I told you there would be more. These are just a couple of stragglers I couldn’t round up in time for yesterday’s post.

First up are a set of I9 singlespeed wheels. You may recognize these as the wheels I built up for Kermit when I went to SSWC09 in Durango. These are great wheels.

They are laced to Arch rims with DT Aerolite spokes and alloy nipples in. Looking for $400. They are high mileage, well traveled wheels, but they are in excellent shape, and I think these might be the quickest wheels I’ve ever built up. These spin up so fast it’s mind boggling. I think it has to do with the spokes in conjunction with my mass, but one thing is for certain, they have earned me the title of best “coaster”.

Then I have this 17.5″ Trek Superfly frame.

The direct mount for the front derailleur is broken, but I bet it can be epoxied. Or run it as a 1x? and not even bother with it. Looking to get $200 for it, pretty darn reasonable, and if it were a larger frame and I was sticking around, I’d probably keep it and build up a winter dirt road cruiser.

Schwalbe 700x35c tubular tires.

I don’t even know why I have these. Actually I do. Anyone remember BikeCX? These are the tires that used to retail for $150 each. Now I’d like $50 for the set. It’s the older Racing Ralph pattern, and they are tubular, meaning you have to glue them on to the rim. My experience with tubulars has not been good., but some people swear by them. The last time I mounted up a set, it took me 2 days, and I glued my fingers to my hair. Not pretty.

Oh yeah, I said there was an announcement to be made. You’ll have to wait until tomorrow, because it has nothing to do with bikes, and I can’t figure out how to segue into it. But it will be worth tuning in to

So yesterday I alluded to some upgrades I was going to be performing on Weapon X.

The first upgrade is already in process. New wheels. Well sorta. New rims is more like it. Stan’s has released the Flow EX.

go with the Flow

This is basically the same treatment/rim profile as the Crest and Arch EX, but in a Flow width. As the newer rims are wider, I’ll be gaining more volume from the tire. How much wider? The inner width of the Flow is 22.6, the EX is 25.5, so 3mm. It doesnt sound like a lot, but trust me it makes a big difference. Awesome.

I have the rims in stock right now, just need to find the time to re-lace the wheels. With good weather on tap for the weekend, I’ll likely not get it done as I’d much rather be riding my bike than working on it. If all goes well, it will be a weekend chock full of rides. And dogs of a different color.

dirty dog

Yeah, lame I know, but I’m furiously getting all my crap together so I can finish up my year end/taxes and other such nonsense. Oh, and all the bikes I need to work on. And wheels to build.

So I’ll just tease you with pictures of one of the wheels I had time to build yesterday.

 

Pretty nice huh? It’s the first set of these I’ve built, and I can say that some day, I hope to have a set of these on one of my bikes.

Now it’s back to pushing paper.

I’m talking about the new WTB Frequency rims. It seems that component manufacturers are finally taking this whole tubeless thing more seriously. Only  a few short years ago, Stan’s was running amok unchecked with their tubeless system. They certainly didn’t invent the concept, but they did develop the technology that makes it what it is today.

Way back when, there was UST, the tubeless system developed by Mavic, which was the first, and actually still present system. Back then, the tires were heavy, expensive, and the caveats too great to make them accessible to the mainstream market. Stan worked on a better, lighter system that played better with others.

The only problem (or so the “industry” seemed content to convey) is that Stan’s didn’t adhere to any “standard”. This is legal BS concocted to protect the manufacturers from Joey Armchair Mechanic mounting up his tires incorrectly. I’ve had several tire manufacturers tell me that their tires aren’t tubeless ready, yet I have used everything I sell tubeless with the Stan’s system with minimal problems. But then again, I’m a professional.

To cut to the chase, there are now multiple systems out there. Bontrager has their own system involving a big plastic rim strip, Stan’s is now licensing their Bead Socket Technology to Sun rims, and then there is the “new” UST along with it’s varients. WTB is pimping out their TCS or Tubeless Compatible System, which is designed to work with UST type tires.

WTB has been making rims forever, and have some good technologies that make them a viable choice for riders looking for a lightweight yet strong rim. Their tech page is jam packed with easy to understand info on their system. I’d just be regurgitating it.

Let’s talk about these wheels!

Out of the box, the quality was what I expected. I kinda like the graphic treatment on the rims, but for those that don’t it is a sticker that can easily be removed. I had a set of I9s that were mis-shipped to me, so I decided I’d build them right up. I went with a classy triple silver build. The rims were nice and straight, and had a nice flat profile. They tensioned up nicely as well, which I attribute to the 4D spoke hole drilling. Basically it angles the socket where the nipple rests against the rim, aligning it with the spoke itself, and I was able to wind these wheels up a little tighter in the stand than a set of Stan’s rims.

silver niceness

So here are the numbers. The rims weigh 530g, exactly the same as a Stan’s Flow. Why one over the other? Inner rim width is the reason. The Flow is 22mm, the Frequency is 23mm (hence the name i23). Doesn’t sound like a lot, but it allows the tire to have a wider footprint. 1mm can make a big difference depending on the tire. Wider is better. The front wheel built up to 930g with rim tape and valve stem, the rear 1020g. About what you’d expect for a wheelset built to take some abuse. They also make this rim in a lighter more XC 19mm inner width.

