"The 33"-Road Bike Racing - Anyone race on Gigantex CF Clinchers?

Bikeforums.net is a forum about nothing but bikes. Our community can help you find information about hard-to-find and localized information like bicycle tours, specialties like where in your area to have your recumbent bike serviced, or what are the best bicycle tires and seats for the activities you use your bike for.



PDA
Nate552
01-31-09, 09:16 AM
I have some Blackwell Research 50mm clinchers that I plan on racing on this season. Nice wheels for the $, but they do have a quirk. The braking surface is not at the furthermost outer edge of the rim, it's ~5 mm's away from it. I assume it's for heat dissipation issues. So when you are using these wheels you have to move the brake shoes to their lowest position. No problem when you are at home. But last night I have a "uh oh" thought. :o What happens if you flat in a Road Race and have to take a wheel? The brake surfaces won't line up with my brake shoe positions. Anyone else had to deal with this? Almost all the flats I have ever gotten are on the rear wheel, so I guess I could just try to remember to not use the rear brake unless I had to, and rely on front braking. Not a great solution and possibly dangerous. I'd hate to get back to the start and return a wheel with marks all over the rim from my brakes. I'm pretty sure there isn't a good solution to this.

Nate552
01-31-09, 09:43 AM
Here's a pic if anyone is having trouble visualizing.

http://www.planet-x-bikes.com/triathlon/images/pagemaster/CarbonClincher1.jpg
botto
01-31-09, 09:59 AM
in 3 weeks i will be.

Nate552
02-04-09, 07:29 PM
No one? :p
Racer Ex
02-04-09, 09:33 PM
Nate, those rims are awesome. Raced them all last year. Tough as nails and stiff. The braking surface isn't a big deal, you'll still make pad contact on support wheels, it's not perfect but it'll get you by.
mazdatech10
02-04-09, 10:50 PM
I train and race on 50mm ones with no problems
cmh
02-05-09, 10:24 AM
Nice looking wheels. Maybe the braking surface is in that location so as the carbon wears down from braking, it doesn't affect the strength of the edge holding the clincher bead.
Nate552
02-05-09, 10:32 AM
Nate, those rims are awesome. Raced them all last year. Tough as nails and stiff. The braking surface isn't a big deal, you'll still make pad contact on support wheels, it's not perfect but it'll get you by.

Thanks Race Ex, I put on my neuvation wheels and they barely made contact, I'll try tweaking the shoes a bit so I can get more contact on them, but still contact the BR surface too. Maybe try my old bontrager selects too. As for the toughness, yes, they are tough. I spent last weekend in Ft Worth training with an old race buddy and despite his reassurance that the Sat route would be fine for my BR wheels we ended up on the Trinity Trail, sidewalks, off curbs, jeez... But the wheels just ate it up. :)