MILL VALLEY, CALIF. (BRAIN) — WTB's new Proterra mountain and gravel wheels are available individually or as a $649.90 (retail) wheelset.
The wheels come with four rim-width options: 23mm, 25mm, 27mm and 30mm. All the wheels include a Proterra hub with a six-pawl freehub offering 3.7 degrees of engagement. The rims are made with 6069 aluminum with a bead-blast finish and water-transfer decals. The wheels are all built with double-butted J-bend stops with Sapim secure-lock nipples.
The wheels with 23mm and 25mm widths are intended for gravel or cross-country mountain bikes and have 28 spokes front and rear. The 27mm and 32mm rims are built with 32 spokes front and rear.
The three narrower wheels are part of the "Proterra Light" line, while the wheels with the 30mm rim are called "Proterra Tough" and are marketed as an affordable replacement wheel for hard-riding consumers.
All the wheels have WTB's TCS (Tubeless Compatible System) 2.0 system and ship with WTB's Solid Strip, TCS tubeless tape and black alloy valves installed. The Solid Strip lies beneath the tape, prevents it from sagging at the spoke holes, makes it easier to mount a tire and protects a tube from puncture in the case of a broken spoke.
Front wheels have an $294.95 MSRP while rear wheels are $354.95. The wheels are handbuilt in California.
The company said the Proterra wheels will be available direct to consumers on its website initially.
"We will expand the offering to our distributor/retailer network in time, but keeping it direct-to-consumer for now will allow us to optimize the build and logistical processes we've developed at our new wheel building facility," said Clayton Wangbichler, WTB's public relations and product marketing manager.
