Reserve 39 TA Rear Carbon Fiber Tubular Rim
The Reserve 39|TA tubular is the rear rim of Reserve's cyclocross racing pair, the 36|39, built for the riders who still glue their tires on because nothing else runs at 20 psi through a muddy corner without burping or pinch-flatting. It has Reserve's Turbulent Aero profile, a wide, rounded shape that suits a 33mm tubular, and the Reserve lifetime warranty. Disc only.
This page covers the Reserve 39 TA Rear Carbon Fiber Tubular Rim. Reserve gives the rear three more millimeters of depth than the front for stiffness under drivetrain load; we build the pair as a set or singly, and we glue tires on request. The 39 TA is not sold bare. You choose the hub and the rest of the build in the configurator, and it ships from our shop in Georgia laced, tensioned and trued by hand.
Design and construction
The 39 is the rear of Reserve's cyclocross tubular pair. A tubular is glued rather than seated on a bead, which is why cross racers still run them: at 20 psi through a muddy corner there is no bead to burp and no pinch flat to take, and the rim can be shaped without a hook.
Reserve designs and tests in Santa Cruz, California, and warrants its rims for life including crash replacement, which is the clearest statement a rim maker can make about what it expects the rim to survive.
How it rides
A 36 TA tubular wheel with a good cross tubular is the racing setup: 20 to 25 psi for grip in mud and sand with no risk of pinch flats, light enough to shoulder and remount all day, and stiff enough to sprint out of a corner. On the road with a 25mm tubular it makes a very light climbing wheel.
If you would rather run tubeless clinchers, the Reserve 25|GR is the equivalent clincher rim.
Specifications
| Wheel size | 700c |
|---|---|
| ERD | 563 (29in) |
| Inner width | 28 mm |
| Depth | 39 mm |
| Drillings | 24h |
| Weight | 568g (700c/29in) |
| Material | Carbon Fiber |
| Tire type | clincher tubeless compatible |
| Brake | Disc |
| Profile | Triangle |
| Spoke bed | Offset 1.8 mm |
| Nipples | External |
| Finishes | black |
This listing
This is the 700c listing of the 39 TA tubular, 24h, about 568g, 28mm inside, 39mm deep, disc. Pick the size that matches your frame; the profile and construction are the same across the range.
The disc version of the 39 TA tubular has no brake track, so the sidewall is a plain extrusion that saves a little weight and never wears; it is the one to choose for any disc-brake frame. The rim-brake version, listed separately, has a machined sidewall.
Sizes, fit and compatibility
The Reserve 39 TA Rear Carbon Fiber Tubular Rim comes in the drillings listed on this page. It is a disc-brake tubular rim for glued tires. We build the 39 TA on DT Swiss 240 and 180, Industry Nine 1/1, White Industries CLD and Chris King R45 hubs, usually with Sapim CX-Ray or CX-Sprint spokes or DT Aerolite, and brass or alloy nipples.
It takes 700c tubular tires from 25 to 35mm. Pick cyclocross or road as your bike type in the configurator and it recommends a spoke count and lacing pattern.
Build it with us
We build this rim to order. Open the Custom Wheel Program with the Reserve 39 Ta Rear Carbon Fiber Tubular Rim already selected and pick the parts around it; it is offered for gravel and road disc builds, and the configurator will not let you assemble a combination we would not build.
Spoke head is decided by the hub, not the rim: this rim builds equally well with J-bend or straight-pull spokes, and the configurator only offers the spokes that match the hub you pick.
What Reserve says about testing
Reserve Wheels, Santa Cruz Bicycles' wheel brand, designs and tests its rims in Santa Cruz, California. Reserve states its rim shapes were developed "with information from testing in our carbon lab" and that "each wheel goes through a thorough human and machine-aided inspection before it gets put in the box." Press coverage (NSMB, 2017) described the in-house impact test as one side of the rim landing on a square-edged rock from over 3 feet with a tire at 25 psi, unlike the UCI test that strikes both rim walls with a flat pad and no tire. Reserve publishes no joule or fatigue-cycle figures and does not state where the rims are molded.
