Box Components' New Carbon Wheelset - Taipei Cycle Show

Mar 21, 2017 at 23:54
by Mike Levy  
2017 Taipei Cycle Show


Taipei Cycle Show


Remember the Box Components derailleur and shifter 'First Ride' piece from back in October of last year? We're still running that setup with an eye on a long, long-term review that you'll be able to read down the road, but Box has diversified their catalog in the meantime with the addition of three different carbon wheelsets. It's the carbon fiber TR41 model picture here, an $1,800 USD wheelset designed for all-mountain and enduro use.


Taipei Cycle Show
Taipei Cycle Show


Weirdly, the TR41 wheelset takes its name from the external width of the rim rather than the all-important internal number, which is still a super-wide 35mm. Box couldn't provide a weight for the TR41s, but I'd guess that they come in well under 2,000-grams, and probably less than 1,800-grams for the set. They felt relatively feathery in my hands, but don't hold me to that, though.

The big talking point here is the new carbon rim, built from unidirectional carbon fiber, that sees the molding process build up the area around the nipple holes with more carbon fiber than is required in the area between the holes. In other words, there's more material where it's needed, but less where it isn't.

The rim bed isn't sealed, so tape is required, and twenty-eight straight-pull spokes are used to build the rim up to a set of sharp looking hubs that can be had in Boost or non-Boost spacing. The wheelset also includes both Shimano and SRAM XD freehub bodies, which is a nice touch.
Taipei Cycle Show

The other two wheelsets employ a similar design but with a 30mm width for more all-around use or a 24mm width for cross-country applications. All three wheelsets will be available within the next month or so.


Taipei Cycle Show
Taipei Cycle Show

*An earlier version of this article stated that the rims were machined to remove material from between the nipple holes. This is incorrect; the rim's shape comes from the molding process.



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80 Comments
  • 687 15
 Dentist wheels. If I wanted to ram plastic into rocks, I'd give my credit card to Charlie Sheen.
  • 26 5
 I can't up vote this comment enough
  • 6 3
 made my day
  • 34 3
 "Winning"
  • 40 107
flag Bustacrimes (Mar 22, 2017 at 2:00) (Below Threshold)
 Not sure what you're doing with your wheels, but ramming plastic into rocks sounds pretty fucking dumb. Wrap them in rubber and put some air in there. Unless you're a Neanderthal and ride your bike like a dog with two dicks, in which case go back to the dark ages where ya came from.
  • 16 4
 @Bustacrimes: Or unless your name is Gwin.
  • 22 0
 I like carbon wheels, but i almost spit out my coffee...well done sir!
  • 9 8
 @Jubbylinseed - Winning!
  • 1 0
 here here
  • 1 4
 @AntN: DUH!
  • 5 0
 Tiger Blood tubeless sealant FTW!
  • 18 0
 @Jubbylinseed Here, here are the keys to the internet. You're driving from here on out.
  • 7 1
 I wish I had two dicks.
  • 4 0
 It's only March and we already have 2017 Internet winner. Well done!
  • 5 0
 We got a winner. Best pure one-liner on PB, ever.
  • 2 0
 The dental schools are still taking applicants.
  • 2 1
 +2 please?
  • 17 0
 Am I missing something, or is the only way Box could make the hubs fit both standards is by not making them take the advantage that boost gives? I.e. Wider spoke angle?
  • 20 2
 whilst i completely agree with what you're saying, Boost spacing to me is a fad, never had issues with the stiffness and strength of regular hub sizings
  • 5 0
 @toddyf12: True statement for wheels besides 29. Some feel super noodle like...you wouldn't believe that amount of flex in your frame and wheelset. It makes sense in a few instances.
  • 2 0
 if you made the spoke flange removable, you could have a spacer that goes in front of it for non boost, & behind for boost. I'd be leery as hell of such a system, though. if nothing else, I'd be worried about creaking.

