Unlike a tubular tyre, a clincher tyre design, by its nature, puts outward force on the bead hooks of a rim. A rim made exclusively of carbon has difficulty resisting this high, concentrated force particularly with elevated braking temperatures.

For full carbon rims, the outcome is often a large weight penalty and/or rim damage and even failure, a potentially very dangerous situation. By virtue of its three-piece rim design (2 sidewalls and tyre seat), Mad Fiber is able to address this in two ways. Through the use of an aluminium tyre seat, Mad Fiber introduces a material that acts as an exceptional heat sink, drawing heat from the carbon sidewalls.

Further, the aluminium structurally reinforces the carbon so elevated brake heat does not make the wheel less able to hold tyre pressure. Additionally, Mad Fiber specifies a carbon fibre resin and adhesives that are stable at higher temperatures than those used by other wheel makers, further ensuring performance and safety, even in extreme conditions.

These developments enable Mad Fiber to make a deep-section carbon clincher wheelset that does not require a large weight penalty compared to its tubular sibling. It does not require an increase in brake track width to increase bead hook strength. And still, as with the tubular wheel, despite its exceptionally low weight, it comes with no rider weight restriction, and a four year crash replacement assistance program.