preview: Al33 kickstarter launch (new 33mm deep toroidal shaped aluminum rims (465gram) + wheels)
Moderator: robbosmans
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StradaJon
- in the industry
- Posts: 133
- Joined: Fri Sep 09, 2011 2:38 pm
- Location: Brighton, UK
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We've got a pair, we'll be building them up next week with more stock to follow afterwards.
Strada Hand Built Wheels
http://www.stradawheels.co.uk
http://www.stradawheels.co.uk
Looking in facebook there are pictures from a show display and the website seems to be offering some sort of early bird discount until end of the month.
http://bellebikes.coenonderwater.nl/pro ... e-wielset/
I do not understand Dutch and see no other language options so cannot comment.
Looking forward to getting my Kickstarter pair when available.....
http://bellebikes.coenonderwater.nl/pro ... e-wielset/
I do not understand Dutch and see no other language options so cannot comment.
Looking forward to getting my Kickstarter pair when available.....
Visit starbike.com Online Retailer for HighEnd cycling components
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I still haven't heard anything so google now and again.
Translated this from Wheel-Tec facebook post:
Aforce AL33 racing wheels
The Dutch company Aforce recently introduced a revolutionary in his own words aluminum clincher rim. This is an aluminum clincher rim with a very well-developed aerodynamic shape. By clever use of the material allowed the rim, despite the hefty 33mm profile height, are kept relatively light. 465 grams is the weight where many carbon rim to be ashamed do not. The rim has also conducted an internal width of no less than 19.5 mm, and of course tubeless ready. The CNC remlaag is spun down, and can be carried out optionally with a ceramic coating. Nipples are either internally or externally. We built the internal version, because it has a few interesting additional features. The rim is here namely offset drilled (from the center), but not as you would expect. Indeed, there is traversed over drilled, causing the spokes come to be under an even greater angle. Very smart, and, in practice, this simply provides a stiffer wheel. In building noticed that the workmanship is very good and the rim is very pure built. All in all a very good and promising first impression. The test wheels are constructed and it will run in the coming weeks a lot of kilometers. We are curious about the handling and of course the ceramic remlaag. Keep you posted!
Specifications test wheels:
rims: Aforce AL33 20-24H (2: 1 triplet spoked).
-naven: WheelTec Race201 (2: 1 triplet)
spokes: Sapim NV CxRay
-spaaknippels: alu internal hex
-weight: 1485 grams
Translated this from Wheel-Tec facebook post:
Aforce AL33 racing wheels
The Dutch company Aforce recently introduced a revolutionary in his own words aluminum clincher rim. This is an aluminum clincher rim with a very well-developed aerodynamic shape. By clever use of the material allowed the rim, despite the hefty 33mm profile height, are kept relatively light. 465 grams is the weight where many carbon rim to be ashamed do not. The rim has also conducted an internal width of no less than 19.5 mm, and of course tubeless ready. The CNC remlaag is spun down, and can be carried out optionally with a ceramic coating. Nipples are either internally or externally. We built the internal version, because it has a few interesting additional features. The rim is here namely offset drilled (from the center), but not as you would expect. Indeed, there is traversed over drilled, causing the spokes come to be under an even greater angle. Very smart, and, in practice, this simply provides a stiffer wheel. In building noticed that the workmanship is very good and the rim is very pure built. All in all a very good and promising first impression. The test wheels are constructed and it will run in the coming weeks a lot of kilometers. We are curious about the handling and of course the ceramic remlaag. Keep you posted!
Specifications test wheels:
rims: Aforce AL33 20-24H (2: 1 triplet spoked).
-naven: WheelTec Race201 (2: 1 triplet)
spokes: Sapim NV CxRay
-spaaknippels: alu internal hex
-weight: 1485 grams
-
StradaJon
- in the industry
- Posts: 133
- Joined: Fri Sep 09, 2011 2:38 pm
- Location: Brighton, UK
- Contact:
AForce AL33 rim initial build / test ride notes from UK based Strada Wheels.
Initial inspection of the rims - nice consistent anodised finish, the spoke bed drillings were drilled on the angle specified with no bend of the spoke as it entered the rim under tension. Rim weight for an pre-production sample were 490g.
Building - upon building we felt the rim bed held it’s shape under tension. The brake track was a little shallower than we would have liked to have seen. The Swissstop BXP pads ran slightly over the edge of the brake track.
