Balancing complete wheels (w/ Tires, Valve...), new offer from XR-one

[C36]

Balancing wheels is quite an advanced attention to details, probably oneof the few things performed in the Pro-Tour (Sagan or Condator are the first 2 names that come in mind) that hasn't realy diffused among amateurs. Few videos explain the force that result from few grams of imbalance spinning, some run some power consumption calculation that are always to be taken with a pintch of salt.

Few options exist to balance wheels:
- the Silca speed-balance to glue around the rim https://silcavelo.eu/products/speedbala ... net-system
- the Golf lead strips to glue in Tubeless rims (don't work for tube-type or tubulars)
- the artisanal weight addition in the rim (Caden does this in a bit more refined way https://cadencycling.com/cdn/images/CAD ... 00x500.jpg)

I just came around this options https://xrone.fr/ that comes with a really clean solution. The kit will come with external weights (so you can test the weights you need to add to your complete wheel-tire set-up) and internal weights (imagine a Veloplug where you can screw weight to it). It will need spokes holes (so not compatible with Mavics or other advanced rims with a solid upper deck) and will work with tubeless, tubes and tubulars...

I found it interesting and pleases my attention to details

[mikemelbrooks]

Interesting, how ever I am not sure I would go to so much trouble if I have to remove my tyres and tube/sealant to place weights inside a rim. Also how do you figure out the balance of a wheel that's got 30+ Grams of sealant slopping round it?

[alanyu]

Balancing wheels is quite an advanced attention to details, probably oneof the few things performed in the Pro-Tour (Sagan or Condator are the first 2 names that come in mind) that hasn't realy diffused among amateurs.

Nope. It was a golden key in Chinese market(ing) two to three years ago. Holly BS to cycling amateurs.

Balancing is important to F1/rally racing, as the wheel system (wheels+tyres) takes a good proportion of the total weight (including driver), spins way faster, resulting in a considerable rotational weight, interia and rotational moment.

Road bike wheel system is mostly not, especially for amateurs. More impotantly, balancing should be done w/ tyre, any balancing done w/o tyre is more than BS.

[C36]

Nope. It was a golden key in Chinese market(ing) two to three years ago. Holly BS to cycling amateurs.

Balancing is important to F1/rally racing, as the wheel system (wheels+tyres) takes a good proportion of the total weight (including driver), spins way faster, resulting in a considerable rotational weight, interia and rotational moment.
Road bike wheel system is mostly not, especially for amateurs. More impotantly, balancing should be done w/ tyre, any balancing done w/o tyre is more than BS.

I think you miss read original message, we don't talk rim balance, but complete wheel-set (with tires) balance. As usual I would stay away comparing our road bikes with motorized engines. They are so different that it's irrelevant, from weights, to speeds, to powers or suspensions, nothing is alike.

Relevant for amateurs? I don't know, If you have a 15g imbalance downhiling (70kph) your 1kg wheel has a more than 2kgf imbalance, how much difference will it make once you remove it? I haven't tried but I am curious to confirm the "smoother" feel riders who tried are reporting.

[alanyu]

Nope. It was a golden key in Chinese market(ing) two to three years ago. Holly BS to cycling amateurs.

Balancing is important to F1/rally racing, as the wheel system (wheels+tyres) takes a good proportion of the total weight (including driver), spins way faster, resulting in a considerable rotational weight, interia and rotational moment.
Road bike wheel system is mostly not, especially for amateurs. More impotantly, balancing should be done w/ tyre, any balancing done w/o tyre is more than BS.

I think you miss read original message, we don't talk rim balance, but complete wheel-set (with tires) balance. As usual I would stay away comparing our road bikes with motorized engines. They are so different that it's irrelevant, from weights, to speeds, to powers or suspensions, nothing is alike.

Relevant for amateurs? I don't know, If you have a 15g imbalance downhiling (70kph) your 1kg wheel has a more than 2kgf imbalance, how much difference will it make once you remove it? I haven't tried but I am curious to confirm the "smoother" feel riders who tried are reporting.