TCS works, even without sealant

I used the new WTB Weirwolf, which I mounted up without using sealant. I wanted to see how good the TCS interface was. I was surprised to see that they held 35psi for a couple of days just sitting in the shop. I’ve been waiting for a while for the new WW tires to come out, but I was pretty bummed on the size. They come up a bit narrow, and are far from the 2.5 printed on the sidewalls. I’m hoping they grow a little with use.

So why would you get these over a Stan’s system? Well, the new TCS tires from WTB will not work on a Stan’s rim. I just about popped an eyeball, along with 4 tire levers trying to get one of these tires on a Flow. It didn’t even come close. It easily slipped on the Frequency rim though, and WTB does make some of the finest rubber out there. If you want maximum tire compatibility, I’d suggest giving these a try.

Ah yes, that extra day of February. The 29th. I got a coupon for you, 29ERDAY. Use it at checkout to receive a special 1 day only 15% discount.

I’m going to be leaping into some cool projects in the month of March. I have a set of ENVE rims inbound to build, and will also be checking out the new WTB Frequency rim. Sadly, I seem to have misplaced my camera, which also means I might be leaping into a new one. Anyone out there have one they like?

Also inbound is the first of the new Continental 29er tires that never came last year. The first to arrive is the much anticipated X-King (Cross-King) in 2.2. I’ll have to post up a crappy iphone picture when they get here. I’ve been told that the rest of the line up is not far behind.

Tune in next month for a legit post, when I shall be rambling on about my final thoughts on the Spot Brand Rocker.

• Have all your equipment ready. In addition to your wheel and tire, you will also need Stan’s Sealant, a tire lever, spray bottle of soapy water and a valve core tool. If you are switching tires that are already set up tubeless that already have sealant in them, a Stan’s Injector comes in handy to transfer the sealant into the new tire without making too much of a mess.
• Inspect the rim. Make sure the rim is clean of muck, grime, compacted vegetative matter (Shackleton/DA, I’m looking at you), old sealant, and make sure the tape, or airproof barrier is undamaged. If the barrier is compromised in any way, the wheel will not hold air, and the sealant will leak into your rim and exit through the spoke holes.
• Mount one side of the tire on the rim. You’ll want to take care to make sure you are putting the right tire on the correct wheel, some are front/rear specific, and you will also at this time want to be sure it is pointed the way you want it. Some tires have directional tread, others can be flipped around to get better traction vs fast rolling. It’s easier to do this now before we bust the sealant out.

• Add the appropriate amount of Stan’s sealant, it’s a good idea to shake the bottle well before measuring out to agitate all the latex particles that may have settled. It is generally a huge help to have a place to hang the wheel while it is off the bike. Here in the shop, I have a hook that I use, or sometimes I will use my repair stand. It definitely makes things easier and less messy, so if you don’t have a place to use, I suggest conning a friend into holding the wheel for you while you add the Stan’s to the tire. Candy or beer usually does the trick.
• Then you’ll want to mount the other side of the tire on the rim. I find it easier to do from the bottom of the wheel up, that way you will minimize any spillage scenarios.

• Make sure that both sides of the tire are pulled around, or are covering the valve stem completely. If you can see the bottom of the valve stem at all, you will have a tough time inflating the tire, because you will be pumping air past the tire and not into it.
• Take the spray bottle of soapy water and spray the beads of the time on both sides. I just use an old Windex bottle filled with water and a very generous squirt of dish soap. This not only helps the tire beads snap into the rim, it also makes bubbles appear wherever air is creeping out of the wheel.
• Inflate.

• Once the tire is inflated, it’s time to do the Stan’s dance. I take the wheel, and give it a good spin holding the axles. I’ll hold it at a slight angle, so as to keep the puddle of sealant rolling over the bead of the tire and rim. As the air escapes the tire, it’s bringing sealant with it, so it is crucial to make sure you are allowing the sealant a chance to fill any pinholes or other voids in the tire.
• Hold the wheel level and gently shake it up and down, flip over and repeat on the other side. If there are no more soapy bubble coming from the tire, you have probably done a good job, now you can take your floor pump, and inflate it to the desired riding pressure and go ride it around.

