There was a time when bicycles were lovingly handmade by artisans who themselves loved the sport more than those for whom they built the machines. Lugs were filed to become Luggs; chain and seat stays were beautifully chromed for durability despite the grams it added to the frame’s final weight; spokes were chosen for their purpose and laced to hubs and rims in a pattern that suited the specific purpose the wheel was intended to serve. Throughout the process – from building the frame to manufacturing of the components – extra care was taken to make every element of the bicycle beautiful; these bicycles, when you are in their presence, radiate La Vie Velominatus.
As was customary at the time, components would be pantographed and frames repainted and rebranded, leaving behind little evidence of their origin. But hidden in the components and frames were symbols that the manufacturers stamped into their wares to preserve their identity; Colnago their Fiore, Cinelli their C, and Campa their Shield. These symbols have come to hold great meaning within the sport and we of a certain ilk scour the photos of our heroes’ bikes for evidence of their existence.
For a variety of reasons including cost, proprietary tube-shapes, and repeatability of production, these practices have largely died away in mainstream bicycle manufacturing; in fact, nearly every element in the art of bicycle building that requires attention and skill is slowing being eliminated from the craft. Ahead-set stems have replaced the need for a carefully adjusted headset and stem, sealed-bearing bottom brackets and hubs have eliminated the subtle touch required to hold a race in place with one hand while tightening the assembly with the other. By and large, the machines and riders are stronger than the terrain they race over, leaving little practical need for the attention to detail and customization that once came as a matter of course.
There is, however, one magical week of racing where the terrain is still stronger than the riders: the cobbled classics of de Ronde van Vlaanderen and Paris-Roubaix. This is the one week during which the Pros still require highly customized machines and we, as fans, can scour the photos of our heroes’ kit, looking for the symbols tucked away in the components to discern their origins. One such symbol is the brass badge affixed to the valve-hole on Ambrosio rims.
These rims are chosen by the Specialists for their strength on the stones regardless of what wheel sponsorship obligations might exist within the team. Their mystique is further deepened for those of us living in the States because they aren’t available here. It follows, then, that the Golden Ticket, as I call it, is something I’ve coveted for as long as I can remember (which, admittedly, isn’t very long and, upsettingly, keeps getting less long) but have never had a good enough reason to justify procuring from Europe. But Keepers Tour, Cobbled Classics 2012 provided the perfect justification to go about finding a set and I wasted no time in doing so. Upon arrival, the rims spent the better part of two weeks sitting in my living room or next to my bed, patiently waiting for me to pick them up and rub my thumb over the badge, just to reassure myself they were still there.
Not long after the rims arrived, I excitedly loaded a picture of Boonen in the 2010 Ronde and turned the laptop to show my VMH.
Frank: Hey, what do you see.
VMH: Boonen. Goddamn, he’s a stud. Don’t let me too close to him; I can’t be responsible for my actions.
Frank: What about his wheels.
VMH: What?
Frank: Don’t you see? He’s got my rims.
VMH: You can’t possibly know that.
Frank: Openly shows his exasperation by groaning audibly and rolling his eyes. Yes, I do. Check it. You can see the Golden Ticket on his back wheel. Its obvious as shit. What’s wrong with you?
VMH: Sighs, pours another glass of wine. Exits stage left. Hopefully not for good.
*Coincidentally, on the same day that this article was being written, Inrng published a similar (better) article on a related subject of hand-built wheels. Well worth the read: The Dying Art of Wheelbuilding
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@xyxax
I think the factory Ardennes are 24/28 hole. C2 are the same rim as Ardennes and available in a range of holeage.
@xyxax
I've built up both the C2s and A23s (32 3x f/r with DT Comps). I like the Hed's a little better; stiffer (they have a taller profile), built up with less tweaking of the spokes) and I think they look better with the Belgian graphics. Having said that, the A23s are a very nice rim as well. Both built up to even spoke tensions. The Heds feel a hair stiffer on the road -- probably the profile.
fyi G'rilla, wider tires still get wider on the 23 mm rims; my Open Paves measure 24 on my Kinlins and almost 26 on the A23s.
@xyxax
I've only ridden the A23s on knobby cyclocross tires. I'll post in a few weeks when I've ridden them on my road bike with slicks.
@gaswepass
I'm using BB7 disc brakes on front and back. It's my first cross bike so I haven't ever ridden cantilever brakes and can't really compare them. Disc brakes seem to require a bunch of fine tuning, otherwise they rub when the smallest bit of dirt gets in there. And the tolerances between pad and rotor or so small that the back wheel rubs the brake whenever I stand up to sprint.
They do have a traditional braking surface in addition to the disc rotor on the hub. I'm thinking of trying a disc on the front and canti on the back (to avoid the extra brake rub on the back).
I was able to ride a bunch of downhill sections that other people walked on. And the braking is pretty strong. On dry days I can easily lock up the back wheel if I want to. On rainy/muddy days it's a little less but I never worry about being able to stop.
@teleguy57
Thanks for the details. The Velocity A23 graphics are almost as bad as Cervelo's graphic design. If the HEDs are stiffer and look better, it sounds like they would be worth checking out.
So if I buy 25mm tires, they'll go out to 27mm on a wider rim?
@Nate
Yes, you're absolutely right. I got lost thinking of a build. My DT Swiss R1900s are 20/24 (2X) and I've broken 3 spokes and dented the rim on the rear wheel in the recent past (which may be due to rider/tensioning issues as much as a 93 kg guy on a 24-spoke rear wheel). I am still debating on the feasibility of 24/28 of the Ardennes CT but they would be my ideal choice in this type of wheel.
@teleguy57
@G'rilla
Cheers, gents. Awaiting the ride report, the feedback is really helpful. I certainly agree about the look. Can I ask what hubs you used? There's a wheel-building class in my neighborhood. No time like the present.
Why the sudden obsession over wider tires everywhere? I'm not talking about for cobbles, as that makes sense. Hasn't 23mm been more or less the standard, and for some reason?
@xyxax
I have stock Velocity hubs. I ordered the wheels custom built through the LBS so I didn't build them myself. At about the same time I bought some Revolution climbing wheels and they are about to offer a wide rim build, too.
@DerHoggz
Some research suggests that wider tires may have less rolling resistance.
@DerHoggz
And comfort. I went up to 25s this summer and felt like I was rolling on clouds"”and this after a summer of tar and chip paving going down all over the place around here.
@G'rilla
@Dr C
G'rilla, Dr C, as a final reference on decent Roubaix clinchers here is a velosnooz bit that likes the Conti 4 season and Michelin Optimum Pro tires. I have been using Michelin for years and I must say they are generally excellent.
@Oli
Thanks for that. FdJ has also used road tubeless on P-R but I could never get any information on how successful they were. Successful enough as I never heard they were all standing by the side of the first cobbled section.
@Gianni
This gets even more confusing for years, for this simple cyclist, there were only clinchers, then there were tubulars and now tubeless! How about some run flats like my mate's BMW?