Warranty: Reserve states a lifetime warranty for the original owner on any rim "damaged or destroyed by riding," with reduced-cost crash replacement for accidents. Aluminum rims are covered for dents that will not hold air, seam separation and spoke-hole cracks.
Reserve's videos
Certifications
- ASTM use classification — Dealer tech doc (7-10-26) lists ASTM Condition 1 (road), 2 (gravel), 3 (28|XC, 30|XC), 4 (30|SL, 30|HD carbon), 5 (30|HD AL, 30|DH, 31|DH) (source)
- E-bike approved — 30|HD and 30|DH product pages state E-Bike Approved: Yes (source)
- Lifetime warranty — Original owner, lifetime of the rim, registration required (Safety Instructions rev 12.19.2025) (source)
Sources on Reserve's site:
- Frequently Asked Questions – Reserve Wheels
- Our Promise To You – Reserve Wheels
- Reserve Engineering – Reserve Wheels
- Technical Documents – Reserve Wheels
- Reserve Wheels Safety Instructions (PDF, Dec 2025)
The figures, certificates and media above are Reserve's own. ProWheelBuilder does not run these tests; our part is the wheel we build on the rim.
Building it at ProWheelBuilder
Reserve makes the 39 TA tubular; ProWheelBuilder is an independent wheel builder in Georgia, not the manufacturer. Every 39 TA tubular wheel we build gets spokes cut from the rim's measured ERD, is tensioned in stages with a gauge, stress-relieved and trued before it ships. Tubeless tape and a valve are fitted on request.
In the configurator you will only see parts that fit this drilling; combinations that are not made are struck through, and the price updates as you pick.
Warranty
Reserve's warranty. Reserve, made by Santa Cruz Bicycles, covers its rims for the lifetime of the rim to the original owner: a rim broken while riding is replaced, and damage from a non-riding incident is covered by a low-cost crash-replacement program.
ProWheelBuilder. Wheels we build around this part are covered by our own one-year warranty alongside the maker's. Within the year: broken spokes replaced regardless of cause, and the labor on the wheel - truing, re-tensioning or a complete rebuild - included. A manufacturer-covered rim or hub failure is a claim we make and manage for you; one they will not cover is answered with an eligible replacement at 25% off retail. Shipping each way is yours. Parts you supply yourself fall outside it.
Full terms are on our Policies & Warranty page.
39 TA Rear Carbon Fiber Tubular Rim questions
What tire width suits this rim?
At 28mm inside this is a trail width, sized around 2.1 to 2.4in tires. That is wide enough to stop a modern trail casing rolling under you in a corner without pushing the tread so flat that it wears down the middle.
Which spokes and nipples suit the 39 TA tubular?
For most riders a double-butted spoke such as Sapim Race or DT Competition with brass nipples; lighter riders can go to Sapim Laser or CX-Ray. The configurator recommends a gauge and count for the 39 TA tubular from your bike type and weight.
Is the 36 TA a clincher?
No. It is a tubular rim for glued-on tires. For clinchers or tubeless choose the Reserve 25 GR or the 34 TA.
Can you glue my tires?
Yes. Send them with the order or buy them here and we glue and cure them before the wheel ships.
Why is the front 36mm and the rear 39mm?
A shallower front is lighter and calmer in crosswinds; a slightly deeper rear adds stiffness. Reserve pairs them deliberately.
Does the lifetime warranty apply to a rim bought here?
Yes. Reserve's lifetime warranty covers the carbon rim regardless of who built the wheel; keep your order confirmation.
Is it tubeless-ready?
Yes. Reserve lists the 39 TA Rear Carbon Fiber Tubular Rim as clincher tubeless compatible; we tape and fit a valve when you choose the tubeless option.
Not sure? Text or leave a voicemail on 470-253-0929 or email info@prowheelbuilder.com — you will be talking to the people who build the wheels.
