gw280

So, whilst looking around online for carbon clinchers with powertaps, I came across November Bikes, who are selling a pair of 38mm carbon clinchers with a powertap pro hub for around $1700. I was wondering if anyone's had any experience with them?

eddiepliers 

Learn to use the SEARCH function..

robbyville

I have the 38's with ck hubs no powertap. Unbelievable wheels. Dave and Mike were both great communicators. Originally I was purchasing a complete bike and had ordered the wheels with a different color hub, then plans changed and Dave had the forethought to email me and ask about a change before final order. Super nice and personal considering how many customers they must have. The wheels are built perfectly, and seem very strong. They climb incredibly well and are light. I only have about 250 miles on them so far but I recommend strongly. These guys will stand by their products. I will be ordering a set of the FSW's as soon as the stock hubs are 11spd compatible

Tycho Brahe 

I just ordered a different set of November wheels. Communication so far has been quick.

Clipped_in

I get Dave's newsletter and can't help but think that communication would be excellent. He also appears to monitor this forum on a regular basis.

keepamonte

I started out with the 38mm clinchers and put about 8k on them before selling them to a teammate. I also own the 58mm tubulars and the FSW23's. solid company with good wheels!

gc3

Definitely on my list for a future purchase when their new wheel models come out later this year.

tx_newbie

I purchased a set of 38mm CC with a powertap last year - the build was great and have been very happy with the purchase. They also seemed very personable in our back-and-forth email communications, and helped ensure I was getting the wheelset I wanted, to suit my needs. Will be ordering a deeper set in the fall.

gw280

Wow, so much positive feedback! I'm having a hard time not ordering a pair right now...

@tx_newbie: did you get the G3 or the Pro hub? I'm looking at the Pro but wondering if the G3 is worth the extra $300 or so.

Bob Dopolina 

Anyone know why they're called "NOVEMBER" Cycles?

Curious mind and all...

gc3

From the second blog entry https://www.novemberbicycles.com/blog/month/july-2010

Trailblazer3

Love my November 38's; have had them for a year now with no issues whatsoever. I already know that I'll be ordering FSW's with King hubs at the end of this year. Solid company and love their business model.

tx_newbie

@gw280: I had my wheels built around the Pro+ hub (back then, November cycles was additionally discounting wheelsets built around the older hub units). I'm not actually sure how many miles (and usage characteristics) one has to put on the PT hubs before they need to be sent back to Saris for servicing. Obviously, with the G3, sending in the end cap will be cheaper than sending in an entire rear wheel laced to a nonG3 PT. I guess the G3 hubs are supposed to have additionally updated features (marginally lighter?) than the older hubs. I'm personally happy to have saved the $$$ (which I used for a coach to help me with my power profiling), but maybe someone who has used both nonG3 and G3 hubs can chime in...

November Dave

Thanks for the support.

A few notes on the difference between Pro and G3 (which I think we've communicated to gw280 unless I'm even worse than I thought I was at figuring out whose email address equates to which user name):

1. There is about a 120g difference in weight. However highly you value that weight savings is for you to decide. To me it's not a huge deal.

2. The electronics in the G3 are more easily serviced. You open up the cap, you pull the brains out, you send the brains in for service. With a Pro, you have to send the whole wheel in if it needs service. When Cycleops was closing out the old Pro+ and SL+ models about 18 months ago (someone above mentioned getting one from that time), there was a higher than normal incidence of an incorrectly/inadequately soldered battery clip. Apart from that, our experience with Powertaps has been that they're pretty remarkably reliable. I have owned at least one since 2008. The first one I owned was bought second hand and was from the era when they weren't exceptionally watertight. Eventually water killed it, and I was able to upgrade it for a pretty reasonable cost, even though I was not the original owner and they knew that. Since then, both my wife and I have used them with not a day out of service for either of us. Since about 6 weeks ago I use a Quarq, but that it 100% because I need to have the flexibility to use whichever wheel set I might be testing without it screwing up my training (I am a princess about training with power and will throw tantrums if I can't). My Powertap is now on my cx bike, on which it gets flogged hard to no ill effect.

3. The, to me, bigger benefit of the G3 hub is the geometry. (caution wheel geek content ahead) On the Pro, the right hand flange is 15.9mm off center and the left is 33.9 off center, and both flanges are 70mm diameter. These flanges are far closer together than you'd ideally want, but it gets necessary because the electronics need a big diameter hub tube to fit inside of, and the left end cap on the Pro is a space hog. With the left flange being as high diameter as it is, it needs to be well inboard in order to get any tension whatsoever on the non-drives. Because the G3 uses a smaller electronics setup, they can use better geometry. The geometry on the G3 is in fact pretty similar to that found on some of my favorite hubs.

If you are using a carbon or aluminum rim that can take high spoke tension (125kgf or so), and have 24 spokes or more, then the Pro will make a fine build. Most aluminum rims, I'd really recommend 28 rear unless you are very light. I'm 165 and not exactly Andre Greipel in the top wattage category and use 28 spokes on my aluminum rear wheels, and that's with hubs that have better geometry than Powertap Pros. The Pro is intolerant of sloppy builds, so the build has to be good for it to work or else you will be coming out of true all the time and eventually breaking non-drive spokes. If you are using a rim that is intolerant of high spoke tension or has 20 spokes, go G3. Also, if you are say 180 or above or very powerful (I am neither), I recommend G3.

Bah Humbug

I'm of the opinion that the Rail needs to come out now.