::::~ Wheelbuilders thread ~::::

[Giuseppe Magnetico]

Re: Re:

A23 was a quick answer the same year after the Belgium was released. HED was definitely first, they did all the testing that proved wide made a difference. Have intimate knowledge of this playing out, lots of friends and former colleagues at HED. I lived 4 miles from the original location, then they moved 4 miles to my West into my dad's old building. That place was cursed, it's also where Steve died.

 

[Bustedknuckle]

Re: Re:

A23 was a quick answer the same year after the Belgium was released. HED was definitely first, they did all the testing that proved wide made a difference. Have intimate knowledge of this playing out, lots of friends and former colleagues at HED. I lived 4 miles from the original location, then they moved 4 miles to my West into my dad's old building. That place was cursed, it's also where Steve died.

Yikes, thanks for the info..wish HED rims were less expensive, they make for great wheels.

 

[Giuseppe Magnetico]

Re: Re:

A23 was a quick answer the same year after the Belgium was released. HED was definitely first, they did all the testing that proved wide made a difference. Have intimate knowledge of this playing out, lots of friends and former colleagues at HED. I lived 4 miles from the original location, then they moved 4 miles to my West into my dad's old building. That place was cursed, it's also where Steve died.

Yikes, thanks for the info..wish HED rims were less expensive, they make for great wheels.

Of the all the wide aluminum road rims we've had access to for the past several years I'd have to put H Plus Son's Archetype at the top. Build quality and ride characteristics as the two main focal points, only edging out HED's Belgium C2 by a narrow margin. Have a few customers out there that actually have both builds, typically with White Industries T11 hubs and CX-Ray spokes. All say the Archetypes feel like the better wheel set. My daily road set for the past few years: 1996 Campy Chorus hubs, CX-Ray spokes, high polish Archetypes. Mmmmm, mmm, mmm... So good!

Of course you know this already, so maybe this info is for those unfamiliar with the brands. HED is more visible because of racing pedigree, Steve HED (R.I.P.) was one of the most preeminent authorities on wheel aerodynamics. The Belgium rim was the inflection point for what started the trend towards wider road rims. H Plus Son came to market strictly as an urban fixed brand. No doubt they can be a hard sell sometimes because most never heard of them. If they have there's always the hipster association to Civil War beards, Hitler Youth haircuts, and skinny jeans. Not sure if they still do, but for a long time the 'H' in H Plus Son produced all the aluminum rims for Shimano wheels.