Résultats de la recherche : wheel test

This was one of the most special bike displayed at the Interbike Expo in the United States: a Parlee frame and very high end components coming from the most prestigious manufacturers such
as Ax-Lightness, Extralite, DT Swiss, Sram Red, PowerArms, etc. The machine was assembled in Tucson by Fair Wheel
Bikes. Until this point, there is nothing really exciting. Now, if add a huge amount of custom hand paint on almost every single component, you get something a far more spectacular
bike.

More pictures here:
http://fairwheelbikes.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=68094#68094

Lightweight, clincher version in test…

The very first clincher Lightweight wheels are under production. With only a couple of wheelset per week, they are sparingly delivered. Our german colleague Light-bikes.de is currently
testing a set of these hoops weighting exactly 1205g on the scale. The pressure limit is 8 bars and the price is 3400 euros. Carbon-Sports also made the rear rim asymetric to compensate the
stiffness drop due to the clincher construction.

Light-bikes.de (german)

Shimano

The Di2 electronic groupset caused a stir at the Eurobike Expo, then at the Interbike fair trade too. Nevertheless, we are not really convinced an electric groupset can be useful for a road
bike… It should be more appropriated to time-trial use.
Shimano just did them: the brake levers and the bars’ extensions shifters receive the commands to switch cogs quickly. It will probably save some time during the time-trials!
127g the set of brake lever, and 103g the set of time trial bar extensions.

Shimano is having punctures issues with the 7850 C24CL and C50CL wheels. Indeed they are coming with plugs instead of a standard rim tape to save weight, but those small components are
causing punctures of some models.
The only solution Shimano proposes, is to remove the plugs, then install a rim tape.

File to be downloaded here: Shimano rappel

Voici un des vélos les plus en vue pendant le salon Interbike aux Etats-Unis: un cadre Parlee, des composants en provenance des constructeurs les plus prestigieux tels que Ax-Lightness,
Extralite, DT Swiss, Sram Red, PowerArms, et bien d’autres, le tout assemblé par Fair Wheel Bikes à Tucson. Jusqu’ici rien
d’extraordinaire. Si maintenant, vous prenez en compte le travail de peinture blanc et vert effectué à la main sur chacun des composants pour les assortir entre eux, l’ensemble prend une
envergure totalement diffèrente.

Plus de photos ici:
http://fairwheelbikes.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=68094#68094

Lightweight à pneus en test…

Les premières Lightweight à pneus sont en pleine production. A raison d’une poignée de paires par semaine, les livraisons s’effectuent au compte-goutte. Notre confrère allemand
Light-bikes.de teste actuellement ces roues qui affichent 1205g sur la balance. La limite de pression est fixée à 8 bars, et le tarif s’élève à 3400 euros.
Carbon-Sports s’est même payé le luxe de développer une jante arrière asymétrique afin de compenser la baisse de rigidité causée par les parois pour fixer le pneu.

Light-bikes.de (allemand)

Shimano

Le groupe électrique Di2 a fait sensation à l’Eurobike, puis à l’Interbike. Nous ne sommes pas pleinement convaincu de l’utilité d’un groupe électrique pour un vélo de route… En revanche,
sur un vélo de contre-la-montre, le système devrait être bien plus utile.
Shimano s’est penché sur la question: les leviers de freins et les appuis en bout de cintre sont équipés des boutons permettant de changer de vitesse. Voilà qui permettra de gagner encore
quelques secondes sur les chronos! 127g la paire de leviers de freins, 103g la paire d’embouts de prolongateurs.

Shimano connaît un problème délicat de crevaison sur ses roues haut de gamme 7850 C24CL et C50CL.
Les petites pastilles qui évitent l’emploi d’un fond de jante traditionnel sont fautives. La seule solution proposée par Shimano est de placer un ruban de jante comme pour une jante
standard.

