Ibis Launches 6 New Asymmetric Rims

Ibis has just launched 6 new asymmetric rims–4 in carbon and 2 in aluminum. The new wheels consist of the 742, 942, 735, and 935 in carbon, and the 738 and 938 in aluminum. To interpret this naming convention, the first number is the wheel size (27.5 or 29… 26 is dead), and the second number …

By Greg Heil
April 12, 2016 Last Updated: August 5, 2024

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Screen Shot 2016-04-12 at 9-ibis — All photos courtesy of Ibis Cycles

Ibis has just launched 6 new asymmetric rims–4 in carbon and 2 in aluminum.

The new wheels consist of the 742, 942, 735, and 935 in carbon, and the 738 and 938 in aluminum. To interpret this naming convention, the first number is the wheel size (27.5 or 29… 26 is dead), and the second number roughly indicates the outer width of the rim. I say “roughly,” because the 42s are actually 41s (like their previous 41mm rims), while the 35s and 38s are actually 35s and 38s.

The new asymmetric design, in conjunction with a new carbon layup, “allows for higher spoke tensions that are nearly equal from one side of the wheel to the other. As a result of all this, the 742/942 nets a 30% increase in impact strength yet a 7.5% decrease in weight, compared to our previous rims,” according to Ibis.

More deets, straight from Ibis:

Hitting the Plus Sweet Spot

The 742/942/738/938 rims are ideal for the ultra low pressures (10-18 psi) that we like to run with 2.8 Plus tires (or 18-25psi for 2.25″ – 2.5″ tires). Running any of our 35mm internal width rims work incredibly well with the new 2.8 Plus rubber we’ve been riding from Schwalbe and Maxxis. The low system weight of the wheels with these rims and tires combined with the monstrous traction advantage have been a revelation for those who have ridden them.

We’ve also had great luck with the 3.0 tires on the rims, and our tire manufacturing friends have informed us that there are a lot of new Plus tires in the pipeline.