Madfiber

[RDV4ROUBAIX]

Ok, many of you know my stance on stuff like this, but is this the 'future' of race wheels?

http://www.bikeradar.com/news/article/mad-fiber-carbon-road-wheels-first-look-26205

 

[Marva32]

They remind me of those real ugly wheels Giant had a number of years ago. With all the bonding, isn't that just adding additional points for failure?

 

[titan_90]

How much would it cost to replace a spoke? Let alone the time need to ship the things to the manufacture and back for repairs. I think I'll stick with wheels that have non proprietary SS spokes.

 

[RDV4ROUBAIX]

Yes, the whole bonded thing worries me as well. Ric Hjertberg is the last person I thought that would get involved in something like this. The true test is going to be in international racing. Unless this happens it's just going to be another look-at-me and my expensive boutique wheels.

 

[steelciocc]

Luddite!

Looks like a severe case of Style over substance to me...but I'm a luddite!

 

[RDV4ROUBAIX]

We need to look at Ric's history. So he knows wheels that's for sure, but the products he's been involved with kind of suck. Wheelsmith spokes are mediocre at best, FSA wheels are absolute crap. So, does all this pomp and circumstance about Madfiber being the "future" (self proclaimed by the way) really add up? They look really cool to me, but that's about it. All being said, I do dig those wood rims he distros.

 

[richwagmn]

I don't get it. You can certainly get carbon rims with normal spokes in the 1000g weight range. Why risk something like carbon spokes? Didn't Mavic have some problems with the ksyriums that had carbon spokes?

 

[titan_90]

Mavic R-Sys Wheels

 

[RDV4ROUBAIX]

Don't get this confused with the Mavic R-Sys debacle. Both have carbon spokes, but an entirely different design.. You don't even need to have carbon spokes to have massive fail, HED had some major failures of their wheels last season with stainless spokes.

 

[BroDeal]

There was a thread about these on the Velonews forum. People were skeptical about how the spokes are bonded to the hub. Looks like a possible repeat of those deathtrap Spinergy wheels.

 

[RDV4ROUBAIX]

There was a thread about these on the Velonews forum. People were skeptical about how the spokes are bonded to the hub. Looks like a possible repeat of those deathtrap Spinergy wheels.

Bartoli's knee cap 1999. Ouch! Madfiber says no truing needed, so did Spinergy I think. I've trued those Spingergys before in a woodworking vice with a rubber mallet.