Madfiber wheels in the house!!!

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gumgardner
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Location: Pittsburgh

by gumgardner

Can you imagine what they could build (weight wise) with a lower profile and lighter hub. Their 66mm rims are something like 230g. Imagine a 24mm rim. :shock: I hope they experiment.

alipson
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Joined: Fri Jul 15, 2011 2:12 pm

by alipson

bluhorizan wrote:Just road MF wheels with Tufo tubulars this afternoon on a rolling 11 mile loop with some short climbs. Initial impressions:

very smooth, responsive and quick to accelerate; absorbed road shock well; found myself actually looking for bumps to ride over to better assess
I didn't notice any flex or loss of forward motion while sprinting out of the saddle. I'm 81 kgs
was aware of some crosswinds but seemed to be undisturbed.....actually the aero quality gave a sense of more stability
very good braking with cork pads supplied
wickedly fast on the flats and downhill

vs. Lightweight Standards Gen 1 (dugast tubulars): much less harsh ride; much more confident braking with MFs ; acceleration seemed equal; LW's still the sexiest wheels on the market
vs. Edge 145's (clinchers- Vittoria EVO CX): much quicker acceleration which is understandable with weight difference. Felt better control on turns; for some reason the MF's tracked better where I felt the Edge's had some resistance to maintaining the arc of a turn.
vs. Ksyrium SL's : kind of comparing apples and oranges here due to tub vs. clincher and big weight difference; suffice to say, ride is so much smoother with great road feel without the jarring bumps and vibration of AL . Ksyriums still give one a sense of bullet proof confidence in all conditions.
Bottom Line: I'm very impressed with MF's . Agree that carbon weave and graphics not the most attractive. Want a top quality wheel with high performance and lightweight which can be ridden daily. Looking most of all for a great climbing wheel. Will take them on a climb tomorrow on Old La Honda and give some further feedback afterwards.

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alipson
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Joined: Fri Jul 15, 2011 2:12 pm

by alipson

Bluehorizan -

I would love to talk to you about the Mad Fiber Wheels. I have a set of LW tubulars that I love and I am looking for a set of clinchers. Can you e-mail me your contact information at adam_lipson@yahoo.com or call me at 914.552.3700 ? I promise not to take more than two or three minutes of your time....it just seem that you have tried a lot of good wheels and have some real first hand experience.

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strobbekoen
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by strobbekoen

gumgardner wrote:Can you imagine what they could build (weight wise) with a lower profile and lighter hub. Their 66mm rims are something like 230g. Imagine a 24mm rim. :shock: I hope they experiment.


I've seen the 230g numbers pop up.. It would mean the hubs + carbon spokes weigh 625g. Those spokes are THIN.
Not likely so.


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CharlesM
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Location: Phoenix Arizona

by CharlesM

Given the wheel structure and the material from the spoke spreading across a section of the rim to form a solid unit, "rim weight" isn't an easy measure here. The rim doesn't function the way it does without the spoke material laying up inside the rim.

The depth of the wheel is also due to having the spoke run straight from the rim to the hub... A much shallower rim changes the angle.

honestly, given the weight of these, I wouldn't care about a bit lower weight and wouldn't want a drop in aero to get it...

kdogg32
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Joined: Thu Oct 22, 2009 2:54 pm

by kdogg32

ricerocket wrote:
gumgardner wrote:hat being said, one should steer clear of stores selling them for the original 2,500?


Probably not, intro pricing is pretty common for the first year, be it cars, boats, planes, motorcycles, etc.


This is true, as the first year run of Mavic CCUs were significantly cheaper than the current cost. I believe I paid $2,700 versus the current cost of around $3,600.

LionelB
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Location: Aix en Provence

by LionelB

$2899 seems to be the new price.... :(

gumgardner
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Location: Pittsburgh

by gumgardner

It is upsetting. You can still get them for $2600 at some stores. I knew it was too good to be true given the low weight and aero (although may not be up to zips, hed) properties. I really believe madfiber is on to something with this new wheel concept. I'd love to know what's in development

yzeater
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Joined: Thu Apr 28, 2011 10:01 pm

by yzeater

gumgardner wrote:It is upsetting


Is it really upsetting, or do you just wish it was different? It's a company in the business to make money. If no one buys them at $2900, the price will come back down. I'm guessing that extra ~10% in price isn't going to deter the people who were thinking about buying them though

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CharlesM
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Location: Phoenix Arizona

by CharlesM

I think " upsetting" is reasonable, but I think it's relative to a "too good to last long" versus "too good to be true"... It was true for the folks that bought em.

asv
Posts: 182
Joined: Tue Nov 24, 2009 10:26 pm

by asv

Looks like they will be showing clinchers at Interbike, this was on their Facebook page:

Hey everyone - looking forward to seeing those of you who will be in Las Vegas for Interbike Outdoor Demo next week. We're booth # D4604 - we'll have test rides on the tubular wheels, and... (wait for it....) we'll be displaying the clincher. (yes, it exists!) very close to the weight of the tubular; exactly the same price; fantastic brake heat management... Can't wait for the show.

gumgardner
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Location: Pittsburgh

by gumgardner

:popcorn:

I wonder what the depth will be'? You'd think it has less depth if it's going to be similar weight...but I'm looking at it likes it's a normal rim, which it's not.

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elviento
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by elviento

Did anyone address the question whether the spokes may be prone to catastrophic failure like the Spinergy Rev X wheels?

That's really the last question that's preventing my wallet from a $2900 diet~~
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prendrefeu
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by prendrefeu

If I recall from distant memory, the failures of the Spinergy Rev-X came through the method of attachment between the spokes and the rim: rivets. Cracks occurred at the rivets, catastrophic failure ensued.

Madfiber wheels don't use rivets.
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