We carried P&K Lie truing stands for 14yrs, ending that representation in 2021. Now, please contact them directly for stands. Below is the product description from those years since our admiration for this fine product is undiminished.
A year we’ll never forget—far too much loss and suffering and yet amongst the chaos rare lessons are being offered. Do you also feel a sense of deep change? It will take years to process the significance of this period. For cycling, it’s been a riding and business boom—a reminder how essential bicycles have become. At Wheel Fanatyk, it’s been super busy—thanks for all your trust and support.
Today, let’s think about the role of hubs. Historically, I focus on spokes, tension, and rims. Hubs are an afterthought. I used to claim that hubs have just 2 jobs—provide a rotating center for the wheel structure and NOT FAIL. Hubs with wonderful beauty and technical novelty that don’t rotate smoothly are not much value.
Here are a few that help me better appreciate the potential for hubs to do more than just anchor wheels. These transform wheels and generate new dimensions for riding.
Simplicity
Nothing quite beats visual simplicity. In a high tech world, complexity so often comes with progress. This Ridley Kanzo Fast Classified is a standout example.
© Cycling Tips and Ridley
Disk brakes make a clean look and this bike amplifies that with no front derailleur, visible headset, or exposed wires or cables. For me the Kanzo’s best trick is hidden in a hub—an electronic internal 2 speed cassette hub by Classified.
© CyclingTips
This bike has 22 speeds despite only a cassette and single chainring to be seen, thanks to this clever hub. Benefits:
• Electronic shifting.
• Trim hub harvests the internal volume under a cassette for its mechanism.
• The gearing benefits of a front derailleur without maintenance.
• Shift under heavy load (1000W).
Granted, the Kanzo is an elite machine but the elevated concept inspires and we hope to see more bikes where a hub makes a big difference. Check James Huang’s recent review in CyclingTips.
Minimal Motor
In an era of widespread disk brake use, can the disk rotor do more than stop? What if a rotor engages an electric motor that rides piggy backs on the disk caliper? This is the mission of an ex-Tesla engineer and team—Bimotal. Their Elevate electric motor system does just that.
Riding shotgun.
Imagine these benefits:
• No added wear to the drive train.
• Motor can be removed in 20 sec and switched to another bike.
• 750W for 28mph with estimated range of 30-60km.
• System with battery, weighs 2.7kg, there’s none lighter.
• Nil friction when not powered up.
• Introduction in 2021.
Well, of course we’ll have to wait and see but the elevated concept inspires and I expect to see more of this clever idea.
Internal Gears
The internal gear system of Sturmey Archer for bicycles was humanity’s first variable speed transmission. In pursuit of low weight and high efficiency cycling favors external transmissions with derailleurs. Still, internal gearing has huge maintenance advantages. Rohloff’s 14spd hubs and Sachs and Shimano geared hubs continue the geared hub option today. Lately however, the Kindernay hub from Norway advances internal gearing yet further.
Disk brake, fat bike, through axle hub.
Features:
• 14 speeds with the widest range available.
• The lightest hub of its type.
• Hydraulic shifting.
• Gearbox can be moved from wheel to wheel
• Adjusted for life.
• Belt drive friendly.
• Through axle compatible.
Check CyclingTips definitive review.
Do you know a cool hub that transforms the bike? Please share!
Cargo and E-bike Spoke Gauges are Hot
Growing popularity of thicker spokes—13G (2.3mm) and 12G (2.6mm)—is no surprise as cargo and e-bikes are fast expanding categories. This trend is easy for wheelbuilders:
• Straight gauge and brass nipples prevail for strength and economy.
• Tension is less important, spokes succeed more from mass than tension.
• Wheels build faster without the elasticity of thinner spokes.
• Less design challenge = less need for the subtleties of lightweight wheels.
Check Adrian Emilson of Melody Wheels describe the bold way he is addressing this opportunity.
A beautiful mounting. The woodworker shows through!
Next post: Spoke Threading for the Masses!
Dishing tools differ even though they all do the same job in the same way–a bar that spans a diameter of the wheel, arching over the hub axle, with a means to touch the axle end cap. All adjust for different hub widths and can be used on a range of rim diameters.
Their superficial resemblance hides that fact that these tools are really quite different to use. Serious wheel builders have no shortage of personal preferences.
The last part of this series covered these wheel building optional topics:
– Rim washers
– Pre-stressing
– Tying
– Aging
Let’s close out with three options that are as much paperwork as mechanical and one important point that is mostly strategic.
This week’s list:
9. Stickers
10. Presentation
11. Tension, trueness mapping
12. Criteria for adopting new techniques Read more →
Nothing beats riding in newly arrived Fall weather. In the north hemisphere, those start now! Zipping through scenery colored with seasonal change, feeling the lingering warmth of Summer, such a magical experience—an invigorating and restorative tonic that reaches the core of our human experience. Frankly, despite my attempt, it’s well beyond words.
© New Yorker—cover 9/23/19, by JJ Sempe
Much of cycling is this way and doesn’t get better with analysis. Still, I find it irresistible to consider all the variables from physics to aesthetics, after the ride. Maybe I’m just trying to keep the endorphins coming!
On my list of leisure pursuits are podcasts and essays by well informed bicycle experts who do their best to demystify as well as entertain. We benefit from a fine selection of such voices these days. Near the top of anyone’s list… Read more →
There are no templates for success with a craft like wheel building, each of us creates a personal system unique to our situation. Since we never finish honing the craft, it pays to study other builders who are willing to share.
Rich Lesnik, master builder at Rivendell.
Wire spokes for bicycles come in three main types—straight gauge, single-butted, and double-butted.
Straight gauge (DT Champion)
Single-butted (Sapim Strong)
Double-butted (DT Competition)
Of these three, single-butted have been sleepers, hanging around in the fringes, not much used or discussed. However, their role is growing and they will inevitably become the workhorses of the wheel world. Why? Read more →
Among excellent makers of allen wrenches (think: Bondus, Allen, PBSwiss, Pedro’s, Park, Wihus, and others) only one has addressed engagement geometry like external socket wrenches have.
Hex screw on left. Allen screw on right.
Historically, allen screws arose for embedded fasteners. The wrench inserts into a fastener rather than surrounding it. But the hexagonal interfaces have similar limits. In order to transmit maximum torque to a fastener without deformation drive shape was devised for external sockets, often known as “flank drive.” That name belongs to Snap-On, a socket drive pioneer but you’ll find such drive geometry everywhere today. Read more →
Torque—the rotational equivalent of linear force—enhances the integrity of mechanical assemblies when applied correctly. Torque values are integral to engineering design as they apply to fasteners at joints which can be a structure’s weak points. Knowing the intended torque makes us smarter, safer mechancis.
Much talk of rim washers these days. When to use them? Which are best? While seasoned builders have questions beyond this post, for the rest of us, here are some considerations about washers to keep in mind.
Washers are often invoked to prevent galvanic corrosion between nipples and carbon fiber. The materials of nipples (brass and aluminum) wants to exchange electrons with carbon fiber. Direct contact makes it easy for corrosion to occur.
Simply for the purpose of discouraging corrosion, are washers sometimes overkill? Some points on this topic: Read more →
