Thesis RCG44 Carbon 700C Wheels

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High performance wheels built to last. Our RCG44 Carbon 700C Wheels were created for serious athletes who want wheels that will hold up to the most demanding conditions. They're fa st, strong, and made to last for years of road, dirt, or adventure riding. Developed in partnership with factories behind some of the industry's leading high-end wheel brands, every Thesis wheelset is professionally hand-built and digitally checked to ensure a lifetime of trouble-free riding. Wheelset weight: 1595g (+/- 2.5%) WheelsetStarting at $1248 A bombproof high-performance 700C wheelset. Wheel PackageStarting at $1448 Our premium wheelset, with tires, rotors, cassette, and tubeless sealant. Wide. Tubeless. Carbon. With a 22mm internal width, 30mm external width, and a tubeless hooked design, our rims transition smoothly with 28-30mm road tires for improved aerodynamics while allowing higher-volume tires to be run at low pressures without squirm. The result is more comfort, control, and efficiency with fewer flats. A mid-depth 44mm U/V profile improves aerodynamics while maintaining stability in the wind. A 2.5mm offset and angled drilling balances out bracing angles and spoke tensions, making our wheels laterally stiffer and more durable. The venerated DT Swiss DT350 hubset We believe in investing where it counts. That’s why we went with one of the strongest, most reliable hubs in the industry. The DT350 rear hub features the famed star ratchet engagement system, which is twice as strong and five times more durable than most competing pawl-based systems. Strong and durable enough for downhill racing and loaded touring, these lightweight hubs are an obvious choice for a wheelset built to last. Laser-focused on every last detail Many wheelsets will use ultra low spoke counts to shave weight at the expense of stiffness and durability. We went with 24 lightweight cold-forged bladed aero spokes, built by hand, for a wheel that’s stiffer, stronger, more durable, and just as fast. A single length of straight pull spoke is used throughout, making them easy to source and replace. We also use exposed brass nipples, prized by mechanics for their durability and serviceability. Specs 700C Wheelset RIMS Thesis U/V RCG44 Carbon 700C DETAILS - 44mm deep | 30mm wide | 22mm internal- Hybrid U/V aero profile- Aero-optimized for 28/30mm tires- Wide enough to support 40mm+ tires- Tubeless-ready hooked design (compatible with tubed tires)- 2.5mm offset, angle drilling, & reinforced nipple seat- Toray 800/700 blend- Max pressure 90psi- 430g +/- 5% WHY WE CHOSE IT An all-arounder that's optimized for 28/30mm slicks yet wide enough to support 40mm knobbies, our U/V RCG44 Carbon rims let you take advantage of the improved rolling resistance and comfort of today's more voluminous tubeless performance tires without sacrificing aerodynamics. They feature 2.5mm of offset, angled spoke hole drilling, and a reinforced nipple seat for high and balanced spoke tensions, which in turn create a stiffer, stronger, and more durable wheelset. Their tubeless hooked design improves impact strength and tire stability at low pressures. With a bias toward speed, these rims are ideal for road, cyclocross, gravel, commuting, and speed touring. REAR HUB DT Swiss DT350 DETAILS - Famously bombproof 18t "Star Ratchet" - (4) premium 6902 sealed, large-ball cartridge bearings- Centerlock rotor interfaces for easy rotor removal/installation when travelling- 24 hole straight pull flanges- 12 x 142mm thru-axle (convertible to other standards)- Shimano Road or SRAM XDR freehub with spacer for Shimano Road or SRAM XD- 267g WHY WE CHOSE IT Extreme loads and environmental stresses make rear hubs notoriously prone to failure. That's why we invested in DT Swiss's rightfully venerated DT350 rear hub. It features the famously strong and durable Star Ratchet engagement system, large 6902 sealed cartridge bearings, tool-less serviceability and convertibility to other axle or freehub standards, and a centerlock interface for easy rotor installation and removal.This hub is twice as strong and 3-5x more expensive than the traditional pawl-based