53-11_alltheway

It looks like a new alloy is hitting the market and it's be used in products by High-end companies like Reynolds (maybe they even devloped it)https://www.reynoldscomposites.com/Alta-Clincher.asp Columbus uses Niobium in their New steel tubing sets (spirit and life) that replaced the formerly top-end Foco and Ultra-Foco.

Case in point the 455 gram 30mm aero rims that have been showing up from a few different sources.



https://www.interlocracing.com/rims.html
https://oddsandendos.safeshopper.com/9/130.htm?646

Anybody know anything about this material?

I may be giving one of these lightweight 30mm rims a try. Old CXP33 (30mm) weighed 555 grams and Velocity Deep-V's (30mm) weigh 520 grams.

operator

Gram counting again huh.

53-11_alltheway

I think the whole wheel inertia argument is highly over-rated (maybe in cars with 400 hp engines wheel inertia matters a little more, but cyclists don't have that power-to weight ratio to accelerate a wheel like that)

Still it nice to see a Full Aero rim that gives up hardly anything to a box rim.

P.S. I was just checking Interloc's website....these handlebars are pretty cool for those that like shallow drop. Only 105mm for the drops! (see below)

blandin

I don't have personal experience with the niobium rim material, but I do have personal experience with Mike Garcia from www.oddsandendos.com (one of the sources in your list) as I just bought a wheelset from him last month. The SpeedCific hubs are amazingly light and smooth, Mike's customer service is outstanding, the prices are crazy cheap and they include shipping. I got a set of "32" spoke Velocity Aeroheads with an actual weight of 1477 grams for the pair delivered to my door for $299.00! Oh, by the way, in case you can't tell I'm very happy with my purchase? So, if your interested in wheels with rims made from this new aluminum alloy, you can't go wrong buying them from Mike Garcia.

53-11_alltheway

Good to hear you like those. Not a lot of people have experience with those hubs, but they are light.

nbf

Sadly I havenīt seen these rims over here in europe, but I would really like a set, as they are the first alurims Iīve seen thatīs aero and doesnīt weigh a ton

53-11_alltheway

I just checked oddsandendos website. Wow, his prices have gone up huh?

I guess he was selling them too cheaply before and got too much business.

briscoelab

I have had a set of the Niobium 30 rims on a wheelset built by Mike late last summer. His prices have gone up a bit! Still a great deal though... just not quite as good as it once was I love the wheels... I've ridden them on some really crappy roads and they are still true.

PedalMasher

I'm deciding between the Niobium and velocity aeroheads right now. Mike is pushing the Niobium because I told him I will do a lot of 20+ paceline/group rides but I'm wondering if the aeroheads just won't suffice. The prices have gone up but the velocity are still > $100 cheaper at this point.

Are the niobiums that much better? I am about 180 but not too heavy.

briscoelab

I think they're stiffer than the aerohead rims, so you can run fewer spokes... and they're obviously a little more aero. They really shine on faster rides. I think you'd be happy with either rims. But the Niobiums sure are nice... and a little different than what most are running.

53-11_alltheway

He used to sell that Niobium wheelset for $380 last summer. Part of the reason they are more expensive than the arrowheads is because they have oval aero spokes which cost a lot more.

I build my own wheels now, but back then it just seemed cheaper for him to do it amazingly.

PedalMasher

yeah now it's about $500, raised prices 30% in 9 months. Still cheaper than comparable mavics though. I'd build up my own wheels but I wouldn't save much and probably screw it up anyway.

53-11_alltheway

We he sold the arrowhead set for $300 shipped it was just a rediculous deal. I remember when Blandin was telling people about Mike Garcia wheels.....6 months tons of people had them and mike was falling behind filling orders.

Obviously he realized he could charge more when demand increased (makes sense to me...that's what I would do too)