by Andrew G » Sat Jan 12, 2008 3:13 pm
Cheers Sean. I've actually had a bit of a dig and see that they make quite a few bits (well they make tons of stuff actually) that are re-branded by others (or do they re-brand Gigantex Composite Technologies stuff???). Their stuff "looks" good but I would be interested if anybody has any experience of using it though (under their name or a re-brand), as with wheels, particularly deep rims, looks are no good if they aren't stiff and responsive.
Unless something was on offer at a stupid price I wouldn't want clinchers or an aluminium rim on deep carbon rims. It may be misguided but gluing an alu rim on seems to me to design in extra weight exactly where you don't want it, combined with a potential weak point at the join (Mavic exploding discs anyone - Dave P, Rich V(Rob R-E), and the less famous Dave Millar last year alone).
Deep stiff rims and clinchers = nightmare wrestling match getting tyres on, I'd need "viper wrists" Tunnell at every puncture. I was speaking to the guys in GBs and they said it took 4 of them to get a tyre on the clincher Dailkia wheels, which incidentally the bloke (Scottish ex-pro whose name I can never remember) said were fine for posing, but otherwise....[raised eyebrows].
I can only think the clinchers are an extra £100 because the wheel would be made as one carbon unit like the Campagnolo Hyperon Ultras rather than just getting out the superglue and stuffing an alu rim on.
Yes I am a bike snob and would love all my stuff hand made by an Italian craftsman, but the reality is I can't afford that and nearly all carbon stuff seems to come from Taiwan one way or the other these days which ever sticker is on the final product. Logically that would make the Taiwanese pretty near the top of the tree for using the posh plastic.