models some brands employ to reduce cost, and weighs only a few grams more than the under-built models often employed to achieve attention grabbing weights at the expense of durability. We've reviewed the testing data, talked to mechanics, and have been abusing DT Star Ratchet hubs ourselves for over 15 years. Whether you're ripping it up on singletrack, touring through some remote wilderness, or simply putting in long miles year after year, these are the hubs you'll want to trust to keep you going. You can learn more about DT's Star Ratchet engagement system here. FRONT HUB DT Swiss DT350 DETAILS - (2) premium 6802 sealed cartridge bearings- Centerlock rotor interface- 24h straight pull flanges- 12 x 100mm thru-axle- 136g +/- 5% WHY WE CHOSE IT DT350 front hubs are famously durable, serviceable, and adaptable. They also achieve their light weight without resorting to durability-compromising tricks. What do we mean? Just as there are brands that will use failure-prone aluminum nipples to shave grams, there are others who may spec a hub with tiny bearings and a narrow hub shell to achieve an eye-catching weight. However, those small bearings wear out fast, and that narrow shell may not withstand the torsional loads associated with disc brakes. SPOKES Pillar PSR X-TRA 1420 Cold-Forged Bladed DETAILS - Cold forged- Aero bladed- Sandvik T302+ stainless (Sweden)- Straight pull- Single length- 4.3g each WHY WE CHOSE IT Why invest so much on so many fancy bladed spokes? Because the same cold-forging process that turns a length of round straight-gauge wire into a light and aero bladed spoke also improves strength-to-weight and elastication by realigning the grain flow of the metal and reducing its cross-sectional area. The result is a spoke that can be run at high tension while experiencing less change in tension and thus fatigue with each wheel rotation or impact. Furthermore, unlike cheaper round "butted" spokes that are in fact cold-forged in a similar process, bladed spokes can easily be built into a wheel and later trued without inducing spoke wind-up, further extending the life of the wheel. To cap it off, we went with a single length of straight pull spoke to make it easier to find should one fail, and avoided low spoke counts to make it unlikely one ever will. NIPPLES Externally-Adjustable Brass DETAILS - Durable brass- Resist seizing, splitting, & other failure modes- Can be trued with tires and rim-tape in place- 1g each WHY WE CHOSE IT Why do mechanics love externally adjustable brass nipples? Aluminum nipples are a trick used by some brands achieve attention-grabbing weights at the expense of durability and serviceability. Aluminum oxidizes and is much softer than brass, making aluminum nipples notoriously prone to seizure, splitting, and failure. The result is that a simple wheel true can turn into a costly rebuild with new nipples and spokes. Weight savings? Less than 18 grams per wheel. As for the hidden nipples used by some uber expensive brands, no one envies having to remove your tires, sealant, rim tape, and valve stems just to perform necessary maintenance. Aerodynamic advantage? Zero. Zilch. Nada. WHEEL BUILD Hand-Built DETAILS - Each wheel is built by a single, skilled professional- 2-cross lacing for lateral and rotational strength- 24 spokes for durability and stiffness WHY WE CHOSE IT Strong, durable wheels require more than the best components. That's why we invested having our wheels professionally hand-built and machine checked. With a professional touch-up at 1200 miles and regular check-ups for tension and true, our wheels will continue to perform year after year. 1x11 Wheel Package700C Wheelset, plus: TIRE WTB Exposure 30 Road DETAILS - 700c x 30mm- Supple tubeless-ready casing- Slick dual compound tread for efficiency and durability- 335g WHY WE CHOSE IT A fast-rolling road slick that isn't afraid of the dirt, WTB's Exposure 30 Road tires employ a supple tubeless-ready casing and a dual-compound tread to offer a great balance of rolling speed and off-pavement capability. Matched to our RCG44 Carbon 700C tubeless rims, they're equally suited to all day epics and the the local hammerfest. Run them at 55-90psi depending on weight