Fichier à télécharger ici: Shimano rappel

The giant american manufacturer is updating its wheel range with the Superlogic Carbon Road wheelset, featuring exclusive rims, made with uni-directional, 100 % high-modulus carbon
reinforced with boron. Made by Lew Racing using proprietary DEX-LCM molding process, they combine very light weight, exceptional strength, while being compliant rims.
Hubs are alloy cold forged, made by Ritchey: WCS V3 and V4. Spokes are Aerolite from DT Swiss, 20 front radial, 24 two times crossed rear. The wheelset is claimed to be sub
1100g, at $US2800, including the WCS Ritchey quick releases.

Cervélo releases a newer version of the time trial/triathlon frame. The P4 is claimed to be the fastest ever made bicycle including the UCI legal and UCI illegal bikes. The fork is a custom
Cervélo design making easier the air flow transition with frame, the 570 ml water bottle is right above the bottom bracket and smoothly integrates the down tube, seat tube and bottom
bracket in a single aero form. The rear brake is integrated to the chainstays, thus lowering the air drag and being invisible, it is as powerful as a Dura-Ace caliper, yet being 30%
lighter.

Every single details can be read on Cervélo’s website, or on BikeRadar.

Chris King is well known for its legendary life durable components. This year is an important year for the american manufacturer. Chris King finally releases a new bottom bracket which is
specifically designed for Shimano-compatible external type crank/bottom bracket systems. It features a grease injection tool allowing the bearing to be purged of existing grease and debris
and new run through.
It is available in a wide array of colors.

Chris King also was busy with new hubs: Single Speed road versions, thru axle 10mm and 12mm MTB versions, two 15mm thru axle front options.

Convexo Convex

In theory

This wheel pushes the limit of the disc design to a new standard. Where the flat sided disc wheels create a lot of turbulences, a lens shaped disc wheel, by its curved shape on the non
drive side, reduces the drag by making easier the perturbated air flow.
Nevertheless, according to the manufacturer, this construction sees its limits: the wheel behaves as an aircraft wing because its curved shape on a side, and flat shape on the other creates
a pressure difference on each side, meaning extra drag.

« For a minimal drag, the perturbated air flow must converge behind the rider« , Paul Lew told us.

This is here this wheel differs from the others, the Convexo Convex is curved on both sides. This special shape helps the air flow, perturbated by the presence of the rider and its bike, to
stick the wheel and leave the system clearly. Obviously the speed, the bike shape, and the rider position significantly modify these drawings.

On the right, the flat sided ovoïd rim disc wheel, such as a Zipp Sub9, has the airflow perturbated behind it because of the flat flanges.

On the left, the airflow of the Convexo Convex wheel converges and leaves the system as a clear flow, synonym of low drag, so better aerodynamic properties.

In practise

The tests performed at Mooresville, North Carolina, USA, recorded thousands datas. The wheels claimed to be the fastest of the market were tested on the bench.
The drags are recorded for the wheels only, and more interesting, for the wheels installed on the bike, including a rider. The position of the rider is kept thanks to several markers.

The results are summarized in the table below:

Regarding the wheels only, Zipp is indeed the fastest: 12% less drag for the front wheel, and 53% less drag for the rear wheel! The difference is significant and corroborates the datas
claimed by Zipp, constantly improving the aerodynamics on its wheels.
Yet, testing a wheel alone is not really accurate to predict the results of a complete system rider/bike. Lew Racing thus pushed the tests further to know what happens with a world class
rider and its Cervelo P3C.
The results are very different, and sometimes advantage the Lew configuration, sometimes the Zipp:

A few points are important here: with a yaw angle of 10°, the Zipp404/Zipp Sub9 configuration is as fast as the Lew Pro VT-1/Convexo Convex, taking into account the measure errors.
When comparing the configuration 1 and 2, only the rear wheels change. The fastest configuration is the one mixing the 404 front, and the Convexo Convex rear. The fastest rear wheel at 10°
is the Lew.

