Published by Tristan on 28 May 2010 at 01:36 pm
Marks DT Swiss 240 laced to XR-270 with black and red nipples
I laced this pair of DT Swiss 240s hubs to XR-270 rims for a great ‘all-round’ wheelset for Mark.
We used round-section DT Swiss Revolution spokes on the front wheel and Competition spokes on the rear. The front wheel is laced 24 hole radial, the rear is 28 hole, 2-cross. Both spokes are 2.0mm at the head and thread but the Revolution spokes are 1.5mm in the center section compared to 1.8mm for the Competition.
Lateral stiffness is less of a concern on the front wheel because of the widely spaced, symetrical flanges so a lighter spoke can be used to reduce weight and improve the ”feel’ of the wheel. For the rear wheel stiffness is more important because the cassette pushes the driveside flange in towards the centerline. Competition spokes add stiffness to the rear wheel and I used brass spoke nipples on the driveside to help with long-term durability.
Mark wanted to use red spoke nipples and red decals to match his frame and fork. Plus red is the fastest colour :-)
This is a great pair of wheels and they represent great value for money.
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Mark on 28 May 2010 at 3:29 pm #
I took the bike for a quick whirl this afternoon with the new wheels on and its just amazing. Stiff, light, they spin up really quick but also they are far more comfortable. They feel like granite for stiffness yet very supple at the same time which makes them very comfortable (quite a contradiction!). I am particularly impressed with your workmanship and packaging of the wheels which look just amazing. They also feel splendid when I sprint off from the lights…as if they are bouncing back and propelling me forward in a lively fashion – I got nothing but ‘mush’ and a slow wind-up on the old wheels. Also notice riding up hills was far easier to ‘spin’ or climb out of the saddle (i.e. I actually felt I was going somewhere at a decent pace for a change!). It might just be the hype of new wheels but they are definitely better.
To all those looking, do yourselves a favour and opt for some custom wheels from Tristan. Support local industry and get a far better wheelset than off the shelf at a shop for a comparable or lesser price. Thanks once again!