New: 'Sol Rider' (SR) CFRP composite rim model line!

Tested by dozens of extreme MTB riders over 3 years with zero failures!

Derby Rims original goal to achieve a zero rate of rim damage has been achieved for over 3 years of extensive testing by Derby Rims with a new "Sol Rider" model line, utilizing a proprietary Carbon Fiber Reinforced Polymer (CFRP) hybrid layup of carbon-fiber and plastic fiber composites, Derby Rims calls the "Solstice" layup. Derby Rims has utilized a US designed plastic composite fiber UD combined with 100% carbon fiber UD within a proprietary layup schedule. The Sol Rider (SR) model line rims have tolerated more than three years of extensive Pro and CAT-1 test rider uses, including DH racing, Enduro racing, Free-Ride 35 foot gap jumps, and by dozens of test riders. The new Sol Rider unbreakable line of mountain, and gravel bike rims will be introduced in the most popular 29 x 30i (30mm inside width) and 29 x 35i and 27.5 x 35i sizes for mountain bike trail and enduro uses, and 29/700c x 25i for XC mountain bikes and gravel road bikes, with a 5-year free damage replacement policy for original owners and a lifetime extended replacement warranty including secondary owners.

The first wide profile light weight 485g 27.5 x 35i (35 mm inside tire bead wall width) SR model test rim was "expected to fail very quickly" by the first test rider Austin Fotinas, a recent pro downhill racing champion and free-rider. He proceeded to test while training with downhill race runs and 35 foot gap jumps, which were tolerated for 2 years. Another test rider, Kevin Dwyer, a massive jump free-rider and Cat-1 masters DH racer reported, "these are the smoothest carbon-fiber composite rims I've ever ridden". For more than 3 years of machine load and dozens of advanced and expert riders testing, there has been zero Sol Rider test rims ever damaged utilizing the Solstice hybrid composite layup.

The Sol Rider rims have a smoother ride compared to the same optimized Derby Rims design with 100% carbon fiber UD, enabled by the more flexible Solstice hybrid CFRP layup use of proprietary plastic UD layers layered between layers of carbon fiber UD. The plastic fiber layers microscopically stretch between alternating layers of carbon fiber in the Solstice layup when flexed excessively by an unintended hard impact or acute weight load to the rim while riding. The increased Sol Rider rim wall flex tolerance prevents "micro-fracturing", the initial separation of an internal layer's carbon fibers, and then further separation of internal layers, and rapid rim wall fatigue as the internal composite layers separate apart further, until the rim wall will collapse showing as a surface crack.

The earlier CX 23i rim has been redeigned to be 2mm wider, to best fit the increasingly wider cyclocross race, gravel road bike rims. And to be a great XC Mountain rim for the lightest weigh XC race tires up to 2.3 inch.

The CX rim specs: disc-brake only, 450 grams, 25mm inside wide, 32.5mm deep, 3mm thick hookless rim walls with tubeless-ready bead-seat retention ridges (no-burp bead-seat channels, like the mountain rims), with maximum load bearing structural strength and aerodynamically shaped parabolic rim profile. This CX rim is for tubeless-ready tires only, with up to 85 psi (more commonly far lower psi for CX racing and gravel riding).

This rim will fit 28C to 50C tubeless-ready tires (TR) only (tubeless or with tubes), most quality brand TR tires can be installed by hand without levers and air up tubeless with sealant very easily. And the CX rim can fit small mountain tires.

Derby Rims introduces another new carbon rim size, the 29" x 35i wide rim.

The 29 x 35i is ideal for 2.3 to 2.6, & OK up to 2.8 tires, or OK down to 2.25 on XC condition with few rocks.

The 29er x 35i is designed and appears like all the other well proven durable Derby Rims, with the parabolic rim wall profile, and Derby Rims original design features, adapted by nearly all other brands, having the world's first 3mm thick hookless bicycle rim walls with bead seat retention ridges forming bead seat channels for maximum tube and tubeless tire retention security and no tubeless burps, also an optimized deep center channel enabling easy tire install and tubeless air-up with a floor pump. 

