Its hard to say precisely where the line lays, but I’m certain I’m well on the wrong side of it. I never notice lines as I pass over them but I can usually tell after I have because it feels suddenly liberating to leave reason, sensibility, and convention behind. I find them very restrictive – claustrophobic, almost. They force me into the same old way of thinking, always within a set of parameters of what is accepted. Parameters are a good thing, to be sure – especially for everyone else – but since I wasn’t involved in defining The Universal Limits of Reason and Sensibility, I can’t be sure they’re calibrated correctly so I prefer to roam freely and am quite satisfied to be considered crazy for the time being.
Just like most of us, I started down La Vie Velominatus rolling along on the wheels my first bike arrived with. I trusted them to be indestructible and always carry me about safely. Then one day while racing my friend, I locked up the back wheel coming into a corner too hard and destroyed it, the illusion of The Indestructible Wheel riding up the road alongside the friend I had only moments earlier been locked in shoulder-to-shoulder battle with. It was also at this precise moment that I faced the reality that a wheel is not only destructible, but a basic element facilitating productive locomotion aboard a bicycle.
I spent the next month shingling the roof of my family’s cabin in Northern Minnesota earning the money to buy a replacement wheel. And, having recently shingled a roof, I was suddenly a Shingling Authority, discussing in depth the merits of choice in color, material, and shingle pattern of every roof I passed by. Similarly, upon having been subjected to the myriad choices of replacement wheel, after purchasing my replacement wheel, I was a new inductee into the The Order of the Wheel and noticed (and commented upon) every bicycle wheel that passed me by. Due more to the volume of by observations than their merit, I was soon thereafter indulged by my Cycling Sensei – my father – to help him curate the wheels for his custom Eddy Merckx.
At the time, choices were more limited than they are today; quality of hub varied greatly, as did the rims, spokes, and tires. Everything was limited to an alloy of some kind, though you could have any spoke pattern you wanted, as long as it was 3-cross. At the time there was also a choice between tubular and clincher, which was a relatively new option. We labored over the choices and wound up having two wheelsets built – one clincher and aero; one box-section and tubular – a choice I stand by today.
That was my awakening, but nevertheless, I have throughout my life as a Velominatus had only one wheelset per bike. The lightest for Bike #1. Whenever Bike #n came into play, it received its own wheelset; as with all the other parts on Bikes #2…n; a hand-me-down from Bike #n-1’s upgrade. (Using the Hand-Me-Down Upgrade Methodology, a single upgrade improves not just one bicycle, but several – with the added benefit of filling a longer period of time moving bits from one noble steed to the next.)
It was only recently, during preparation for the 2012 edition of Keepers Tour over the cobbles of Northern France and Vlaanderen, that I took my own place in the realm of the Specialty Wheelset – which also afforded me another of those moments when I was strangely aware of having crossed one of Those Lines. After all, a big, fat Dutchman can’t be expected to ride over the pavé of Paris-Roubaix – unleashing the awesome wattage of his artillery – on just any old wheelset; certainly not any of those wheels which I already owned. This called for a set of wheels purpose-built for the occasion. Rims, hubs, spokes, and tires were selected with great care and assembled (four times) in a wine-enhanced rite.
Riding these wheels is a pleasure highlighted by the fact that I don’t always ride them. They hang on the workshop wall in a wheel bag, waiting for the Right Occasion to ride them. Those occasions are often anticipated several days – if not weeks – in advance and deliberated over carefully. Then, when the choice is finally made to pop them in for the ride, I wrap myself in the delta between my regular wheels and these. This contrast, like the negative space in a great painting, is the area in which I dwell while riding them. The difference in tire type, width, spoke pattern, weight. The way the wheel feels when the pedal is engaged. The way the wheels and tires flex over a bump in the road or hug the pavement in a corner.
I’ve since embarked on a journey to get each road bike in the house – mine as well as the VMH’s – on the same drive train in order to be able to maximize the wheel-swapping effect. Each wheel is a new language, each tire a new dialect, and inner tube a new turn of phrase. To paraphrase the nursery rhyme: one for sorrow, two for joy, three for hills and four for stones.
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View Comments
@scaler911
Might be thinking of Aerospoke wheels, iirc they were moulded plastic things.Still available because hipsters like to use them on fixies (so they can unco-ordinate their colours, yo), they wegh about 2kg. Each. They still break too:
@gaswepass I'm gradually building what will be my #1 set of wheels for just over $700. White Industries MI16CX rear hub, HED Belgium tubular rims, CX-Ray spokes.
Right now I only have the rear hub. The rims arrived today. I'll let you know how it goes!
@G'rilla
Sounds pretty cool. After 2 races my rear carbon tub went outta true, necessitating reglue (recessed spoke). My ancient "NOS" cosmic pros (bomber but heavy) got glued to a set o grifos that came from a bad lot- the treads are delaminated and are going to be warrantied. Racing on a set of dura ace 7700 hubs laced 3x to mavic classics w older grifos. Gonna go back to carbons one more time then next time outta true (if it happens quickly) done w/ em for cx. It would be nice to go a bit lighter than those older wheels without the carbon headaches. Curious to hear your 'sperience when it happens...
