IN BRIEF
WTB is launching the CGR i28, carbon gravel wheels designed for wide 50 to 54 mm tyres. The rim is 40 mm deep and 28 mm wide internally. They use Frequency 7X hubs, with DLC-coated pawls and a patent-pending hub-to-ratchet interface. Under WTB’s warranty, a rim broken while riding is replaced free of charge for the original purchaser. In the United States, the pair is listed at $1,800.
| Price (United States) | $850 front, $950 rear, $1,800 per pair |
| Price (United Kingdom, according to road.cc) | £1,199 per pair |
| Claimed weights | 644 g (front), 729 g (rear XDR or MicroSpline), 740 g (rear HG) |
| Rim | carbon, 40 mm deep, 28 mm internal width, asymmetric profile |
| Recommended tyres | 50 to 54 mm |
| Wheel size | 700c |
| Hubs | Frequency 7X, 24 spokes, CenterLock disc |
| Axles | 12 x 100 mm (front), 142 x 12 mm (rear) |
| Freehub body | SRAM XDR, Shimano MicroSpline 12-speed, Shimano HG 11-speed |
| Tubeless | yes, TCS |
WTB is releasing a wheel for big gravel tyres. The CGR i28 are carbon wheels that the brand recommends for 50 to 54 mm tyres, citing its Byway RS 50, Course 52 and Macro 54. The full specifications are listed on WTB’s official product page.
A 28 mm WTB CGR i28 rim for wide gravel tyres
The carbon rim is 40 mm deep and 28 mm wide internally. WTB gives it an asymmetric profile to balance spoke tension, with so-called 4D drillings and spoke beds reinforced from the inside. It is tubeless-compatible thanks to the brand’s TCS system. The product page lists 700c wheels, with 24 spokes front and rear.
Frequency 7X hubs with DLC pawls
These wheels use Frequency 7X hubs. WTB fits them with larger-than-average Enduro bearings, and claims a freehub load capacity up to 38 % higher than competing rear hubs. The pawls get a DLC (Diamond-Like Carbon) coating, harder and producing less friction than hard chrome plating, according to the brand. The internal ratchet ring is splined: WTB says it can handle more than twice the torque of a threaded design. The interface between the hub and the ratchet is patent-pending.
At the rear, three freehub bodies are offered: SRAM XDR, Shimano MicroSpline 12-speed and Shimano HG 11-speed. Discs mount via CenterLock.
A rim replaced free of charge if it breaks
According to its official product page, WTB sends a new rim free of charge to the original purchaser whose carbon rim breaks while riding. According to Bike World News, the front wheel weighs 644 g, the rear 729 g with an XDR or MicroSpline body and 740 g with an HG body. According to the same site, the front wheel costs $850, the rear $950 and the pair $1,800 in the United States. In the United Kingdom, road.cc lists the pair at £1,199.