At yaw 20°, the configurations « full » Zipp or « full » Lew are as fast, when taking into account the errors. Weirdly the fastest configuration at 10° is the slowest at 20°.
At this angle, the configuration 1 is faster than the number 2. So the Zipp Sub 9 is faster than the Convexo Convex. However, the configuration 3, which is the « full » Lew, is as fast as the
« full » Zipp configuration!
It shows how difficult it is to predict the aerodynamics of a system. It also means testing a wheel only is not the best idea for a complete system…

Only Zipp wheels, among the current fastest wheels have face the Lew in this test.
The results can be downloaded here.

What’s on the scale?

Of course, as every products coming from the Lew factories, the components are extremely light. The carbon and boron wheel, lens shape, is 780g. As comparizon, the Lightweight Disc, flat
sided, is 800g, the Zipp Sub9, flat sided with ovoid rim, are 1000g, the Corima flat sided are 1060g, and finally, the Mavic Comete flat sided/lens shape is 1285g.

Convexo Convex

En théorie

Cette roue pleine met donc en avant le concept de la roue lenticulaire poussé à l’extrême. Là où une roue paraculaire est parfaitement plane et crée beaucoup de turbulences, une roue
lenticulaire, de par sa forme bombée d’un côté, réduit la traînée en facilitant l’écoulement du flux d’air, déjà perturbé, derrière le coureur. Cependant, d’après le constructeur, cette
construction voit ses limites apparaître assez rapidement: la roue agit comme une aile d’avion car la forme bombée d’un côté et plane de l’autre crée une diffèrence de pression de chaque
côté, synonyme de traînée supplémentaire.

« Pour une traînée minimale, le flux d’air perturbé par le coureur doit converger en sortie » nous confie Paul Lew.

C’est à ce niveau que cette roue fait la diffèrence avec d’autres, la Convexo Convex est bombée des deux côtés. La forme spécifique de la roue permet au flux d’air perturbé par la présence
du coureur et du vélo, de venir « recoller » à la roue en sortie. Le croquis théorique sur la droite met en évidence le phénomène. Il est évident que la vitesse, le type de vélo et la
position du coureur modifient singulièrement ces croquis.

Sur la droite, la roue paraculaire avec jante ovoïde, type Zipp Sub9, voit le flux d’air perturbé en sortie à cause du flasque plat.

Sur la gauche, le flux d’air de la roue Convexo Convex converge et sort en un flux unique synonyme de faible traînée, donc d’un meilleur aérodynamisme.

En pratique

Sur les tests mis en place à Mooresville, en Caroline du Nord, USA, une multitude de valeurs sont enregistrées. Plusieurs roues, celles censées être les plus rapides à l’heure actuelle,
sont passées sur le banc.
Les traînées sont enregistrées pour les roues seules, et, plus intéressant, pour les roues installées sur le vélo, coureur positionné. La position du coureur est conservée grâce à plusieurs
marqueurs.

Nous vous résumons donc les résultats les plus intéressants concernant les roues seules dans le tableau ci-dessous:

En ce qui concerne les roues seules, Zipp est bien le plus rapide: 12% de traînée en moins sur la roue avant, et 53% sur la roue arrière! La diffèrence est assez significative et corrobore
les données annoncées par Zipp, toujours à la pointe de la dernière astuce lui permettant de rendre ses composants un peu plus économes en énergie.
Cependant, ne tester qu’une roue seule n’est pas suffisamment précis pour pouvoir prédire les résultats sur un système complet coureur/vélo. Lew Racing a donc poussé les tests un peu plus
loin en vérifiant les résultats avec un coureur de niveau mondial sur son Cervélo P3C.
Les résultats sont totalement diffèrents, et avantagent tantôt la configuration Lew, tantôt à la Zipp:

Plusieurs points sont importants sur ce tableau: sur un angle d’attaque du vent de 10°, la configurations basée sur du Zipp404/Zipp Sub9 fait jeu égal avec la configuration Lew Pro
VT-1/Convexo Convex, aux erreurs de mesure près.
Si l’on compare les configuration 1 et 2, seules les roues arrière changent. La configuration la plus rapide étant celle mixant la 404 à l’avant, et la Convexo Convex à l’arrière, la roue
pleine la plus rapide est donc la Lew, à 10°.