As common with all new production Derby Rims since Spring 2015, the 29er x 40i has water drain holes to immediately eliminate water after washing, rain, or crossing streams, otherwise trapped inside for many months adding many ounces of rolling weight. And Derby Rims exclusive original design water drain holes prevent electrolysis between steel spokes corroding alloy nipples.

Derby Rims has added a new 650b (27.5) gravel-road bike rim size. And mountain XC racers will like this rim for small sized short-knob and semi-slick XC race tires up to 2.25 inch. Just like Derby Rims pioneered the world's first wide carbon fiber rims in 2013, the road rims are also wide for gravel-road bikes, for very noticeable improved performance from any gravel tire compared to a narrower rim.

The 650b BX rim specs: disc-brake only, 415 grams, 25mm inside wide, 32mm deep, 3mm thick hookless rim walls with tubeless-ready bead-seat retention ridges (no-burp bead-seat channels, like the mountain rims), with maximum load bearing structural strength and aerodynamically shaped parabolic rim profile. This BX rim is for tubeless-ready tires only, with up to 85 psi if commuting on paved road (commonly much lower, 25 to 30 psi for gavel riding).

This rim will fit 35C to 50C tubeless-ready (TR) tires tubeless or TR tires with tubes, also mountain XC short knob tires up to 2.3 inch. Most quality brand TR tires can be installed by hand without levers and air up tubeless with sealant very easily.

As common with all new production Derby Rims since Spring 2015, the new 650b BX 25i rims have water drain holes to immediately eliminate water after washing, rain, or crossing streams, otherwise trapped inside for many months adding many ounces of rolling weight and conducting electrolysis between steel spokes corroding alloy nipples.

The new 650b BX 25i rims have spoke hole angles compatible with the long standard road and mountain hub widths.

Derby Rims introduces a 700c RC 22mm inside wide road and gravel-road rim with rim-brake surface for both tubed tires and tubeless-ready tires.

Also a disc-brake version 700c RD 22m inside wide rim for newer road bikes with disc brakes and smoother gravel-road bikes, also compatible with both tubed and tubeless ready tires.

Note: The RC 22i  rims were discontinued in December 2019 due to the lack of sales of all brands of rim-brake carbon fiber road rims. And the RD 22i  disc-brake road rims were discontinued in April 2021 due to the lack of sales. Derby Rims is known for off pavement rims, and there are many lighter carbon fiber road rims more popular than the lowest weight possible with the stronger gravel road durable Derby Rims road rims design.

These two new tube and tubeless compatible road and smoother gravel-bike use rims, both add to the tubeless-ready-only disc-brake CX 23mm inside wide road and gravel/cyclocross-race  rim.

700c RC 22i clears all older and new road bikes that can clear 25mm tires. This rim can securely fit up to the largest gravel tires also. Tires become wider than the labeled width (as when mounted on the narrowest aluminum 14 to 15mm inside width rims). Campy calipers 10 years old clear and fit normal thickness pads easily, and Shimano and Sram available during the last 3 years with double-pivot canti's also fit pads easily. Earlier Shimano or Sram canti's might not open wide enough to clear full sized pads easily, unless in very good condition.

As common with all new production Derby Rims since Spring 2015, the new 700c RC 22mm internal wide and the new 700c RD 22 internal wide rims, both have water drain holes to immediately eliminate water after washing, rain, or crossing streams, otherwise trapped inside for many months adding many ounces of rolling weight and conducting electrolysis between steel spokes corroding alloy nipples. 

The 700c RC 22i and 700c RD 22i both have spoke angles compatible with the long standard road hub widths.

Click the "Buy Now" button at the top of the page to order your wide 700c RC 22i and 700c RD 22i road and/or gravel rims and all Derby Rims.

Derby Rims introduces a 27.5 x 45i wide rim, adding the maximum 27.5 rim width to the other Mid-Fat/Plus size tire compatible wide Derby Rims available already in 29 x 40i, 27.5 x 35i, and 26 x 35i sizes.

27-Plus tires 2.8 and 3.0, up to 3.8 "B-Fat" tires are optimized in volume and profile with these 27.5 x 45i rims. 

