We can’t knock the Ibis 942 in terms of quality but it’s a high price. And six bolt disc option and narrower rim width might be the better for most riders.

We tested the previous version of this wheelset and while the quality was impeccable, we felt the rim was far too stiff. We don’t know if Ibis recognized this but it has made changes to the rim profile in an attempt to create a softer, more forgiving ride. The new 942 rim is much shallower at 19.5mm, which according to Ibis helps distribute the loads of localized impacts like rock strikes or hard landings.
The rim is fully tubeless ready with the sealing tape pre-installed. Fitting tubeless tyres was reasonably easy but with this 40mm rim (35mm internal) releasing the tyres was harder than any of the other rims we’ve tested.

For most riders the narrower 35mm option may be better

Ibis doesn’t make hubs so specs top-quality Industry Nine Torch hubs. The I9 cassette features a 60t ratchet with six pawls the engagement and pick-up is truly amazing. Both Shimano and SRAM XD drivers are available but for some reason Ibis has opted for I9 hubs with Centre Lock disc mounts. This splined interface is great if you run a Shimano brake but if you don’t you’ll a six-bolt adapter, which adds weight and cost.

At 40mm the 942 wheelset has the widest rim on test and it has some obvious advantages – there’s more sidewall support, so you can run lower pressures to improve braking traction, it’s also stronger and stiffer. It all sounds great but wide rims can also feel a little bit lifeless and, while the new 942 is lot more for forgiving, when we back-to-backed it with the Mavic XA Pro Carbon it didn’t feel as responsive. The Ibis 942 is incredibly stable but you just get a bit more feedback with the Mavic. However, Ibis does produce a 935 with a 35mm rim (29mm internal) and this may be the one to go for if you want a bit more feel.

We can’t knock the Ibis 942 in terms of quality, it really is a superb carbon wheelset but it has a high price. We also think a six bolt disc option and a narrower rim width might be the better option for a majority of riders.