for optimal performance. CASSETTE SunRace Ultra Wide Range, e*thirteen TRS Plus SunRace Ultra Wide Range DETAILS - 11 evenly-spaced, slick-shifting cogs- 11-42T offers a wide 382% range with smaller jumps- 11-46T offers an even wider 418% range with more low-end- Long-wearing steel with 7075 aluminum outer cogs- Aluminum carriers- 404g +/-5% (11-42T) | 465g +/-5% (11-46T)- Note: 11-46T requires use of included spacer WHY WE CHOSE IT Lightweight, slick-shifting, and durable, we've been rocking 1x11 drivetrains using these premium SunRace cassettes for years to great effect. With proper chain maintenance, you'll get thousands of miles of trouble-free use before needing a replacement. e*thirteen TRS Plus DETAILS e*thirteen TRS Plus- 9-39T offers wide gear range of 433% with minimal weight penalty- 9-42T offers an extremely wide 467% gear range- 9-46T offers the widest gearing range available with 511%- 315g +/-5% (9-39T) | 330g +/-5% (9-42T) | 395g +/-5% (9-46T)- Note: Requires the use of SRAM XD or XDR freehub (included with casssette upgrade) WHY WE CHOSE IT Immense gear range without a weight penalty makes the e*thirteen TRS Plus range an excellent choice for a number of use cases. The 9-39T offers substantial range and reasonable gear jumps, with a top end bailout gear that won't spin out chasing a fast group ride on the road. The 9-46T has even greater range than our AXS 1x Eagle build kit, while remaining relatively trim, making it well suited to carrying a load while bikepacking when paired with a smaller chainring. e*thirteen's 9-42T is the Goldilocks of gravel gearing: just right. ROTORS SRAM Centerline Centerlock 160mm DETAILS - Stainless steel- 160mm front | rear- Centerlock WHY WE CHOSE IT SRAM's Centerline 160mm rotors offer a blend of power, modulation, smooth operation, and heat-management. We invested in a Centerlock interface for easier installation and removal. SEALANT Non-Toxic DETAILS - Non-toxic tubeless sealant- Includes enough for two tires WHY WE CHOSE IT We simply wanted to save you a few bucks and make your life easier by including this necessary item with your wheel package. 1x12 Wheel Package700C Wheelset, plus: TIRE WTB Exposure 30 Road DETAILS - 700c x 30mm- Supple tubeless-ready casing- Slick dual compound tread for efficiency and durability- 335g WHY WE CHOSE IT A fast-rolling road slick that isn't afraid of the dirt, WTB's Exposure 30 ROAD tires employ a supple tubeless-ready casing and a dual-compound tread to offer a great balance of rolling speed and off-pavement capability. Matched to our RCG44 Carbon 700C tubeless rims, they're equally suited to all day epics and the the local hammerfest. Run them at 55-90psi depending on weight for optimal performance. CASSETTE e*thirteen TRS Plus, SRAM Eagle XG-1295 10-50T e*thirteen TRS Plus DETAILS - Monster 556% range(9-50T) 511% range (9-46T) - XDR freehub-compatible with included spacer- 336g (9-46T) 393g (9-50T) WHY WE CHOSE IT e*thirteen's TRS Plus 12 speed cassettes offer monster range in a lightweight package. Sporting 12 speeds and up to 556% range, you'll always have the right gear for your fitness and terrain. SRAM Eagle XG-1295 DETAILS - Monster 500% range- 10-50T: 10, 12, 14, 16, 18, 21, 24, 28, 32, 36, 42, 50- XDR freehub-compatible with included spacer- 355g WHY WE CHOSE IT SRAM's XG-1295 cassette is a masterpiece of CNC-milled steel and aluminum. Identical in all but finish to their top-of-the-line, $449 XG-1299, it saves a significant 100g relative to SRAM's next lightest option. Sporting 12 speeds and a monster 500% range, you'll always have the right gear for your fitness and terrain. Compatible with the OB1 AXS 1x. ROTORS SRAM Centerline XR Centerlock 160mm DETAILS - 160mm front/rear- Smooth rounded edges- 131g per wheel WHY WE CHOSE IT We're huge fans of the smooth-braking SRAM Centerline Centerlock rotors we spec on our original model. For our AXS model, we chose the upgraded XR version for its ~23g per wheel lighter weight. SEALANT Non-Toxic DETAILS - Non-toxic tubeless sealant- Includes enough for two tires WHY WE CHOSE IT We simply wanted to save you a few bucks and make your life easier by including this necessary item with your wheel package. Show more