I imagine you're correct that it doesn't take advantage of the wider spacing. But plenty of people are willing to buy boost adapters for existing wheels (including myself, if I end up picking up the boost-only fork I want in the next couple months. But I'll probably run that setup only for a few months until I can get a new wheel built up.)
  • 1 5
flag toddyf12 (Mar 22, 2017 at 7:55) (Below Threshold)
 @nicolai12: yes 29" wasnt something i had really thought about or ever had the *cough* pleasure, of riding. some amount of flex is always good within a system, too stiff and little deflection will happen adding more stresses into the part. i would also bet the majority of riders would feel no difference between Boost and non Boost standards
  • 1 0
 @toddyf12: I completely agree. There are many ways to increase stiffness in a wheel. And wheels can actually be too stiff (like I discovered when I built a couple of wheels with 32 straight gauge spokes).
  • 3 4
 We (cyclists) are truly a special type of stupid. The average punting Joey believes they need super stiff BOOSTed wheel sets to achieve STRAVA greatness. Hill, Fairclough, Brosnan, Gwin, Iles, Bruni and Loris all have ridden the bolt on 135mm wheel harder than any person posting on PB could imagine.

Build up a quality wheel and it'll be stiffer than a new day regardless of hub flange spacing.

I really should go measure some hub flange distances...

FWIW my next rear hub will be BOOST 148 due to frame selection. BOOST 148 greatest advantage is the ability to swap rear wheels between say a Trail to Enduro or Enduro to DH frame, so long as one didn't buy a 7spd specific hub...
  • 10 0
 Nice-looking wheels, I've been interested in trying out Box' products since they came out with their new drivetrain. However, (not being a dentist and all that) if I had $1,800 in my bike budget, I'd check the back of the couch for a few more coins and buy a brand new bike from the likes of YT, Commencal or Canyon. But hey - that's just my two cent (which is closer to the current bike budget - let me order a couple of valve cores from CRC...)
  • 8 0
 errrr... why not just mold the carbon to the shape of the 'Inter Spoke Milling' technique that Mavic uses, surely you would entirely ruin the grain structure by machining it afterwards!? Also 28 spokes means you're limited for replacements in a hurry :-/
  • 4 1
 I don't believe they actually machined the carbon. Why go for UD and then cut the fibres? That's much worse than ruining the grain structure (which is actually what's being done on machined aluminium extruded rims). I don't know what they did but I expect they moulded over a foam core. And it is the foam core which has been machined.
  • 2 0
 I thought the same thing. Why not machine the molds for the rims ?? It would be impossible to machine carbon for this application and have any strength vs. Machining the molds to that shape in the first place.
  • 13 2
 nothing like another 2k carbon wheelset!!
  • 11 0
 "Box couldn't provide a weight for the TR41s" -- Er, why?
  • 6 0
 Probably because the fact that it's #carbon and #wide (and expensive) is all that seems to matter to salesmen at the moment.
  • 14 6
 Maybe because they're a "Me Too" wheel brand, diluting the market share for the proper wheel companies who actually R&D product and would know the weight of their wheel?
  • 3 14
flag mgolder (Mar 22, 2017 at 6:03) (Below Threshold)
 @Bustacrimes: What an odd set of claims against Box there. They aren't a 'wheel brand' for a start. How do you know about their R&D? You don't do you. Thought so.
  • 7 0
 they definitely know the weights, but these could be pre-production models which would give inaccurate weights for post production wheelsets
  • 11 2
 Cutting through the carbon after moulding is the dumbest thing you can do to carbon. You've basically just ruined the integrity of all those inner rim layers.
  • 8 7
 I'm sure they know what they're doing.
  • 2 2
 Fibers do not need to be that long to do their job, so the patches around the spoke holes should provide a good reinforcement.
  • 10 2
 @KiwiXC: not necessarily, there's a lot of shit in the world that should have never made it to production !
  • 3 0
 My best guess is that the flat spots are made in the mold which is much easier than removing it afterwards, better integrity as well. Maybe Mike K. just guessed that it was post-mold machining or?
  • 8 3
 There are few as dumb solutions as internally installed alloy nipples on ENVE rims which are often set up tubeless... can someone tell them about pain in the arse when building wheels and about galvanic corrosion since they already claim to be the best in the business?
  • 2 0
 @Seabassfourfinger: Machined or moled, my guess is it is there just to visually differentiate the design from all the other ones out there, not to optimize integrity.
  • 2 0
 @Seabassfourfinger: My guess is they are rebranded Nextie Crocodiles. I have a set of Nextie Wildcats I built up and they are excellent quality rims.

