Versatility: the central theme behind our MTB wheels

Versatility has by now become a ubiquitous term in our lives. It comes up almost every day, even various times per day. It’s become a necessary skill in human relations, a soft skill in the workplace and a key feature for products, whatever their application. The sporting world and specifically the world of bikes, which is currently undergoing a profound evolution that at times feels like a revolution, is no exception. What do we mean when we talk about versatility? We have tried to apply this concept to what we do best: create a wheel that can appeal to a wide range of users, without design compromises in terms of performance and compatibility.

 

Versatility is an understandably versatile concept. Look up the word in a dictionary and it could be defined as an aptitude to explore different directions and the predisposition to follow various activities. In fact adaptability, flexibility and elasticity could all be synonyms of versatility. A simile for versatility could be a pair of jeans. A classic piece that you can potentially wear in all situations and in very different contexts. A transversal item with a strong personality.
Not all jeans are the same though: material, cut, inserts and finish can be combined in numerous ways to create very different pieces. What they share though is the distinctiveness of being versatile, practical and hardwearing, as well as having a refined elegance. Is there something similar in the bike world?

Red Zone 3: stronger together

For us the answer to the question above is a resounding yes, and it comes in the shape of the Red Zone 3, our cross country MTB wheel second only to the Red Zone Carbon, which was designed to encapsulate the concept of versatility. The combination of technical solutions and unique elements creates a wheel with a marked identity and unique ride feel. As we mentioned earlier the Red Zone 3 owe a lot to their older siblings and to the extensive research and development phase, which allowed us to create a high quality aluminium wheel system. In terms of technical specifications we opted for:  

- 24 spokes on the front and 28 on the rear;
- CNC-machined asymmetric aluminium rims;
- 19mm profile with 25mm inner rim width. 

The technological solutions include, amongst other things, Cup & Cone bearings and an aluminium rim which has been lightened with Square Milling technology. The wheel is compatible with all freewheel bodies (HG11, N3W, XDR and Microspline) and is completed with a dual polished-matt surface finish.

Product philosophy    

The Red Zone 3 were born to respond to a requirement and to express a need. The requirement emerged from a market that is changing, growing and evolving, with different aspects and opportunities to be seized. The need, we must admit, is very personal. As we have explained elsewhere, since 2008 all our MTB wheels have undergone a continuous evolution, with state of the art technological solutions. This process continues and will continue into the future, driven by a mix of passion, research and collaboration. This is the vision that translated into a specific product philosophy behind the Red Zone 3: a celebration of versatility and a hymn to freedom.