Another day, another wheel (etc.).
A customer brought in a FiR (Feel) Speedlight—
a carbon tubular rim wheel.
Among the carbon rims of that era, most European brands like Campagnolo, Ambrosio, and Zippenne were Kolima-made,
but FiR was a rare exception with their own in-house carbon rims.
They were one of the few manufacturers capable of building batton wheels and disc wheels in-house.
Back then, the only other actual carbon rim manufacturers (not just brands) were ZIPP and Nissan Stone.
During the Speedlight's heyday, there was a model called "GALAXIUM" (Galaxy + Kyserium hybrid designation),
and honestly, I preferred that one.
It was an aluminum rim wheel built with carbon blades and steel spokes—
well, "carbon spokes" if you want to call them that.
The hub had slots cut for needle roller spokes and ultra-wide spoke profiles.
When I looked it up recently, I found that the same name also applies to a totally normal wheel
built with standard spokes the regular way.
The Speedlight, from the catalog of the time
And the Galaxium
Man, that's inspiring stuff
Anyway, let's rebuild the Speedlight.
It came as a FiR 24-hole carbon shell hub
all-black Campagnolo 4/4 Italian laced.
It clearly hadn't been used for a long time—
dust everywhere, and spoke tension was completely slack.
Built it.
Tubular tire maintenance was turning into such a hassle
that it became nom Lab Wheel #1.
Keeping the hub and rebuilding it with a CX-RAY outpoke radial lace
and red aluminum nipples.
There's a Cannondale that can't be assembled any other way.
I'd like to rebuild the rear wheel too, but I need to hold off on that for now
because I'm planning to do some experiments that'll fuel a rather ominous post down the line.
Sorry about that.
A customer brought in a FiR (Feel) Speedlight—
a carbon tubular rim wheel.
Among the carbon rims of that era, most European brands like Campagnolo, Ambrosio, and Zippenne were Kolima-made,
but FiR was a rare exception with their own in-house carbon rims.
They were one of the few manufacturers capable of building batton wheels and disc wheels in-house.
Back then, the only other actual carbon rim manufacturers (not just brands) were ZIPP and Nissan Stone.
During the Speedlight's heyday, there was a model called "GALAXIUM" (Galaxy + Kyserium hybrid designation),
and honestly, I preferred that one.
It was an aluminum rim wheel built with carbon blades and steel spokes—
well, "carbon spokes" if you want to call them that.
The hub had slots cut for needle roller spokes and ultra-wide spoke profiles.
When I looked it up recently, I found that the same name also applies to a totally normal wheel
built with standard spokes the regular way.
The Speedlight, from the catalog of the time
And the Galaxium
Man, that's inspiring stuff
Anyway, let's rebuild the Speedlight.
It came as a FiR 24-hole carbon shell hub
all-black Campagnolo 4/4 Italian laced.
It clearly hadn't been used for a long time—
dust everywhere, and spoke tension was completely slack.
Built it.
Tubular tire maintenance was turning into such a hassle
that it became nom Lab Wheel #1.
Keeping the hub and rebuilding it with a CX-RAY outpoke radial lace
and red aluminum nipples.
There's a Cannondale that can't be assembled any other way.
I'd like to rebuild the rear wheel too, but I need to hold off on that for now
because I'm planning to do some experiments that'll fuel a rather ominous post down the line.
Sorry about that.