What Is Your "Wheel Type?"

Carbon Bling?

I work at a bicycle shop that also deals in cross country ski sales and service. We also do a modicum of service on downhill stuff. When you do that, the tech/ski guy has to be "certified" and he needs to know your "ski type". In other words, it is like setting the tension of your clipless pedals according to your skill level as a cyclist, only....cyclists don't do that sort of thing normally.

Maybe we should....

I was ruminating on all of this as I built up a wheel the other day.While I am not what you would call a "wheel building expert", or some "Zen-wheel building guru", I have built some really nice wheels for customers that have lasted a long time.  Nuff said....

But the point here is that I see a lot of commentary about how "such-and-such" wheel really is "bad" and the rims ding easily, the hubs explode, or whatever. You always hear complaints about the wheels, but you almost never hear about the "rider type". You know what I mean? How does this person actually use the wheel? A bad wheel to rider type match is going to end up like a celebrity wedding. Broken. It may look pretty at the beginning- all shiny, light, and high engagement, but eventually the dings come, and the spokes break, and everything goes to hell in a hand basket leaving you with an expensive pile of twisted metal.

It didn't used to be this way. At one time there were no "pre-built" wheel sets that you could un-box and within minutes be riding. No- it was a longer process in which you went to the local bike shop, asked about a wheel build, and were then introduced to some grizzled old veteran who asked you several odd questions. Then you were told to "...come back next Thursday." Then you got a set of wheels that looked like anyone elses, but in reality were wheels with hand selected components for the job, your weight, and your riding style. If this all sounds mystic and weird to you, just think of the scene in "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone" where Harry gets his wand. Yeah.......something like that anyway.

One size fits all, or maybe two sizes...

Well, you usually are in too big of a hurry for any of that sort of crap these days, right? So you buy wheel sets that are......well, if you stop to think, one size fits all. Maybe there is a "Clydesdale" option, but typically in most cases there are weight restrictions......that most folks ignore. (That is, if there are any openly publicized restrictions at all.)

There is no matching rider type and skill level to the component. Is it really any wonder then that I read and hear about so many issues regarding wheel damage? I don't think so.

However; if we were to suddenly go about doing the "rider type" thing with bicycle wheels, there would be a lot of "disgruntled" cyclists and a lot of unhappy marketing departments. See, many riders should be on tougher, heavier equipment for their style and type of riding, not the latest lightweight tubeless ready rim from wherever. A lot of companies would not sell as many wheel sets either. Not unless they changed the way they marketed their wares. (Or not unless a lot of riders refined their riding styles.)

My wife came home the other day and told me about some guy driving a Cadillac Escalade with those big 22" wheels and low profile, wide tires in the latest 5" snow we just had. Apparently they slid into some curbing and knocked the bead off the wheel's rim. They kept on driving though.....

Don't laugh: lots of cyclists are doing similar dumb things with their wheels too.....