[Update 2019.03] Timeline from 2013 to 2019
In 2013 we developed our first mold with the Wild Dragon 26" 90mm wide carbon fatbike rim. (https://www.nextie.com/fatbike-wild-dragon-90mm-NXT90WD) Ryan Melnyck of lbs bikes from Canada provided the initial design concept which we adapted to our carbon fiber processes. We were surprised at the success of this product and the passion fat bikers had for a lighter, stronger solution. Three thousand wheels later we have shipped to 6 of the 7 continents and are still going strong. (Maybe someone in Antarctica will order a set so we can go 7 for 7?) With valuable customer feedback coming in from that first product, we designed and launched the Black Eagle, Snow Dragon and many more innovations for fat bikers.
2014 brought hookless rim standards. While this is a small change to the industry, it is a huge change for wheel builders. NEXTIE quickly responded with a series of MTB rims from 24 mm wide to the 50 mm Jungle Fox carbon mountain rims. While it was a challenging project to change designs so quickly, it proved to be the right decision for our riders.
In 2015 riders and new bike designs created a need for asymmetric carbon rims. The Wild Cat 38mm rim was launched and has become a NEXTIE classic. Seeing a continuing need for asymmetric rims we added new widths in 28mm, 33mm, and 45mm.
2016 was the year of the Crocodile MTB rims. This new design delivered significant weight reduction with equal, or better durability. It wasn't magic, but just smart design and better carbon fiber layup techniques as we grew our abilities in both areas.
2016 also saw the introduction of NEXTIE aero wheels for road bikes. (https://www.nextie.com/new-road-clincher) These fast rolling and stiff wheels were the design that brought NEXTIE to the forefront of high performance road bike wheels.
A third major launch in 2016 was the Tri-Spoke carbon fiber fatbike wheels. (https://www.nextie.com/fatbike-wild-dragon-90mm-NXT90WD-tri-spoke) This worldwide exclusive combined the proven Wild Dragon rim design with the rigid carbon spoke concept. The tri-spoke Black Eagle fat bike wheels in 65 and 90 mm have been a unique product in the industry and set NEXTIE apart from the crowd as a bold innovator. Rigorous trail and snow testing by our customers has brought us extremely positive rider feedback on durability, ride quality, and even the ability to shed snow in difficult conditions.
2017 was a pivotal year for NEXTIE leadership in carbon fiber technology. Adding the ability to layup T800 carbon fiber for better rigidity and even lighter weight created new Ultralight edition MTB rims. This next generation technology once again put NEXTIE at the front of the pack in a very competitive category of the cycling industry.
2018 we realized that even the greatest carbon fiber wheels in the world had to connect better with customers to deliver the expected level of service. This started a series of upgrades to the website, our communications, and even simple things like delivering complete wheelsets.
2018 also saw the introduction of a new series of Xiphias (Swordfish) single wall fat bike rims in 26 and 27.5 with widths from 65mm to 105mm. That pretty much gave NEXTIE the fattest collection of fatbike wheels anywhere – as long as you're okay with carbon fiber!
As if that wasn't enough to keep our small team of enthusiasts busy, we added a series of Gravel Grinder wheels to our collection in 2018. We kept hearing about this new phenomenon, but had no idea how big it really was at first. Now we hope to see NEXTIE logos rolling up to the podiums at Dirty Kanza, the Boulder Roubaix, or gravel Fondos around the world. (Send pictures!)
2019 is the year of the road bike rim innovation. New research on a molded-in braking surface has yielded improvements to braking performance. The data indicates a major step up in real world performance from basalt, high TG, or graphene braking surfaces. NEXTIE is at the cutting edge of this innovation.
And if you're going to build the best wheels in the world, they have to look the best as well. So 2019 has brought upgrades to the logos and finishing processes for NEXTIE wheels. We think they now look as good as they feel on your bike.