@gaswepass
One think I love about my Zipps is the spokes use standard nipple and they are exposes normally, so I can just true them (not that I ever need to) with the same tools I use to build my wheels. Lovely.
I'm not sure why people are recessing the nipples; wind tunnel test have shown that because the nipple travels in the slipstream of the rim, there's a negligible aero benefit to doing that.
The Richters which I expect to receive today, I believe, also have exposed nips. That will be very helpful after they inevitably go wobbly.
@DavidI
*shudder*
@frank
Awesome looking wheels. Looking forward to the report.
The thing about the carbon wheels, to me, is i dont think i can emotionally handle breaking 2k$ wheels (when much less expensive do a similar job) at my performance/competition level. Fortunately the arms race at master c is more clincher v tub, gettin the pressure right, mebbe carbon v alloy frame. So, i wont lose much worse based on that. And not judging anyone who wants to race on zipps or more esoteric- more power to em! I know i break shit, thats just too much for a disposable (until i get my sponsored contract next season...).
The other thing is I'm not sure whats ideal in cx racing, absent carbon deep dish rims w disc hubs from hope or ck. the study as i recall was a benefit at 40kph and mebbe also in deep deep sand but only for some people. And once again, even if it is te best i am drawing line at budget for me. I am looking for the combo of unassailable hub internals, bomb proof build and light and truable without disassembly.
Now for road racing, carbon much different deal, and much more interested in that. Xmas is coming....
@frank First, thanks for the shout outs. And reposting a wheel in progress really helps my ego too! I hope they arrive in time as I spent $160 to get them there for the weekend! And I hope they don't suck.
All, as I have been away from the laptop - yes, building some wheels, trying to get the web store designed, chasing my 4 year old around...oh, yeah, I just refinished my bench top too, so between the linseed oil and varnish in the shop, I am probably the walking stoned. But since this is all about the most important part of the bike, a close second is the front derailleur, and I am in the start-up of my own little hoop operation, here are more than V points from my little melon...
I - the essence of the wheel is the spokes. Then the hubs, then the rims. Everything about the spokes - strength, flex, brand (its SapEEM bitches), lacing, tension, lube for the nipples, these elements are what untimately make a great wheel over a good wheel. For your viewing pleasure, as set of vintage rebuilds with a crowfoot pattern...
II - Rims, carbon and alloy both make great wheels, just as box and aero. Just remember than anything over 30mm deep and you will feel the cross winds. May not hurt your Spartacus rinding ass, but you will at least feel it.
III - NO matter where it was manufactured, by whatever great or shitty brand, it can and has failed. Sometimes, not even because the Cat 5 superstar smashes it against the curb looking for his results! Love that!
IV - Why buy it if youi ain't gonna ride it.
V - HTFU
VI - I love wheels. I am riding one of my own set of 38mm tubs right now. For carbon tubs, since clean up is such a bitch, I recommend using tufo tape and tufo tubs. That said, Veloflex and FMB are the bomb, Conti makes a carbon specific glue. If you are using carbon CX, Belgian glue them - YouTube it, but it is glue-tape-glue. And Belgian.
VII - Handbuilt over factory, however, if you go with factory, Shimano, Campag, and Mavic are tough to beat. I will ride a set of 1900g Mavic Cosmic Elites (32mm alloy rim) on some horrible Alberta roads. And with just a 20/20 spoke count, they are strong and stiff. Heavy as a fat bitch going up Kootenay Pass a couple of years ago - my box still hurts just thinking about it.
VIII - As Frank has mentioned, he will be testing a set of CX wheels and some climbing wheels for me. Since I want to launch a good line-up of wheels, I really need the good, the bad, and the ugly from the reviews. Of course, I am terrified and excited all at the same time, but good feedback will only help what will be my standard line of wheels. I want to get up and running soonish, however, the realities of nearing the end of the season here in Canada, if all goes well, I will be able to offer a pre-order for the start of next season. Of course, I will be offering a standard line of my own wheels (alloy and carbon) - built here in Canada, but there will be options for custom wheels too using some of the best brands out there. I am going to offer the typical sundry items that are related to wheels too - tubulars/tires, tubes, pads and some clothing too. Oh, and the V will be a part of things too, but I will let Frank talk about that once he breaks my wheels. More to follow once we have more worked out!
PS - NEVER use latex tubes in carbon clinchers!
@frank can't wait for those to go into production.
@gaswepass
Unless you have deep mud and sand to ride through on your CX circuit, I would go with low profile alloy wheels in your case. We have some dudes in Master Slow Sport riding Enve tubs, but our tracks are dry and hard, thus brutal on wheels. And nobody cries about tacoed 550s...
@Oli
@DavidI
Thanks for the reply, but those aren't it. The ones @Oli posted are close, but not the right ones. They're shitty spokes anyway, so I'm thinking I'll just use DB SS spokes.
on phone so hard to find who said it exactly, but i have some busted up hed stinger 6 wheels. the hubs in them are still fanny tastic. if anyone wants them, just let me know
flamme rouge. shimanko splinedd. 18x24. maybe 800¥ on them. barely broken in. not too many 18h rims out there, that might be tricky to find outside of velocity.