Quantcast

26" Carbon Rim by Chinese company, Only $130 !!!

cableguy

cableguy

Monkey
Jun 23, 2007
463
1
Southern California
I saw this thread on MTBR by 29ers. The same company also makes 26" rims, and is in the process of coming out (supposedly at the end of this month) with a wider 26er that will come in at 30mm wide (external), 23mm wide (internal), and 23mm depth...which is wider than ZTR Flows. 330g vs. 470g for Flows vs. 577g for 721's.

http://www.light-bicycle.com/26er-mtb-carbon-mtb-rim-clincher.html

Compared to $1000 Enve rims, these seem to be a bargain. At this price of $130/rim, I am thinking about building a set for my trail bike. I suppose you can even use them as DH race wheels. Thoughts?

 
Last edited:
jonKranked

jonKranked

Detective Dookie
Nov 10, 2005
86,005
24,551
media blackout
bargain prices bring you bargain quality control. there's a reason that empty beer thread (and many others like it) are filled with pictures of defective chinese house branded carbon products. It's a gamble.

That being said, I am gambling with a set of wheels from these guys on my xc bike which is a hardtail. Only have a parking lot test on them so far, and they haven't exploded. Will get some trail time on them in the next month or so.

Let the record state that these chinese house branded carbon rims are still more expensive than allow models.
 
William42

William42

fork ways
Jul 31, 2007
3,926
671
I'd try em on my DH bike. Maybe as a rear wheel first though. I can ride out of a taco'd rear wheel.
 
IH8Rice

IH8Rice

I'm Mr. Negative! I Fail!
Aug 2, 2008
24,524
494
Im over here now
bdamschen said:
Woah. I have now entered an area I know nothing about. Which one is better to choose for a 200lb occasional case/not brought back whip on his trail bike sort of rider?
Click to expand...
they arent choices. they are probably using those three types of weaves. it looks like the "braking" surface is 3k, the eyelet area is 12k and the UD is inside the rim
 
mattmatt86

mattmatt86

Turbo Monkey
Feb 9, 2005
5,347
10
Bleedmore, Murderland
One of my roommates in college rode for 2+ seasons on a "catalog" carbon road frame with 0 issues. It was lighter than the Tarmac models my team was riding and 1/3 the price. He knew he was taking a risk but it worked out for him. On the flip side I've seen threads on guys that raced crit's on similar frames and absolutely destroyed themselves in a wreck when the frame exploded. I remember one of the guys crashed so bad he was near death. Would he have still crashed on a big brand Carbon bike? Who knows.

The big companies aren't free from their failures either, I know better than most. I haven't been on a bike in over 5 months because the carbon steerer tube on my bike snapped, stabbed me in the leg and now I don't have feeling in my left quadricep.
 
M

marshalolson

Turbo Monkey
May 25, 2006
1,770
519
bdamschen said:
Woah. I have now entered an area I know nothing about. Which one is better to choose for a 200lb occasional case/not brought back whip on his trail bike sort of rider?
Click to expand...
the rims are all structurally UD.

the "outlook" is the graphical on the exterior.

3k is the tight looking weave
12k is the very course looking weave.
UD will look basically just black.

then choose matte or gloss. gloss will have an extra layer of clear coat on it.
 
ZoRo

ZoRo

Turbo Monkey
Sep 28, 2004
1,224
11
MTL
jonKranked said:
bargain prices bring you bargain quality control. there's a reason that empty beer thread (and many others like it) are filled with pictures of defective chinese house branded carbon products. It's a gamble.

That being said, I am gambling with a set of wheels from these guys on my xc bike which is a hardtail. Only have a parking lot test on them so far, and they haven't exploded. Will get some trail time on them in the next month or so.

Let the record state that these chinese house branded carbon rims are still more expensive than allow models.
Click to expand...
Where do you actually order them? Can't seem to be able to add to cart from the website.
 
jonKranked

jonKranked

Detective Dookie
Nov 10, 2005
86,005
24,551
media blackout
mattmatt86 said:
One of my roommates in college rode for 2+ seasons on a "catalog" carbon road frame with 0 issues. It was lighter than the Tarmac models my team was riding and 1/3 the price. He knew he was taking a risk but it worked out for him. On the flip side I've seen threads on guys that raced crit's on similar frames and absolutely destroyed themselves in a wreck when the frame exploded. I remember one of the guys crashed so bad he was near death. Would he have still crashed on a big brand Carbon bike? Who knows.

