by The CXM Test Crew
Cyclocross, gravel, mountain biking and disc brake pavement pounding are now all possible on one wheelset, and can help justify putting down more of your hard-earned money knowing the wheels could get year round use. In Issue 29, we rounded up many of the latest “do it all” wheels, hoops that promise to handle your rides and races on several different bikes, or in several different disciplines.
And in Issue 30 we looked at the go-anywhere disc brake tubeless wheel options seen here. These wheelsets are easily swapped between bikes or help extend the versatility and performance of a single rig. Want to enter a road race on your cyclocross bike? Or add volume to your rubber for some more gnarly adventures? High pressure-tolerant, aerodynamic or wider rims can help get you there. And of course, they can help you ride lower pressure, flat less and shed some rotating weight come cyclocross season.
Our test crew rode these wheels on trails, pavement, gravel and even up and down stairs to see if they’d remain round, true and burp-free under typical rider use and abuse. Read on to see if there’s a wheel here that's right for you.
REYNOLDS ATR
The Reynolds ATR (All Terrain Road) is the wheel we’ve long wanted, ever since we saw the Black Label 29er mountain bike wheels from Reynolds that just lacked 11-speed compatibility. They’re worth the wait. The ATR offers singificant weight savings over OEM wheels. At just 1,470 grams, and at 21mm wide, they shed grams and turned our 35c tire into a 37mm cushy ride. With a name like All Terrain Road, the rim should also be able to handle smooth, skinny tire asphalt adventures, and the company says it can take 32c tires pumped up to as high as 90 psi.
©️ Cyclocross Magazine
TUBELESS: The ability to set tubeless up with a floor pump is the first good sign of a tubeless-friendly rim. For the ATR wheels, this was confirmed by a few rides at too-low of a pressure (20 psi). At this pressure, our tires folded in corners but reamined in place without burping—a good sign that the prominent tire bead lip is effective in keeping the tire in place despite some ungraceful sideways landings on a few drop offs. We tried converting a few tires without success. But fat, mountain bike tires mounted up easily and remained air tight. The rim’s shape seems better suited for off-road tires than the square bead of Road Tubeless tires, although we were able mount up a set of Hutchinson 28c tubeless tires with a compressor.
©️ Cyclocross Magazine
DURABILITY: The Reynolds ATR wheels impress on paper, coming in lighter than the Bontrager wheelset, while still offering Centerlock hubs and the ability to handle high-pressure tires should you find yourself staying on blacktop. After a few months’ use, the wheels are still true and round, despite some documented rim strikes under two different test riders. The rim is scratched from rocks, but is structurally perfect and still grips tires firmly. Unlike many other wheels, the ATR doesn’t boast Sapim spokes or Secure Lock nipples but it didn’t matter, at least during our test period. Reynolds built a winning do-it-all wheelset, and one that easily adapts to different axle standards front and rear. Bonus: The subtle graphics don’t call attention to your investment, allowing you to be stealth with your secret upgrade.
©️ Cyclocross Magazine
PRICE: $1,550 USD
WEIGHT: 1,470 grams
OPTIONS: QR or thru axle front, 142x12mm thru axle rear via end caps
More info: reynoldscycling.com
