It’s an injustice, in fact.
We spend an indecent amount of time and money on our sport, hobby, past-time – and I believe we need to maximize the value of this investment. This means that we shouldn’t be let down by our equipment.
Your wheels connect your bike to the ground and are undoubtedly one of the most important components on your bike. They need to do what we expect of them with no drama or excessive cost.
Our wheels need to do the following 3 things, really well.
- Not die when we hit something – durability is a must in my opinion – especially if you ride races – nothing wastes more time than dealing with a mechanical issue while out racing.
- Not cost a lot of time or money to maintain – your wheels should work pretty well, even when neglected. I’d recommend you have the hub bearings checked often and replaced when necessary – but rough and slightly tight bearings shouldn’t prevent you from riding. Wheels which use proprietary spokes and nipples should be avoided – stick to wheels that use easily available parts – you’ll thank me later.
- Work as designed – most mountain bikers now use tubeless tyres and if your tyres burp and lose air, or come off the rim, it’s going to frustrate you. You should, on a mountain bike, also be able to do small jumps and drops, hop up pavements and crash through potholes without your rims folding like tacos. Seriously. (Thanks to one of my customers for the featured “taco” pic.
Investing in good wheels WILL make riding more fun, less frustrating, and safer. Don’t let crappy wheels spoil your precious riding time.
“What makes good wheels good?”
I hear you ask…..
- Weight – the lighter the wheels are, the better they’ll turn and accelerate
- Strength – yes, they won’t break as easily
- Tubeless – good tubeless rims will hold air better with less chance of tyres burping and becoming unseated when flat – making them easier to inflate
- Style – If you’re like me, you think bikes are beautiful – great looking wheels certainly add to the aesthetic appeal
- Width – rims that are too narrow for your choice of tyre will make the tyre squirm under cornering – wider rims allow lower pressures, improving stability, comfort and traction
Convinced? Ok, then get in touch, and let’s get you onto a good set of wheels
🙂
