Actually two pair, as they couldn't be split, kind of non identical twins.
Both used Dutch M5 hubs, fitted with Phil Wood and Co bearings. Front hub is the SP version, with the flanged rear. Why? The rear SP version isn't available yet (plus read further), and while both M5 front hubs share the same weight limit (there isn't one), the SP version just looks more robust, and the top hat inserts to carry the spoke heads has a lot more material behind it. We have never heard of problems with either, but prefer to err on the side of caution. Corporate preference is towards straight pull spokes also on front wheels due to the way the stresses work, so that's another reason. It's cleaner and stiffer. Rear hubs undergo different dynamic stresses, so the way a flanged hub works is actually an advantage here. We tested this using a mixture of machinery and on the bike use, and have found the results to be consistent. The difference is small however, and wouldn't prevent us building SP rear hubs under certain conditions.
Spokes are Sapim CX-Ray. They are nice spokes, available in SP form for the front from stock, and work well with the M5 hubs (no surprise, as they come from just over the border in Belgium). Nipples are 3/16" internal aluminum.
Rims on set #1 are KinLin XR-200, their 22mm deep box section Niobium alloy model. We have these drilled for internal nipples especially for this wheelset.
Rims on set #2 are KinLin XR-270, their 27mm deep aero section Niobium alloy model. Again drilled for internal nipples, they are a rim we use a lot of.
Weight for set #1 with 24/28 spokes is 1246gm/pr. Lighter than many carbon options of "climbing" style carbon rim clinchers without the high cost associated with carbon rims.
Weight for set #2 with 20/24 spokes is 1350gm/pr. These are a great "do anything" road wheelset. Century rides, racing, even Cross. They have some aerodynamic advantage without the weight penalties normally associated in mid-deep section clincher wheels, and aren't a problem to handle in cross winds.
Both sets get our vote for contenders as wheels of the year...
Monday, August 18, 2008
Saturday, August 16, 2008
The Taiwanese are here!
Anyone who remembers Breaking Away will remember the original line. Unfortunately these days the rim choices from Italy are not so easy to get excited about. It's a shame, because back in the day you needed two hands to count off the number of different companies, now all that exists is Ambrosio and DRC (Campagnolo only offer complete wheels). While both companies make good rims, they don't get as innovative as the Taiwanese. For a good place to look, KinLin is it. See some posts below about this.
In any case, this is what a shipment of rims looks like, all 386 of them...
In any case, this is what a shipment of rims looks like, all 386 of them...
Thursday, August 14, 2008
Wheels of the Day
Is going to become Wheels of the Week. Why? Because we couldn't keep up with it, and when you build 36pr of DT Swiss 240s hubs into different wheels during the course of a week, it's hard to look at one set as being above the others. So every Monday, there will be WotW.
Staff News
We have a new Office Manager!
Autumn comes to us from the Beaumont Chamber of Commerce, where she was Director of Marketing among her many unofficial "hats".
While not a long time cyclist, she enjoys the outdoors, hiking, skiing and camping in the magnificent mountain ranges that tower above and around us. There is always a set of snow chains in the back of her truck. She was a driving force behind getting Beaumont organised to host the first stage ever seen here of the Tour of Redlands this year (2008), and has a good appreciation of the skills it takes to put on an international class cycling event and also to ride one from a spectators view (she thinks cyclists are nuts!).
Her skills and knowledge will be beneficial to us here, and also to our customers and the cyclists who use our products. While her role is simply named, we intend for her to be a driving force behind making sure the paper side of daily business is run efficiently, taking us out to a wider audience with her marketing skills, and running the shipping department (because we like people to be busy!).
Autumn comes to us from the Beaumont Chamber of Commerce, where she was Director of Marketing among her many unofficial "hats".
While not a long time cyclist, she enjoys the outdoors, hiking, skiing and camping in the magnificent mountain ranges that tower above and around us. There is always a set of snow chains in the back of her truck. She was a driving force behind getting Beaumont organised to host the first stage ever seen here of the Tour of Redlands this year (2008), and has a good appreciation of the skills it takes to put on an international class cycling event and also to ride one from a spectators view (she thinks cyclists are nuts!).
Her skills and knowledge will be beneficial to us here, and also to our customers and the cyclists who use our products. While her role is simply named, we intend for her to be a driving force behind making sure the paper side of daily business is run efficiently, taking us out to a wider audience with her marketing skills, and running the shipping department (because we like people to be busy!).
Monday, August 4, 2008
M5 Hubs
We like to use these hubs. When we are asked for lighter options than DT Swiss hubs, M5 is always the first option mentioned. Front hubs in either a straight pull spoke or regular flanged format, and a rear flanged hub make for a set of hubs that weigh only around 218gm. That's less than a rear DT Swiss 240s hub!
