So, I'm currently running
"OTHR" wheels on my new Ritte bike, which seems to split the difference in an interesting way.
These wheels are advertised as having a "mini-hook." They require hookless-compatible tires (no clinchers!) but have additional safety margin. From the website:
Quote:
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"MINI-HOOK: hookless style rimbed and wall strength with additional retention hook for blowoff prevention."
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So basically, they are engineered with hookless-style rims but still have a retaining hook as a fail-safe. I hope that the Ritte/OTHR crew won't mind me sharing a snippet from a private conversation:
Quote:
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"We developed these rims specifically out of concern for the lack of quality and standardization across the market. The addition of the miniature hook is an additional safety margin thing, as we're very safety conscious. You'll notice that our wheel options are pretty tight (as are the tire options) because we're vested in making sure things work. IE: these don't blow off."
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I'm currently running Vittoria Corsa PRO Control 28s with latex tubes in these wheels. They've been awesome for about 1,000 winter miles. I think this approach is interesting: optimizing the rim profile for the latest tires, but including an extra safety hook. They are super light and ride amazing so far! I appreciate their approach to wheel design (including ratchet hubs and brass nipples) and it's one of the reasons I was excited to buy the bike.