MILL VALLEY, CALIFORNIA – January 27, 2021 – WTB now offers complete wheels at an affordable price! Proterra mountain and gravel wheels are available individually or as a $649.90 wheelset that performs well above its pay grade. Every Proterra hub uses high-quality bearings and a responsive six-pawl freehub design with 5 degrees of engagement to deliver the performance you expect of a high-end wheelset without the high-end price tag. Eliminating the frustrations that come with proprietary parts, Proterra wheels combine the simplicity of double butted J-bend spokes with the dependability of Sapim secure lock nipples. Even maintenance should be a positive experience, which is why all Proterra hubs are easily serviced without the need for fancy tools.
Proterra rims are extruded from WTB’s premier 6069 aluminum alloy to optimize strength while a bead blast finish and durable water-transfer decals keep your wheels looking fresh. All of this ensures WTB Proterra wheels provide the compliance you expect on the first ride and the longevity you demand for every ride that follows.
Is Proterra Light or Proterra Tough right for you? Proterra Light wheels in gravel-ready 23 and 25mm widths check all the boxes of a fast and light alloy wheelset while the trail-focused 27mm width is optimal for trail bikes with 2.25-2.5” tires. Proterra Tough wheels feature a wider 30mm internal rim width to maximize tire volume while increasing sidewall support at lower pressures. Proterra Tough is the perfect replacement wheelset for those who want peace of mind while bashing their way down rowdy trails as everything else blurs by in the periphery.
Every Proterra wheel benefits from our TCS (Tubeless Compatible System) 2.0 system and ships with the Solid Strip, TCS tubeless tape and black alloy valves already installed. This means all Proterra wheels are ready for tubeless tires and sealant right out of the box. The key feature of our TCS 2.0 system is the Solid Strip, which lies beneath the tubeless tape and prevents it from sagging at the spoke holes, creating a smooth interface between the rim and tire bead. This prevents air from escaping around the bead and therefore requires less air volume and pressure to mount a tire. The Solid Strip also protects the airtight tubeless system from being punctured by a broken spoke pushing through the tape. In the end, WTB’s innovative Solid Strip results in a more robust tubeless system that increases reliability and is easier to set up.
Proterra wheels are hand-built in our California wheel building facility at the base of Mount Tamalpais, where mountain biking began. Our team of wheel wizards lace, tension and tape every Proterra with the same attention to detail they provide their own wheels. This hands-on approach allows us to confidently stand behind our wheels as the most reliable on the market.
We believe you shouldn’t have to smash your piggy bank in order to ride dependable products, which is why every Proterra front wheel is available at WTB.com for $294.95 while each rear wheel is $354.95. We will expand the line to our distributor/retailer network in time but limiting Proterra to WTB.com at the start will allow us to optimize and adapt the systems we've developed at our new wheel building facility.
About WTB
Founded in 1982, WTB was formed in Marin county, the birthplace of mountain biking, to design better bicycle products. Renowned for saddles, tires, rims and grips, this rider-driven company continues to push the boundaries of what’s possible through an unrelenting spirit of innovation and passion for two-wheeled adventure.
About TCS 2.0
Introduced in 2018, TCS 2.0 is a sealant-based tubeless system that improves upon the foundation of WTB’s legendary TCS (Tubeless Compatible System). The key feature of TCS 2.0 is the unique Solid Strip, which lies beneath the tubeless tape to prevent the tape from sagging at the spoke holes and creating a consistently smooth interface between the rim and tire bead. This prevents air from escaping around the bead and therefore requires less air volume and pressure to mount a tire. The Solid Strip also protects the airtight tubeless system from being punctured by a broken spoke pushing through the tape.