Reserve 42 TA SL Front Carbon Fiber Clincher Rim
The Reserve 42|TA SL is the mid-depth front rim in Reserve's road range, the one that balances aero, weight and crosswind stability for riders who want one road wheelset for everything. TA stands for Turbulent Aero, Reserve's approach to road rim shapes: a wide, rounded profile that stays stable and fast with a 28 to 32mm tire. The 42 TA SL is tubeless, disc only, and carries the Reserve lifetime warranty.
This page covers the Reserve 42 TA SL Front Carbon Fiber Clincher Rim. Reserve pairs the 42 front with a deeper rear; we build the pair as a set or singly. The 42 TA SL is built to order here. Choose the hub, spokes and nipples in the configurator; the wheel leaves Georgia laced, tensioned and trued.
Design and construction
At 42mm the TA profile is at its most general-purpose: enough depth to matter on a flat road, shallow enough that a gust does not move the front wheel. The wide, rounded outer shape lets airflow reattach behind a modern tire instead of separating off a narrow rim.
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 42 TA SL front wheel is the sweet spot for most road riders: noticeably faster than a shallow rim on the flat, still light enough to climb on, and calm enough in crosswinds that you forget it is a deep rim. With a 28mm tubeless tire it rides comfortably all day.
For climbing and gusty coastal roads the 34 TA is calmer; for time trials and flat racing the 77 TA is faster. For an everyday race and training wheel, the 42 TA SL is the Reserve front rim we recommend.
Specifications
| Wheel size | 700c |
|---|---|
| ERD | 556 (29in) |
| Inner width | 25.4 mm |
| Depth | 42 mm |
| Drillings | 24h |
| Weight | 365g (700c/29in) |
| Material | Carbon Fiber |
| Tire type | clincher tubeless compatible |
| Brake | Disc |
| Profile | Triangle |
| Spoke bed | Offset 3 mm |
| Nipples | External |
| Finishes | black |
Which version this is
What this listing covers: the 42 TA SL in 700c with 24h drilling, about 365g, 25.4mm inside, 42mm deep, disc. If you need it in another size or for the other brake type, it is listed separately.
This is the disc-brake 42 TA SL: plain sidewalls, no brake track to wear, a touch lighter. It fits any disc-brake bike and it is the version most of our customers now build; the rim-brake version is a separate listing.
Sizes, fit and compatibility
The Reserve 42 TA SL Front Carbon Fiber Clincher Rim comes in the drillings listed on this page. It is a disc-brake road rim. We build the 42 TA SL on DT Swiss 240 and 180, Industry Nine 1/1, White Industries CLD, Chris King R45 and Hope RS4 hubs, usually with Sapim CX-Ray or CX-Sprint spokes or DT Aerolite, and brass or alloy nipples.
Tire range on the 42 TA SL is 25 to 32mm with tubeless tires. Tell the configurator your bike type and weight and it suggests a spoke count and lacing pattern to suit.
Build it into a wheel
This rim is live in our Custom Wheel Program for gravel and road disc and track and road single-speed builds. Start a build with the Reserve 42 TA SL Front Carbon Fiber Clincher Rim and the configurator opens with this exact rim pinned at the top of the Reserve list — you choose the rest of the parts and it validates every combination as you go.
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.
Reserve's testing and certifications
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.
Reserve's tech document assigns each rim an ASTM use classification: Condition 1 for road rims, 2 for gravel, 3 for the 28|XC and 30|XC, 4 for the 30|SL and carbon 30|HD, and 5 for the aluminum 30|HD, 30|DH and 31|DH. Maximum pressures are 100 psi (6.9 bar) road, 80 psi (5.5 bar) gravel and 50 psi (3.4 bar) mountain, or the tire's limit if lower; spoke tension 100-120 kgf. Road rims are semi-hooked. Reserve states its wheels "do not have rider weight limits"; the 30|HD and 30|DH are e-bike approved.
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 42 TA SL; ProWheelBuilder is an independent wheel builder in Georgia, not the manufacturer. The build is the same every time: measured ERD, spokes cut to the half millimeter, staged tensioning with a gauge, stress relief, a final true, and tubeless tape and a valve on request.
The configurator shows only hubs and spokes that match the 42 TA SL drilling, strikes through combinations that are not made, and prices the wheel live.
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. If we lace this into a wheel for you, that wheel also carries ProWheelBuilder's own one-year warranty, which covers broken spokes regardless of cause and all wheel-related labor, including truing and rebuilding, for a year from purchase. Where a rim or hub is covered by its maker, we make the manufacturer's claim for you and coordinate it; where it is not, we offer an eligible replacement rim or hub at 25% off current retail. Shipping to and from us is the customer's. This cover does not extend to wheels built from components you supply yourself.
Full terms are on our Policies & Warranty page.
42 TA SL Front Carbon Fiber Clincher Rim questions
What tire width suits this rim?
25.4mm inside is the all-road and gravel width. Think 32 to 45mm tires: wide enough to support a gravel casing properly so it holds its shape at low pressure, narrow enough that a 30mm road tire still sits right if you swap wheels between bikes.
Which spokes and nipples suit the 42 TA SL?
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 42 TA SL from your bike type and weight.
What does TA mean?
Turbulent Aero, Reserve's road rim design that keeps a wide, rounded profile fast and stable with modern 28 to 32mm tires.
Why is the front 34mm and the rear 37mm?
A shallower front is lighter and calmer in crosswinds; a slightly deeper rear adds stiffness where the drivetrain loads it. Reserve pairs them deliberately, and we build them as a set.
Is the 34 TA tubeless?
Yes. It is tubeless-ready; we tape and fit a valve on request.
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 ProWheelBuilder the manufacturer of the Reserve 42 TA SL Front Carbon Fiber Clincher Rim?
No. Reserve makes the rim. ProWheelBuilder is an independent custom wheel builder in Georgia that builds it into a finished wheel to your spec.
Not sure? Email info@prowheelbuilder.com (fastest) or leave a voicemail on 470-253-0929 — you will be talking to the people who build the wheels.
