http://handspunwheels.com/index.php en Handspun Copyright 2010 2010-08-04T13:28:11+00:00 http://handspunwheels.com/blog/major_tom_has_landed/ http://handspunwheels.com/blog/major_tom_has_landed/#When:13:28:11Z 8.4.104,3,2,1… Never ones to be satisfied with their own success, Velocity has just released the Major Tom tubular rim- to the rejoicing of ‘cross racers everywhere. Like the Velocity A23 and the HED series of 23mm rims, the Major Tom rim brings the advantages of a 23mm rim to the tubular market. Having a 23mm wide rim allows for better tire performance, gives a larger contact surface for gluing tires, and adds strength without adding weight (432g advertised weight). Gluing wide cyclocross tubulars onto narrow rims can often be a challenge, and questioning the bond between the tire and rim is often something that enters your mind as you’re railing a corner at top speed during a race. The Major Tom not only gives a wider contact surface, but it also features a seam relief channel down the center, to help with consistent tire placement.Profile:     Additionally, Velocity listened to feedback from ‘cross racers and increased the height of the brake track to 11mm, making it easier for you to switch from your everyday wheels to your race wheels without so much messing around with your brake pad placement. Like the A23, the Major Tom shares a similar semi-aero profile that gives additional strength without adding weight.Just in time for the season: But don’t think that this rim is only confined to cyclocross- like the Velocity/HED 23mm predecessors, the Major Tom would help achieve better performance for road tires as well. We mounted a Vittoria Pave 24mm tire and it looked like the two were meant to be together.Optimized: We have a few of these rims that we’re building up for our own use right now, and we should have production wheels with Ultegra hubs and DT Swiss Competition spokes ready in the next few weeks- just in time for ‘cross season. 2010-08-04T13:28:11+00:00 http://handspunwheels.com/blog/no_tubes_alpha_340_road_rims/ http://handspunwheels.com/blog/no_tubes_alpha_340_road_rims/#When:15:01:44Z 6.11.10Redefinition of standards? We just built up our first pair of the hot new road tubeless rims from No Tubes- the Alpha 340’s. We built our samples in a fairly standard fashion with Dura Ace hubs, DT Swiss Aerolite spokes/alloy nipples, 28h radial front & 32h 3x rear. The wheels built up well, and the rims presented no issues despite their extremely low weight (356g on our scale). The low rim weight was a big contributor to the overall low weight of the wheels- 780g Rr, 620g Ft- that’s 1400g for the pair (I did the math in my head), which is very respectable for a 32h/28h wheelset. No tubes advertises these as being compatible with standard road tires & tubes, as well as tubeless tires & No Tubes sealant/tape- so these may be the do-it-all rims that the road market has been waiting for. We will be putting these wheels through the gauntlet this summer, and we’ll be sure to post our findings. New standard? Up front: ‘Round back: No joke: 2010-06-11T15:01:44+00:00 http://handspunwheels.com/blog/instant_classics/ http://handspunwheels.com/blog/instant_classics/#When:19:32:06Z 2010-06-02T19:32:06+00:00 http://handspunwheels.com/blog/customs/ http://handspunwheels.com/blog/customs/#When:18:11:00Z 3.24.10Customs There are plenty of wheel systems available today, and they may work just fine, but in the end your options are fairly limited- you have to choose from what the manufacturer puts together. The best part about custom wheels is that you get to choose your components- every part, chosen by you, tailored to your riding needs. It also allows you a degree of creative freedom that wheel systems don’t- making your wheels something that nobody else has. Over the winter we’ve been building a lot of custom wheels, for all kinds of applications- here’s a sampling:  Frostbike 2x twist (Velocity B43 rim/Miche Primato hub) Frostbike Crow’s Foot (DT Swiss 585 rim/240s hub/Aerolite spokes) 2x twist for Calhoun Cycle (Shimano Inter hub/Salsa rim/ DT Swiss Champion spokes) Close up XC Superiority (No Tubes Arch rims/Hope Pro hubs/DT Swiss Aerolite spokes) Tie & Solder When you’re considering your next set of wheels think about what you really want. Is it that off the shelf wheel system, or do you want your wheels to be truly yours? If you want to go with the latter, head to your local dealer and tell them you want to have Handspun build your dream wheels. 2010-03-29T18:11:00+00:00 http://handspunwheels.com/blog/wish_you_were_here/ http://handspunwheels.com/blog/wish_you_were_here/#When:15:10:39Z 2.19.2010Function + Fashion Every year we like to crank out a load of spoke bracelets for giveaways at Frostbike. Of course we only use the best- 100% DT Swiss spokes and nipples to ensure that our spoke bracelets are lightweight, stong, and oh so durable. Every single one painstakingly crafted by hand by our new rookie, Amy C. If you’re at the show this weekend please stop by to grab one and check out the booth. DT Swiss & Handspun teaming up: Big thanks to our own Eric T. for the photo! 