Ibis Wheels with Chris King Hubs

What Ibis rims and Chris King hubs each bring

• A hollow box-section bead wall. Pinch flats happen when a hard hit traps the tire against the rim edge. Ibis removes the sharp edge with a hollow box-section bead wall that gives the tire a broad contact point, and it says the wall is stronger with no added weight.
• Ribs under the bead seat on the Send 2. A dented bead wall can be bent back, but Ibis says a dented bead seat can't, and then the tire will not seal tubeless. The Send 2 adds a pair of ribs right beneath the seat to prevent that, for about 45 grams per rim.
• A front and rear pairing. The rear wheel takes the brunt of the damage, so Ibis's own wheelsets put a Send 1 up front and a Send 2 in back.
• RingDrive sits inside the shell. Chris King moved the engagement mechanism inboard of the large hub shell bearing. It says that gives more contact area than a traditional freehub and handles drivetrain torque better.
• Every tooth engages at once. Two heat-treated stainless steel rings mesh at 72 points on mountain hubs and 45 on the R45, all at the same moment. Chris King rates the system above 800 foot-pounds of torque and says that is three times the other high-end hubs it tested.
• Bearings it makes itself. Chris King designs and builds its own sealed angular-contact bearings, and each one is inspected and assembled by hand. Unlike a common radial bearing they can be adjusted in use, and Chris King says they wear in rather than wear out.