Carbon wheels on the 29er

With temps still hovering around the -2C mark, a fat bike with a crapped-out rear hub that can't be fixed (requiring a frame replacement; long story), and a refreshed motorcycle chomping at the bit for warmer days, I've almost run out of things to putter on in the shop. After my last trail ride in the fall, my 29er just sat as it came off the bike rack--much to the surprise of a riding buddy who dropped by. He knows me as someone who meticulously maintains my gear, and here was my sweet ride, all covered in filth.

Time for a rebuild. After a complete strip to bare frame, which I cleaned and waxed, each part was cleaned, inspected, and serviced; suspension disassembled and oil changed; and wheels taken apart with all the old tire sealant cleaned out. The XM401's I built a couple seasons ago have held up perfectly, but I also built a second set of carbon wheels with my own Rugged Wheels premium asymmetric rims last winter, on a set of 28-hole DT Swiss 240 hubs with straight-pull DT Comp spokes. Swapping to these carbon wheels shaved a pound off the ride and they feel amazing! Total bike is now 26 lbs for a large frame. Not bad for a 5 year old bike.

I have a few more carbon wheel sets for road bikes in stock, selling at a ridiculously low price to clear them out. Wheels and tires are really one of the best upgrades you can make on two wheels, and the performance enhancement is immediately noticeable.

Now to wait for the trails to dry out!

Rugged Wheels on Facebook

Just launching a Facebook page for my custom wheel building business, Rugged Wheels. Been busy with customer orders and testing new products over the last few months. I'm selling sample wheel sets at a considerable discount. These reflect combos I built up as part of setting up my ordering system, tooling, etc. All are ready to ride and in new condition, although some may have very minor cosmetic flaws that won't affect performance/durability. Will also be listing some slightly-used odds and ends that I tested along the way. Gotta clear out the shop for more stuff!

Dualsport Diary will continue to be where I post articles and reviews.

Road wheel upgrade: DT Swiss 350 hubs with RR411 rims

In 2003 I had the good fortune of being able to order my first full-custom road bike, where price wasn't the main consideration. After test-riding various options in titanium, carbon, and aluminum frames, I decided on a Canadian-made Marinoni Delta Xtra built around a Columbus Airplane tube set with a Columbus carbon fork and rear triangle, DuraAce transmission and brakes, FSA carbon cranks, bars, and seat post, and a set of Mavic Ksyrium Elite wheels. Custom painted and decaled in Ferrari red, it was a pretty trick bike for the time, weighing a respectable 17 lbs for a 58cm frame. Since then I've ridden it thousands of kilometers each year, getting in long slow mileage to build fitness base.

Here's me with Guiseppe Marinoni, the legendary frame-builder who made my bike in his Montreal shop, just before a ride in 2016. Pepe was in Almonte to promote a film about his extraordinary career, called "The Fire in the Frame". It's a must-see, even if you're not much of a cyclist. Pepe holds the world hour record for his age, so it was a real honor to ride with him (and keep up!) on a short tour around the local countryside.

Anyway, all this to say that those lovely Ksyrium Elite wheels, despite having performed flawlessly through my abuse over rough country roads, are finally showing their age. Tonight's inspection revealed two fatigue cracks in the rear rim at the nipple holes. Not surprising: this gracious warning is how you want your wheels to fail, rather than via some catastrophe that ends in a hospital holiday.

These are finicky wheels to build and service, and parts ain't cheap. So it was time to decommission the Mavics. Maybe they'll become a winter rebuild project.

Fortunately, I recently built a set of road wheels for a customer and thought it would be a good idea to build a second set at the same time, just in case I needed them myself:

These wheels consist of DT Swiss 350 straight pull hubs laced to DT Swiss RR411 rims with DT Comp spokes and ProLock aluminum nipples. 24 spokes up front and 28 in the rear. Weight is 710g front, 900g rear--just 40g more than the Ksyriums but at about 1/2 the price. Also, they are a tubeless setup. With 25mm tubeless tires and DT skewers, final weight is comparable to the Kysyriums running 23mm tires with tubes.

Unfortunately, I discovered that the rear clearance in my frame is probably too tight for a 25mm tires,  so for now I'm running a 23mm in the rear and 25mm up front.

A short test ride shows they ride flawlessly and are holding air well. A little more shaking with sealant and they should be good for a long ride this Easter weekend. Weather even looks great! 

Update (next day): Went for a 20km test ride and found the Continental 4000 really doesn't like to hold air. Back wheel was fine (used a different tire), but the front leaked like a sieve when I checked it under water. Couldn't get it sealed so reverted to tubes. Will need to research a tubeless-ready tire. At least the valve stem and rim area sealed perfectly. 

Coming soon: I've placed my next order for my Rugged Wheels custom carbon rims and will be building some slick 29er wheel sets for mountain biking, using 350 hubs and an asymmetric profile.

Rugged Wheels: Carbon fat bike wheels

Pretty excited by these wheels I just built on the weekend: my custom carbon 80mm rims on DT Swiss Big Ride hubs with DT Competition spokes. Tubeless setup; rear hub converts to 190/197mm with simple swap of end-caps.


