Stan's NoTubes Wheels with Chris King Hubs

What Stan's NoTubes rims and Chris King hubs each bring

• Bead Socket Technology. Stan's patented rim shape holds the tire by its bead rather than its sidewall, so the sidewall can expand to a rounder profile. Stan's says that means more traction and less rolling resistance than a conventional shape, which drives the bead deeper and restricts tire volume.
• Low sidewalls. Bead Socket rims have lower sidewalls than conventional rims. Stan's says that leaves them less exposed, and makes the rim lighter and stronger.
• Spoke offset set by rim width. On MK4 rims the spoke holes sit 1.5mm off center on the 25mm Crest, 2.5mm on the 28mm Arch and 3mm on the 30mm Flow. Stan's reports 92 percent drive to non-drive tension balance on the Crest MK4, against 58 percent on the symmetric MK3.
• 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.