Many riders lust after carbon wheels, but the generally high price tags keep them out of reach, which is where Atomik Carbon comes in. Atomik exists to bring prices down to a more attainable level. Instead of rebranding someone else’s products, Atomik designs their own rims in house. At their headquarters in Florida, Atomik assembles, trues, and tensions the complete wheelsets.
Atomik was showing off their latest rim designs at the 2017 Sea Otter Classic.
AM35
Atomik claims that the AM35 is their “burliest all-mountain/enduro rim to date.” Features of the AM35 include a 28mm internal width, a hookless bead profile, and a 3.5mm sidewall thickness. The rim alone comes in at 460g for the 27.5″ diameter (480g for 29″).
Rims are $435 each and complete wheelsets start at $1,350 with DT Swiss 350 hubs. Industry 9 or Profile Racing hubs are available for an upcharge. Customers also have their choice of 13 decal colors to match their bike.
Chubby 43
As the name implies, the Chubby 43 rim is designed to be wrapped with plus-sized tires. The internal width is 36mm, which should provide enough support for 2.8″ rubber. What’s really impressive about the Chubby is its extremely low profile of just 15mm. That low profile will help keep the rim from getting damaged by trail debris.
Atomik was able to achieve such a low profile by using a high density foam core inside the rim. The foam also improves stiffness as well as damping from impacts.
The Chubby rim weighs 470g and costs $540. Complete wheelsets with DT Swiss 350 hubs start at $1,660.
Phatty 85
Rounding out Atomik’s mountain line is their Phatty 85. Like the Chubby, the Phatty sports a slim profile at just 16mm tall. Atomik claims this helps prevent snow or mud from accumulating on the rim and slowing you down.
The Phatty rim weighs 590g and costs $625. Complete wheelsets start at $1,895 $2,000.
Magnetic Drive Hubs
And finally, Atomik was showing a new hub design they’re working on. Instead of traditional pawls and springs, their hubs rely on magnets to engage the drive ring. Atomik had a cool demo comparing their current hubs to the new design, and they appear to have significantly less drag. Look for those to be an option on their road wheels later this year, with a mountain version further down the line.
Last updated by Greg Heil at 10:40am MDT on Tuesday, April 25, 2017.