The 27.5 x 45i is designed and appears like all the other well proven durable Derby Rims, with parabolic rim wall profile, and Derby Rims original design features, quickly adapted by many well known brands, having the world's first 3mm thick hookless bicycle rim walls with bead seat retention ridges forming bead seat channels for maximum tube and tubeless tire retention security and no tubeless burps, also an optimized deep center channel enabling easy tire install and tubeless air-up with a floor pump.

As common with all new production Derby Rims since Spring 2015, the new 27.5 x 45i has water drain holes to immediately eliminate water after washing, rain, or crossing streams, otherwise trapped inside for many months adding many ounces of rolling weight and conducting electrolysis between steel spokes corroding alloy nipples. 

The 27.5 x 45i has 5mm offset and angled spoke holes to better angle towards Fat and Plus wider hubs, as well spoke angles with the long standard hub widths.

Derby Rims is introducing a glossy finished "SELECT LIMITED" (SL) line of mountain rims, for the riders desiring the finest finish quality for the world's most durable carbon-fiber Derby Rims.

These limited edition special rims are hand picked from the production line to be finished with an exclusive limited-edition pin stripe and small "derby" logos around the line of spoke holes, and a unique glossy finish coat clearly revealing the carbon fiber structural outer layer. While riding, these rims appear stealth, until coming to a stop and the wheels are not spinning. Then looking down on these beautifully finished rims, the subtle orange pinstripe and logos can be seen. Orange logo and pin-striping was chosen because orange complements all nature's colors along the trails and bike frames very well like no other color. The gloss finish wipes clean easily with a soft rag, and can be quickly cleaned and polished  like new, hiding any scratches using plastic and paint cleaner, such as Maxima SC1 or Plexis cleaners

Derby Rims has long been asked by many riders and dealers to produce road rims. And the first Derby road rim is now introduced, for gravel roads and cyclocross racing, called the CX rim. And like Derby Rims pioneered the world's first wide carbon fiber rims, the road rims are also wide (for gravel road rims), for very noticeable improved performance from any road or gravel tire.

Note: In March 2021, the CX 23i was modified to be 2mm wider and become the CX 25i as road as popular gravel and road rims and tires continued to become wider.

The CX rim specs: disc-brake only, 430 grams, 23mm inside wide, 32mm deep, 3mm thick hookless rim walls with tubeless-ready bead-seat retention ridges (no-burp bead-seat channels, like the mountain rims), with maximum load bearing structural strength and aerodynamically shaped parabolic rim profile. This CX rim is for tubeless-ready tires only, with up to 95 psi (but commonly much lower psi for CX racing and gavel riding).

This rim will fit 23C to 45C tubeless-ready tires (TR) only (tubeless or with tubes), most quality brand TR tires can be installed by hand without levers and air up tubeless with sealant very easily. And the CX rim can fit small mountain tires, however, the 29" x 30i (35mm outside) wide Derby Rim is almost the same weight and durability, and far better performing using any mountain tire from 2.0 to 2.4.

Derby Rims introduces another new rim size, the world's first carbon-fiber 29-Plus rim, a 29" x 40i wide rim.

29-Plus tires 2.6, 2.8, and 3.0 are designed for wide rims. Also these 40i width rims can work with normal 29er frames with standard hubs and 2.4 to 2.8 tires, when there is extra tire clearance using narrow rims.

The 29er x 40i is designed and appears like all the other well proven durable Derby Rims, with the parabolic rim wall profile, and Derby Rims original design features, quickly adapted by many well known brands, having the world's first 3mm thick hookless bicycle rim walls with bead seat retention ridges forming bead seat channels for maximum tube and tubeless tire retention security and no tubeless burps, also an optimized deep center channel enabling easy tire install and tubeless air-up with a floor pump. 

As is common with all new production Derby Rims since Spring 2015, the 29er x 40i has water drain holes to immediately eliminate accumulated water after washing, riding in rain, or crossing streams, otherwise trapped inside for many months adding many ounces of rolling weight and otherwise corroding alloy nipples.

The 29er x 40i has optional 5mm offset and angled spoke holes to better angle towards Fat Bike  widest hubs, as well spoke angles compatible with the long standard hub widths. These 40i inside width rims also can work with normal 29er frames and standard hubs with 2.4 to 2.8 tires that have plenty of sidewall clearance with narrow rims (tires do not increase in diameter with wider rims, only the sidewall increases in width about 50% of the increased rim width with the same tire).

