Cleaning a vintage CCM bicycle wheel

The Canada Cycle & Motor Company (CCM) has a fascinating history. For many middle-aged Canadians today, during their childhood CCM was a respected household name for hockey equipment, including ice skates, pads, and sticks. But the company's origins date to 1899, when CCM manufactured high quality bicycles in Toronto as part of its operations with the Russell Motor Car Company. The picture below is from CCM's 1918 catalogue.

CCM's bicycle products carried through to the company's demise in 1983, although by the end they had gained a reputation as a cheap department store bike that competed with increasing low-cost imports from other markets, such as Asia. 

Although the lustre of CCM bikes has long since waned, many years ago I considered myself fortunate to have found a rear wheel from a CCM bicycle in a now-defunct antique store in Carleton Place. It's been on my to-do list for years to clean up this wheel so I could give I could display it in my office. 

According to information from this interesting site (based in nearby Perth, Ontario), it appears my wheel could date to 1908-1918. The hub is a "Hercules" armless coaster brake, one of CCM's models manufactured under license from Musselman (patent number 106391). 

The oil port in the middle of the hub is inscribed with what appears to be "JOSLUCASL2", "No 1" and "BIRMM". (I'm guessing this is a part made by Lucas Industries in Birmingham, England, which was a major centre of bicycle and motorcycle manufacturing and home of BSA.) Apparently, CCM marketed oil specifically for their Hercules coaster brake hubs in the late 1920s. Their brake grease didn't appear until the 1930s and even then the company recommended the periodic addition of a few drops of oil to preserve performance. (As a footnote, there was debate among cyclists as early as the late 1890s as to whether grease or oil was better for hubs!)

Since it's not a "New Hercules" model, it's almost certainly the original 1908 model as shown in the patent and product sheets below. 

The wooden rim was painted black and appears to lack evidence of pin striping, which was added to later, fancier models. It also lacks a metal rim strip added to reinforce later wheels, although there are two small nails and some cloth remnants near the valve hole, which probably held a cotton rim strip. As with modern rims, the valve hole is opposite the rim seam, which in this case is a glued finger joint. The wood is fine-grained and appears to be hard maple or maybe birch.

The hub and spokes are nickel-plated, the nipples are brass. 

I disassembled and cleaned the bearings and coaster brake mechanism, and straightened and chased the threads on the axle. It now works smoothly when reassembled! I also removed surface rust from the spokes and applied a conservator's microcrystalline wax to all metal parts to retard further corrosion. Varsol and linseed oil were used to clean and protect the wooden rim, as I felt this was an authentic and appropriate treatment given the probable age of the wheel. Unfortunately, there's too much corrosion to risk tightening the fragile spokes, so it won't be possible to true up the wheel. However, it holds its shape well enough as-is. 

As a bicycle enthusiast, I'm thrilled to have this wheel on display as a reminder of Canadian cycling heritage. I wonder who, a hundred years from now, may admire some of the wheels I've built?

MotorPressor pump review

Anyone who's had to seat a tire bead by inflating it with a hand-held bicycle pump is sure to know how quickly you get all pumped out. Even just airing up or down to handle different riding terrain or elevation becomes a hassle, and probably something you quickly give up on doing--especially on a hot or rainy day when you're already dripping in your riding gear.

Enter the motorized pump. There are many options available, although most them seem to be aimed at automotive use and aren't compact or rugged enough for the typical abuse of adventure riding. On a motorbike, luggage space is coveted and failure to properly inflate a tire could spell the end of your planned adventure and the start of an unplanned adventure. So, a motorized pump isn't just a luxury, it can become a necessity to ensure timely and safe repairs.

Rocky Creek Designs makes the MotorPressor, one of the few "naked" styles of mini air compressors that strips down the mechanicals to bare necessities. At CAD$69.00, it's a bargain compared to the Best Rest CyclePump I also considered, which--although offering impressive quality--also sells at a BMW-level premium for us poor Canadians. (Besides, gotta leave some room for unplanned adventure!)

The MotoPressor kit includes a decent neoprene-like pouch, some el-cheapo connector cables, and a barely-credible plastic nozzle kit. Since I already have an SAE plug connected right to the battery on my bike, the pump is ready to go as-is.

The pump itself is an all-metal beast, weighing in at around 609 grams or about a pound and a half with the case (no accessories). This is more than twice the weight of my Slime-brand pump shown beside it, which feels downright flimsy by comparison.

