Another wheel day (and so on).
A customer dropped off a ZIPP 303 24H rim wheel.
The hub is a PowerTap SL+, and the spokes are CX-RAY on both sides.
The wheel build was done by the customer themselves.
↑This is a Shimano 10-speed freebody,
but apparently there's no stock for the 11-speed version,
so they came to the conclusion: why not just buy an 11-speed hub instead?
Well... I see.
Since freebody compatibility exists,
you could actually just swap the freebody without rebuilding the wheel.
But if that were the case, they wouldn't be bringing it to our shop.
They want a full rebuild.
Oh! That's some enthusiastic tape right there.
But what about the back side?
Like a witch trial where the verdict's predetermined,
heat shrink tubing spec couldn't be avoided today either.
When disassembling the wheel,
even if you drop a nipple washer inside the rim,
you can easily retrieve it using a Fulcrum/Campagnolo nipple-calling magnet.
The removed SL+ has its next chapter already planned, but that's for another day.
All built up.
Semi-comp 46-spoke build.
As I always say, with left-right different spoke counts, the non-high-low flange side works better.
With left-right different spoke counts, even if you had the ultimate high-low flange and the anti-freewheel side flange diameter became zero, converging tangential lacing to radial lacing, there'd still be an effect.
Doing both simultaneously creates such a pronounced left-right difference that you'd barely need cross-bracing. The wheel owner here is someone who knows their way around building wheels, so if they give the spokes a squeeze, they'll definitely feel the benefits of the left-right different count and different diameter lacing.
I did measure the rim weight and wheel weight for this build, but I can't reveal them.
"A rim doesn't roll just because of its name"
"Does slapping on a cool-looking logo sticker improve performance?"
"Ignore brand bias and look only at outer circumference weight"
"Every wheel should first be evaluated as a wheel with a ○○○g rim"
—with just this sort of philosophy, this rim is hard to get praised,
so I don't want people to judge it carelessly based on weight alone.
Push this thinking to its extreme and ENVE would probably come out on top.
It has the best height-to-weight ratio of any rim.
Is there any other 45mm-high rim that weighs 295g?
(What's amazing about ENVE: Point 1)
Even if there were, could you comfortably tension spokes up to about 130 kgf without it buckling?
(What's amazing about ENVE: Point 2)
ZIPP's current rims are pretty ordinary in terms of weight-to-rim-height compared to various carbon rims available today.
But among rims in the same weight class from other manufacturers, none have this kind of buckling resistance.
That it won't break unless something pretty extreme happens—that's also performance.
The scale doesn't show this.
Light-feeling wheels and light-riding wheels are fine evaluation criteria, sure,
but if you add "durable and reliable wheels you can trust" as an evaluation criterion,
wouldn't ZIPP become the best buy?
Since not everyone actually looks at performance that doesn't show up in catalog specs (mainly weight), I won't reveal the rim weight.
Get outta here! Ptooey! ←What do you think you are, buddy?
Sorry for the wait! Please take a look at this image!
Rim weight (without washers)!
Finished wheel weight!
↑Stop it, stooop!
A customer dropped off a ZIPP 303 24H rim wheel.
The hub is a PowerTap SL+, and the spokes are CX-RAY on both sides.
The wheel build was done by the customer themselves.
↑This is a Shimano 10-speed freebody,
but apparently there's no stock for the 11-speed version,
so they came to the conclusion: why not just buy an 11-speed hub instead?
Well... I see.
Since freebody compatibility exists,
you could actually just swap the freebody without rebuilding the wheel.
But if that were the case, they wouldn't be bringing it to our shop.
They want a full rebuild.
Oh! That's some enthusiastic tape right there.
But what about the back side?
Like a witch trial where the verdict's predetermined,
heat shrink tubing spec couldn't be avoided today either.
When disassembling the wheel,
even if you drop a nipple washer inside the rim,
you can easily retrieve it using a Fulcrum/Campagnolo nipple-calling magnet.
The removed SL+ has its next chapter already planned, but that's for another day.
All built up.
Semi-comp 46-spoke build.
As I always say, with left-right different spoke counts, the non-high-low flange side works better.
With left-right different spoke counts, even if you had the ultimate high-low flange and the anti-freewheel side flange diameter became zero, converging tangential lacing to radial lacing, there'd still be an effect.
Doing both simultaneously creates such a pronounced left-right difference that you'd barely need cross-bracing. The wheel owner here is someone who knows their way around building wheels, so if they give the spokes a squeeze, they'll definitely feel the benefits of the left-right different count and different diameter lacing.
I did measure the rim weight and wheel weight for this build, but I can't reveal them.
"A rim doesn't roll just because of its name"
"Does slapping on a cool-looking logo sticker improve performance?"
"Ignore brand bias and look only at outer circumference weight"
"Every wheel should first be evaluated as a wheel with a ○○○g rim"
—with just this sort of philosophy, this rim is hard to get praised,
so I don't want people to judge it carelessly based on weight alone.
Push this thinking to its extreme and ENVE would probably come out on top.
It has the best height-to-weight ratio of any rim.
Is there any other 45mm-high rim that weighs 295g?
(What's amazing about ENVE: Point 1)
Even if there were, could you comfortably tension spokes up to about 130 kgf without it buckling?
(What's amazing about ENVE: Point 2)
ZIPP's current rims are pretty ordinary in terms of weight-to-rim-height compared to various carbon rims available today.
But among rims in the same weight class from other manufacturers, none have this kind of buckling resistance.
That it won't break unless something pretty extreme happens—that's also performance.
The scale doesn't show this.
Light-feeling wheels and light-riding wheels are fine evaluation criteria, sure,
but if you add "durable and reliable wheels you can trust" as an evaluation criterion,
wouldn't ZIPP become the best buy?
Since not everyone actually looks at performance that doesn't show up in catalog specs (mainly weight), I won't reveal the rim weight.
Get outta here! Ptooey! ←What do you think you are, buddy?
Sorry for the wait! Please take a look at this image!
Rim weight (without washers)!
Finished wheel weight!
↑Stop it, stooop!