Derby Rims is excited to offer all new production rims with the world's first bicycle rim water drains or "weep holes".

Small water drain-holes are drilled into the hollow "double-wall" rim next to the valve to locate easily, with extra reinforcement layers added inside the rim to maintain Derby Rims well proven excellent durability. While riding water will spin out of Derby Rims immediately after crossing a stream, or riding in the rain, or after washing the rims with a hose. And at rest water will drain quickly when locating the easily seen valve located drain-holes towards the ground.

Only Derby Rims, with water drains, will remain light weight without accumulating and holding from 50 to 100 grams of water in a pair of rims many months after simply washing the bike, or riding through streams, or riding in the rain. Also galvanic corrosion occurs between steel spokes and alloy nipples when water is present inside rims. D Derby Rim's water drains will greatly improve alloy nipple life. 

Note (Spring 2023): Today in 2023 Ray is continuing to frequently ride 7-year-old Derby rims built with alloy nipples which have not failed from corrosion. Previous to Derby Rims water drain hole innovation, Ray's alloy nipples would fail from corrosion within 2 to 3 years, riding the same trails and the same frequency.

19 colors are now available in the web-store.

Stickers can also be ordered separately, for a very low price, well below the cost to produce. 

Colors: Black, Yellow, Red, Bright Red, Royal Blue (darker), Olympic Blue (medium), Sky Blue (lightest), Grey, Apple Green (medium), Light Green, Yeti Teal, White, Orange, and Magenta (added in 2016), and Purple, and Gold Chrome Metallic  (added in 2018), and SIlver Chrome Metallic, Florescent Lime Green, Florescent Orange  (added in 2022). 

Click the "Buy Now" button at to top of each page to order!

All rims produced in 2015 and later have angled spoke holes. Originally, the spoke holes had straight 0-degree spoke holes, limited for use with normal trail bike hub flanges in hub axle sizes 100mm, 110mm, 135mm, 142mm, 148mm, and DH150mm.

The angled spoke holes align closely with normal trail bike hub flanges. (With valve hole down, 1st hole forward angles to the right flange)

In addition, the angled hole diameter is no smaller than the previous straight hole diameter, which enables increased spoke angles, up to 12 degrees of nipple angle without bending spokes when Derby Rims are used with wider flanged hubs used for Fat Tire and Plus Tire bikes.

All Derby Rims rims produced in 2014 and later have optimized thick rim wall height. The wall height above the international standard diameter bead seat was lowered 1 mm, to reduce lateral load leverage from the bulging tire while rolling and other lateral loads from dynamic tire compression and side loading while riding. The optimized thick hookless rim wall with bead seat retention ridges was an original Derby Rims design, far increasing tubeless tire safety and rim durability.

The deep center channel also became less deep, enabling easier tubeless air up to seat the beads with a floor pump. 

The 2014 and later Derby Rims are designed for ability to hand install tires produced with ISO (International Organization for Standardization) bead diameters, without the need of plastic tire leavers. However, some tire brands are known to require the use of  plastic tire leavers with Derby Rims to install the final 4 to 6 inches of bead over the rim wall, being undersized beads and not ISO compliant . After some use, normally all tires, including the tires having undersized beads, can be removed from Derby Rims and reinstalled by hand without levers.

The Derby Rims factory had moved in February 2014 into a much larger facility in a large industrial building with much room for further expansion as Derby Rims increases the size of production orders. The factory also improved the carbon-fiber layup technique in two significant ways affecting all 2014 Derby Rims, further increasing durability.

Derby Rims originally designed a 27.5 x 35i (35mm inside width) and a second design for a 29 x 30i. Both rims were introduced on MTBR.com in the 650b forum and 29er Component forum. After many months of design revisions, and evaluation rim testing by many strong riders with no failures, Ray AKA "derby" had no idea if these wide expensive rims would sell at all, and ordered a production of 24 650b rims and 18 29er rims in June, 2013, receiving them in middle August.

