Spank had a some early prototype versions of their upcoming Spike stem at the show for people to see, with the fully CNC'd examples attracting a lot of attention. There are only a few of these in the world at this point, but production versions will be forged before CNC'ing takes them down to their final shape. It weighs in at just 135 grams for the stubby 35mm version, despite it being designed for gravity riding or any other abuse that you can dish out.
Spank Spike stem details:• Full CNC'd and hand finished prototype show above (
production will be forged and CNC'd)
• Intended for gravity use, but light enough to run on an all-mountain bike
• Lengths: 35mm, 50mm
• Weight: 135 grams (
35mm), 150 grams (
50mm)
• MSRP: $69 USD
The Spike stem is shaped to proved extra strength and stiffness when used with a wide modern handlebar - notice how it flares out at each corner of the body and face plate, but tapers in drastically at the stem's mid point (
left). Spank stems also come with their own sealed topcap (
right) to help keep the muck out, although they can be fitted with a regular headset cap as well.
Also available in black and red (
shown above), the Spike stem features a trick raised logo in its faceplate.
Spank was proudly showing off their brand new Spike Race28 EVO rim. Weighing a scant 500 grams, an impressive number given its intentions as an out and out downhill race rim, it will likely also pop on a number of all-mountain and enduro machines as well, especially those who are looking for a lightweight rim that they can use with high volume rubber. It uses many of the same technologies that the
recently reviewed Oozy rims employ, including the double concave Oohbah rim well profile and Double BeadNip sidewalls that prevents tires from unseating when using low pressures.
Spank Spike Race28 EVO rim details:• Intended for gravity or all-mountain use
• 28mm outer, 23mm inner width
• 500 grams per rim
• Dynamal MGR Alloy construction
• Oohbah dual concave inner rim well
• Double BeadNip sidewalls
• 26" and 29" versions
• MSRP: $80 USD
Spank has also made the jump to building complete wheelsets for 2012, including a version built around the Race28 EVO rim shown above. The aptly named Spike Race28 EVO wheelset has been assembled with gravity racing in mind, but just like the rim on its own, the complete wheelset weight of 1960 grams makes them light enough to be used on a five or six inch travel bike as well.
They are hand built with Sandvik's triple butted spokes and anodized alloy nipples, helping to keep the weight at a low level. Compatibility is the name of the game, with Spank offering adapters to fit nearly every hub spacing out there, including 9mm QR, 15mm and 20mm front sizes, and 135mm, 142mm and 150mm rear options. They even do a kit that allows the rear hub to accept a 10mm thru-axle. In other words the Race28 EVO's should be compatible with not only your current bike, but your next few as well! Retail price is an impressive $499 USD.
The rear hub used on the Spike Race28 EVO wheelset features a trick steel shelled freehub body (
top right) that has been stripped of any unnecessary material, including surplus splines. The steel freehub will stand up much better to cassettes that don't use a carrier, resisting the gouging that the separate cogs can sometimes cause. The Spike Race28 EVO (
bottom right) are available in a new satin-peen finish that is claimed to be more durable over the long haul. While the new rims, wheels and stems are certainly eye catchers, Spank also had a roll of their new Fratelli tubeless rim tape on hand (
left).
The 25mm wide tape can be used on any suitable width rim, but is designed to fit all of Spank's EVO series rims. Combine the Fratelli tape and Spank's 35mm tubeless valve onto an EVO series rim for a quick and easy tubeless conversion.
Check out the
Spank website to see their entire lineup.
Stay tuned for more from Eurobike 2011
I know for a fact that other spank rims (Tweet Tweet, Subrosa) without the above hold up to serious abuse with no issues, namely a massive mat of mine that thrashes the crap out of them and they're still dead straight, no flat spots. More than I can say for any other rims that he or I have ridden.
I'm not questioning their strength, or design or blah blah blah. It's more that (as a wheelbuilder) I'd always spend my cash on an eyeletted rim, and would always use brass nipples where possible, just for ease of use and longevity. I've seen way too many rims crack around the spoke holes, and countless rounded/siezed/snapped alloy nipples. Saving a few grams is all well and good, but you'll be regretting it in 18 months or so when you can't true or re-dish your wheel without a full rebuild.
Specialized OEM alloy nipples have kept many a shop mechanic busy!
Thanks for the intelligent reply though, unlike what we usually get on here, and sorry (in hindsight
I think there is a tendancy for wheelbuilders, definately including myself, to get a bit narrow minded and evangelical about little things like spoke nipples and eyelets.
I also swear by alloy nipples, they are a no brainer for me, any wheel I build if I have the option I'll always use alloy nipples. If you are stripping them then get a better spoke key, lube them and they won't corrode and I find you can actually get a higher spoke tension using them as the alloy has a little "give" when twisting around a harder (and rougher) steel spoke. A brass nipple is like rubbing two hard objects together, at higher tension, they get harder to turn because neither give way to each other.
That is my experience anyway.
Eyelets in theory should give you the ability to get higher tension, but in reality it's not always true (the design of the rim does play a part for sure though). I couldn't have gotten the spokes any tighter on the alloy nippled wheel even if it had eyelets. I would never base my purchase of a rim on weather it had eyelets or not.
Now something other than DT Cheese to rival ZTR Flows in the Sub 500 rim category
Though as far as gravity riding goes, 470g for an alu rim seems suspiciously light, especially that due to lack of eyelets, you can't tension them as well as any eyeleted rims. Haven't tried so I stop here...