Besides eliminating unnecessary bulk and weight, the strategy of exposing the compressor mechanicals to open air increases the self-cooling ability of the compressor, which in theory should allow higher pumping rates for a given size. These little compressors get surprisingly hot when doing their job. Some of the enclosed designs have been reported to melt their plastic case under hard use, or are so restrained in their pumping ability to prevent overheating, that they take several long minutes to inflate a tire.

The wiring and hose on the MotorPressor seems well made, with plenty of length to be convenient without being excessive. The pump itself is a sturdy casting, although I'm not sure how the exposed gearing will resist grit, etc. -- especially when inflating in the muddy, rainy, or dusty conditions. At least it's easy to inspect and clean. A quick test shows some decent airflow and modest heat. There's no air pressure gauge, but then the one on the Slime is all but useless and I prefer a separate pressure gauge that's more accurate anyway.

Until I've had a chance to inflate a tire or seat a bead, I'll reserve final judgement on this product. But based on construction alone, I feel much more confident that it'll get me all pumped up when I really need it to.

Review: Shinko 700 dual-sport tires

When not running full knobbies on my WR250R (preferred combo the Dunlop D606 120/90-18 on rear, and Pirelli MT21 90/90-21 on front), I've tried the Mitas E-07 front/rear and Heidenau K60 Scout front/rear. Both the Mitas and Heidenau have great attributes are are justifiably well-rated, but they ultimately proved to be a poor match for my lightweight bike. The stiff sidewalls of the E-07 made the tires the hardest I've ever installed, and gave a stiff, uncompliant ride. In fact, one day I took off for a ride with a flat front tire and didn't really notice until I'd gone a few blocks--it was so stiff, it rolled like a regular tire slightly under-pressured, and I had to use a gauge to see if it was indeed flat. As for the Scouts, I found the rubber to be long-lasting but way too hard, especially in cooler conditions and in the wet. For both brands, I found the designs offered moderately improved traction on gravel roads versus a street-oriented dual-sport tire, but not enough to justify the choice. In particular, both the E-07 and Scout tended to wash out easily in the front, making gravel riding a little nerve-racking.

The Shinko 700 tire has been on my radar for a while, having received good reviews for traction, wear, and price. I ordered the 90/90-21 front and 4.60-18 rear. Here they are mounted on my bike beside an MT-21 (front) and D606 (rear) mounted on separate wheels for comparison.

The Shinko 700 tread looks to be more street-oriented than the E-07 or Scout, which is why I had originally hesitated to try the 700s over more aggressive designs. However, I can attest that the tread indeed performs very well on gravel (both front and rear) and achieves predictable grip with lean and changing surface conditions. In mud they perform poorly compared to a full knobby--no surprise there--but it's not as bad as I'd anticipated.

Straight-line traction in mud is decent; the real short-coming is side-traction along ruts, which is completely expected given the lack of side lugs and the high, rounded profile. As long as you hit the mud straight, keep your momentum, and spin to fling out the mud, the 700s will get you through. (Not the case for this poor KLR on a slightly less aggressive tire.)

Street performance of the Shinko is excellent, with minimal noise and vibration, and excellent cornering and acceleration. I never felt like these tires were squirmy or about to lose traction, even on wet pavement.

The flexible sidewall of these tires is key to them achieving high compliance on a light bike, and therefore improved traction and control. Although I ordered the rear in 4.60-18 (which actually measures to 4.6" or 116mm wide when mounted), it's also available in 130/80-18, which in theory is about 5.1" wide. I wasn't sure the larger tire would fit, but having run the 4.60 I can see there's plenty of room on my bike, and would recommend choosing the wider size. It should also improve floatation and grip in softer conditions, especially if you're carrying luggage and are concerned about dinging your rims.

To test these tires I rode a few hundred kilometers through some rough dual-sport terrain which included gravel, water crossings, rocks, mud, grass, and pavement. Conditions were similar to what we rode in the Rockies this past summer, on full knobbies. My sense is that if conditions are generally not muddy, the Shinko 700 would offer 90% of the performance of full knobbies while making the inevitable long paved stretches more tolerable. Overall, they seem to be an excellent tire for a great price, and I'm looking forward to seeing how they hold up over the longer term.

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!

Inspect your wheel bearings!

Last winter I built up a set of burly new wheels for my WR250R using SM Pro hubs, Bulldog stainless spokes with aluminum nipples, and SM Pro rims. While the combination was almost identical in weight to the WRR's stock wheels, the heavier spokes and higher tensions translated into noticeable handling improvements and the larger bearings of the SM Pro hubs (in theory) should have improved durability.

So, while tearing down my bike recently for a pre-season inspection, I was surprised to discover that one the rear wheel bearings had completely seized despite there being no obvious signs of damage to the bearing itself, although the end cap showed some suspicious, uneven scoring past the seal.