The XR-one product is a rim balancing. It's mounted under rim tape, unless you wanna try and correct for several hours including mounting and dismouting the tyre with the exactly same position (and you need a ton of rim tape), unless you have a luck correct shot for the first try. (You need a different weight for balacing outside the spoke bed vs under the rim tape. The wider the rim, the more the difference)

I simply have two wheelsets: old set with relatively bad balancing, bike shaking intensively when freewheeling on a stand, and new set with relatively good balancing, but bike still shaking on a stand. Both are tested with tyre and I didn't balance either of them. I didn't feel any difference due to the unbalancing downhilling (65-80 kph). What I feel is the crosswind and badly sealed road.

[C36]

The XR-one product is a rim balancing. It's mounted under rim tape, unless you wanna try and correct for several hours including mounting and dismouting the tyre with the exactly same position (and you need a ton of rim tape), unless you have a luck correct shot for the first try.

You skipped par of original message they aim at balancing the complete wheel

The kit will come with external weights (so you can test the weights you need to add to your complete wheel-tire set-up) and internal weights (imagine a Veloplug where you can screw weight to it).

If you do it properly, with a single tire-removal you could be pretty good.

[alanyu]

The XR-one product is a rim balancing. It's mounted under rim tape, unless you wanna try and correct for several hours including mounting and dismouting the tyre with the exactly same position (and you need a ton of rim tape), unless you have a luck correct shot for the first try.

You skipped par of original message they aim at balancing the complete wheel

The kit will come with external weights (so you can test the weights you need to add to your complete wheel-tire set-up) and internal weights (imagine a Veloplug where you can screw weight to it).

If you do it properly, with a single tire-removal you could be pretty good.

Only if you can locate the weight kit at the exact same position external vs internal.

[poulhansen]

I did it with soldering tin around a spoke and on my 80mm carbonwheels I used selfsticking car wheel balance weights painted black. (The winter was long )

I haven't really noticed anything when riding but the bike is very steady on the stand when rotating the wheels and it's very satisfying to see the wheels rotate for 10 minutes and never stop at the same spot.

[TobinHatesYou]

Interesting, how ever I am not sure I would go to so much trouble if I have to remove my tyres and tube/sealant to place weights inside a rim. Also how do you figure out the balance of a wheel that's got 30+ Grams of sealant slopping round it?

You balance the wheel+tire combo without sealant in it and then add it later. Once you’re out riding, the tire becomes a centrifuge and the sealant coats the inside of the tire evenly.

I’ve never balanced my wheels and don’t think I’ll be changing that non-practice anytime soon.

[LouisN]

Campagnolo also balanced their wheels using bigger spokes around the valve hole. But without a tire installed, and the weight of the valve, a balanced wheel is useless.
I don't know if I understand this thing well but IMO it's not possible to use the system you pointed with tubular tires.
You have to have the tub installed to balance the wheel.
NOTE: I balanced a tubular wheel perfectly with golf tape.
Louis

[LouisN]

Still waiting for their kit prices.
Expect this to be very pricey.
Will probably try a borrowed idea:
Yellow Veloplugs with epoxy bonded (various) heavy metal inserts in the holes.
Will have to use same weight "taped" to rim at different places with tubular on the rim to know exactly where I will need to insert them. I think my method is theoretically a zillion times cheaper than the expected revolutionary new product awaited...

Louis

[Feltar1]

For me, using Zipp 404 rims, I found I no longer needed the 9 grams of balance weight when I switched to Schwalbe aerothan tubes.

[UpFromOne]

+1 that regardless of the material used for the weight, it only makes sense to balance the wheel with the tire already on it.
But replacing a tire can throw the whole balance off.

I use the Silca aero stick-on thing, but use different materials inside it if I need even more weight than the stock weights, which give a pretty good weight range.

IMO it's vital to balance your bike wheels, even if they turn low rpms.

[TobinHatesYou]

I think we have different criteria for whether something is vital or not. I mean, the fact that almost nobody does it would suggest it is not vital.

[ghostinthemachine]

I'd expect to find this kit in the same location on online stores as those Axxios stickers...