Although carbon fiber is great for making bike components, it’s no secret that it's a bad time for the environment. Its toxic production process, large amounts of energy, and labor-intensive manufacturing, combined with the fact that it becomes a material dead-end once the carbon product is no longer usable, is problematic.
To combat this, CSS Composites has developed a thermoplastic composite material called FusionFiber. Instead of using epoxy or resins to bond the carbon fiber together, FusionFiber uses heat and pressure to bond dry nylon-impregnated carbon fiber sheets. The FusionFiber process reduces the toxic ingredients required for manufacturing, lowers energy demands, and simplifies the production process. Additionally, when a FusionFiber product reaches the end of its life it is said to be 100 percent recyclable too.
CSS Composites has been producing FusionFiber rims for the likes of Revel, Chris King, and Evil for several years, however, it now sells its US-made FusionFiber rims under the Forge+Bond moniker, which has a growing range of mountain bike wheels equipped with this carbon-alternative thermoplastic composite material.
Design and specifications
"Compliance" is the buzzword of the moment for mountain bike wheelsets, and Forge+Bond claims that the FusionFiber material and Radial Crossply layup improve durability and offer better vibration dampening than traditional carbon. Unlike other compliant wheelsets, which use varying rim widths and spoke counts to tune compliance, both the front and rear 30 AM rims have a 30mm inner diameter with a 4mm sidewall. Rear wheels take the brunt of bad landings and poor line choices, so the rear rim is reinforced to handle extra stresses, weighing 50g more than the front rim (480g). Both rims feature Forge+Bond’s NXS design, which removes excess material from the rim between the spokes, giving the rims a gentle wave shape. The rims don’t require any finishing out of the mold, so the subtle texture of the FusionFiber layup gives them an attractive finish.
The rims are laced to the hubs with 28 J-bend Sapim CX-Ray bladed spokes. I have the Industry 9 Hydra Classic build of the 30 AM on test, which features 690 points of engagement for a snappy pedal response. If the Hydra hubs aren’t your cup of tea, Forge+Bond offers the option to spec DT240 or Project321 G3 Classic hubs, or you can save a little money with Industry 9’s 1/1 hub set. All hubs come in XD and Microspline freehub options, although the Project321 and Industry 9 1/1 hubs only come with 6-bolt disc mounts.
My Industry 9 Hydra Classic-equipped 30 AM wheels weigh 815g at the front and 1011g at the rear. With a combined total weight of 1,826g (including valves), they are on par with many enduro/all-mountain spec wheels. Even with the cost-saving 1/1 hubs, the 30 AM wheelset still commands a premium price tag. For riders looking for an environmentally conscious alternative to carbon at a more competitive price, Forge+Bond’s Shift AM wheelset uses the same FusionFiber rims but specs Bitex hubs to lower the price even further ($1,250).
The 30 AM wheels come taped and equipped with insert-friendly slotted valves, ready to be fitted with your tire setup of choice. The included valve caps have an integrated valve core tool, which is a nice touch. Fitting the tires was a fuss-free process, and the Continental Kryptotal Trail tires happily popped onto the rim for an airtight seal.
Performance
Out on the trail, the Forge+Bond 30 AM gives a direct ride feel that offers plenty of confidence to bury these wheels hard into rough sections and drive them through catch berms. Tracking is excellent during these high-load situations, making precise line choices possible.
I didn’t find the 30 AMs to be jarring, although there are certainly more compliant wheels out there. There’s noticeable feedback in terms of trail communication, and they won’t dance around glancing blows, straight line pinball lines, or tenaciously grip off-cambers in the way that soft wheelsets will flatter riding skills. While they won’t squirm out of the way of impacts, they still offer something in the way of a damped feeling to dull impacts and vibrations.
The Industry 9 hubs’ instant pickup and the 30 AM’s tight lacing give the wheels plenty of off-the-line pep and a poppy feel that makes them ride far more akin to a trail wheel than a robust all-mountain wheelset.
The 30 AMs have required zero attention after a shralp-filled summer in the Scottish Tweed Valley. They have remained straight and true, and the Industry 9 hubs are still spinning smoothly. The rims have picked up a couple of scuffs and scrapes from loose rocks and general wear and tear, but overall, they still look great with almost 500km of hard riding under their belt.
The purpose of this review was to find out how the Forge+Bond wheels perform out on the trail, not to conduct an investigative feature to determine whether Forge+Bond’s environmental claims are true. It would be amiss not to comment on Forge+Bond’s sustainability, and although I can’t personally verify Forge+Bond’s environmental credentials, the FusionFiber claims regarding reducing energy, chemicals, and manufacturing waste are compelling.
It’s still early days for the carbon fiber alternative, and it’s worth noting the recycling process isn’t as simple as sending a broken rim back to be turned into a new one. Recycled FusionFiber rims can’t be made into more rims; instead, CSS Composites crunches down the long-strand material into short-strand material to be reshaped into compression-molded parts.
Currently, the only FusionFiber second-life product available is some Forge+Bond tire levers, although I reckon there are plenty of other components—such as brake levers, saddle shells, and bottle cages, to name a few—that could be made from recycled FusionFiber. Before you ask, broken FusionFiber tire levers could theoretically be made into more tire levers, as the short-strand material is infinitely re-moldable.
Verdict
Compliance is important, but it’s a balancing act. Too much, and a wheelset can feel sluggish under power, but too little will see you rattling down the trail. A lot comes down to personal preference, and those looking for a stiff wheelset that isn’t punishing will get along well with the responsive and lively ride feel of Forge+Bond’s 30 AM wheelset. They feel direct and precise and suit riders who like to place tires and gain traction by loading up the wheels when riding, rather than pointing and shooting through the chaos. The 30 AM wheelset is versatile too, light and sprightly enough to be run as a fit-and-forget trail wheelset without sacrificing the durability needed when taking on enduro duties.
The sustainability storyline is an interesting side note, although being an early adopter of a material that claims to solve some of carbon’s environmental guilt – on top of the Utah-based manufacturing – is reflected in the high price. Luckily, the performance is up there with similarly premium traditional carbon options from the likes of Reserve or Reynolds, so if you are spending this sort of cash, you’re not sacrificing ride quality by choosing the more environmentally friendly option.
Tech specs: Forge+Bond 30 AM wheelset
- Price $2,199 / £578 / €685
- Sizes: 29in
- Hub options: Project321 G3, DT Swiss DT240, Industry 9 Hydra Boost (tested), Industry 9 1/1Boost
- Freehub options: XD (tested), Microspline
- Rotor options: 6 bolt, Centerlock (tested)
- Rim material: FusionFiber
- External rim width: 34mm
- Internal rim width: 38mm
- Spokes: Sapim CX-Ray, 28 front and rear
- Weight set: 1826g (29in, XD, Centerlock)