The OEM rear hub uses one 6005 bearing on the drive side and a smaller bearing on the brake side. Here's the bearing replacement kit for the OEM hub. The loose bearing lying on top is also a 6005.

By comparison, the SM Pro rear hub uses three 6005 bearings: two on the drive side, and one on the brake side. It was the inner bearing on the drive side that had seized, which struck me as the least likely bearing to fail unless there was some sort of manufacturing defect. True, these wheels saw some wet conditions last year, but after only 7,000km I wasn't expecting a seized bearing. The outer bearing on the drive side showed some corrosion but remained buttery smooth, as did the bearing on the brake side.

Here's the brake side of the SM Pro hub, with external seal removed:

And here's the drive side:

Removing the SM Pro bearings is relatively straightforward using a drift to knock aside the inner spacer tube and then tap out first one side, then the other, by driving on the inner races.

Rather than buy Moose or All-Balls replacements, for about the same price (or less) I picked up some better quality SKF bearings and seals from a local distributor. The 6005-2RS is a common part used in many industrial and recreational applications, so you can get them pretty much anywhere--including where sleds and ATVs are sold.

Installing new bearings was equally straightforward once I found a 34mm socket to use as a driver. I would've made a tool, but didn't have any rod stock in the required diameter. Sometimes buying a socket is good enough.

With new end-caps installed, the wheels feel buttery smooth again. Here are the old ones showing part numbers:

The lesson here is to not assume that even relatively new bearings are still good, and to check them all carefully before heading out on your next adventure.

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.

Mitas E-07 on WR250R: ride review

Almost threw away my bike today. After yesterday's struggle to mount the Mitas E-07 rear, it was rather deflating to discover that, well, my rear tire had deflated overnight. The sidewalls are so stiff that it was only noticeable the rear was flat when I checked with an air pressure gauge. It was sitting at zero. Bummer.

However, practice makes perfect, and having pre-stretched the rear tire mounting it twice already, it was a lot faster removing it for a third time to inspect the inner tube. There were no obvious punctures, even when submerging in water. Huh... could it have been my imagination? Might as well remount the tire and ride. This time I made sure to inflate to a measured 21 psi so I could see how it held up.

With snow, rain, and sleet in the forecast it was the perfect Canadian summer day to venture onto saturated concession roads to give these tires a proper dual-sport workout. Terrain was a mix of asphalt, freshly-laid gravel, hard-pack wet clay, organic mud, exposed limestone and granite, loose rocks and baby heads, and the usual assortment of mud-holes and stutter bumps that are representative of the roads within a 30-minute drive of our nation's capital. Water everywhere. This is what I consider proper 50/50 ADV riding: it's bread-and-butter conditions in Eastern Ontario. Any more mud than this (especially the sticky clay stuff we have) or steeper terrain, and I'd err on the side of full knobbies.

Off we go, following last weekend's Paris-Roubaix bike race route. Beside testing the tires, I'd swapped my gearing back to the 13/47 I've run for the last two years, instead of the 13/45 which I tried yesterday but found too sluggish.

Handling on loose gravel at up to 90km/hr was excellent. Cornering was predictable with a smooth transition to slide, so it was easy to feel the limits and stay within them. Combined with the suspension tuning I had done last fall, control over the stutter bumps was excellent. 

Now it's into the woods. You can see the treads aren't picking up any mud yet:

Lots of streams cutting through:

This water hole was about 4m across and 30cm deep, and covered with silty mud on the bottom. Didn't quite suck in the wheel but it wasn't a smooth roll-through. No problems with traction. 

You can that tire makes a decent impression. Forward traction was surprisingly good. There was a little bit lateral slip in the greasier mud, which is to be expected given these aren't knobbies. 

This is the greasier mud. As long as I took a level line and kept some momentum, there was no problem with traction. It was easy to forget I wasn't on my regular knobbies (MT-21 front and D606 rear), which I'd used to ride this same route last weekend when conditions were better (although a cyclist crashed in this very mud hole, compressing his spine and cracking some ribs, requiring a trip to hospital).

Finally, some forest road. Easy to fly on this stuff. Just have to be careful of the front wheel, which obviously doesn't have the same grip as a knobby and risks washing out if not careful.

One more slimy mud-hole. The main line is foolish; I took the side where there's a narrow, off-camber line around the swimming pool. One lateral slip and you're in the drink. The tires had no problem preventing a lateral slide. 