Some of the great things; they follow a no tools concept that makes them very simple to work on, and have a very large diameter rear axle which combines with a very large pawl - ratchet system to make things very stiff. Swapping cassette bodies is simple, and requires no redishing of the wheel. Simple hand tools are available for removing and pressing in bearings, something that can be done in a home workshop.
The flange geometries work very well, very wide front spacing allow of great front wheel lateral stiffness, yet not so wide there could be problems with spokes clearing some beefy carbon fork blades, and the rear hub is optimised for radial non drive rear spoke lacing, giving good balance of tension with a two or three cross drive side lacing. We pick the rims used with an eye to correct spoke lines with these hubs because of their spoke angles, optimising them when needed. If not done, this would lead to local stress on the rims that could cause misshaping leading to cracking, or potential for broken spokes at the threads.
Something we do change from standard, we worked with Phil Wood & Co to have their bearings available for the front hub, a size that was not previously available from them. The rear hub is fitted with Phil Wood & Co bearings also, and we believe that these bearings, from a company with a great history in the use of cartridge bearings for bicycle hub applications, only add to these terrific hubs.
Some of the great things; they follow a no tools concept that makes them very simple to work on, and have a very large diameter rear axle which combines with a very large pawl - ratchet system to make things very stiff. Swapping cassette bodies is simple, and requires no redishing of the wheel. Simple hand tools are available for removing and pressing in bearings, something that can be done in a home workshop.
The flange geometries work very well, very wide front spacing allow of great front wheel lateral stiffness, yet not so wide there could be problems with spokes clearing some beefy carbon fork blades, and the rear hub is optimised for radial non drive rear spoke lacing, giving good balance of tension with a two or three cross drive side lacing. We pick the rims used with an eye to correct spoke lines with these hubs because of their spoke angles, optimising them when needed. If not done, this would lead to local stress on the rims that could cause misshaping leading to cracking, or potential for broken spokes at the threads.
Something we do change from standard, we worked with Phil Wood & Co to have their bearings available for the front hub, a size that was not previously available from them. The rear hub is fitted with Phil Wood & Co bearings also, and we believe that these bearings, from a company with a great history in the use of cartridge bearings for bicycle hub applications, only add to these terrific hubs.
M5 Carbon Rims
M5 clincher carbon rims are coming our way.
With some unique points, like having metal strips buried BENEATH the carbon in the braking areas and spoke nipple seats, these rims have a lot of promise. The two strips buried in the braking areas reinforce the carbon walls against blowout of the from outward pressure caused by the beads when things heat up, and also move heat away and distribute it all around the rim for more efficient cooling. Local heat buildup can cause blowouts, and also rim bowing (via resin softening) in the worst possible place. This can happen on downhills or any time there is a lot of high speed braking, and high speed plus problems don't have great ways to end for the cyclist. These two strips are a great way of answering this issue.
The other strip reinforces the spoke holes, allowing for greater spoke tensions, the bane of most carbon rims. Ever seen blips in the rim walls under the nipple seats? This spreads the load over a larger area, allowing for no local high pressure spots caused by spoke tensions. Another innovative solution that M5 have developed.
Only 38mm rims have been released to date, and we are offering them built with M5's own hubs laced with Sapim CX-Ray spokes, and also DT Swiss 240s hubs laced with DT Swiss Aerolite spokes. Both are good hub/spoke options that we feel offer the most when combined with these great carbon rims.
With some unique points, like having metal strips buried BENEATH the carbon in the braking areas and spoke nipple seats, these rims have a lot of promise. The two strips buried in the braking areas reinforce the carbon walls against blowout of the from outward pressure caused by the beads when things heat up, and also move heat away and distribute it all around the rim for more efficient cooling. Local heat buildup can cause blowouts, and also rim bowing (via resin softening) in the worst possible place. This can happen on downhills or any time there is a lot of high speed braking, and high speed plus problems don't have great ways to end for the cyclist. These two strips are a great way of answering this issue.
The other strip reinforces the spoke holes, allowing for greater spoke tensions, the bane of most carbon rims. Ever seen blips in the rim walls under the nipple seats? This spreads the load over a larger area, allowing for no local high pressure spots caused by spoke tensions. Another innovative solution that M5 have developed.
Only 38mm rims have been released to date, and we are offering them built with M5's own hubs laced with Sapim CX-Ray spokes, and also DT Swiss 240s hubs laced with DT Swiss Aerolite spokes. Both are good hub/spoke options that we feel offer the most when combined with these great carbon rims.
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