This may be the most promising step forward yet in the potential of U.S.-made thermoplastic-style carbon components. We’ve talked a lot about FUSIONFIBER, the carbon rim material used on wheels from Revel and Chris King. And when the engineering team behind FUSIONFIBER launched their own brand, FORGE+BOND, it was positioned essentially as the tip of the spear. It’s who would be exploring what’s possible with this unique material and process. And not surprisingly, their debut wheels were aimed at the high-end carbon wheel market, including models laced U.S.-made hubs from Industry Nine starting at $1,900. But pricing in the carbon wheel game has gotten extremely competitive, so FORGE+BOND has now introduced the much more affordable Shift series to their wheel lineup, offering wheels with U.S.-made FUSIONFIBER rims for $1,250.
The main component that makes the Shift Series possible is the hub. While the Core series provides riders the option to select between the U.S.-made Industry Nine Hydra and 1/1 hubs as well as the DT Swiss 240 hubs, the Shift Series feature an all new Forge+Bond hub built in conjunction with the team at Bitex. These hubs are designed with a 6-Bolt brake rotor interface, have a J-bend spoke system, and are constructed out of lightweight and durable aluminum body.
Like all FORGE+BOND wheels, the Shift Series wheels are made with FUSIONFIBER, a carbon fiber material that uses long chain nylon polymers as the bonding agent instead of the brittle epoxies that are found in traditional carbon fiber products. FUSIONFIBER products are stronger and more durable than those made with traditional epoxy-based carbon fiber. This is due to the microscopic flexing in the FUSIONFIBER material, which allows the wheels to radially dissipate shock throughout the rim, resulting in a smoother rider with much higher impact resistance.
FORGE+BOND’s wheels can also truly be recycled. This is due to the ability to reform and remold the nylon polymer bonding agent within the carbon fiber material. If a wheelset breaks or a manufacturing defect occurs, the team at FORGE+BOND seeks to reclaim that wheel and feed it back into its Utah-based manufacturing facility. Once removing the hub and spokes, it is possible to simply chop up the wheel into a short fiber material that can then be used to manufacture any number of thermoforged products. Currently, Forge+Bond is making tire levers out of this reclaimed material and has a variety of products in development.
The Shift series is launching with three options: The 25 XC, 30 AM, and 30 EM.
F+B Shift 25 XC 29” – $1,250
●Lightweight cross-country wheelset
●Hub: F+B Shift 6B – Boost Spacing
●Brake Mount: 6-Bolt
● Tire Size Range: 2.1” – 2.4”
● Max Tire Pressure: 40 psi max
● ERD: 592mm
● Rim Outer Width: 31.4mm
● Rim Inner Width: 25mm
● Bead Wall Thickness: 3.2mm
● Spoke Count: 28h
● Spoke Type: Sapim CX-Ray
● Rim Weight: 380g
● Wheelset Weight (F+B Shift 6B Hub): 1600g
F+B Shift 30 AM 29” – $1,250
● All-around all-mountain wheelset
● Hub: F+B Shift 6B – Boost Spacing
● Brake Mount: 6-Bolt
● Tire Size Range: 2.3” – 2.6”
● Max Tire Pressure: 40 psi max
● ERD: 594mm
● Rim Outer Width: 38mm
● Rim Inner Width: 30mm
● Bead Wall Thickness: 4mm
● Spoke Count: 28h
● Spoke Type: Sapim CX-Ray
● Rim Weight: 480g front | 530g rear
● Wheelset Weight (F+B Shift 6B Hub): 1832g
F+B Shift 30 EM 29” – $1,250
● Durability-focused enduro wheelset
● Hub: F+B Shift 6B – Boost Spacing
● Brake Mount: 6-Bolt
● Tire Size Range: 2.3” – 2.6”
● Max Tire Pressure: 40 psi max
● ERD: 594mm
● Rim Outer Width: 38mm
● Rim Inner Width: 30mm
● Beadwall Thickness: 4mm
● Spoke Count: 28h or 32h
● Spoke Type: Sapim D-Lite
● Rim Weight: 530g
● Wheelset Weight (F+B Shift 6B Hub): 1920g
See more at FORGE+BOND