Now for some different mud: lots of organics, lots of slime. I had to wait for a truck to pass me from the other direction. It churned things up pretty well in the deeper spots. I was able to ride through the foot-deep mush and standing water on the sides no problem. 

 More forest road, this time with lots of exposed rocks, sharp edges, and baby heads. Here's where the stiff sidewalls of the E-07s really shone: no harsh bang as you hit the square edges; I just rolled right through them. Great traction on the wet rocks. 

On returning home after 80km of riding, the rear tire pressure had dropped to 18 psi. Rats--this means there's some kind of slow leak and it's not obvious where. It's a brand new tube, too. Will need to dismount the tire for the fourth time to inspect again. Either that or put a shot of latex sealant into the tube in the off-chance that any pin-prick is on the outer perimeter. 

Conclusions 

Overall these are impressive tires. Despite some initial trepidation running such a heavy and stiff tire on my small bike, for the type of riding I do these tires look like they'll perform well, especially when the bike's loaded with gear. The Dakar version of the front E-07 isn't too stiff, and in fact improves resistance to pinch flats that have concerned me when running lighter tires like the MT-21. 

The rear tire also performs well, showing much improved lateral grip compared to the Heidenau K60 Scouts which is a similar design (but significantly lighter and with less aggressive tread). It's only obvious drawback so far is it's utter obstinance in mounting. This is not a tire you'd like to face when repairing a flat on some mosquito-infested backwoods trail on a hot day (although the heat could only  make it easier to stretch). 

Together these tires offer well-matched, predictable handling across the full speed range of the WR250R. The Kevlar threads in the rubber formulation promise above-average wear resistance. The additional weight of the tires isn't really as noticeable in straight-line acceleration with the 13/47 gearing swapped back in, although the steering isn't quite as responsive. Once the bike's loaded with gear these differences won't be as noticeable. Having now tried 13/43 (stock), 13/45, 13/47, and 13/48 gearing, I have to say 13/47 is really the best all-around combo for the WR250R: it achieves the optimal tradeoff between torque and acceleration at low speed, and top-end for the inevitable paved sections between trails. It's easy to cruise at 90km/hr without feeling buzzy. 

I wouldn't recommend the Mitas E-07 for small bikes where you're not planning to carry gear. The weight penalty, stiff sidewalls, and difficulty in mounting the rear tire just aren't worth it. Not sure what I'd choose instead (other than knobbies), but it's unlikely I'd go back to a Heidenau which, for a 50/50 tire, doesn't offer nearly as much grip or durability as the E-07. 

These would be my first choice of tires for any bigger ADV bike like the KLR650 or the Honda Africa Twin (a current dream bike), which takes a 90/90-21 in front (E-07 Dakar would be ideal) and 150/70-18 in the rear. A Dakar version in back may be unnecessary unless you're on the heaviest of ADV bikes (like a 1200GS), since the regular version is already so stiff.

Update September 21, 2017

After riding 2500 km of 50/50 trail and road on my RAP adventure this summer, plus another few thousand kms of road, gravel, and trail on day-trips, I'm surprised to see how much of the rear tire has worn down. A few millimeters of tread depth remains above the central recessed strip, and the sides look hardly worn. Overall the profile is noticeably squared off, probably a consequence of hard acceleration with bags on. The front tire still looks new. Dirt handling remain OK (and the stiff sidewalls of the front tire are awesome on square edges and rocks), but given the wear on the rear, I'm questioning any advantage these tires may offer besides road comfort and low noise, and may end up reverting back to an MT21/D606 combo which is cheaper. 

Dualsport tire review: Mitas E-07

Torrential rains and widespread flooding have resulted in few riding opportunities, so it's a good time to play in the shop and mount the Mitas E-07 tires that arrived recently. Here're the rear and front E-07 tires next to the MT21 on my front wheel.

I'd been looking for a 50/50 tire that offered more durability than the knobbies (MT-21 front, D606 rear) I'd left on the bike since last season, in the hopes of doing a long ADV ride somewhere this summer. The Mitas E-07 has gotten great reviews for durability, and apparently it edges out the Heidenau Scout K60 for grip and handling. However, I couldn't find many reviews of these tire on smaller DS bikes so I'm curious to see how they work on my WR250R.

The first thing I noticed when my shipment arrived was how heavy the box was. There was a set of tubes in the box as well, but really--it was kinda shocking. When you're on a small ADV bike with little horsepower to start with, it's important to watch weight--especially on wheels, where the extra rotating mass really affects suspension performance, acceleration, and handling. So I was concerned about how the E-07 would feel in action and weighed my last three tire combos for comparison.

Here's the line-up for comparison, with Scouts on the left and E-07's on the right, with my D707 in the middle.

