New wheels FFWD!

[Napoleon]

Recently i dit aq test ride with one of the new wheels of FFWD. Attached you'll find the link to the site to see the wheels. It's about a low carbon rim laced with 20/24 dt earolite spokes and dtswiss 240s hubs. First impression.....Good legs!! I do my trainingrides at the moment with the well known Campagnolo Neutron wheels, but the FFWD speed up much easier. Last year I had a set of Lightweight Standard wheels, known for there stiffness and low wheight, well despite the low rim, the FFWD did feel stiff at the same level.

Other thing is the looks of the rim, that's very good with the FFWD figures under clearcoat.

The last thing which is very nice, is the replacement service of 50% and that's why i have decide to buy me a set, the more expensive one, laced with the swissdt 190 ceramic hub. When the wheels come in I will place some pictures.

[Napoleon]

I forgot the link, here it is:

http://www.ffwdwheels.com/product.asp?i ... =83&page=3

[micky]

They got a nice idea to use DTSwiss hubs.

[rustychain]

Thanks for the link. Do you know if they have a weight limit?

[Amadeus]

Nice looking wheel sets on their website!!!

But using DT hubs in these kind of rims is not new.

Look at the former Phonak team and thier Zip rims and several Corima Aero wheels I did build.

I am interested in which rim is used to build this wheels.
FFWD = Henk Schipper and just assembling.

Since it is just assembling that FFWD does I do not understand their choice for DT Aerolite spokes .... Sapin CX-Ray are stronger spokes they are at 1800nm steel that is not matched by the DT Aerolite that is only 1200nm steel.

Nice to see DT 240s front hub in 20 spoke version. I tried to persuade DT to make these in 2006 .... They would not produce les then 28 holes back then.... So somebody changed their mind and they produce lower spoke counts nowadays....

For me the quality of the rims is an important aspect and I would not buy these wheels as long as I don't no which rims the assembler uses. On the website they say nothing about the rims.... For instance are the spoke holes drilled (most common) or are they moulded (better but more effort).....

Maybe Napoleon can tell us where these rims are made? And what the track record is of the rim producer?

Some tech info about the rims is more then welcome!

[lilland]

And now to the classic question: What about the real weight???

[micky]

Maybe Napoleon can tell us where these rims are made? And what the track record is of the rim producer?

Some tech info about the rims is more then welcome!

Weren't them Gigantex?

[simon]

that's what i was looking for!
did you test the 38 mm rims or the 20 mm rims?the 38 mm rims my friend has recieved are around 400 grams, but prototypes and he should recieve some lighter ones soon(they speak of 370-380 grams).
are the nipples hidden?

i think they use aerolite spokes because they get them cheaper of dt if they buy tons of 240 and 190 hubs. and for sure they aren't bad spokes...

[Warblade]

Seeing that the deeper section rims are 58mm and 38mm, are they just Zipp rims?

[strobbekoen]

They are 50 and 38
Taking the example of the 50mm, the weight of a set of 1475 would be consistent with a rim weight of around 450g.

[johanfl]

Hmmm.. A rim weight of 450grams for a 50mm rim is consistent with Gigantex rims. But a closeup picture of the rim would help to determite that.

//Johan

[Amadeus]

Strobbekoen & Johanfl,

Yes 450grams is consistant with Gigantex as Micky already noticed ... and 450grams is not that light .....

Simon
I do understand that they get a discount if they also buy the hubs...
I just want to point out that for the same kind of money you can assemble your own wheel and that it could be better (not saying that DT-Aerolite are bad at all..... But Sapim CX-Ray are just a bit stronger....)

[1in20]

Anyone notice the "PowerDisc"? I have heard a lot about Reynolds, Zipp etc 'thinking' about doing a powertap disc - but its done apparently...

http://www.ffwdwheels.com/product.asp?i ... =80&page=9

Fairly pricey though! wonder if you can get it wheel only, as surely all customer who will buy would already be one Powertap and hence have the computer.

[Napoleon]

I tested the 20 mm rim. The nipples are not hidden and the spoke holes are drilled not molded. About the weight, i have seen a single rim and it was 265 grams. When I get my wheels I'll post some pictures with the real weight.

Personally I am very glad the earolite spokes of Dtswiss are used, I have theme laced in another wheelset of me(ac 350/tune hubs) and are very satisfying. As far as I know the technical diffrence with the CXray isn't big.

[bontempi]

I noticed on their website, www.ffwdwheels.com, that they use CX-Rays for their 'standard' wheels and DT Aerolite spokes for the DT Swiss hub equipped wheels. Makes sense to me. Technically, the Aerolites are very similar to the CX-Rays, aren't they?