Quai's Stepped Carbon Rims - Taipei Cycle Show
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There may not be a load of interesting new bikes at the Taipei Cycle Show, but there doesn't seem to be any shortage of new carbon fiber wheelsets to be found in the halls of the Nangang Exhibition Center. These unique looking carbon hoops are from a Quai, a brand that probably doesn't ring a bell with a lot of mountain bikers at this point but might do exactly that in the future.
Quai's carbon rims, with their stepped construction, look nothing like the sleek offerings that they're going up against, but the company says that their rim design is definitely not just to be different or for low weight.
It's all about spoke tension, they say, with the high/low rim bed mimicking the effects of the tall/low flanges that you'll find used on rear hubs in an effort to have the drive and non-drive spokes be closer in tension. Ask any wheel builder what one of the keys to reliability is, and he or she will surely talk to you about equal spoke tension. Manufacturers have been doing things like tall/low hub flanges and offset drilling patterns on rims to this end for a long, long time, but Quai claims that their stepped rim design is a far more effective way getting the job done.
It's all about spoke tension, they say, with the high/low rim bed mimicking the effects of the tall/low flanges that you'll find used on rear hubs in an effort to have the drive and non-drive spokes be closer in tension. Ask any wheel builder what one of the keys to reliability is, and he or she will surely talk to you about equal spoke tension. Manufacturers have been doing things like tall/low hub flanges and offset drilling patterns on rims to this end for a long, long time, but Quai claims that their stepped rim design is a far more effective way getting the job done.
They're also saying that the tall, segmented box section design adds rigidity, although the rim's appearance might not be everyone's cup of tea.
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Their 27.5'' trail/enduro rim is said to come in a 410-grams, which is a low number given its intentions. That said, it has an internal width of just 25mm, which a lot of riders might find a bit slim these days. Wheelset weights range from 1,419-grams for the 27.5'' ISOS Ultimates to 1,633-grams for the 29'' ISOS Pro Boost. Depending on hub choice, pricing runs between $1,500 USD and $2,520 USD, with the latter sporting a set of DT Swiss Boost hubs.
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The Cape Epic is one of the greatest races in mountain biking. There is amazing scenery and footage coming out. The racing seems to be neck and neck! I am only in finding coverage on CyclingNews... I thought a mtn bike specific site would have more info than a site covering the Spring Classics... Wouldn't it be simple enough just to repost the race recaps from Cape Epic's youtube even? Or better yet, send someone there to cover the race! Wouldn't you rather be riding bikes in South Africa than shmoozing in Tapei over some nothing special carbon rims?
I was pumped to see the Cape Epic get some coverage for stage one. I thought maybe you guys would give XC a bit more coverage this year. But sadly it seems that product and advertising is trumping actual mountain biking...
I'm understand that there is a lot going on in the MTB world and Pinkbike is only so many people. But I would love to hear Vernon covering Cape Epic first hand or similar. I dont expect other MTB websites to cover every stage etc but i thought you all were better than that. Not mad, just disappointed.
Thanks!
www.pinkbike.com/news/absa-cape-epic-stage-three-video-2017.html
Hopefully the manufacturers will take this into account when deciding on their pricing.
disclaimer: I don't race, I don't have the cash for carbon rims, I am hyper anal about the smallest of improvements to my bikes
Just keep killing, more, more, more. Effort to do otherwise is futile. Douche Bag attitude.
Here's a tune that quickly shows how serious. Maybe I missed your point, and if so sorry.
www.theguardian.com/global/video/2016/nov/18/150-years-global-warming-minute-long-symphony-video
The same manufacturing concerns apply to these; have they machined the carbon or is the shape created in mold?
Having said that I would never pay the price most companies are asking, I got my haven carbon set for 850 when jenson had their crazy 26" sales a few years ago.
I got my first carbon bike last year and I can say that the bike is much better and lighter than I though and worth all the money I spent.
I would love to put some carbon rims on my V10 because I know the bike will be better with lighter rims.
but anyone can do what they want right?
So carbon haters stay on your steel bike and let the ones who chose carbon do what they want
I think there is a huge room for improvement as far as carbon rim design, but so far they are BETTER without question than aluminum rims, in EVERY way except the cost, that is why i find good deals or buy used... Im using a carbon wheelset that weighs 1150grams on my xc bike, they where raced hard for one year, 15 broken spokes... rims are still perfect. and they are true within les then a mm yet spoke tension is even within 2% accross the board, good luck getting that with aluminum, even a new rim wont do that.
Now..throwing heavy tires and tubes on a carbon wheel? thats ridiculous and takes away the point. Weight saving is done to improve the efficiency of acceleration. I feel like a ferrari on these wheel, the acceleration is beyond noticeable.
Anyways, if you dont like carbon..your missing out.
Really too many companies putting out good carbon wheels to mention.
Suckers born every minute.
Blue rims though with bumps.
Cool!
Or not using carbon rims...
My carbon rims cost ~70% more than my AL rims, but since they'll outlast the AL rims the cost is basically the same.
I have landed a jump badly onto a rock pinch flatted a tubeless tire and popped a spoke on my carbon rim. Took the tire off to repair it and the rim bead was still perfectly smooth to the touch. No damage at all.
Just bought another set of LB carbon rims for my new bike.