Tyre fitting was really easy by hand with no major force required (we tried GP4000SII 25c brand new and a 23 brand new and a Challenge Forte 25c). Tubeless set up / fitting yet to be tested.
Lateral stiffness: with SR2 hubs from Aivee and a bladed spoke they were significantly stiffer than anything else we’ve built within their weight category. This was certainly aided by the offset spoke drilled spoke bed.
First ride - VERY stable at high speed downhill with no skittishness. Ridden standing and applying power son the flats and uphill it was noticeable how stiff they were. Also quite forgiving over the bumps for a rim of this depth at with a 25c tyre at lower psi.
These were fitted to a Specialized Tarmac SL4 with DA quick releases and tyre pressures set at 80 psi front and 85 psi rear, rider weight was 70 kg. Experienced rider on well known local roads over the South Downs near Goodwood.
Wheel weight: 1610g the pair, built 24 radial / 28 two cross both sides rear.
Ceramic coated version of the rims to follow soon.
Conclusion - we are really happy with the initial rims we received from AForce and the additional 25g per rim in fact will help with allowing the A Force AL33 rim to show it’s full potential in handling spoke tension over it’s life cycle.
More testing / feedback and photos to follow.
Contact us for more info.
Initial inspection of the rims - nice consistent anodised finish, the spoke bed drillings were drilled on the angle specified with no bend of the spoke as it entered the rim under tension. Rim weight for an pre-production sample were 490g.
Building - upon building we felt the rim bed held it’s shape under tension. The brake track was a little shallower than we would have liked to have seen. The Swissstop BXP pads ran slightly over the edge of the brake track.
Tyre fitting was really easy by hand with no major force required (we tried GP4000SII 25c brand new and a 23 brand new and a Challenge Forte 25c). Tubeless set up / fitting yet to be tested.
Lateral stiffness: with SR2 hubs from Aivee and a bladed spoke they were significantly stiffer than anything else we’ve built within their weight category. This was certainly aided by the offset spoke drilled spoke bed.
First ride - VERY stable at high speed downhill with no skittishness. Ridden standing and applying power son the flats and uphill it was noticeable how stiff they were. Also quite forgiving over the bumps for a rim of this depth at with a 25c tyre at lower psi.
These were fitted to a Specialized Tarmac SL4 with DA quick releases and tyre pressures set at 80 psi front and 85 psi rear, rider weight was 70 kg. Experienced rider on well known local roads over the South Downs near Goodwood.
Wheel weight: 1610g the pair, built 24 radial / 28 two cross both sides rear.
Ceramic coated version of the rims to follow soon.
Conclusion - we are really happy with the initial rims we received from AForce and the additional 25g per rim in fact will help with allowing the A Force AL33 rim to show it’s full potential in handling spoke tension over it’s life cycle.
More testing / feedback and photos to follow.
Contact us for more info.
Strada Hand Built Wheels
http://www.stradawheels.co.uk
http://www.stradawheels.co.uk
Shallow brake track is never a good thing. Pacenti is notorious for shallow brake track (e.g. 8mm). Could you please measure the brake track on AI33? I'm curious whether it's a minimum on 10mm.
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Racing is a three-dimensional high-speed chess game, involving hundreds of pieces on the board.
CBA = Chronic Bike Addiction
OCD = Obsessive Cycling Disorder
CBA = Chronic Bike Addiction OCD = Obsessive Cycling Disorder-
NovemberDave
- Posts: 231
- Joined: Sat Oct 09, 2010 11:42 am
- Contact:
I just measured brake track heights on a bunch of rims that we have in stock, as follows (in mm):
AForce Ai33 black version: 9.87
Kinlin XR31T: 9.77
Belgium+: 8.50
Easton R90SL: 9.57
DT Swiss 460: 9.6
Pacenti SL23: 7.95
Parenti Forza Asymmetric rear: 9.22
Using a set of somewhat generic carbon rim brake pads on the AForce, the pad has stayed on the track for about 1600 miles of use. It's possible that the black version is slightly different to the bright finished rim's brake track (which would have to be a machining thing), and that could explain it.
AForce Ai33 black version: 9.87
Kinlin XR31T: 9.77
Belgium+: 8.50
Easton R90SL: 9.57
DT Swiss 460: 9.6
Pacenti SL23: 7.95
Parenti Forza Asymmetric rear: 9.22
Using a set of somewhat generic carbon rim brake pads on the AForce, the pad has stayed on the track for about 1600 miles of use. It's possible that the black version is slightly different to the bright finished rim's brake track (which would have to be a machining thing), and that could explain it.