Derby Rims opened for rim orders on August 15, 2013. Rim price was only $279 each. The time was ripe for a return to the appropriate tire to rim aspect ratios from 30i to 35i width rims, which had been normal widths used in 1970's and '80's for 2.1 mountain trail bike tires, and now with Derby Rims from tires from 2.0 to the largest available in 2013 being 2.7 inch tires. 

The rims sold quickly, and soon sold out and a back-order wait increased to more than four months as production capacity was limited by the original small factory. The factory expanded in February  2014 to be able to manufacture their increasing orders from Derby Rims, their first proprietary design client, and soon many more clients often rebranding the factory engineered designs.

"Derby Rims" was not a brand, the name was not chosen unit much later in August 2013 when the "derby" name was chosen from Ray's sentimental early experience participating in full moon bicycle derbies on Mt. Tamalpias in Marin County in the early 1980's (see the Contacts page for more details and pictures of the early '80's bicycle derbies).

For a few years Ray had been riding 30mm inside wide 650b (27.5) rims designed by Kirk Pacenti, who had pioneered the first production 650b rims and tires for mountain bikes available for sale in 2006. 

Ray knew that 30mm inside wide and wider rims were far higher performance in handling and traction than the narrow 19 to 25 mm inside wide road bike width rims used on mountain trail bikes since the late '80's, when road riders invaded mountain bike races to snatch easy money purses from the "hippy" mountain bikers. The road racers brought weight-weenie priority so important for climbing on the easy to ride pavement and hard-packed trails. The sponsors of the road riders followed, and influenced mountain bike race promoters to make easier smooth dirt, grass, and gravely race courses. The road racers modified road rims into a smaller diameter to fit the smallest and lightest 26" tires. At the same time rims were narrowed,  tires were improving in tread and rubber compound, so the loss in handling and traction performance was not noticed by most trail riders. And the race to produce lighter mountain bikes and wheels became priority.

In September 2012 Ray found a small Asian factory who offered to help produce molds to Ray's design specifications. Ray tested some of the factory's 25mm inside 650b rims, and was impressed by the durability and light weight.

Ray began sketching up very rough drawings in November 2012. The common prior to 1970, hookless rim wall had been reintroduced by a major brand a year earlier. The current tubeless ready wide flat bead seats had become common in 2012, centering the tire as the tire is inflated, and made bead hooks (to center the tire) in the rim wall obsolete, being useless. But Ray knew that the current flat tubeless tire bead seats easily burped air, and when flat the tire beads fell into the deep center channel and the tire often would leave the rim. So Ray designed and later produced bicycle wheel's first hookless rim wall with bead seat retention angles, securing the tire bead into the bead seat, which were a design similar to some motorcycle and car rim bead seats, that prevents tubeless tire burps and secures a flat tire to remain on the rim and beads in the bead seats channel shape, protecting the carbon rims when rolling to a stop over rocks with a flat. Also without hooks Ray designed the rim wall to be 3 mm thick, thicker than any current rim design at that time. The thick rim wall supports nearly double the impact load before failure of any prior carbon rim. Beginning in 2014, after seeing Derby Rims innovative rims, many well known and new carbon rim brands started to closely copied Ray's original design of a 3 mm hookless rim wall with bead seat retention ridges. Nearly every new rim design including aluminum rims copied some of Ray's innovative safer and more durable rim bead seat and bead wall designs.

During the winter 2012-2013, Ray asked a friend who is well established in the bicycle industry with experience sourcing carbon-fiber frames from Asia, whether he thought sourcing wide carbon rims from Asia was a reasonably safe risk. And Ray's friend helped critique Ray's first 650b x 35 mm inside wide innovative designs, and helped to vet my very small garage sized startup factory, and he obtained pricing from larger factories Ray could not afford at the time, and he suggested that a 30mm inside wide 29er design would sell more numbers than 26" rims in 2013. Ray's friend with his large staff helped test some of the first evaluation rims made in May 2013. He liked Ray's wide carbon rim idea and original designs so much, that after he evaluated the test Derby rims he produced very similar appearing wide carbon rims for sale as wheel sets in April 2014, under his own well known brand name, which were design engineered and made in a large Asian frame, rim, and suspension factory. And he marketed the benefits of wide rims with a large budget, which was a great benefit for Derby Rims as many more riders learned about wide carbon rims from the major bicycle magazines.