Bike Ahead Composites - Bi-Turbo Road, Any experience?

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wheelsONfire
Posts: 6283
Joined: Mon Jul 07, 2014 8:15 am
Location: NorthEU

by wheelsONfire

I know!

Ordered a bike late 2015, still waiting!

Also, wheels!
Bikes:

Ax Lightness Vial EVO Race (2019.01.03)
Open *UP* (2016.04.14)
Paduano Racing Fidia (kind of shelved)


Ex bike; Vial EVO D, Vial EVO Ultra, Scott Foil, Paduano ti bike.

JHeiro
Posts: 57
Joined: Wed Jan 18, 2012 7:27 pm
Location: Finland

by JHeiro

Received my set a week ago, and have so far done 300km on them.

First impressions are very favourable: they are über stiff, light as advertised (I weighed my set at 1138g), and build quality seems excellent. Width is 21mm internal, 26mm external, and Conti GP4000S 25mm measure 28,0mm on these (compared to 25,1mm on Lightweight Meilensteins).

Hubs are very smooth - my set has Acros hubs, but BikeAhead also offers the choice of Tune hubs. As for aero properties they feel quite fast, at least as fast as Zipp 303 Firecrests I had on my bike previously. Already smashed some Strava KOMs, if that's any indication. Handling in crosswinds is on par with the Zipps.

Compared to my other high end wheel sets (Lightweight Meilensteins, Zipp 303 & 404s, Bora Ultra 35s) I'd say these are the best wheels overall.

Any downsides? Well, price certainly, but also delivery time. I ordered my set on Feb 2015 when BikeAhead first announced them, and received my set 15 months later.

Pictures on this topic http://weightweenies.starbike.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=10&t=139085

by Weenie


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ms6073
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Joined: Fri Jul 23, 2004 8:24 pm
Location: Houston, Texas

by ms6073

Very cool wheels, but I can't help but to think that the spoke blades seem like they should be swept back away from the direction of travel as opposed to canted forward into the direction of travel.
- Michael
"People should stop expecting normal from me... seriously, we all know it's never going to happen"

ImDobbsy
Posts: 9
Joined: Tue Feb 21, 2012 4:08 am

by ImDobbsy

JHeiro wrote:Received my set a week ago, and have so far done 300km on them.

First impressions are very favourable: they are über stiff, light as advertised (I weighed my set at 1138g), and build quality seems excellent. Width is 21mm internal, 26mm external, and Conti GP4000S 25mm measure 28,0mm on these (compared to 25,1mm on Lightweight Meilensteins).

Hubs are very smooth - my set has Acros hubs, but BikeAhead also offers the choice of Tune hubs. As for aero properties they feel quite fast, at least as fast as Zipp 303 Firecrests I had on my bike previously. Already smashed some Strava KOMs, if that's any indication. Handling in crosswinds is on par with the Zipps.

Compared to my other high end wheel sets (Lightweight Meilensteins, Zipp 303 & 404s, Bora Ultra 35s) I'd say these are the best wheels overall.

Any downsides? Well, price certainly, but also delivery time. I ordered my set on Feb 2015 when BikeAhead first announced them, and received my set 15 months later.

Pictures on this topic http://weightweenies.starbike.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=10&t=139085




Hi JHeiro,

I'm finding something similar with regards to delivery time, i'm at 9-10 weeks at the moment, nothing compared to 15months, eek!!

How did you find communication with Bike Ahead? Did they keep missing deadlines or was it just one big, long, silent wait?

My set should have been shipped last week to the shop i ordered through, so i should see them this week but again having heard nothing for around a week and hearing of your epic wait i'm not too optimistic!

JHeiro
Posts: 57
Joined: Wed Jan 18, 2012 7:27 pm
Location: Finland

by JHeiro

15 months delay is probably misleading, as during the time I made my pre-order the wheels only existed as prototypes and not yet as production items.

Initial delivery time was estimated to be at September-October, but during the summer that was pushed back to January-February due to issues with hub manufacturer. I was in no hurry to receive the wheels, as I would not have used them during winter anyway, so i just waited patiently. I gave BikeAhead a late March deadline, as I was heading to training camp and would have loved to have the wheelset ready by then. Unfortunately, BikeAhead missed my deadline by 2 weeks, which is basically the only "real" delay during the process.

Christian from BikeAhead answered all my emails quickly and kept me updated on production process regularly. No complaints whatsoever on that regard.

Hope you'll receive your wheelset soon ImDobbsy. You're surely going to love them!

jever98
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Joined: Wed Feb 18, 2009 12:02 pm
Location: Seattle

by jever98

Hi folks,

Did anybody else receive their wheels? Very curious to hear more about them :).

Cheers
Jever
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No longer in the industry

jever98
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Joined: Wed Feb 18, 2009 12:02 pm
Location: Seattle

by jever98

No further feedback on the biturbos, owners? :)
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spytech
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by spytech

jever98 wrote:No further feedback on the biturbos, owners? :)


im waiting on my set, should be here soon. ill post back after i get them. but a review will have to wait, i am still waiting on my groupset (sram red etap HRD Disc).

jever98
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Joined: Wed Feb 18, 2009 12:02 pm
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by jever98

Great! Looking forward to your impressions. Incidentally, Etap disc + biturbos are also on my potential build list.

Did you see any aero data on them? The spokes look fairly chunky.
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spytech
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by spytech

jever98 wrote:Great! Looking forward to your impressions. Incidentally, Etap disc + biturbos are also on my potential build list.

Did you see any aero data on them? The spokes look fairly chunky.



its only 6 spokes, but how bad can they be? they arent going to slow me down anymore than i already am...lol

i like that they have good internal volume for the tire and are one structure, no need to adjust them. ill be riding them with 28mm tires. on bmc roadmachine disc.

jever98
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by jever98

Cool. Did you figure out how much your build will weigh overall?
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spytech
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by spytech

jever98 wrote:Cool. Did you figure out how much your build will weigh overall?


i just got the frameset in... i will weigh it soon. im hoping for a 14lb disc bike. anything lower will be a plus.

set up is
bikeahead biturbo road wheels w/schwalbe 28mm one tires.
sram red etap
ax-lightness 4200 bar
BMC Road machine disc 56cm - comes with stem (130mm) and seatpost
Thm Clavicula SE 175mm cranks w/absolute black oval rings.
keywin carbon/ti pedals
Berk concept saddle
ashima ai2 rotors

dereksmalls
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Joined: Tue Aug 02, 2011 9:20 pm
Location: New Zealand

by dereksmalls

Sounds very interesting. Please make sure you do a thread in the Introduce Yourself forum so we can see the whole build

jever98
Posts: 1175
Joined: Wed Feb 18, 2009 12:02 pm
Location: Seattle

by jever98

Fully agreed! I am especially curious about the looks of the bike with the wheels. And about your experience with the Ashima rotors - I heard they are a tad finicky.
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by Weenie


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

www.starbike.com



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spytech
Posts: 1657
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by spytech

jever98 wrote:Fully agreed! I am especially curious about the looks of the bike with the wheels. And about your experience with the Ashima rotors - I heard they are a tad finicky.



i currently have the ashima on the rear of my fat bike... not at the front. i may choose to use the ashima ai2 only at the rear, and use something else for the front.

i think the bike is going to look super clean with all cables routed internally, no exposed cables, no cables will be showing at all. which is the look i wanted to go for. the wheels will with only 6 spokes will make it look extra clean. i am really excited. i was forced to build a new bike as my old bike was broken in an accident about 9 months ago.

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