 

All tires have approximately the same dimensions for carcass and tread on front/rear. Weights are approximate: the Scouts and knobbies were worn, and my fish scale was giving me trouble.

Heidenau K60 Scout
90/90-21: 3.9kg
4.00-18: 6.0 kg

Knobbies
Pirelli MT21, 90/90-21: 3.8kg
Dunlop D606, 120/90-18: 5.5kg

Mitas E-07 (50/50 dirt/road)
90/90-21 Dakar: 4.4kg
120/80-18: 7.8kg

Wow, the rear E-07s is more than 3kg (6 lbs) heavier than the D606! Must be all that depleted uranium Mitas adds to their rubber to resist wear.

Oh, these were going to be hard to mount. Just getting the inner tube into the rear tire before mounting it on the wheel was a challenge. In fact, the E-07s were the hardest tires I've ever mounted, made worse by cold temperatures. There hasn't been any hot sun to pre-heat the rubber in over a week, and leaning the tires over a baseboard heater barely helped. A couple of hours had slipped away unnoticed while I cursed and used every trick I knew to pry these solid blocks of rubber onto the wheels I'd built up last fall. Eventually the tires yielded! However, if I flat in the boonies, I would be tempted to just push my bike into a swamp and go buy a new one rather than try to change the tube. On the other hand, the rubber may be stiff enough to ride for quite a distance without any air. Hopefully I don't need to test that theory.

As part of the exercise I swapped out my 48T sprocket for a 45T (leaving the 13T up front), on the theory this would give me just enough extra top-end for the highway while not being as sluggish as the stock 13/43 gearing on trails and with baggage. This required shortening my chain by two links because the axle was already at the back of its travel.

Time for a rip around the country block over a mix of mud, gravel, and pavement, and in the pouring rain.

I immediately noticed the lack of acceleration: a combination of tire weight and the higher gearing. To my surprise, and despite having the throttle pinned, I just wasn't accelerating beyond 95km/hr (GPSed) on a straight flat section with no wind. This is one reason why Yamaha and Honda really need to offer a 400-450cc version of their small ADV bikes--the extra ponies make all the difference when carrying baggage. When I shifted into 6th it felt like a useless gear, more of an overdrive.

Otherwise, handling felt pretty good: no discernible wandering in the ruts, solid traction in the puddles and rain. However, the tires did feel harsh because of the stiff sidewalls (the Dakar version incorporates and extra sidewall ply to make it stiffer), and running about 20psi front/25psi rear. Airing down about 5 psi and warm tires will certainly help.

Nevertheless, coming from a 48T rear sprocket, the torque of the 45T sprocket just felt too low. So I swapped it for the 47T I'd run last year. Haven't re-tested it yet, but I suspect it'll be a reasonable compromise. Now that my chain is 2 links shorter, I was just able to put it together with the axle all the way forward. That left about 1cm between the rubber and the mud guard on the swingarm. It's a new chain, so after it breaks in a bit the clearance should only improve as I move the rear axle back.

The jury's out on these tires until I get a chance to ride them in more summer-like conditions (i.e. above 10C and on dry pavement and trails). If not for the wear rating I'd probably not choose these tires for my bike. At these weights they're clearly not aimed at small bikes, and I wouldn't hesitate to run them on a big ADV machine. Obviously I'm pushing the WRR (and these tires) beyond their intended usage so there's going to be some compromises. And if the weather doesn't improve this year I may need to revert to knobbies anyway, regardless of the wear implications!

New dual sport tires: Mitas E-07

Correction: I originally posted these as E-09... they are actually E-07. They just arrived from MX1 Canada today and I'm excited to try them out, as they've been getting rave reviews in various ADV forums as excellent all-rounders (50/50 dirt/road) with terrific durability.

Front is a 90/90-21 in the Dakar version of the tire, which in the Mitas line means it incorporates a stiffer sidewall than non-Dakar versions. The Dakar versions are recommended for bigger DS bikes. While I'm putting these on my WR250R, the regular version of the front was not available and hopefully the Dakar isn't too stiff.

Rear is a 120/80-18 in non-Dakar version.

The knobby on my front wheel is an MT-21 with about 3,000km of mostly dirt riding.

These Mitas tires incorporate Kevlar fibers to increase tread durability. Riders consistently report getting well over 10,000 km out of a set of these tires, which is insanely good mileage -- especially when you have to flog it on long sections of pavement to get to the good stuff.

Will post a more detailed review once I get these mounted up on my second set of wheels.

MX1 just received a major shipment from Mitas in early April, so selection should be good.

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.