German carbon specialist Bike Ahead Composites has two new versions of their iconic monocoque 6-spoke carbon BiTurbo wheels. 1 for heavier riders, ebikes & eMTB and the other for cargo bikes, believe it or not! Plus, all-new lightweight carbon XC bars for mountain bikers hunting the sleekest integrated electronic shift setup on the planet…
Bike Ahead had already adapted their classic ultralight 6-spoke monocoque carbon Biturbo wheels for heavier use applications all the way back in 2017/2018 as the biturbo-E. But they’ve updated the concept with updated rim & spoke shapes for increased strength and much wider internal rim widths for modern tires. Plus, there are now lighter X & extra-strong X.E versions that cover everything from heavier riders, lighter ebikes, and the more bulky full-power long-range eMTBs. Plate Casters
Now, these new 24.5mm deep tubeless Bike Ahead Biturbo X wheels grow to 33mm internal for 29ers or a full 35mm for 27.5″ wheels. The standard Biturbo X features a generous rider+gear weight limit of 115kg/254lb. Bike Ahead says that’s perfect for taller & heavier riders, plus riders on the latest crop of lightweight eMTBs. The Xes weigh about 330g more than the ultralight Biturbo RS XC wheels. But are rated for smashing much rougher trails.
And if you ride a heavier full-power, big battery gravity ebike, there’s also a Biturbo X.E version that adds another 300g of carbon reinforcement. Those X.Es up the weight limit to 130kg/287lb.
Pick from 12×100, 15mm Boost & Lefty Ocho spacing up front, and standard or Boost thru-axle compatibility out back, all with standard DT Swiss Hybrid ebike hub internals.
Weight claims for complete wheelsets range from 1530g for Biturbo X 27.5″ or 1580g for 29″, up to 1830g for Biturbo X.E 27.5″ or 1880g for 29″ variants. Both Bike Ahead Biturbo X & X.E, made entirely in Germany, retail for the same 3600€.
The Bike Ahead Biturbo Cargo project has been running for a few years. Together with custom cargo bike shop Kvirder in Frankfurt. Back then, Kvirder asked Bike Ahead founder Christian Gemperlein if he would consider making a cargo version of the Biturbo. And he jumped at the idea. By 2022, they’d built a wheel tough enough to pass DIN testing for heavier cargo bikes and high-speed cargo pedelec ebikes. And shed a lot of weight vs. conventional alloy cargo bike wheelsets, often over 2kg for a set.
Now the ultralight, ultra-strong Biturbo Cargos are ready for you!
The Bike Ahead Biturbo Cargo wheelset pairs a 20″ front wheel to a 26″ rear wheel. Bo both with a 26mm hookless tubeless internal rim width. Bike Ahead designed them for especially heavy loads, rated for up to 220kg/485lb – including rider, bike, AND cargo. But they are still really lightweight. The 6-spoke carbon front wheel is just 635g, the rear 900g, for a complete wheelset of only 1535g.
Bike Ahead says their design with most of the rotating mass located near the center of the wheel is especially well suited for the start-and-stop riding dynamic of a cargo bike. They go as far as to say that upgrading to these wheels “not only saves leg power, but also battery capacity on e-bikes“.
Wildly light full-carbon monocoque cargo bike wheels made in Germany don’t come cheap, though. They sell for the same 3600€ as many of the other Biturbos. But, there’s probably no way to make your cargo bike as cool looking. At least, not without sacrificing load carrying function than these sick wheels!
Developed for mountain bike riders looking for a cleaner cockpit setup and more cable integration. The carbon Bike Ahead Wonderbar is then a zero or negative-rise XC bar for the discerning mountain biker. According to Bike Ahead it was created “in close cooperation with [their] community” to integrate some of the latest and most advanced electronic shifter solutions, like: SRAM Blips, Zirbel Twister, or CyberGrips.
The Wonderbar uses recessed cable grooves with holes at the grip areas. There’s also a pass through hole at the stem to allow for hidden internal wire routing. And it uses Bike Ahead’s patented ‘NSA rubber coating’ at the clamping areas for low torque grip without the need for friction paste.
The matte UD finished Bike Ahead Wonderbar sells for 269€. It features 8.5° backsweep, no upsweep, and a 0mm/-9.5mm ride depending on how you flip it. The bar is 720mm wide with a 31.8mm clamping area, and a claimed weight of just 144g. Max rider weight is 105kg/231lb (including any rider-mounted gear).
Cory Benson is the EU Tech Editor of Bikerumor.com.
Cory has been writing about mountain bikes, enduro, cyclocross, all-road, gravel bikes & bikepacking for over 25 years, even before the industry gave some these names. Prior to Bikerumor, Cory was a practicing Architect specializing in environmental sustainability, has designed bike shops & bike components and worked as a bike shop mechanic.
Based in the Czech Republic for 15+ years, he is a technical mountain biker, adventurous gravel rider, short & medium-haul bikepacker. Cory travels extensively across Europe riding bikes, meeting with key European product developers, industry experts & tastemakers for an in-depth review of what’s new, and what’s coming next.
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