Reserve 88 TA Rear Carbon Fiber Clincher Rim
The Reserve 88|TA is the deepest rim in Reserve's road range, the rear that pairs with the 77 front for time trials, triathlon and flat road racing. TA stands for Turbulent Aero, Reserve's approach to road rim shapes: a wide, rounded profile that keeps a 28mm tire fast and the wheel stable at a depth that used to demand a 23mm tire. The 88 TA is tubeless, disc only, and carries the Reserve lifetime warranty.
This page covers the Reserve 88 TA Rear Carbon Fiber Clincher Rim. We build the 77|88 pair as a set or the 88 singly behind a shallower front. The 88 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 88 is the deepest rim Reserve makes and the rear that pairs with the 77 front. On a flat course the rear is where depth pays with the fewest consequences, and this is Reserve taking that argument as far as it goes.
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
An 88 TA rear wheel is the closest thing to a disc wheel that still works on a road bike: very fast, very stiff, and because it is at the rear it does not upset the steering. With a 28mm tubeless tire it is more comfortable than a deep rim has any right to be. For time trial, triathlon and flat racing, the 88 TA is the Reserve rear rim we recommend; for everyday road riding the 37 or 63 TA is the better choice.
Specifications
| Wheel size | 700c |
|---|---|
| ERD | 466 (29in) |
| Inner width | 24 mm |
| Depth | 88 mm |
| Drillings | 24h |
| Weight | 600g (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 88 TA, 24h, about 600g, 24mm inside, 88mm deep, disc. Pick the size that matches your frame; the profile and construction are the same across the range.
The disc version of the 88 TA 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 88 TA Rear Carbon Fiber Clincher Rim comes in the drillings listed on this page. It is a disc-brake road rim. We build the 88 TA on DT Swiss 240 and 180, Industry Nine 1/1 and White Industries CLD hubs, usually with Sapim CX-Ray or CX-Sprint spokes or DT Aerolite, and brass or alloy nipples.
Tire range on the 88 TA is 25 to 30mm with tubeless tires. Pick time trial or road as your bike type in the configurator and it recommends a spoke count and lacing pattern.
Put it in a custom wheel
Build a custom wheel around the Reserve 88 Ta Rear Carbon Fiber Clincher Rim — the link drops you into our Custom Wheel Program with this rim pinned, ready for you to choose the rest. It is set up for gravel and road disc and track and road single-speed builds.
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.
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)
Reserve publishes those results; ProWheelBuilder builds the rim into a wheel and does not test it in a lab.
Building it at ProWheelBuilder
Reserve makes the 88 TA; ProWheelBuilder is an independent wheel builder in Georgia, not the manufacturer. Every 88 TA 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. Any wheel we build on this part carries ProWheelBuilder's one-year warranty in addition to the manufacturer's. Broken spokes are replaced for a year whatever the cause, and all wheel-side labor is included - truing, re-tensioning, rebuilding. Where the maker covers a failed rim or hub we handle that claim for you; where they decline, an eligible replacement comes at 25% off current retail. The customer covers shipping in both directions. Components supplied by the customer are not covered.
Full terms are on our Policies & Warranty page.
88 TA Rear Carbon Fiber Clincher Rim questions
What tire width suits this rim?
24mm 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 88 TA?
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 88 TA 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 it tubeless-ready?
Yes. Reserve lists the 88 TA Rear Carbon Fiber Clincher 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.