Will be offering this build as part of my regular wheel set packages. Pricing to come!

New carbon road wheels

As part of my Rugged Wheels packages I'm offering two carbon wheel sets.

The first is a 38mm rim with DT Swiss 350 disc brake hub (centre lock or ISIS), laced with DT Competition straight-pull spokes and ProLock nipples. This is aimed at cyclocross or gravel riding.

The second wheel set is a 60mm deep rim with a DT Swiss 240 hub (Shimano or SRAM), laced with bladed spokes and ProLock nipples. I'm still trying to work out a reliable supply of spokes but my goal is to offer DT Aero Comp in straight-pull. This is a rim-brake wheel aimed at TT or regular road use. The braking surface is basalt and the wheel includes special pads for either Shimano or Campagnolo brakes.

Both wheel sets are built tubeless-ready.

Optional end caps are available to convert between thru-axle and QR, and DT Swiss skewers are available as well.

For more information and pricing, contact your local bike shop or Rebec & Kroes or Almonte Bicycle Works.

29+ wheels for your fat bike

Bike shops I've spoken with report that if someone's planning on having just one mountain bike, increasingly it's a fat bike. In Eastern Ontario where I live, this is definitely a trend because it lets you squeeze more fun out of winters that are becoming more unpredictable for freeze/thaw and snow.

Fat tires are great in snow and other soft conditions, but are overkill for summer riding. One solution is to get a second set of wheels with a narrow rim that let you run 3" tires. This combo can shave a few pounds off your wheels compared to a standard fat setup. More importantly, reducing the rotating weight improves handling and acceleration, making a ponderous fat bike feel almost sprightly on summer trails.

This is a wheel set I'm offering as a solution. Hubs are the excellent DT Swiss Big Ride, running 150mm x 15mm thru-axle in front and 190mm x 12mm thru-axle in the rear. The rear hub is easily converted to 197 mm wide by swapping optional end caps, and both Shimano and SRAM XD freehubs are available. Note that in the picture the front wheel shows a centre-lock disc brake mount and the rear an ISIS (6-bolt) mount. ISIS mount will be standard on both.

Rims are DT Swiss XM481, which is a robust yet lightweight option for all-mountain use. Spokes are DT Competition butted with ProLock aluminum nipples. Wheels are tubeless-ready.

For more information and pricing, contact your local bike shop, e.g. Rebec & Kroes or Almonte Bicycle Works.

Custom bicycle spokes

One of the latest additions to my shop is a gorgeous Morizumi spoke machine. This elegantly designed and made tool allows me to cut and thread custom spoke lengths, an important capability when building wheels as so many different lengths are needed. As part of this toolset I also acquired a Mitutoyo digital tensiometer which has demonstrated excellent measurement consistency in wheel building.

Cut and thread quality with the Morizumi is actually superior to that on OEM spokes I've inspected, although there's a bit of an art to set up and use the tool. 

Here's a sample of spokes threaded while experimenting with different techniques. The curvature is optical distortion from the jeweler's loupe positioned in front of my cell phone lens--not an actual bend in the spoke. 

Here's an almost perfect thread in a 2.0 mm straight-gauge, stainless steel DT Swiss spoke. The Morizumi applies about 9-10 mm of thread. 

And here's a sample board I made up while trying different threading techniques and set-ups. Once it's dialed, each spoke comes out perfect.

As part of my Rugged Wheels business I offer custom spoke cutting services. Unless they are obviously damaged, most spokes can be safely re-used as-is, or cut down and threaded for a different application. This is certainly cheaper (and faster) than ordering new spokes only to find they may be the wrong size!

Unfortunately there isn't a comparable machine for motorcycle spokes. However, I do have access to the full catalogue of Bulldog Spokes from Central Wheel Components in the UK. These are among the best in the industry and what I use to build moto wheels.

Rugged Wheels update and preview

Rugged Wheels is my new business venture born in the woods of Eastern Ontario, a destination with thousands of square kilometers of gorgeous wilderness for epic rides on and off road.

Why Rugged? Because out here, buff trails are the stuff of fantasy. Here we contend with Canadian Shield, limestone flats, dismal swamps, rooty cedar and pine forests, sticky clay, water crossings, and pointy rocks everywhere.

The lightest gear is no use if it breaks. Even on a road ride here it can be a long hike back to civilization and you can't count on others along the way. So our wheel vision emphasizes quality and durability: built to service, built to last. Rugged Wheels for rugged rides.  

For the last couple of months I've been spec'ing wheelsets, ordering parts, and building wheels in preparation to launching my web site. Here's a preview of some of the goodies.

The following are custom carbon rims, all for tubeless mounting and built on DT Swiss 350-series hubs. There's an 80mm-wide fatbike rim, a 38mm deep road rim, and a 60mm deep road rim. The road rims are 25mm wide to allow for wider (e.g. gravel) tires and include a rim braking surface, although I'll be building these up for disc brakes. I'm also looking into an option for a more discreet rim graphic, but hey--these are meant to show off the brand!

