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Fenton, a controversial figure in the bike trade but never shy at coming forward, believes everybody else’s carbon clinchers are death traps in the making. Only Pro-Lite rims are safe, claimed Fenton.
"DonÂ’t worry, some top brands think, we’ll simply restrict the pressure in the tyre to a stupidly low amount so when the tyre does come off we throw this one at the poor and smashed up rider to stop any claims against us," posits the Pro-lite man.
The Italian/Taiwanese/Geordie company "took a different approach," said Fenton.
"While we were trying to figure out how to make a safe full carbon clincher we made a monocoque rim and built into an alloy rim section so the braking surface was alloy and was safe.
"After testing we were able to dispense with the alloy insert and now we have what we truly believe is the only safe carbon clincher in the world.
"We have lowered the braking surface to keep the heat away from the top section of the rim and then added basalt, which allows intense braking to be applied. The material disperses the heat and prevents distortion.
"Our testing was done by some amazing descenders who were driven to the highest mountains in Taiwan, at almost 4000 metres bove sea level and then they descended are breath-taking speed on our wheels with the tyres inflated to 11 bar 161 psi. Not once but many many times. The guys all agreed the rims work and when [the rims were] analysed they showed no signs of excessive wear."