; Anvil Custom steel Etap;1996 Colnago Technos Record-
NovemberDave
- Posts: 231
- Joined: Sat Oct 09, 2010 11:42 am
- Contact:
glepore wrote:Dave-when do you expect to be able to offer these?
Latest info we have is that we're about a month or 5 weeks from being able to ship builds.
Could we get a list of distributors in USA? Is November the only one for time being? First batch slated for delivery on March 10 http://www.novemberbicycles.com/blog/20 ... rfsw3.html
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Racing is a three-dimensional high-speed chess game, involving hundreds of pieces on the board.
CBA = Chronic Bike Addiction
OCD = Obsessive Cycling Disorder
CBA = Chronic Bike Addiction OCD = Obsessive Cycling Disorder-
antonioiglesius
- Posts: 290
- Joined: Sat Oct 15, 2016 9:08 pm
Ok I just read the latest update on Kickstarter and it looks like there's another delay. I'm really, really interested to know how the miscommunication between the designer and factory can be avoided/handled. Is it necessary to travel there every couple of days to check? Hire an Asian guy to sort out language barriers? Live there, sit beside the factory workers and do QA until the first complete batch is shipped? Go to karaoke every weekend with the factory workers to build good relationships? Learn about a secret handshake?
antonioiglesius wrote:I'm really, really interested to know how the miscommunication between the designer and factory can be avoided/handled. Is it necessary to travel there every couple of days to check? Hire an Asian guy to sort out language barriers? Live there, sit beside the factory workers and do QA until the first complete batch is shipped? Go to karaoke every weekend with the factory workers to build good relationships? Learn about a secret handshake?
LOL!
TheKaiser wrote:antonioiglesius wrote:I'm really, really interested to know how the miscommunication between the designer and factory can be avoided/handled. Is it necessary to travel there every couple of days to check? Hire an Asian guy to sort out language barriers? Live there, sit beside the factory workers and do QA until the first complete batch is shipped? Go to karaoke every weekend with the factory workers to build good relationships? Learn about a secret handshake?
LOL!
Taiwan and China is completely shut down for Chinese New Year. There goes 1-2 weeks delay. Hopefully there's someone on site at the factory to monitor production line and on point to sign of on QA. Right on when it comes to secret handshake (e.g. karaoke, booze, mini casino). If you have no QA manager on site, you are done! I don't want to jump to conclusion but it may very well turn into another "Chinese knockoff" product when it comes to quality. There are slew of threads regarding this topic and trust me, you certainly don't want your product labeled this way. Again, no offense, just humble opinion.
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Racing is a three-dimensional high-speed chess game, involving hundreds of pieces on the board.
CBA = Chronic Bike Addiction
OCD = Obsessive Cycling Disorder
CBA = Chronic Bike Addiction OCD = Obsessive Cycling Disorderok, so after the KS campaign, I contacted Ian by email, and ordered a pair of rims directly from him, at a significantly higher price than the KS offer. Wonder if anyone is on the same boat as me?
The KS prices were a limited time offer and I missed out on what is probably a good deal, I get that. After a few emails back and forth with Ian to clarify the price, I eventually paid through Paypal. Once I made the payment, it has been silence after 3 or 4 emails from me. And as can be seen from the KS campaign, updates are few and far in between.
So initially I was told I will get the second batch of rims, after the KS backers, in Jan. Now it seems that the second batch of rims are not able to fulfill the KS backers either. Wonder if I will be getting the 3rd batch of rims? I am not in urgent need of new rims, and I can understand delays are inevitable in developmental projects like this. I just hope I will be able to get the rims and built up the wheels before the Paypal protection expires.
The KS prices were a limited time offer and I missed out on what is probably a good deal, I get that. After a few emails back and forth with Ian to clarify the price, I eventually paid through Paypal. Once I made the payment, it has been silence after 3 or 4 emails from me. And as can be seen from the KS campaign, updates are few and far in between.
So initially I was told I will get the second batch of rims, after the KS backers, in Jan. Now it seems that the second batch of rims are not able to fulfill the KS backers either. Wonder if I will be getting the 3rd batch of rims? I am not in urgent need of new rims, and I can understand delays are inevitable in developmental projects like this. I just hope I will be able to get the rims and built up the wheels before the Paypal protection expires.
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