Here's the 3 Amigos together for comparison:

Light dual-sport motorcycles like the WR250R, CRF250, and more are rightly gaining popularity. Upgrading the wheels or having a second set with different tires improves the ride experience. Here's the set of SMPro wheels I built for my WR250R, mounted with an MT-21 in front and D606 in back. Hubs and rims are SMPro with Bulldog stainless spokes and aluminum nipples. Everything is made by the same company in the UK--they supply wheels to many well-known factory brands in Europe. 

Ignore the ghetto balancing weights. The nice ones I had in stock didn't fit the slightly larger Bulldog spokes, so I need to order new weights. 

Note these wheels look a little grungy because they have 500km of trail riding on them, and the tires have about 2000km.  

The hubs have a nice, clean design, include spacers and bearings, and build up well.

Here's a close-up of the Dirt Tricks sprocket I've run for 13,000 km of filthy trail riding. 

It shows no functional wear compared to a brand new sprocket on the right. Amazing. 

Like DT Swiss on the bicycle side and SMPro on the moto side, Dirt Tricks is a brand I've chosen to import because it's such good stuff.

I also rebuilt my stock WR250R hubs with new SMPro rims and Bulldog spokes to be able to run a more street-oriented tire. 

The real show here is that zirconium PVD-coated sprocket from Dirt Tricks. This coating is expected to be more durable than the chromium plating on the regular sprockets. Colours look amazing when you change the lighting angle. 

Rugged Wheels will offer these products and more in 2017:

• Wheelsets for bicycles and motorbikes. These are sold as predefined upgrade packages based on carefully selected components and sizes that are most popular and optimize performance, durability, and cost. Lightest and cheapest is available elsewhere; that's not our market. Retail sales are through bike shops only. You can order bicycle options from Imad or Brian at Rebec & Kroes in Ottawa. We're interested in hearing from motorcycle shops that want to offer wheels and parts for dual-sport and off-road applications.
• Small parts for wheels. Whether you need hubs, rims, spokes, or other related parts, our plan is to provide sales and technical support. If you've ever tried to spec a wheel, you know there's a lot to figure out. One supplier has over 60,000 SKUs just for wheels...
• Custom-cut spokes for bicycles. Our Morizumi spoke machine enables us to offer precision-threaded spokes as cost-effective options (order 1 or 500!) for servicing your own wheels.

Rugged Wheels: SM Pro Platinum build for WR250R

The last few weeks have been particularly busy as I work on getting my new business up and running, Rugged Wheels Inc. -- "Rugged Wheels for rugged rides!"

As part of setting up and testing my processes, I've been ordering hubs, rims, spokes, and other goodies from my suppliers, including DT Swiss for bicycles wheels, and Central Wheel Components for moto wheels. Having recently rebuilt my mountain bike wheels, it was time to test some wheel upgrades on my trusty WR250R. The stock rims have taken a beating from trail riding and the front certainly needed replacing.

Central Wheel Components in the UK is an OEM of premium hubs, rims, spokes, and complete wheel sets for several well-known motorcycle brands. Their brands include SM Pro hubs and rims, and Bulldog spokes which are renowned for quality, but don't seem to have much of a market footprint in Canada. Having become a reseller for their parts, naturally I wanted to test them out on my WR, so I ordered rims and spokes to use with my stock hubs as well as a complete front and rear wheel kit with SM Pro hubs. I'll eventually put knobbies on the SM Pro wheels and mount street-oriented tires (probably a Mitas pair of E 07's or other tires to test) on the rebuilt stock wheels.

Everything arrived nicely packed.

The hubs look great: clean machining, laser-etched logo, good bearings, and slick seals and axle inserts.

These are the Bulldog polished stainless steel, straight-gauge spokes with aluminum nipples--the recommended combo for my application. 

The SM Pro Platinum rims are made from 7050 series aluminum and independent testing shows they are both stronger and lighter than the Excel A60 and Takasogo rims. The finish is excellent and so far has proven entirely resistant to scratches from tools and spokes during wheel building.

  

There is a rainbow of colour options for these rims to match your bike, and the spokes can be ordered powder-coated as well. I often for boring black with silver spokes and nipples, but may rebuild them with black spokes another time.

First step is to coat the nipples with anti-seize. I use Rock-and-Roll ceramic since it's on hand and has proven to be excellent in all sorts of uses on my motorbike. 

Next up is lacing. Here's the front wheel under way. 

Finally there's the meticulous process of truing and tensioning to spec. I found that both rims trued up pretty well--I could get them within 1/2mm laterally and radially without too much trouble. For a rugged wheel, it's also important that all the spokes are evenly tensioned or the wheel will not stay in true and has an increased risk of failure. 

The finished wheels look great! For now I'll transfer my old rotors and sprockets to these wheels, but the rotors are due to be replaced and I'd like to run a smaller sprocket with the street-oriented tires to get more top-end speed. My current setup is 13-48 which is great in the dirt but tops out at around 100km/hr--barely enough for secondary roads around where I live. 

Looking forward to trying these. And soon I'll be able to accept orders for wheel parts or complete custom wheel-sets. Stay tuned!