FSA Gradient i30 Carbon Wheels

FSA components occasionally bubble to the surface and capture our attention, but I haven't seen them much in recent years. In fact, we haven't tested anything from the company since 2019. I've used something though; an FSA headset came stock on the Norco Range VLT C1 I tested recently. Unfortunately, the FSA No. 55 began to feel notchy and tight in under a year. I haven't taken it apart yet to see if it can be salvaged but it's disappointing that I even have to deal with that after such a short span.

So far my experience with these wheels has been much better. The rims have stayed very true, despite me overshooting* their recommended use by primarily using them on the aforementioned 55+ lb long travel eMTB and riding the snot out of them for months and months.

*and overshooting and casing many transitions

FSA Gradient i30 Wheelset Features (from FSA)

• New i30 variable height hookless carbon rim
• special carbon layup and rim design to increase compliance
• Asymmetric rim, 24mm depth x 37mm width x 30mm ID
• 22-24mm variable height rim for increased ride quality*
• 4mm asymmetric spoke bed for equal spoke tension
• 28h direct pull double butted spokes with brass nipples
• PRS (Power-Ratchet System) X-900 hubs with 72pt engagement
• ISO 6 bolt compatibility
• Superwide walls (3,5mm) to reduce pinch flats
• Tire insert compatible
• 1869g per pair

I am not a high engagement aficionado. I'd rather have some insurance against suspension interference related to chain growth than immediate ratcheting capabilities, but these high engagement hubs didn't seem to interfere with suspension performance on the Norco Range VLT with its high pivot and idler layout. I had some time on the wheels on the Kona Process 153 tester as well, again without noticing any detriment, but that was only a couple of rides. If you like high engagement, these deliver with fanfare; out of the box the mechanism lets everyone know you are coasting fast, or slow. I added some Dumonde Tech low resistance grease, formulated for free hubs, and they became much quieter and more to my liking.

Inside the mechanism you have three parts; a large spring, a moving star mechanism that threads into position when your pedals are engaged, and a slide in mate for the sliding star mechanism. The nice thing about this design is that each part seems to be replaceable.* Many modern hubs have the ratchet teeth machined into the hub body, meaning your wheel is toast when that fails. If FSA supports the product (I am waiting on an answer about this) these should be well insured against failure. They are also covered by lifetime warranty, the details of which I was unable to confirm.

*I haven't yet been able to determine if FSA will carry those parts for consumers

Straight Pull Spokes

Eliminating the elbow of a spoke, where it bends in order make the turn towards the rim, makes a lot of engineering sense. The elbow is a common failure point because of the stresses being concentrated in that area. Straight pull spokes are also easier to lace, because you don't need to weave them through the other spokes as you get to the end of your build and they are much easier to replace if needed. You can often swap in a straight pull spoke without removing your rotor or cassette. If you are careful, and your nipple is still in good shape, you might be able to get away without removing your tire and rim tape as well. Builders sometimes say it's easier to get uniform tension with straight pull spokes. J-bend wheels also have a longer bed in process as the spokes find their homes in the hub flange. When you remove the spokes from a conventional hub, you'll notice that the spokes have wormed their way into the aluminum to create hollows, as the spoke becomes tensioned, trued and ridden. This does not occur with straight pull hubs because the spoke holes point directly toward the nipple. In general, this also means a new wheel must be built with the same cross pattern as the original when using J-bend spokes.

The but is a big one though; straight pull spokes are often proprietary* and rarely carried in significant numbers in bike shops. If you need a new spoke in Oaxaca or Kathmandu, you are likely SOL. Even in Whistler, North Van, or Moab you are likely going to have to phone around. Many big shops have spoke machines that cut and thread spokes so if they have long, or blank straight pull spokes you'll be okay. Unlike many wheels with straight pull spokes, these did not ship with spares.

*The FSA Gradient spokes do not appear to be proprietary.

I am also curious about what happens with straight pull spokes during a big impact. J bend spokes will resist the impact at the elbow, providing some resistance to the forces exerted on the rim. I assume that straight pull spokes simply extend upward through their spoke holes because there is nothing to stop them from doing so. Does this make for a more compliant-feeling wheel or less stiffness? Armchair (and real) engineers feel free to chime in.

Rim Tape Ate My Family

I do as much of my own bike work as I can. Okay, that's not entirely true because I have enlisted Topher at Obsession Bikes to build a couple of wheels recently, but otherwise I roll up my sleeves. Of all the jobs I do, wrapping rim tape is probably my least favourite. I'd rather install an eMTB Cushcore in an XC tire or push cable through a headset and the rest of a frame than wrap on some new rim tape, especially on a new rim. Generally though, I get the job done. That was not the case here.

It's like these FSA rims were made of Teflon because nothing I did would help the FSA-branded Stan's rim tape do its job and actually stick to the rim. I pulled and stretched and waited and pressed and nothing worked. I got out the Isopropyl and scrubbed to no effect. The next move was more extreme; it was time for some moderately aggressive abrasiveness. I pulled out a Scotch Brite pad, thinking that anything else I had would be too damaging, and got to gently scrubbing.

And, you guessed it. Nada, zilch, fuck all. After running out of ideas, I tried the definition of insanity; doing the same thing over and over again and hoping for a different result, and eventually I got there. Strangely, I had a similar experience recently with a replacement for a previous generation ENVE M6 that was destroyed because of rider error. I had to leave for Sea Otter before finding a solution to that one, after going through the steps mentioned above using Stan's tape.

Final Countdown

Aside from my rim tape ordeal, these wheels have been solid gold. The star ratchet mechanism has been reliable and high performing and has the high engagement some of you appreciate.

After smashing both wheels into anything I could find for months, the front wheel is dead straight and the rear could maybe use a couple of quarter turns with a spoke key, but I haven't bothered yet because the wobble is so inconsequential.

I haven't noticed any negatives about the feel. They track accurately and deal with torsional situations with very little deflection and I haven't noticed any excess force being transferred to my hands.

1.500 EUR/ 1420 USD/ 1500 GBP (CAD pricing not available at press time)

FSA Gradient i30 Wheels