A 20°, les configurations « full » Zipp ou « full » Lew font jeu égal, aux erreurs de mesure près. Etrangement la configuration la plus rapide à 10° s’avère être la plus mauvaise à 20°.
Sous cet angle de 20°, la configuration 1 est plus rapide que la 2, donc la Zipp Sub9 est plus rapide que la Convexo Convex. Cependant, la configuration 3, basée sur une Lew Pro VT1 à
l’avant, est aussi rapide que la configuration basée entièrement sur du Zipp!
Preuve qu’en aérodynamisme les règles sont difficilement prédictibles, et preuve aussi que tester une roue seule s’avère être une mauvaise idée par rapport au système complet…

Seules les roues Zipp, parmies les plus aérodynamiques à l’heure actuelle, ont fait face aux Lew dans ce test.
Les résultats complets sont consultables via ce PDF.

Et la balance?

Evidemment, comme tous les produits sortant des usines Lew, les pièces sont extrêmement légères. La roue, de carbone et de bore vêtue, lenticulaire, atteint les 780g. A titre de
comparaison, les Lightweight Disc paraculaire pèsent 800g, les Zipp Sub9 paraculaire à jante ovoïde affichent 1000g sur la balance, les Corima paraculaires 1060g, et pour finir, les Mavic
Comete paraculaires/lenticulaires 1285g.

The Powertap is one of the required tool for a good quality training and a whole follow-up of the performance. This device is a power sensor integrated into a special rear hub which is
equipped with 8 strain gauges and an oversized carbon/aluminium shell. The precision is excellent: the error margin is only 1,5%, and it is really hard to go back to a standard wheel
because the system motivates and encourages the rider to go over its limits…

For the story, we wanted to test this device before offering it in the roues artisanales boutique. The racers and sportive riders, who wish to improve their performances and have a real
representation of the output power should be particularly interested.
Indeed, on the road, the power provided changes every second and several parameters, whose the wind and slope, modify dramatically the output. Thus, while every sundays a rider rides easily
at 30km/h, with the wind in the back, another days he can’t go over 20km/h with the wind in the face. One feels out of shape, stuck on the road. Nevertheless with a power sensor such as the
Powertap, the real output would be known. The first day, with the wind in the back, the output power is between 180 to 220W… the next day with the wind in the face, it is between 300 and
350W!

How does it work?

From a technical
point of view, we touch the top of the world with this product. Internally, height strain gauges measure the deformation in torsion of a calibrated component, involved in the strength
transmission. The strain gauges resistivity variates and influences an oscillator whose oscillating frequency represents a torque in N.m. In short, that’s not a product to disassemble, even
for the most handyman of us…

The rider creates a torque which is associated to a pedaling frequency. The torque (spinning force so it’s in N.m) multiplied by this speed (rad/s) is a power in Watts.
Thus for a given output power, we can either push the pedals like hell, and spin the legs slowly (high torque, low speed), either spin quickly the legs, and delivering a lower force (high
speed and low torque)

The comptuter

The power meter displays instantaneously the power on a special comptuter. Beside the power, speed, pedaling frequency, hearth rate, odometer, we enjoied the torque display during the high
strength trainings.
The comptuter displays datas on three levels:
1 – Output power, maximal power, average power – Force
2 – Speed, max speed, average speed
3 – Distance, time/hour, pedaling frequency, average pedaling frequency, energy spent, odometer, hearth rate, average hearth rate

The settings are a bit more complicated than with a standard comptuter. Indeed, we had to modify the power refresh display from 1s to 2s because the variations were too quick. Although we
were riding at – what we estimated to be a very constant power, the power variated from 140 to 180W! The longer power display refresh smoothen the power variations.

