Wheels

Things have been a little quiet here at HBC.  Time to change that as I turn the Cervelo P2SL into a fixie.

First step:  new wheels.

I just received the second pair of wheels Ron Ruff at White Mountain Wheels has made for me in recent years.  Ron knows how to build wheels.  On the Gunnar I have Kinlin rims, Sapim CX-Ray spokes and White Industries hubs, unbranded shiny black all around, 32 spokes rear and 24 spokes front, weighing in at less than 1500 grams, for which I paid approximately $800 shipped.  The best part?  After much closer to 10,000 miles than to 0, neither wheel has a single wobble.  Not one.  (In contrast, both Neuvation wheel-sets I have need adjustment with shameful frequency.) Ron pre-stresses all his wheels in building.  Not sure what else he does, but at a below-shop-price $50/wheel, I can't imagine shopping anywhere else.

For the Fixie Ron built me a matched set of the beauties you see above.  That's a Kinlin rim -- a new design that has a profile nearly identical to the Hed Belgiums; a White Industries ENO hub with an Allen bolt on the axle; and 28 CX-Ray spokes.  I tried to talk Ron into basic round spokes, but he likes his CX-Rays, and I can't argue with how they look.  Total cost, including shipping:  about $750.  Odds-on bet as to how long these last?  Longer than the welds on the P2SL, in any event.

Here are a few more pictures:

Rear hub.  See the Allen bolt fastener.

Just a little bling with those blue nipples.  Photo credit:  some guy who doesn't know lighting.

And the front hub.

Next step: taking apart the old bike.  What to do with an old Ultegra groupset?  Anybody have a frame around to build?