Hands on experience with Flo 30 rims and wheel build/ride

[Slagter]

Thanks for the reply and the link to the video, Chris.

It looks easy in the video, but its definitely not easy IRL. And I have mounted tires several hundreds if not more than a thousand times through the years. And I have no problems with other brand wheels. pushstart has the same problem. But hey, maybe its just me. I still love the rims though, and I'm gonna order another set to have in stock.

[pushstart]

Yeah, these rims are much, much harder to mount tires on than any Kinlin, H+ Son Archetype, Stans, Mavic, Bontrager, or other random rims I have owned/used. I hear the Pacenti SL23 were tough, but they listened apparently and fixed that for the SL25 (?)

I find it tolerable with yellow tape, but still very tight.

[TwiggyTN]

Uh yeah, if you have to use a tire lever to get the FIRST bead on, like in the video, that's tight. Sorry but it is. Reminds me of my Neutron with veloflex days which I don't miss at all. #clincherproblems

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[velojosh]

I started out with a set of FLO 60/90's and then got a set of 30's. They work great (similar to Zip 101) and make for easier swap between training and race setups.

[bm0p700f]

What are those tyres like never seen them in the u.k

[stormur]

Clement ? While ago use to be nice tires, now are made by Tufo ( not sure clinchers, tubulars 99.99% sure ) . Some gravel racers like them, but heard on road they're …like Tufo. Sturdy but nothing else.

[pushstart]

Yeah, I don't have much positive to say about the Clement Strada LGG, unfortunately. I put them on as a lighter/faster alternative to the Duranos that I run over winter -- on my daily commuter. After few hundred km the rear tire exploded (3mm triangular cut in center tread) riding over a piece of gravel on the bike trail. A few hundred meters later I got a second flat from a piece of wire sticking into the tire. That may have just been a bad sample, but it was enough to make me take them both off when I got home. Back to GP4000S tires which seem to be more flat resistant (!?) and roll much faster + weigh less.

[JensW]

we have a set of flo30 wheels and i can't say that it´s so hard to mount tires on them, yes baby to take them of when they are new, but not mounting them. Can also take them of without a tire lever, harder then other rims yes, but it´s not impossible

[bombertodd]

I found the Flo 30's to be equally as challenging as Pacenti Sl23. Sometimes I can mount without levers while others need a little help.

[Slagter]

Would be interesting to know, which of you guys bought Flo30 wheels and which of you guys laced your own wheels out of Flo30 rims.

[imaca]

Hi I have Flo30 front wheel, (haven't got matching rear yet, the shipping to NZ is quite expensive and also pushes cost over the limit at which tax is paid).
The wheel seems to ride pretty well, in particular wide rim seems to give better grip than my old rim, giving more confidence descending.
Have had no trouble fitting or removing tires (I use fabric rim tape, Conti GP4000S). If you are needing levers to fit you are doing something wrong:) - make sure BOTH beads are pushed to middle of rim before pushing on last bit of bead, this makes it very easy:)

[pushstart]

If you are needing levers to fit you are doing something wrong:) - make sure BOTH beads are pushed to middle of rim before pushing on last bit of bead, this makes it very easy:)

I love it when people just assume that their one experience negates anyone else's. I know how to install tires. Of course you make sure beads are I'm center channel. Obviously the rim you got is smaller than the one that others of us got. This only suggests that there has been a change in rim design/specs or that there is a degree of variation in the rims. In latter hypothesis is supported by the apparent variation in measured ERDs (though my two rims were consistent in their deviation from claimed -- at that time; I believe mfr claimed ERD was later adjusted to beuch closer to what I measured).

[benp]

I've now put in 1000+miles on my Flo30's and I am very impressed. I am on the heavier side 105kg, but chose the 20/24 spoke prebuilt combo direct from Flo. Wheels are fitted with 23mm 4000s Mk2's and Michelin latex tubes. So far despite my clumsy riding both wheels are still perfectly true. Their lateral stiffness (primarily spokes and build quality), combined with the wider rim (improved tyre shape) gives a confidence inspiring feel to my ride (Canyon CF SLX in XL) and will be my primary riding/training wheels for a while to come. TBH the low cost of these wheels does show in the finish of the rim. The extrusion shows a pockmarked finish (probably a function of design/thin wall sections/bending) but once your riding no one will ever know. And finally the brake surfaces could have done with machining after anodising (again cosmetic) as they are now looking slightly tatty.
Overall a (in my experience) bomb proof set of fast wheels suitable for training and racing.
For the record I have Reynold Attacks (pre wide rim), Fulcrum Zero, Mavic Ksyrium SLR and two pairs of wheels rimmed with Pacenti SL23's. All these wheels have been unused since first trying the Flo's.

Location: Aberdeenshire, UK


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[Slagter]

I've now done 4.000 km (2.485 miles) on my handbuild Flo30 rims. And my impression of the rims has changed a bit. I'm not quite as satisfied anymore, as the first couple of training trips. After the 4.000 kms, the rims have shown a significant amount of wear on the braketrack. The alloy seems a bit soft, and could benefit from a better braketrack.

The difficulty mounting and unmounting the tires is a growing annoyance. I've had them checked at my LBS regarding the build, lacing and truing quality. But they told me the wheels are build well enough.

Since I prefer easy mounting and unmounting the tires, I have unmounted the wheels, and stored them in my basement. I just don't want to go through the hazzle on the road anymore. It's not, that they have become useless - not at all. I just prefer easy tiremmounting during training. And when I race, I ride carbonwheels.

For training a have build a new wheelset, which I am using now. I have used the same type of hubs (Miche Primato Syntesi), but just switched to different rims, spokes and spokeconfig. The rims are Mavic A119 at 540 grams each. The Flo30 rims are 566 grams each. My new wheelset is heavier, but only because of higher spokecount. The A119 ride very well and brake like nothing I have ever tried before. Obviously they are are not aero like the Flo30s at all. But the tiremounting and unmounting is very easy.

[Canadian]

I've now done 4.000 km (2.485 miles) on my handbuild Flo30 rims. And my impression of the rims has changed a bit. I'm not quite as satisfied anymore, as the first couple of training trips. After the 4.000 kms, the rims have shown a significant amount of wear on the braketrack. The alloy seems a bit soft, and could benefit from a better braketrack.

The difficulty mounting and unmounting the tires is a growing annoyance. I've had them checked at my LBS regarding the build, lacing and truing quality. But they told me the wheels are build well enough.

Since I prefer easy mounting and unmounting the tires, I have unmounted the wheels, and stored them in my basement. I just don't want to go through the hazzle on the road anymore. It's not, that they have become useless - not at all. I just prefer easy tiremmounting during training. And when I race, I ride carbonwheels.

For training a have build a new wheelset, which I am using now. I have used the same type of hubs (Miche Primato Syntesi), but just switched to different rims, spokes and spokeconfig. The rims are Mavic A119 at 540 grams each. The Flo30 rims are 566 grams each. My new wheelset is heavier, but only because of higher spokecount. The A119 ride very well and brake like nothing I have ever tried before. Obviously they are are not aero like the Flo30s at all. But the tiremounting and unmounting is very easy.

You mentioned that the brake track has worn down after 4000km. I'm a little surprised to hear this. I have a few questions.

1. Are you sure it's just not the black anodization wearing off instead the aluminum?
2. Do you still see the CNC grooves if the black finish has worn off?
3. What type of roads/weather have you been riding in?
4. What type of brake pads are you using?
5. How much braking are you doing... are you doing a lot of descending?

Thanks,