are afraid of the fragility of this material. For me, this is a perfect approach. Although I do not race in competitions very often now, but I like to ride well in various, sometimes not very obvious, parts of Europe. Then I have to be sure of my bike and “plug and play” components make me the most happy. I can fully focus then on the trails and its elements, having no equipment excuses. The price for all this technology and the additional guarantee is not small. Currently it is 749,95 USD for the front wheel and 849,95 USD for the rear wheel. The CZR i30 rim itself is also available for 569,95 USD. On the other hand, we can count that it is an expense that will certainly serve us well and for a long time. Even when we do something incredibly stupid, or bad luck brings a large rock in front of us, we are covered anyway thanks to a special WTB Ride with confidence guarantee.
About WTB
About WTB
Founded in 1982, WTB was formed in Marin county, the birthplace of mountain biking, to design better bicycle products. Renowned for saddles, tires, rims and grips, this rider-driven company continues to push the boundaries of what’s possible through an unrelenting spirit of innovation and passion for two-wheeled adventure.
Official website: wtb.com
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