preview: Al33 kickstarter launch (new 33mm deep toroidal shaped aluminum rims (465gram) + wheels)

[twoangstroms]

I'm #27 on the Kickstarter and I understand making things is hard, but they could have been more communicative. Glad to see they're finally going to a weekly update to backers.

[mpulsiv]

Dave just posted this blog www.novemberbicycles.com/blog/2017/3/17 ... ts-in.html
Limited stock available.

[glepore]

Thanks for the heads up...just landed a pair.

[olebole]

Are there any eu webshops selling the wheels/rims?

[ergott]

He's a preliminary shot of the ceramic version.

[thp]

Yes and Yes (in the single digits as well). They did not ensure kickstarter inventory was properly managed, ordered, nor communicated.

From the kickstarter:
"We will use our remaining kickstarter campaign, for collecting more data , and if needed, small adjustment. However we believe our product is ready for production as it have been tested in many demanding conditions.

If project is funded we will start production directly after our campaign ends. And most likely our wheels and rims will ship out in november."

So the provider of these rims have LIED to his kickstarter backers.
The backers that have PAID for the wheels/rims over 6 months ago and got a spiel about not having enough parts to deliver.
Yet we see wheel builders have stock and deliver production rims before his kickstarter is even close to finished.
Just telling it as it is.

[matty]

Interesting comment posted on Nivember site:

"I own a pair of these. After just 900km, of which 120 km in December 16 and 136 km in January 17. the ceramic coating on one of the rims is more or less gone.Huge dissappointment. Normal wear says A-force. What are your thoughts on this?"

I had ordered these, but due to non delivery and with my PayPal protection period coming to an end got my money refunded. I was going to reorder with new PayPal protection but exchange rate has worsened making it more expensive and I no longer feel confident in the product or the company. I hope it is a great product and people get what they ordered but all these issues, and then more updates from resellers than aforce themselves has left a bitter taste.

[Mackers]

Pics of the wheelset in question...

https://1drv.ms/i/s!AjtKp7zxvLSvhKYh1cKHi2X_6MiOOA
https://1drv.ms/i/s!AjtKp7zxvLSvhKYnvuImOXiOKQZ5sQ
https://1drv.ms/i/s!AjtKp7zxvLSvhKYlKoj8p79PHxlxew
https://1drv.ms/i/s!AjtKp7zxvLSvhKYoTaURzP_Y9hYTOg
https://1drv.ms/i/s!AjtKp7zxvLSvhKYiIlvmsdZSRzDhqQ

[Multebear]

Could someone tell me what the fuzz is all about with this rim? I've loosely read a couple of posts in this topic through the pages, but haven't got the full picture at all. Isn't this just another aero alloy clincher rim? And with a lot of delivery problems? Why would anyone choose alloy aero rim over a carbon for performance?

Or what am I missing?

[C36]

Could someone tell me what the fuzz is all about with this rim? I've loosely read a couple of posts in this topic through the pages, but haven't got the full picture at all. Isn't this just another aero alloy clincher rim? And with a lot of delivery problems? Why would anyone choose alloy aero rim over a carbon for performance?

Or what am I missing?

Fairly light for the size (if confirmed at 465g), quite aero (better than a 303). And without the "certain nonsense" a lot of carbon clincher rims have (weight gain marginal, structural issues on long braking conditions, tire pressure limit, price)


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[mattr]

"I own a pair of these. After just 900km, of which 120 km in December 16 and 136 km in January 17. the ceramic coating on one of the rims is more or less gone.Huge dissappointment. Normal wear says A-force. What are your thoughts on this?"

Normal wear? Hmmmmmmm

The early mavics would go 8-10 thousand km without any major loss of coating, ive even seen raced crossmax ceramics at 2 and 3 years old with no more than minor scoring of the surface.
The last mavics sometimes even came out of the wrapper with some damage due to the changed process. But if you got a good one you'd get several thousand km before significant loss.

[glepore]

Matty-link? I have a pair on order and am curious.

As to the buzz, for me it comes down to one thing really-wet braking. They're much like a mid depth carbon wheel in performance and weight. I don't do monster descents, so integrity of carbon isn't much of an issue, but wet braking is.

[NovemberDave]

Could someone tell me what the fuzz is all about with this rim? I've loosely read a couple of posts in this topic through the pages, but haven't got the full picture at all. Isn't this just another aero alloy clincher rim? And with a lot of delivery problems? Why would anyone choose alloy aero rim over a carbon for performance?

Or what am I missing?

I'd invert your question. If an alloy rim was lighter than a carbon rim with equivalent aerodynamics, able to be used tubed or tubeless, presented no question of being able to use it with latex tubes if desired, had superior braking, had none of the heat issues associated with carbon rims, was available with an unlimited number of better hub options, and cost well over $1000 less, why would anyone choose the carbon wheel?

That question isn't even limited to the Al33, as we've identified at least one other option that's less expensive and very broadly available.

Delivery of the Al33 has taken some time to get rolling, not at all unexpected, but we've gotten a few dozen wheels out the door now and they've all built up great and been a pleasure to build. Weights have been a little up (~490g) compared to the test rims we had (those were 470 and 474) but I don't have any issue with that. Still lighter than a lot of "as aero" carbon rims. Machined side wall rims are still in stock, ceramics will take about a month to come back in.

As to the wear pics, I hadn't seen those until now. The majority looks to be a brake pad hitting below the brake track, on the anodizing. There's also one small hard scrape area where it looks like something small and very hard was embedded in the pad and scratched the rim. That would have been a problem with any rim. There's also a large dent in the rim in the first pic, which raises a bit of a question. But we don't know what use conditions were etc so ability to judge is very very limited. In any case there's no way I could call the surface in those pics as anything close to "entirely gone." Our test set got nearly 2000 miles on them in general East Coast of the US conditions and the brake tracks held up quite well. Not entirely brand new looking anymore, but very good.

[Multebear]

@NovemberDave

That sounds definitely interesting. And you're sure this rim is more aero than 303?

You mention another aero alloy rim. Which one is that?

[antonioiglesius]

From the test results, it looks like the more aero rim is the Kinlin KR31T.

I think any sort of coating is only temporary, we should expect it to wear off over time, more rapidly with worse conditions (e.g. rain with mud). The only way is to dope the aluminum itself to make it black.

Is it correct to say that so far in this thread we have negative opinions from those who use the wheel, and positive ones from those who sell it?