I hadn’t planned to ride them every day. In fact, I had planned to only ride them once and let other people ride them. But, genius that I am, I forgot my ceramic brake pads and had to source some new ones which was a maddeningly difficult process given that Europe observes something in the neighborhood of 363 holidays per year.
I was more than a little apprehensive, to be honest, of riding a lightweight set of carbon wheels down the cobbles of Paris-Roubaix – let alone on three separate occasions and two days on the kasseien of Vlaanderen. At long last, I got my hands on some brake pads, but then my hopes of riding my Golden Tickets died with the harp hiss emitting from Stefano Museeuw’s back when when he took my FMB-clad Nemisis through a hole big enough to lose him in. One thing for sure, the young talent has the “Look Pro Stop at the Side of the Road in Disgust” nailed. I suppose it helps when you’ve got the Lion of Flanders as your dad and mentor.
But truth be told, the Cafe Roubaix Arenberg wheels were amazing to ride, especially on the tarmac. On the cobbles, they were noticeably less compliant than my box-rim tubs, but they more than made up for it in speed and featheriness on the tarmac bits. And that is the element we so often overlook about Roubaix: we identify so heavily with the 50km of Pavé, but we so easily forget there are 200km of tarmac to deal with as well – which is why Museeuw ultimately lost to Tchmil aboard his ill-fated Bianchi “Throne”. When judging a wheel, all these aspects must be weighed against one another.
One thing of note, however, is that on the roughest secteurs of pavé – in particular the Trenchée and Carrefour – I found it more difficult to discover my rhythm than I did last year. Could it be that the lightweight wheels bounced too much and spent too much time going up rather than forward? I find that notion easier to digest than the notion that there was something amiss with my riding.
I proclaim this knowing full well the wrath I’m sure to receive: even for the enthusiast, the carbon wheel is the future for every discipline of cycling. While my Ambrossios are much more lovable in terms of nostalgia and good-old-fashioned hardman looks, the strength and stiffness of the Roubaixs outmatched the classic box-rim of the Nemesis in every respect from weight all the way down to trueness. On the other hand, three-cross bladed spokes on a deep-dish rim are a real bitch in a Flemish crosswind.
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that drop....
This makes me a little sad but chapeau to @Dan_R for building a sound wheel. At least someone was riding them. Did the Young Lion puncture your FMBs, or taco your wheel?
I wouldn't be surprised if the rhythm issues are from the wheels. No other wheel I've ridden is as smooth as the golden tickets, probably because there is a good deal of mass in those rims. They roll over stuff great.
They looked amazing and I'm sure they were stunning to ride on the tarmac but between the Roubaixs and your disintegrating rear end you made a god awful racket on the pavé.
I would have held your wheel if I hadn't have been terrified of being caught up in a blast zone of splintered carbon.
I hope you've got someone local who can repair your FMB for you.
I am no expert (no need to agree so quickly....) but the wheel / tire choice must affect things greatly on the pavé. Last week I found myself toiling to get up to a rythym and pace of any sort once I hit the cobbles while on the asphalt I was cruising easily, so I don't think it was a fitness issue etc, just my DT Swiss road wheels and 23mm clinchers. Maybe next time I will try something different.
@strathlubnaig Ignore Frank and his new fangled ways, you've got to give the golden tickets a go if you're riding pave. They might not be as quick on the tarmac as deep section tubs but paired with good hubs they'll still whip most clinchers. The whole tubular experience is a revelation.
@sean
I didn't know they made seat posts that long....
Also no cobbles expert, but do notice that on the really rough sections of Tarmac round here, carbon rims do seem to bounce around more
@strathlubnaig
Yeah - as you saw I was riding DT Swiss hubs too and Mavic Pro clincher rims with 25mm GP4000's at 120psi/8bar. Their first ever roll on a bike was the Arenberg and that they kept together for close on 200kms of riding after that under my fat arse is a tribute to their builder at the LBS - even the Apostle said they were good wheels.
Obviously the hub, rim, tyre choice combo makes a difference but for a civilian like me beyond having strong wheels (which also look pro and fantastic) I find it hard based on my limited experience to imagine that the more exotic stuff is going to make that much of a difference to me. I was just happy to limit my losses to a single puncture and a trip to the LBS on getting back to check my hoops are good for a few more Flanders excursions.
Did you go to Flanders and Northern France to ride on tarmac, or cobblestones?
Was Frank riding at his usual 8 bars?