Power Agent, the software

A special software is provided with the device. It helps to analysis into the details the ride/race. The comptuter can record several trainings, as long as the total is not longer than 15
hours. When plugging it to the comptuter, through USB, every rides are separated and you simply have to import the datas. The transfer may take several minutes if you have many hours of
training to analysis.
The software shows the power curve, speed curve, torque curve, pedaling frequency, and finally hearth rate curve, all as a function of the time. However the software is not limited to
showing these curves, it saves all your trainings since the first time, through a list in the chronological order, and can give you extra information such as the output power or hearth rate
distribution, etc…

Some principles…

Here are some power figures depending on the rider level and the effort. The distances the riders can hold those power levels obviously get bigger with higher level athlets. For example, a
professionnal race is more or less 200km while a regional race (france) is about 90km!

Warning: the powers claimed above are mentionned as example. They are not necessary fixed, a recreationnal rider can have a higher sprint power than a cyclosportive rider!

The range

Three range is composed of three models. Basically, they all offer the same things in term of precision and functionnality: the error margin is 1.5%, the hub shell is in carbon/aluminium,
and they provide the same functions.
Yet, there are some differences from a practical and weight point of view. The cheaper version is the Powertap Pro, which is 899 euros and is equipped with a steel freewheel and
axle, it weights 576g and the transmission is assured by wires. The second model is the Powertap SL, featuring an alloy freewheel and axle: it costs 1199 euros and weights 416g.
Finally, the best power sensor is the Powertap SL 2.4, it has the exact same characteristics as the SL model, but it is wireless! It is 1499 euros.

Conclusion

Finally, the apparel gave us complete satisfaction. It is a training device, which can be very useful for racers or cyclosportives looking for higher performances, to improve their maximal
power, their endurance power, as well as improving their rest.
The powermeter was an excellent ride buddy too since it broke the monotony coming along with long rides.
We finally decided to offer it in our roues artisanales boutique.

Zipp is updating its handlebars range for 2009. The american brand unveiled 32 new bars, redesigned and passing successfully the EFBe tests. The three models, whose brand new Contour, are
available in 40, 42, 44, ou 46 cm (ext-ext), with a clamping diameter of 31,8mm.

SL – Super light. Super stiff
The new SL is the lightest and stiffest handlebar which passed the very demanding EFBe test. It has a very high lightness to stiffness ratio, and the resistance is as good.
Weight: 165 grams.
Three shapes are available:
  – EB (Ergo Bend) (depth 90, height 150)
  – TB (Traditional Bend) (depth 87.5, height 130)
  – SS (Short Shallow) (depth 84.5, height 128).
Price: 340 euros.

SLC2 – The versatile bars
This model is the stiffest from Zipp, it can deal with very high torsions, 60% of the bars are 31,8mm.
This is the perfect handlebar for the sprinters or to mount VukaClips.
Weight: 185 grammes.
Three shapes are available:
  – EB (Ergo Bend) (depth 90, height 150)
  – TB (Traditional Bend) (depth 87.5, height 130)
  – SS (Short Shallow) (depth 84.5, height 128).
Price: 340 euros.

Contour SL – The stage racer’s bars
Comfort, ergonomy, stiffness and aerodynamism. The wing shape is both aerodynamic and comfortable.
Weight: 185 grammes.
Two shapes available:
  – TB (Traditional Bend) (depth 87.5, height 130)
  – SS (Short Shallow) (depth 84.5, height 128).
Price: 240 euros.

Sonic is offering a special version of its 50mm tubular wheels for the Tour de France. The yellow stickers are matching the gold nipples. The hubs are black instead of silver, the spokes
are black DT Aerolite instead of silver Sapim Cx-ray. Although there is no real technical new, the game Pro Cycling Manager 2008 is included, collector version please!

Quick releases, wheelbags, brake pads and valve extenders supplied.
Price 1090 euros.
Weight: 1370g
Only 120 sets available from the 27th of June.

