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

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whosatthewheel
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by whosatthewheel

Internal nipples and tubeless tyres are a bit of an awkward combination... the combination of having to remove tyre, wash away the sealant, remove and bin the tape to true a wheel is a bit annoying

bellebikes
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by bellebikes

whosatthewheel wrote:Internal nipples and tubeless tyres are a bit of an awkward combination... the combination of having to remove tyre, wash away the sealant, remove and bin the tape to true a wheel is a bit annoying


@Whosatthewheel,

I understand your concern, but let me explain how we came to this decision.

Using internal nipples allowed us to drill holes 2mm offset and make the spoke angle bigger, resulting in more lateral stiffness, this was simply not possible with external nipples without making the rim heavier. This benefit alone made the use of internal nipples worthwile.

Image

Also we did test setups with both internal and external nipples, With internal nipples, nipple failure is almost non-existing. So it makes the wheel more reliable. I'm not saying external nipples are bad, Modern external nipples are quite reliable, However nipple failure still happens, and we wanted to minimize that risk.

We already use internal nipples in our carbon clincher wheels for a while, And customers do not come back to true a wheel. If a wheel is laced properly and stressed before handing it over to the customer. Mostly when a wheel comes back non-round The spokes got damaged somehow, mostly after a crash (derailleur in the wheel for example) and a spoke needs replacement anyway.
For our handbuilt wheels we work with +/-0.1mm margins. And spoke tension perfectly divided.

Lacing process: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=33yoKC_nuoI

The rim is also quite stiff due to its 26,2mm width and 32,5mm depth and comes in very round.
In the event we do need to retrue, removing the tire and re-installing is a 15 minute job, unlike tubes it is not too much work. For tubes we do use external nipples.

Also, we optimized our tubeless design for more easy tire removing, but again, we only saw the need to re-true our wheels after damaged spokes, As we needed to remove the spokes anyway in this case it does not make much of a difference when working with external nipples.

We know however that many wheel-builders prefer external nipples, Therefore we do offer rims with external nipples. And if someone prefers external nipples in a wheel, that's no problem at all, we will happily built a wheel with external nipples.
http://www.bellebikes.com - info@bellebikes.com
Rides: Bellezza Stelvio <5kg and Bellezza CorsaX!

by Weenie


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sugarkane
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by sugarkane

Do you graph the tensions of each wheel?

whosatthewheel
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by whosatthewheel

I don't quite understand what the spoke angle graph is actually showing me. What does a spoke angle measured in % actually mean?

bellebikes
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by bellebikes

sugarkane wrote:Do you graph the tensions of each wheel?


Yes we do, and we keep the data saved from every wheel which is built.

Image

whosatthewheel wrote:I don't quite understand what the spoke angle graph is actually showing me. What does a spoke angle measured in % actually mean?


Spoke angle relative to the reference setup.
The reference wheel indicates 100%
So for our front wheel, we achieve a 19% increased spoke angle compared to our reference wheel.
http://www.bellebikes.com - info@bellebikes.com
Rides: Bellezza Stelvio <5kg and Bellezza CorsaX!

kulivontot
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by kulivontot

Hire some marketers or you're going to spend the entirety of your campaign preaching to 10 dudes on an internet forum who either already own Zipp's or buy their stuff direct from China.

mattr
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by mattr

Rims look interesting, but i've no spare cash right now. So i'll just have to watch from the sidelines......

matty
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by matty

I would be interested but I am not sure how Kickstarter works. If the target is nit reached what happens? And you have to pay up front it seems so again I am unsure if it does not happen is my money gone?

I have American Classic rs205 28h and bitex RAF12 24h I was going to lace to something like a velocity quill which I understand is currently unavailable or a American Classic rd2218.

mattr
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by mattr

IIRC if the target isn't met you get your money back. If it is met, you are then dependant on the company actually producing something, as the money has gone......

bellebikes
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by bellebikes

kulivontot wrote:Hire some marketers or you're going to spend the entirety of your campaign preaching to 10 dudes on an internet forum who either already own Zipp's or buy their stuff direct from China.


