Stan's NoTubes

Grail Team CB7 Wheel

Today's riding and the popularity of mixing on- and off-road terrain demands a new breed of wheel, one that's as fast on tough paved climbs as it is on miles and miles of gravel. Optimized for lower pressure tubeless tires and disc brakes, the Stan's NoTubes Grail Team CB7 Wheel combines the quick acceleration and snappy handling of a lightweight road wheelset with new levels of stability, control, comfort, and durability that excel for disc road, gravel, and cyclocross applications.

The Grail Team CB7 Wheels are impressively light, in large part due to its purpose-built 300g carbon rim. The rim uses short sidewalls and a refined carbon lay-up that puts material only where it's necessary, lowering weight for snappy accelerations and enhancing overall ride quality. A complete wheelset weighs just 1360g, which is right on par with lightweight road wheels despite being rated for off-road use. The 21.6mm internal rim width is optimized for 25-40mm tires, with a max pressure of 85psi for 25mm tires, 70psi for 32mm tires, and 55psi for 40mm tires. Being that Stan's was an early pioneer of tubeless wheels, it makes sense that the rims use Stan's patented Bead Socket Technology which allows easier inflation and a more secure tire fit.

Not all carbon is created equal, and these Stan's rims use a design called RiACT (radial impact-absorbing carbon technology) that combines a more compliant, low-profile rim shape with a special carbon lay-up process to better absorb vibration and distribute impacts. Combined with the lower pressures of tubeless tires, these rims deliver a seriously plush ride with compromising lateral stiffness. The ride is about more than just comfort though, as Stan's claims the decreased resistance from impacts leads to less shoulder and arm fatigue for more power to the pedals and a faster rolling wheelset.

Stan's builds the wheels with Sapim Force spokes and Sapim Secure Lock nipples laced to their house-brand Neo hubs. Neo hubs have performed at elite levels of racing in extreme conditions, but Stan's made them better using feedback from their race teams. The hubs now feature triple freehub bearings for increased axle stability under load, as well as reasonably quick 10-degree engagement with Durasync technology that engages all six pawls at once for improved durability. A low-drag main seal prevents contamination and reduces friction, while the wide bearing stance and CNC-machined hub shell reduce flex and add strength.