Sonic

Cosmic Carbone SLR

Still looking for lightness and stiffness, the French manufacturer pushes the technologies introduced last year a little further. The breakthroughs developed for
the high end wheels are trickling down the range. The Cosmic Carbone SLR is brand new for 2009, featuring full carbon « rim to rim » spoking. Mavic names this technology R2R for
« rim to rim ». Its advantage is to lighten the spoking and the hub since the strains are very low, but it also brings a dramatic gain in lateral stiffness. Indeed, the unidirectionnal carbon
fibres are extremely stiff when under tension, as with the Cosmic Carbone Ultimate, winning every lateral stiffness contest.
Regarding the aerodynamics, the flat spokes and the fluid junction with the hubs, associated with a 52mm deep rim should make for one of the fastest wheels.
To get into the details, the R2R spokes are almost radial since they only pass onto the hub, unlike Lightweights or the Mavic Cosmic Carbone Ultimate where they are laced around it. This
should also give a lighter structure since the spokes are shorter.

Although the Cosmic Carbone SLR visually have the same rims as the normal version, the Cosmic Carbone SL, they are lightened by 20g thanks to extra milling of the aluminium rim, underneath
the carbon fairing, between the spokes drillings (picture on the left). Indeed, this part of the rim is not stressed a lot so deserved an extra attention. An old generation Cosmic Carbone
rim was about 660g.
The strong point of these wheels is the spoking, making it lighter and stiffer. It is perfectly replaceable in case of crash, while removing it from the hub. Indeed, as the Cosmic Carbone
Ultimate, the spokes’ tip are threaded then tight through a standard nipple.

R2R spoking

The Cosmic Carbone SLR wheels are claimed to be 1595g with 20 front and rear full carbon spokes, aluminium hubs, rims 20g lighter than the current version, and equipped with the
fairing that made the SL famous.
 

R-SYS Premium

These famous wheels are getting their first update but it’s only cosmetic. The standard R-SYS are quite a weird color combination and Mavic is making them look
more classy and easier to match the bikes’ colors.
The rim and the hubs receives black paint, the spokes nipples and tips are silver. Definitely a very good thing.
Aside from the differents colors, they do not receive any technical update.
As a reminder, the R-SYS wheels feature the TraComp system, for « Traction Compression ». The very stiff tubular carbon spokes are low tensioned, allowing very light rims and high
lateral stiffness since they contribute to the stiffness both when gaining tension, as a standard spoke, but as well when entering in compression because their two tips are fixed and they
are stiff.

In short, it’s a well thought out system which deserves a significant update for the 2010 range. That’s our hope. Carbon hubs, carbon TraComp ring, beside the front aero spokes would be
perfect before an ultimate update with carbon rims for 2011!
Learn more about TraComp.

The R-SYS Premium have some small different details from the standard version: the rear hub is delivered with titanium screws, and the hubs caps are in carbon.
Like all Mavic’s ‘Premium’ versions, the wheels come with titanium quick releases instead of steel, beside the usual wheelbags, wrenches and magnet.

Cosmic Carbone SL 2009

The Cosmic Carbone SL is now more than 10 years old and Mavic is focusing on more competitive pricing for its oldest wheelset: they are about 30% cheaper than the 2008 version. They receive
a final update with the ISM technology for Inter Spoke Milling, making the rims 20g lighter like the SLR version presented above. Thus they are claimed to be 1740g.

Ksyrium Elite 2009

The Ksyrium Elite receive several updates. The rim is milled between the spokes holes, reducing the rim inertia by 30%, the hubs are redesigned to save weight, the rear rim is
asymetric. About the spoking, the rear wheel keeps the IsoPulse concept introduced on the Ksyrium a few years ago: the rear rim has radial, and thus shorter and stiffer spokes on the
drive side, and crossed spokes on the opposite side to transfer the torque. This system helps to balance the stiffness on both sides of the wheel unlike traditional spoking where the spokes
are crossed on both sides.
In short, the Ksyrium Elite 2009 are claimed to be 1550g, with good technical features, which is pretty good for their position in the range and price.

Comete

Finally, the time trial wheel, the Comete is 13% lighter thanks to new HM carbon flanges. The wheel is 1150g.

There more news to come about Mavic’s 2009 wheel range, however we can’t really tell you more right now. We just can tell you that some wheels are equipped with Powertap… wait and see!