I’ve been messing with the idea of setting up a youTube page for a bit, and the opportunity presented itself last weekend. We got up early on Sunday and headed to the shop to make a short film about changing tires. Normally, Sundays are reserved for being hung over and sleeping in, but this was an opportunity to have someone that knows what they are doing make a video short. An actual professional videographer made this, with real equipment.

It was sort of filmed off the hip, I didn’t have a script or anything I was working from, and we just shot a bunch of footage and he put it all together. I hope that y’all enjoy it, it was pretty fun to make.

Be aware, that the camera adds about 20 pounds.

Two of my favorite things.

I’ve been building a fair amount of wheels these days, which has kept me pretty busy. Some of which, are for B29 team riders.

I just shipped out a set of wheels to Chris Muddiman, you might read his blog sometimes. He wanted a set of wheels for racing and general kicking about. We decided that the Bike29 I9/Arch wheelset was the way to go. And seeing as how Chris will be representing B29 this year, I decided to give his wheels a little extra sauce in the form of rally stripes. These wheels look really cool when they are spinning.

I’ve also received 2 new tires that I am anxious to try out.

First up is the Kenda Slant 6. This tire was listed in a lot of my distributors catalogs last year, but the tires never actually materialized. Finally, it arrives almost a full year later. Available in 2 sizes (2.2 and 2.0), this tire looks as if it would be a pretty decent all around XC tire. Think of it like a Small Block 8, but with bigger knobs. Six to be precise. These knobs have a different look to them, ramped for lower rolling resistance, but they are also stepped. There are a lot of leading edges on the knob blocks, which I would imagine makes them grab on to the ground a little more tenaciously. The tires are weighing in in the mid to high 600g range. Chris is going to be giving these a try, as he is a big fan of the SB8.

Up next is another tire I have been waiting for, the WTB Bronson 2.2. Named after Hollywood baddass Chuck Bronson. Think of a Wolverine with bigger knobs. The tread pattern is typical from what you’d expect from WTB (if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it), a directional chevron, with ramped center tread and triangular blocks that get deeper as they reach the edges of the tire. The casing is pretty round and high volume, but the tire profile is actually quite squareish. The side knobs are quite aggressive, and look like they’d dig right in when leaning hard into a turn. The weight is quite respectable too, at around 750g. These tires might find their way onto Shreddie for SSAP.

This weekend I got to build an interesting set of wheels for my fiend and singlespeed superstar, Jake Kirkpatrick. About a week prior, he had called me and asked me what my thoughts were on a certain build combo for his NAHBS award winning Black Sheep. Jake like his bikes a certain way, and he is always dead on with his choices, so I was pretty stoked to even have him consider me building his wheels. It might have has something to do with B29 superstar Emily talking him into it at SSAZ, but I am flattered nonetheless.

So here they are. Stan’s Crest rims, DT Centerlock hubs (singlespeed rear), DT Aeorlite spokes and alloy nipples. The lacing pattern and color combo was Jake’s idea, and I have to say these wheels are sharp. The total weight of the wheelset is 1480g, putting them firmly in the Ridiculite category.

photo cred: bikeportland.org

They will be going on this bike. What’s with the racks? Oh, I might have forgotten to mention that Jake is doing the Tour Divide this year. On an awesome, one of a kind, show winning Black Sheep frame, and my wheels. Awesome.

OK, now on to other stuff. Some of you may read Dicky’s blog. It is pretty amusing, so you should definitely check it out. However, I will tell you that he and I are shortly going to be in competition. You see, I too am going to be submitting my own entry into the Team Topeak-Ergon Training Camp contest. The winner will be treated to an all expenses paid trip to Sedona to have their ass handed to them by the likes of Jeff Kerkove, the O’Dea’s, Sonya Looney, Dave Weins and Yuki Ikeda. I am counting on everyone’s support on this one, as I think I should be the guy that goes. I will give you details on how you can help me when the video is ready. Dicky has a pretty good lead on me at the moment, but I think I have what it takes to secure the win.

A while back, I built my first set of snow wheels for my friend Mike. He is having a custom built Walt Works made for him, which should be finished in a couple of weeks. He brought in the finished wheel with tire installed.

This thing is big, and very cool looking. It almost makes me want to jump on this whole snow bike band wagon, but another bike is really the last thing I need.

What you might notice, is that there are little tiny studs in the tire. The tires don’t come that way, Mike spent about 10 hours on a drill press, drilling, then inserting these tiny set screws into the tread blocks. There is something like 240 screws in the tire, he clearly didnt have anything better to do…

Because the set screws are so small, they don’t really add that much weight to the tire, the whole thing weighs about 8 lbs. Mike modded an Ignitor a couple of years ago, and the screws actually do a good job of staying put, and giving a little bit of extra confidence on icy surfaces. I may have to try this sometime…