FSA has always had a healthy collection of mountain bike wheels in its range but the component giant is making a bigger push for 2015 with a completely revamped range that includes wider rims, tubeless compatibility, claimed 100 percent handbuilt construction, and a relatively wide spread of price points.
Headlining the new collection is the K-Force Light MTB, built with 21mm-wide (internal width) tubeless-compatible carbon fiber rims, bladed and butted straight-pull stainless steel spokes and alloy nipples, and six-bolt cartridge bearing hubs that can easily be converted to nearly any common axle standard. FSA will also offer XD driver bodies for use with SRAM 1x11 drivetrains, too.
FSA's new K-Force Light MTB weigh as little as 1,414g per set thanks in part to carbon fiber rims
What you won't find, however, are any 26in options. Claimed weight for the 29ers is 1,464g while the 27.5in option comes in slightly lighter at 1,414g. Retail price for either is €1,569.
Meanwhile, FSA will use the same rims and hubs on the second-tier SL-K MTB wheels. These will be built with non-bladed (but still butted) straight-pull spokes and brass nipples that push the weight up very slightly to 1,450g and 1,500g for the 27.5in and 29in versions, respectively. Given the modest change, retail price unfortunately doesn't change very much at €1,459.
Common features for all of the new FSA mountain bike wheels are asymmetrical rim profiles for more balanced spoke tensions and external nipples for easier servicing
We're particularly interested in the new Afterburner MTB wheels, however, which feature similar hubs, the same spokes, and the same rim dimensions as the SL-K MTB wheels but with aluminum instead of carbon fiber construction. This bumps up the weights for the 27.5in and 29in versions to a still-competitive 1,590g and 1,660g; there is no 26in option.
We're looking forward to trying out the new FSA Afterburner MTB wheels, which are competitively light and relatively reasonably priced
Best of all, retail price is a much more attainable €515 per pair.
US, UK and AU retailing pricing was not immediately available.