At Interbike 2016, we had an in-person look at some of Reynolds' latest cyclocross and gravel-relevant wheels, and now a set of the Attack Disc Brake wheels have landed for testing. Today we're taking a first look at the wheels we're testing.
Reynold's new Attack DB wheels are a lightweight, 1480 gram (claimed) carbon composite wheelset with tubeless compatibility. The Attack has the shallowest profile of Reynold's All Road series of wheels and is also the lightest. This wheelset is updated with center lock disc brake hubs and subtle new "waterslide" graphics.
Reynolds Attack carbon rims get new, subtle graphics, and are 29mm deep and 17mm wide (internal). C. Lee / Cyclocross Magazine
The inner width of the Attack DB is 17mm which is the new standard in today's wide rim culture. The Attack DB rim features with a prominent 2mm hook on each well. The 17mm width provides a decent bead shelf and deep channel for tubeless tire mounting ease. The outer width is 25mm with a 29mm rim height. The rim has external nipples and the spokes are straight pull, steel-bladed.
Reynolds Attack 17mm inside width (hook to hook) with 25mm outside width. C. Lee / Cyclocross Magazine
The front hub is easily interchangeable from 15mm to 12mm thru-axle to quick release. The rear is available as a 142x12mm thru-axle or quick release. Actual weights, surprisingly, were lower than list weights, as they measured in at 660 grams for the front and 785 grams for the rear (1,445 grams total).
Mounting tubeless tires on the Attack DB was easy, especially a Schwalbe Tubeless Easy X-One tire which snapped on and sealed without sealant. A WTB Cross Boss was a much tighter fit with a portion of the bead recalcitrant, but finally seating after lubricating the bead and pumping the tire beyond its recommended maximum of 150 psi. The Cross Boss is one of the tightest tires we have used, so that was not entirely unexpected, and it demonstrates that the Reynold's bead shoulder is sized for reliable tubeless mounting and sealing. Not being particularly wide, the tires take on a slightly narrower profile, by about a millimeter compared to rims with a 19 or 21mm internal width that are more common now.
The ride is light and nimble with no immediate feeling of flex in hard cornering on or off road. They are not particularly harsh, but are stiff feeling in acceleration. Certainly, the relative lightness is noticeable especially when putting in hard accelerations and climbing. One could argue that it shortens stopping distance also, as there is less inertia. Over the month that we have put miles on so far, including true cyclocross courses and conditions, there are no glitches, and the wheels have stayed round and true, spoke tension even. As the season winds down, we'll take these out on our longer trail and mixed terrain rides that include some rocky trails and see how they hold up.
These wheels are available from your local Reynolds Cycling dealer with an MSRP of $1,799 USD.
More info: reynoldscycling.com
2017 Reynolds Cycling Attack DB Carbon Wheels Spec Highlights:
Rim width: 17mm (inner), 25mm (outer)
Rim profile depth: 29mm
Axle type: 15mm/12mm thru-axle/quick release (front), 142x12mm/quick release (rear)
Weight (claimed): 1,480 grams per set
Weight (measured): 1,445 grams per set (with 15mm TA front installed)
Spokes: 24 2-cross (front), 24 2-cross (rear)
Brake type: disc
Compatibility: 11-speed, Campagnolo, XD
Included: 12mm, 15mm and quick release wheel caps (front), 142x12mm and quick release wheel caps (rear)
Max psi: 150 psi (road width tire)
MSRP: $1,799 USD
Reynolds Attack DB Carbon Tubeless Ready Wheels Photo Gallery - Interbike 2016:
Reynolds Attack front wheel tips the scales at just 660 grams, quite light for a carbon clincher. C. Lee / Cyclocross Magazine
