Ibis 742 Carbon Fiber 27.5in Wheelset

The shifting tides towards beefier tires and bigger capability makes wheels like Ibis' 742 Carbon Fiber 27. 5in Wheelset a welcome addition to the stable. Compared to its predecessor, the 741, the 742 drops some weight with a lowered rim height but still boasts the same titanic rim width. The combination offers increased impact resistance, reduced rotational weight, and a massive platform for plus sized tires. We've seen various names inhabiting the center of Ibis wheelsets in the past, and the 742 joins the latest trend in enduro wheel hub choice. Industry Nine gets the nod, and anyone who's spent time on that brand's meticulously CNC machined freehubs will be nodding in agreement over that choice. The freehub features six offset pawls in a mechanism that cuts the engagement angle down to just three degrees, which translates to nearly instantaneous response out on the trail. Compared to the 741 model it's effectively replacing, the 742 rim features a lower rim height, which has a negative correlation with impact resistance. The lower the rim, the better it weathers big hits, big drops, and surprise roll overs without failing under you basically, the 742 is designed to withstand even more enduro abuse. Given that Ibis' internal tests showed the outgoing 741 is between 50 and 300% stronger than competing models, we realize that pushing even further ahead in the durability game is an ambitious and maybe even unnecessary move. But that's just how Ibis rolls. Despite the change in depth, the 742 still has the same 35mm internal width, which further buttresses the rim against the deprecations of the trail while allowing plus sized tires to sit nice and fat. This increases air volume to decrease PSI and make for more plush traction across everything from root latticed climbs to rain slicked granite. The wide footprint is supplemented with a hookless bead that can be setup tubeless with a plain ol' floor pump and which decreases the risk of burping when you're wanton...