Wheels again today (and so on).
I had a WH-7801C rear wheel on consignment.
I think the customer said something like "I'm using it for Norikura, so please take care of it."
I'm not sure which Norikura they meant, but that one was yesterday.
Anyway, I managed to get it done in time for that ride.
I don't think there's necessarily anything wrong with the wheel itself
(though there might be),
but since it has a 10-speed-only freebody, it won't work with 9-speed or 11-speed.
This kind of thing isn't some thoughtless inconvenience imposed on users—
they know exactly what they're doing when they stoke demand for replacements.
"We made an aluminum freebody that's lighter than titanium!
Except it's 10-speed only!
If you're still using 7700 Dura-Ace,
this wheel won't work for you!"
↓
"We made an aluminum freebody lighter than titanium,
and now an even lighter titanium freebody with spline grooves!
And it supports 8, 9, AND 10-speed!"
By running through this cycle over 4 or 5 years,
they manage to lighten the wallets of people who wouldn't otherwise upgrade.
Speaking of which, this wheel has hub-side nipples
—maintenance on these is extremely tedious.
But since they're technically sound, I actually like them.
The hassle typically falls not on users but on shop staff and mechanics,
though that's just part of the job.
As long as the performance is good, I figure it's fine...
Built.
Evolite hub 20H, semi-comp 4-cross Italian lacing with tie-and-solder.
I specifically mentioned "Italian lacing" after a long time because
the non-freewheel side before the rebuild was essentially reverse-Italian laced.
Left and right have different spoke diameters, but the spoke tension difference between sides
ended up quite balanced.
You can definitely feel this while building the wheel, but more than hi-lo flanges,
I suspect the offset rim is what's doing the heavy lifting.
If this were my wheel, I'd want to try lacing it with the rim flipped side-to-side.
↑The front wheel of the other bike is the ENVE 25 from the other day.
Both are LEW-based low-height carbon rims.
↑Measured weight of the rear wheel.
I also weighed the rim by itself, and
given that "Shimano prioritizes strength and builds in a safety margin"
and "offset rims are generally a bit heavier than rims without offset,"
I thought it was surprisingly light.
I'm sure a lot of people want to know the specific weight,
but we're the ones who get to decide what we share.
So there, got it?!
↑Ugh, this guy's got a terrible attitude
Ssorry for the wait!
Pleease take a look at this image!
↑STOP THAT!
I had a WH-7801C rear wheel on consignment.
I think the customer said something like "I'm using it for Norikura, so please take care of it."
I'm not sure which Norikura they meant, but that one was yesterday.
Anyway, I managed to get it done in time for that ride.
I don't think there's necessarily anything wrong with the wheel itself
(though there might be),
but since it has a 10-speed-only freebody, it won't work with 9-speed or 11-speed.
This kind of thing isn't some thoughtless inconvenience imposed on users—
they know exactly what they're doing when they stoke demand for replacements.
"We made an aluminum freebody that's lighter than titanium!
Except it's 10-speed only!
If you're still using 7700 Dura-Ace,
this wheel won't work for you!"
↓
"We made an aluminum freebody lighter than titanium,
and now an even lighter titanium freebody with spline grooves!
And it supports 8, 9, AND 10-speed!"
By running through this cycle over 4 or 5 years,
they manage to lighten the wallets of people who wouldn't otherwise upgrade.
Speaking of which, this wheel has hub-side nipples
—maintenance on these is extremely tedious.
But since they're technically sound, I actually like them.
The hassle typically falls not on users but on shop staff and mechanics,
though that's just part of the job.
As long as the performance is good, I figure it's fine...
Built.
Evolite hub 20H, semi-comp 4-cross Italian lacing with tie-and-solder.
I specifically mentioned "Italian lacing" after a long time because
the non-freewheel side before the rebuild was essentially reverse-Italian laced.
Left and right have different spoke diameters, but the spoke tension difference between sides
ended up quite balanced.
You can definitely feel this while building the wheel, but more than hi-lo flanges,
I suspect the offset rim is what's doing the heavy lifting.
If this were my wheel, I'd want to try lacing it with the rim flipped side-to-side.
↑The front wheel of the other bike is the ENVE 25 from the other day.
Both are LEW-based low-height carbon rims.
↑Measured weight of the rear wheel.
I also weighed the rim by itself, and
given that "Shimano prioritizes strength and builds in a safety margin"
and "offset rims are generally a bit heavier than rims without offset,"
I thought it was surprisingly light.
I'm sure a lot of people want to know the specific weight,
but we're the ones who get to decide what we share.
So there, got it?!
↑Ugh, this guy's got a terrible attitude
Ssorry for the wait!
Pleease take a look at this image!
↑STOP THAT!