The big companies aren't free from their failures either, I know better than most. I haven't been on a bike in over 5 months because the carbon steerer tube on my bike snapped, stabbed me in the leg and now I don't have feeling in my left quadricep.
Click to expand...
the two big difference between big company stuff and catalog stuff:

-quality control
-warranty
 
baca262

baca262

Monkey
Aug 16, 2011
392
0
i am not 100% sure about his but i believe the weave is the purely cosmetic outer layer, they are ud underneath. 3k is what you usually see on car carbon parts, 12k is the same thing but with larger "filaments" weaved together.

edit - damn i got thoroughly beaten on this :busted:
 
William42

William42

fork ways
Jul 31, 2007
3,926
671
looks like with tune hubs, those could be built with 150x12/110x20mm sapim cx ray spokes to a ~1300g wheelset. Say what you will about its durability, it sure would be a hell of a lot of fun doing jump lines with a 1300g wheelset.
 
M

marshalolson

Turbo Monkey
May 25, 2006
1,770
519
William42 said:
looks like with tune hubs, those could be built with 150x12/110x20mm sapim cx ray spokes to a ~1300g wheelset. Say what you will about its durability, it sure would be a hell of a lot of fun doing jump lines with a 1300g wheelset.
Click to expand...
27lb DH bike here i come!!!!!
 
mattmatt86

mattmatt86

Turbo Monkey
Feb 9, 2005
5,347
10
Bleedmore, Murderland
jonKranked said:
the two big difference between big company stuff and catalog stuff:

-quality control
-warranty
Click to expand...
No doubt. I did get a new steerer tube for my troubles. But unfortunately the 500 I got after selling the fork didn't cover the 1700 in medical bills or the next surgery I need to have on my leg. ::whining over::
 
jonKranked

jonKranked

Detective Dookie
Nov 10, 2005
86,005
24,551
media blackout
baca262 said:
i am not 100% sure about his but i believe the weave is the purely cosmetic outer layer, they are ud underneath. 3k is what you usually see on car carbon parts, 12k is the same thing but with larger "filaments" weaved together.
Click to expand...
this is incorrect. the woven fiber is most definitely a structural component. the orientation and weave (along with epoxy composition) is what allows carbon fiber to be optimized for physical properties required of a given application.

also, woven fibers are typically used in conjunction with UD fibers.
 
norbar

norbar

KESSLER PROBLEM. Just cause
Jun 7, 2007
11,369
1,605
Warsaw :/
A local bike company tested one of TW made Carbon supposedly EN/FR rims. They lasted 3 days under a very smooth 4x rider on a 4x track and that one was 415g not 330g. PASS.
 
M

marshalolson

Turbo Monkey
May 25, 2006
1,770
519
jonKranked said:
this is incorrect. the woven fiber is most definitely a structural component. the orientation and weave (along with epoxy composition) is what allows carbon fiber to be optimized for physical properties required of a given application.

also, woven fibers are typically used in conjunction with UD fibers.
Click to expand...
that rim is probably 90-95%+ UD (i.e. all of the rim other than the very last exterior facing layer is UD). sure 12k/3k will have some minute effect... but it is only there for aesthetic reasons.
 
jonKranked

jonKranked

Detective Dookie
Nov 10, 2005
86,005
24,551
media blackout
marshalolson said:
that rim is probably 90-95%+ UD (i.e. all of the rim other than the very last exterior facing layer is UD). sure 12k/3k will have some minute effect... but it is only there for aesthetic reasons.
Click to expand...
in this case, sure, not arguing that. my point was that woven can be used structurally as well. Saying its only purpose is cosmetic isn't accurate.
 
