We made the FTW to push downhill racing further through technical innovation. Racing is the most demanding environment for wheel performance, and therefore the best place to develop, test, and validate new ideas with real data. Every detail of the FTW exists to explore the limits of grip, roll speed, edge control, and efficiency at the highest level of competition. This direction is deeply rooted in La Paulade’s DNA. Racing has always been at the core of the brand, and competing for top results at the World Championships is part of that vision. The FTW is our platform for performance and innovation, because if we know how to build the best race wheel possible, then we should know how to build great wheels for every kind of riding.

The FTW is built for advanced riders chasing the highest level of downhill performance. It delivers extreme grip, top tier roll speed, powerful edge control, and massive stopping power designed to push racing performance further than conventional wheels. This level of performance also makes the FTW more demanding to ride. The wheel requires commitment, precision, and proper technique to fully exploit its potential. While the slides remain smooth and controllable, they are intense due to how much speed the wheel removes. Compared to our SP1 formula, the SP2 formula is also less forgiving and more prone to flat spots under mistakes or poor technique. The FTW is not designed to be an easy wheel. It is designed to unlock new riding possibilities for riders willing to push their limits.

The FTW is 81 mm tall, 74 mm wide, and poured in our 74A SP2 formula. Developed to maximise grip, edge hold, and stopping power, SP2 gives the wheel its deep “in the pavement” feel. This high level of grip also makes it less forgiving than our SP1 formula, and more sensitive to flat spots.

To compensate for the lower rebound of a high grip urethane, the FTW uses our patent pending Air Core Technology. By integrating a hollow cavity inside a two part core, we reduce rotational inertia while keeping a thin urethane layer at the centre of the contact patch. The result is faster acceleration, improved roll speed, and a sharper response, without sacrificing the urethane depth needed at the lips for cornering grip.

The outer lip is supported by our patent pending Dynamic Lip Support structure, a reinforcement system fixed into the core and extending into the urethane. It helps control lip deformation under load, giving the wheel a stronger edge feel, smoother slides, and better resistance to chunking. The outer lip is also CNC machined after curing to achieve a sharper and more precise edge than a moulded lip alone could provide.

The FTW uses an asymmetric lip design with a compensated offset, making the wheel functionally centerset while optimising each side of the wheel for its role. It is designed around modern narrow race setups, especially 105 to 115 mm hangers, with a sweet spot around 110 mm. Every part of the geometry, core, lip, and formula works together to deliver maximum race performance.

The FTW follows our batch tracking policy, meaning every production run is identified with a unique batch ID such as 227401. The first digit refers to the shape, the second to the formula generation such as SP1 or SP2, the following two digits indicate the durometer, and the last two digits correspond to the production batch number. This system gives us full traceability across every wheel we produce.

Because the FTW is a highly technical wheel with a more complex core and manufacturing process, quality tracking is especially important. We are committed to being transparent and honest about production quality and consistency. If an issue ever appears within a specific batch, we use the batch ID to identify the affected wheels quickly and work toward a solution that is fair and transparent for everyone involved.