Thesis Wheel Guide: Checklist and Assembly
Thesis wheels are hand-built and digitally checked to ensure even tensioning, roundness, and true for maximum stiffness, strength, and longevity.
Wheelsets include:
- Tubeless tape [pre-installed]
- Tubeless valvestems [pre-installed]
- Valve core removal tool
- Cassette spacer (for Shimano-style 11spd MTB cassette on Shimano-style 11spd Road freehub body)
Wheel packages additionally include:
- Tires
- Cassette
- Rotors
- Tubeless sealant [(2) 60ml bottles]
Assembly Instructions
- Remove the valve core from each valve stem using the valve core removal tool (included).
- If mounting your own tires, use a compressor to seat the beads, then release the air.
- Add the recommended amount of sealant to each tire via the now open valvestem.
- Re-install each valve core using the valve core removal tool.
- Air up tires to around 20psi.
- Rotate the wheel and flip it side to side to evenly distribute sealant.
- Air tires up to your preferred pressure, being sure not to exceed the maximum for each:
- For Thesis Ultra-Wide 650B, maximum pressure is 40PSI.
- For Thesis Aero-Wide 700C, maximum pressure is 90PSI.
- If installing your own rotors, be sure to grease the lockring threads and torque lockring to 35-40Nm.
- If installing your own cassette, be sure to add the cassette spacer if needed, grease the lockring threads, and torque lockring to 35-40Nm.
- Clean rotors with a clean cloth and isopropyl alcohol.
Questions?
We're in this together, and we'll be here for you. Reach out to us any time.
Frequently Asked Questions
Short answer: it’s far lower than most people think.
We created the guide below as a starting point for determining ideal tire pressures for your particular body, terrain, and riding style. Off-road, the goal is to run low enough for optimal traction and shock-absorption, but high enough to prevent rim impacts over rough terrain. On road, the goal is to minimize rolling resistance and vibration-induced fatigue.
In both cases, because more of your mass will be distributed over the rear axle, consider running your front tire 5-8% lower for improved traction and comfort.
You’ll may notice that our recommended road pressures are substantially lower than what you may be used to with traditional 23/25/28mm tubed tires. Testing has shown that such wider rim/tire combinations offer superior rolling resistance relative to narrower combos. While running pressures that are slightly lower than our recommendations can improve traction and comfort with little-to-no impact on rolling efficiency, running higher than recommended pressures will reduce efficiency along with traction and comfort.
It is completely normal in the beginning for tubeless tires to slowly leak air while the sealant works its magic. The same thin but robust sidewalls that provide such a smooth and efficient ride also have micro-pores that need to be filled, so it is entirely normal for a bit of sealant to weep through during the sealing process.
The best course of action is to ride. The sealant will foam up as it sloshes around, and riding continuously bathes the sidewalls in sealant in a way that a quick shake and spin during assembly cannot. Just be sure to bring a pump, tube, and 6mm hex wrench (for the thru-axles) just in case, as is good practice for all of your rides.