Reason i am posting here is because i learned how to built wheels from lots of helpful and dedicated people at this forum. And now, about 5 years later i wanted to share this product with them. I am aware that only posting on this forum is not enough for a successful kickstarter campaign.

matty wrote:I would be interested but I am not sure how Kickstarter works. If the target is nit reached what happens? And you have to pay up front it seems so again I am unsure if it does not happen is my money gone?

I have American Classic rs205 28h and bitex RAF12 24h I was going to lace to something like a velocity quill which I understand is currently unavailable or a American Classic rd2218.


Matty,

About kickstarter,
You only have to pay if the target is actually reached, if not, no money will be deducted from all backers. It is all or nothing.

After the campaign, If we reach our kickstarter goal, Money will be earned by kickstarter. That is why you have to leave payment details. When the campaign ends i will contact all backers and specific requests like hole drilling options will be discussed and we will start production immediately as development stage has already finished.
http://www.bellebikes.com - info@bellebikes.com
Rides: Bellezza Stelvio <5kg and Bellezza CorsaX!

perwjensen
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by perwjensen

bellebikes wrote:Dear Weight-weenies,

The last year my startup company have been developing a new aluminum rim to built lightweight, yet aerodynamic aluminum wheels.
trying to fill a gap in the market.

Firstly I would like to thank all weightweenies contributors, all information on wheels and rims found here contributed a lot on the end product.

Therefore i would like to grand you a sneak preview on our kickstarter campaign wich will launch this saturday (23july 08:00 GMT).
at http://kickstarter.aforcewheels.com.
I am very interested in your opinion.

Image
Our aluminum rim next to toroidal shaped carbon rims.

Image
For the wheelbuilders

For more pictures, our kickstarter video please see the preview video of our kickstarter page.
http://kickstarter.aforcewheels.com

I am open for all questions. My team and i developed this product with a lot of passion and i really hope you like it.

Let me know,
Jan-Willem van Soest



I wish you guys the best of luck. Looks like a solid product,and indeed there is a market gap there to be closed.

thp
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by thp

Somehow get a post on bikerumor our bikeradar and you'll get all the pledges you need. :-P

matty
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by matty

Have now started to think that paying circa £200 for spokes and wheel build on my existing hubs I may as well go for the wheels you are offering.

Any info on the hubs for example flange distance and who makes them.

bellebikes
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by bellebikes

thp wrote:Somehow get a post on bikerumor or bikeradar and you'll get all the pledges you need. :-P

Keep your eye on bikerumor today is all i can say 8)

If anyone knows someone from bikeradar or any other blog / forum, i would love to get in touch.

matty wrote:Have now started to think that paying circa £200 for spokes and wheel build on my existing hubs I may as well go for the wheels you are offering.

Any info on the hubs for example flange distance and who makes them.


Flange offset at drive-side is as wide as you can get with an oversized flange, but with a safe margin to keep your derailleur cage out of your spokes. But because of the 2mm offset drilling you get effectively a 2mm wider flange distance at both sides (front and rear).

I do not have exact measurements on me now, i'll check these.

When it comes to the hub, all i can say it is manufactured in taiwan, it is easy serviceable, And apart from replacing bearings over time (which any reputable bike shop should be able to do). They will last you a lifetime. We are using these hubs for over a year now in our carbon wheels. And no warranty cases yet. They also fit standard steel straight-pull spokes, and do not need to be disassembled to replace spokes. (apart from removing the cassette to insert spokes).
http://www.bellebikes.com - info@bellebikes.com
Rides: Bellezza Stelvio <5kg and Bellezza CorsaX!

by Weenie


Visit starbike.com Online Retailer for HighEnd cycling components
Great Prices ✓    Broad Selection ✓    Worldwide Delivery ✓

www.starbike.com



AlphaDogCycling
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by AlphaDogCycling

Bikerumor article http://www.bikerumor.com/2016/07/26/aforce/


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