As trail and all-mountain machines adopt larger 29-inch wheels, crankbrothers aims to set the pace with the introduction of the new iodine 29er wheels. The requirements for 29-inch all mountain bikes are very different than for 26-inch machines and as such crankbrothers designed their new iodine 29er wheels to meet their specific needs.
The redesigned 29er rim profile is optimized for aggressive trail and all mountain riding. The thinner rim extrusion minimizes rotational weight while still maintaining stiffness. The iodine 29er wheels are intended specifically for any 100 – 130 mm full suspension machines. There are no spoke holes through the rim wall or rim bed, resulting in a tubeless-ready rim. The twinpair spokes are laced in a low-dish mirror pattern, designed with 12 points of contact on a 24-spoke wheel to create balanced tension. The spokes feature crankbrothers’s trademark elongated alloy nipples and short stainless steel spokes to simplify truing and increase wheel stiffness. The spokes and rims are mated to alloy hubs that can be configured for 15 mm or 20 mm thru axles in the front. The iodine rear hub can be adapted to either 10 x 135 mm or 12 x 142 mm rear spacing.
The iodine 29er wheels are available in two models, the iodine 3 and iodine 2. The main difference between the iodine 3 and 2 is the Sapim spokes, hollow spoke pins and alloy cassette body on the iodine 3. This results in a weight of 1860 grams for the iodine 3 versus 1930 grams for the iodine 2. The iodine 3 wheels retail for $950, while the iodine 2 cost $650. The crankbrothers iodine 29er wheels are currently available.