www.nextie.net/plus-crocodile-42mm-NXT27CD42
  • 6 2
 @chasejj: nobody will tell me some carbon is quality carbon untill I see a cut one on Raoul Lueschers instagram... considering that Enve is the only good looking rim I saw there, and that the construction of Enve due to recessed alu nipples is fkng stupid, I proclaim all carbon rims to be a total BS. I trust Antidote, Unno and Spec - the rest can go fk themselves with plastic unless it costs the same as poor alu.
  • 3 0
 @WAKIdesigns: Fair enough. But in my experience and the amount of abuse they take with zero issues. I will purchase Nextie again. Particularly since they cost about 1/3 or other "plastic" options.
I will also state that since I build mine up myself I can attest that they true up faster and more precisely than ANY alloy rim I have ever built. JM2C. I need to check out that Instagram .
  • 1 0
 @Seabassfourfinger: I hope so
  • 3 0
 @chasejj: The valve stem holes are completely different between the Box and Nextie. And the internal width is different. Similar design though.
  • 1 0
 @kwapik: For sure. Different molds but my guess is same production facility.
  • 7 1
 Just picked up closeout WTB rims (st i25) for $30 per rim. If they break, dent, whatever I can buy 60 more rims for the price of one wheelset...
  • 8 3
 Or you can try using more psi
  • 1 0
 @Wouldhaveletmego: hasn't happened yet, I was just saying "if"
  • 5 0
 "post-molding machining to remove material from between each of the nipple holes". Bad idea for carbon and clearly not what they've done since we can see the mold parting lines in those recesses....
  • 5 0
 ill stick with Spank rims and Onyx hubs thank you.
  • 1 1
 How's the drag on the Onyx hubs?
  • 7 0
 @fabdemaere: there is no drag silly
  • 6 0
 @fabdemaere: Second that. No drag.
  • 2 1
 Yeah, if I'm gonna spend that kind of money on wheels, It had better have a Chris King or Onyx hub, because everything else I have ridden has about a 6 month lifespan.
  • 2 0
 @Murraybmx: but there is sprag.
  • 3 0
 Why are so many factory wheelsets straight pull these days (or since forever)? Are they actually better or stiffer?
  • 4 3
 Spokes were weakening at the bend. Straight pull avoids this.
  • 7 1
 Builds faster in a factory. Less time spent/simpler process. Notice that factory wheelsets are all 28 spoke as well.

Market about higher spoke tensions available, talk about how it weighs less, make up a tale about j-bend spokes breaking at the head.
  • 4 0
 From an engineering point of view straight pull has better loading.
  • 3 1
 Straight pull's just spin in the hub when you wonna tension or loosen them unless they are 'keyed' in at the hub which I see these are not.
  • 1 0
 I went straight pull with my last wheelset - it's after I realised how few straight pull spokes are out there. Yes you can pick them up by special order, but they aren't commonplace in bike shops. I now have to carry around some spares just in case I total a wheel... Not the end of the world, but something to consider if you are looking at a SP wheelset.
  • 1 1
 Promising set of wheels for that price but weight might be the biggest factor compared to other market options that don't cut away their carbon after molding. Please tell me there's some flat surface on each of those straight pull spoke so that you can actually true the wheel after a couple of seasons. I don't understand why bladed profile spokes are not the standard for straight pulls. They're stronger, lighter and offer an anti wind-up surface to grab onto when your spoke threads are packed with fine dirt.
  • 4 0
 I just ordered some Nox Composites for 1350. Hope 4s.
  • 1 0
 man check out these rims. everridersports.com I have been riding them built on bladed spokes on novatech hubs all last season. not one issue with them at all. The wheelset cost around $1300 usd.
  • 3 1
 $1800 that's almost reasonable, after contemplating if ENVE wheels are worth the $3K
  • 3 1
 PB, where new products have two legs broken and are released to a pack of starving hyenas.
  • 1 1
 funny there are some people that looks allergic to Carbon.
any carbon product and all that hate on comments.
Why?
So they should keep riding steel bikes with steel rims and "allows" the ones who want to ride carbon
  • 2 1
 Industry 9 26 inch enduro wheel set. Under 1700 grams.
So why go carbon fiber?
  • 1 0
 That saddle is nice! What is it?
  • 1 0
 Fatlab
  • 1 0
 Nah I'd rather lace pro 4's with some nextie carbon rims.
  • 1 0
 I think the stem location/angle is awesome! It looks so easy to access!
  • 1 0
 Weirdly, Box uses Nobl's rim naming convention.
  • 1 0
 I want my Z-rims back
  • 1 2
 They are trying so hard to copy Shimano!
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