Go Back  Bike Forums > Bike Forums > Road Cycling
Reload this Page >

Old Rolf Vector Comp Rim-Build Up or Abandon?

Notices
Road Cycling “It is by riding a bicycle that you learn the contours of a country best, since you have to sweat up the hills and coast down them. Thus you remember them as they actually are, while in a motor car only a high hill impresses you, and you have no such accurate remembrance of country you have driven through as you gain by riding a bicycle.” -- Ernest Hemingway

Old Rolf Vector Comp Rim-Build Up or Abandon?

Old 02-01-08, 10:50 AM
  #1  
Senior Member
Thread Starter
 
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Eugene, OR
Posts: 697
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 9 Post(s)
Liked 10 Times in 7 Posts
Old Rolf Vector Comp Rim-Build Up or Abandon?

Hey all, I'm trying to decide the fate of a 18 hole Rolf Vector Comp front rim. It says 1998(or 1999?) World Championship on it so I'm guessing its a number of years old. My current ss commuter has Alexrim DC19s with no-name hubs and Continental contacts. I'm looking for a faster wheelset for when I go on group rides on the weekend. I pride myself on going fast with a frugal bike setup but I have to draw a line somewhere!

I've been having difficulty finding hubs (considering using a 36h hub, bad idea?) and nipples (holes in rim seem larger than standard) to build up the front wheel. Is it worthwhile to use the old rim or could I get a better performing front wheel for less from ebay or such?
Enthusiast is offline  
Old 02-01-08, 11:10 AM
  #2  
Over the hill
 
urbanknight's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: Los Angeles, CA
Posts: 24,342

Bikes: Giant Defy, Giant Revolt

Mentioned: 1 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 988 Post(s)
Liked 1,188 Times in 683 Posts
The Vector Comp rim is for paired spokes, right? In that case, you might actually be better off with a 36h hub than an 18.
urbanknight is offline  
Old 02-01-08, 11:28 AM
  #3  
Senior Member
Thread Starter
 
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Eugene, OR
Posts: 697
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 9 Post(s)
Liked 10 Times in 7 Posts
Originally Posted by urbanknight
The Vector Comp rim is for paired spokes, right? In that case, you might actually be better off with a 36h hub than an 18.
Yeah, the vector comp rim has paired spokes. So I need to look for a specific type of 18h front hub for this rim? A modern one built for radial spokes wont cut it? I've looked online for rolf hubs but haven't found much.
Enthusiast is offline  
Old 02-01-08, 12:01 PM
  #4  
Over the hill
 
urbanknight's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: Los Angeles, CA
Posts: 24,342

Bikes: Giant Defy, Giant Revolt

Mentioned: 1 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 988 Post(s)
Liked 1,188 Times in 683 Posts
A regular hub will probably work just fine, but the spokes will be spaced out so they don't go perfectly straight to the rim, more like a V. With the 36 hole hub, you're using holes that are closer in relation to to each other so there's less of a V. Either one will work, but I was just pointing out that the 36h hub might even work out better.

The next issue is for you to determine the correct spoke length with the odd patterns.
urbanknight is offline  
Old 02-01-08, 12:41 PM
  #5  
Making a kilometer blurry
 
waterrockets's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2006
Location: Austin (near TX)
Posts: 26,170

Bikes: rkwaki's porn collection

Mentioned: 4 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 37 Post(s)
Liked 91 Times in 38 Posts
Yeah, that rim is pretty bombproof (and heavy). I'd keep it. Get a 36h Tiagra front hub for $25.

You can make this build work. Just go radial and you won't need to worry about any complex spoke length calculations.
waterrockets is offline  
Old 02-01-08, 02:14 PM
  #6  
auk
Coasting makes you grumpy
 
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: Indiana
Posts: 1,376

Bikes: Specialized Stumpjumper M2Comp; Habanero Ti-Team; Slingshot Road; 1962 converted Raliegh fixer aka: The Beast

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
+10
auk is offline  
Old 02-01-08, 02:40 PM
  #7  
Senior Member
Thread Starter
 
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Eugene, OR
Posts: 697
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 9 Post(s)
Liked 10 Times in 7 Posts
Thank you for the replies. Since this would be part of my "performance" wheelset, I'm thinking about butted or bladed spokes and a higher quality hub. What concerns me are the spoke holes in the rim. They are ~3/16" diameter(dont recall what gauge that is). Did vector comps from the late 90s use a funky nipple? Right now the nipples I've access to can either drop right through the holes or sit with very lip overhang.
Enthusiast is offline  
Old 02-01-08, 02:58 PM
  #8  
Making a kilometer blurry
 
waterrockets's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2006
Location: Austin (near TX)
Posts: 26,170

Bikes: rkwaki's porn collection

Mentioned: 4 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 37 Post(s)
Liked 91 Times in 38 Posts
Regarding the hub, there's no such thing as higher quality than a Shimano or Campy loose-ball hub. The Tiagra is just teensy bit heavier than an Ultegra hub. There are lighter hubs, but none that will roll smoother.

Bladed spokes would be more aero. Nothing wrong with that, I just thought you were going for economy here.

Spoke holes... hmm. I'm not familiar with that difference. Can you see if the old nipples fit on a standard spoke? Do you have the old nipples?

A quick search online, and it looks like the Vector Comp used standard nipples. I don't have a pair around to examine.
waterrockets is offline  
Old 02-01-08, 03:26 PM
  #9  
auk
Coasting makes you grumpy
 
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: Indiana
Posts: 1,376

Bikes: Specialized Stumpjumper M2Comp; Habanero Ti-Team; Slingshot Road; 1962 converted Raliegh fixer aka: The Beast

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
Get a bag of nipple washers to use between the nipple and the rim. Double them up and you will be fine. BTDT
auk is offline  
Old 02-01-08, 04:08 PM
  #10  
Senior Member
 
abeyance's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2005
Posts: 997
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
I have a set of rolf pros and the nipples are very odd indeed. They are very long. I'm pretty sure you could find them somewhere. I have 9 extra , so it would be no help to you.
abeyance is offline  

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off


Thread Tools
Search this Thread

Contact Us - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Terms of Service -

Copyright © 2024 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Use of this site indicates your consent to the Terms of Use.