2010-02-19T15:10:39+00:00 http://handspunwheels.com/blog/frostbike_preview/ http://handspunwheels.com/blog/frostbike_preview/#When:19:05:57Z 2.18.2010Frostbike 2010 preview Frostbike is the industry trade show hosted by Quality Bicycle Products here in Bloomington, MN. As a subsidiary of QBP, we get to be hosts for this event as well as vendors. We’ll have plenty of photos of new and interesting product to show next week, but here’s a sneak preview of some of the items that Handspun is bringing to the show this weekend: Crow’s Foot w/red & black DT Swiss Aerolite spokes: 2x twist lace: 2010-02-18T19:05:57+00:00 http://handspunwheels.com/blog/velocity_a23_vs._mn_winter/ http://handspunwheels.com/blog/velocity_a23_vs._mn_winter/#When:17:43:51Z 2.12.2010A23 vs. MN winter We’ve been having a typically harsh winter here in Minnesota, and aside from the snow, the ice cover on the roads and trails has been particularly difficult this year. The result of constant freezing & thawing is that every riding surface is covered in ice- slippery, very bumpy, and ultimately unyielding ice. Commuting in these conditions is an open invitation to calamity- be it slipping on the ice, or destroying your components through the constant hammering of the riding conditions. Commute Vehicle- Surly Cross Check + 105/A23 wheels:We’ve spent the past two months commuting on a set of wheels built up with Shimano 105 hubs & the new Velocity A23 rims, and the new offerings from Velocity do not disappoint. These wheels have stood up to ice, potholes, and curbs and have remained 100% round and true. We’ll continue to put these through the wringer for the duration of the year, but after what they’ve been through thus far, they are looking like they can handle whatever comes at them. Ready for anything: Handspun & Velocity- bringing it to you in the twenty-ten: 2010-02-12T17:43:51+00:00 http://handspunwheels.com/blog/what_do_tt_tri_and_hson_have_in_common_more_than_youd_think/ http://handspunwheels.com/blog/what_do_tt_tri_and_hson_have_in_common_more_than_youd_think/#When:15:56:16Z 2.2.10H+Son Custom TT/Tri wheels Our own Chad Stone wanted to build up a set of TT/Tri wheels that would be tough enough to take some serious miles, but at a reasonable price. The solution was to get some custom drilled (18h front, 24h rear) H+Son SL42 rims, and build them up to Shimano Dura Ace hubs, with DT Swiss Aerolite spokes. The end result is a reasonably light (Ft-842g, Rr-990g), definitely tough, aero wheelset- for less than the price of one carbon rim. The SL42 rims are all alloy, have a brake track, and they only weigh about 40g more than a carbon clincher from a brand that starts with Z and ends with IPP. Aero benefits, reasonable weight, low price, and unsurpassed durability: Super Aero: 2010-02-02T15:56:16+00:00 http://handspunwheels.com/blog/no_substitue_for_customs/ http://handspunwheels.com/blog/no_substitue_for_customs/#When:15:41:09Z 1.25.10Freedom of choice Our pal Justin from QBP wanted a new wheelset to go along with his new XX equipped Yeti, and rather than go with an off the shelf wheel system, he opted to go custom and get the wheels he really wanted: Hope Pro 2 convertible hubs, DT XR400 rims, DT Competition spokes, with white XX lace pattern on the drive side.The business end of Justin’s Yeti: A complete 5” travel trail bike tipping the scales at 26lbs: Another satisfied customer, rolling on custom wheels that they designed and Handspun built. 2010-01-25T15:41:09+00:00 http://handspunwheels.com/blog/velocitys_new_23mm_wide_road_rim-_the_a23/ http://handspunwheels.com/blog/velocitys_new_23mm_wide_road_rim-_the_a23/#When:14:24:35Z 11.16.09Open it up Velocity has unveiled another new rim for 2010 that (like the the P35) takes a proven design and makes some subtle, yet substantial improvements on it. The A23 is a 700c rim that utilizes the proven shape of the Velocity Aerohead, but the rim width has been opened up to 23mm, rather than 19mm on the Aerohead. The result is a rim that allows your tire profile to be more constant, rather than getting pinched into the rim. The overall ride quality is improved, as the tire can more effectively compress and conform to the road, much like a tubular. In the end you should end up with tubular-like ride quality from a clincher tire. The A23: Profile: So the obvious question is how does the A23 compare to the HED 23mm wide alloy rims: At a glance, the HED rims are available in C2 alloy and Scanduim, they are 23mm wide x 24mm tall, and are approximately 465g (C2) and 420g (Scandium). The Velocity A23 is an alloy rim that is 23mm wide x 19.5mm tall, and they weigh approximately 425g. For 2010 Handspun will be building on both of these rims, and we look forward to putting both of them to the test. Winter should be arriving here in MN any day, and there’s no tougher proving ground for a rim than being dragged through a Minnesota winter. We’ll check in on these two in a few months to see how they’re holding up. 2009-11-16T14:24:35+00:00