M

marshalolson

Turbo Monkey
May 25, 2006
1,770
519
jonKranked said:
in this case, sure, not arguing that. my point was that woven can be used structurally as well. Saying its only purpose is cosmetic isn't accurate.
Click to expand...
yeah man, i hear you. my point was that if you laced all 3 rim finishes up to the same hub with the same spoke tension you could not experience a difference between them, because the rim is solid UD, other than 1 external facing weave change/addition, so if you are evaluating what rim finish to buy, you are evaluating it around the cosmetic finish, not a tangible performance or ride characteristic change.

i mean seriously, have you ever played with 3mm thick laminated UD? and then compare it to .1-.2mm thick laminated 3k or 12k?

my guess is they just add the 3k/12k right over the top of the finished UD rim (same with the matte/gloss - either raw or add a bunch of clear coat), which would make it slightly heavier.
 
Last edited:
jonKranked

jonKranked

Detective Dookie
Nov 10, 2005
86,005
24,551
media blackout
norbar said:
I know it's the RM codename for benderhucks but he was. I know that guys usual build and it's not really burly yet I don't know of him destroying it.
Click to expand...
right. not accusing him of benderhucks, but things don't just explode for no reason whatsoever. was probably a bad rim. Did he test more than one set of rims?
 
norbar

norbar

KESSLER PROBLEM. Just cause
Jun 7, 2007
11,369
1,605
Warsaw :/
jonKranked said:
right. not accusing him of benderhucks, but things don't just explode for no reason whatsoever. was probably a bad rim. Did he test more than one set of rims?
Click to expand...
Not that I know of. Yes they might have been a bad set of rims. I was just using it as an example that it's good to pay for quality in carbon. As much as I realize now that a single case is a stupid example.
 
jonKranked

jonKranked

Detective Dookie
Nov 10, 2005
86,005
24,551
media blackout
norbar said:
Not that I know of. Yes they might have been a bad set of rims. I was just using it as an example that it's good to pay for quality in carbon. As much as I realize now that a single case is a stupid example.
Click to expand...
yea, a single data point isn't gonna tell you much. if you test 10 rims, and 3 fail, then yea, I would question things.
 
jonKranked

jonKranked

Detective Dookie
Nov 10, 2005
86,005
24,551
media blackout
marshalolson said:
yeah man, i hear you. my point was that if you laced all 3 rim finishes up to the same hub with the same spoke tension you could not experience a difference between them, because the rim is solid UD, other than 1 external facing weave change/addition, so if you are evaluating what rim finish to buy, you are evaluating it around the cosmetic finish, not a tangible performance or ride characteristic change.

i mean seriously, have you ever played with 3mm thick laminated UD? and then compare it to .1-.2mm thick laminated 3k or 12k?

my guess is they just add the 3k/12k right over the top of the finished UD rim (same with the matte/gloss - either raw or add a bunch of clear coat), which would make it slightly heavier.
Click to expand...
these exact thicknesses no, but i have handled them before (weave vs UD). housemate of mine in college did a lot of CF stuff for classes & projects. Then he started making stuff in the garage. Now he works for a composites company making components for sports cars.
 
M

marshalolson

Turbo Monkey
May 25, 2006
1,770
519
jonKranked said:
these exact thicknesses no, but i have handled them before (weave vs UD). housemate of mine in college did a lot of CF stuff for classes & projects. Then he started making stuff in the garage. Now he works for a composites company making components for sports cars.
Click to expand...
yeah man, my point is that UD is very stiff in all directions. adding a single 3k or 12k weave layer to the top of a thick UD structure is not going to change how stiff or flexible the structure is in any direction. its ultra stiff in all directions already.

just to underscore this, the 3k and 12k weaves are not uniformly applied (really in any carbon rim, not just this one) in a 0, 90 or 45 direction, which would indicate they either don't matter to the overall ride of the rim, or the rim will have radically varying properties around the circumference of the rim, depending on what the weave is doing at that particular point.
 
manhattanprjkt83

manhattanprjkt83

Rusty Trombone
Jul 10, 2003
9,646
1,217
Nilbog
norbar said:
Nope. No cases. Just riding along, smooth stuff on a 4x track. The guy is very fluid.
Click to expand...
yeah im skeptical of that comment...

china is probably the best place to source carbon materials from right now, you have got to believe that someone is using molds to make cheap knockoffs that are worth a damn.

I have no source at all for my information but in my industry that is how it works (not carbon)
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top Bottom