In a recent article, I wrote that the Helium was my first complete wheelset,
and I received a comment saying that the original Cosmic from 1995 with 16H front and rear was actually the original complete wheelset.
You're right, that does predate the Helium.
Actually, even if we narrow it down to mass-produced steel spoke wheelsets,
both Campagnolo and Ambrosio had "wheels assembled by the manufacturer" around the same period.
However, the Helium by Mavic was the catalyst that made it normal
to simply bolt a complete wheelset onto a frameset.
There was no complete wheelset before the Helium that sold
as explosively as it did.
The world's first clipless pedal (←an old term for binding pedal)
was the Cinelli M-71, but it was actually the LOOK PP-65
that came about 15 years later which achieved widespread adoption
and completely eliminated toe clip pedals.
If I were to use this as an analogy for wheelsets, the PP-65 would be the Helium,
but as for what would correspond to the M-71...
Rovalol made a wheelset ahead of its time.
With a rear over-locknut dimension of 126mm and a freewheel hub,
what they were doing wasn't much different from modern wheelsets.
The same point I've made up to here
is covered with images in the second half of
（→this article），so please take a look.
If anyone knows of a wheelset made before this Rovalol
that used special materials or specifications
and was fully assembled by the manufacturer, I'd appreciate if you'd let me know.
Next,
regarding the dirt on the wall where I always photograph wheelsets,
"That wall dirt is mud from tires, right?
Shouldn't you clean it up using the secret Y*hoo Auction technique soon?"
I received this comment.
Oh, cut it out—it's not Yahoo Auction, it's Y*hoo Auction.
Anyway, I do have a plan for when to clean it.
It'll be when I put the wallpaper up for Y*hoo Auction.
Thank you for the comments.
and I received a comment saying that the original Cosmic from 1995 with 16H front and rear was actually the original complete wheelset.
You're right, that does predate the Helium.
Actually, even if we narrow it down to mass-produced steel spoke wheelsets,
both Campagnolo and Ambrosio had "wheels assembled by the manufacturer" around the same period.
However, the Helium by Mavic was the catalyst that made it normal
to simply bolt a complete wheelset onto a frameset.
There was no complete wheelset before the Helium that sold
as explosively as it did.
The world's first clipless pedal (←an old term for binding pedal)
was the Cinelli M-71, but it was actually the LOOK PP-65
that came about 15 years later which achieved widespread adoption
and completely eliminated toe clip pedals.
If I were to use this as an analogy for wheelsets, the PP-65 would be the Helium,
but as for what would correspond to the M-71...
Rovalol made a wheelset ahead of its time.
With a rear over-locknut dimension of 126mm and a freewheel hub,
what they were doing wasn't much different from modern wheelsets.
The same point I've made up to here
is covered with images in the second half of
（→this article），so please take a look.
If anyone knows of a wheelset made before this Rovalol
that used special materials or specifications
and was fully assembled by the manufacturer, I'd appreciate if you'd let me know.
Next,
regarding the dirt on the wall where I always photograph wheelsets,
"That wall dirt is mud from tires, right?
Shouldn't you clean it up using the secret Y*hoo Auction technique soon?"
I received this comment.
Oh, cut it out—it's not Yahoo Auction, it's Y*hoo Auction.
Anyway, I do have a plan for when to clean it.
It'll be when I put the wallpaper up for Y*hoo Auction.
Thank you for the comments.