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 " The significant update, the one that modifies in a huge way your feeling, comes from the wheels of course. The RAR Absolute wheels are true jewels. Or true bombs, as you would prefer. They are way stiffer than the Zipp 404, and only weight about the half...! This weight/efficiency ratio is really outstanding. Bluntly phenomenal." Olivier Haralambon, Top Vélo n°155
These few sentences taken from the latest Top-Vélo magasine self summarizes the explosive wheels we built. This wheelset features incredible properties, incredible acceleration properties, way beyond what one usually feels on the bike. Weighting in a mere 828g per set, these wheels' inertia is almost close to zero, translating into a so special riding experience. Top-vélo's specifications were very clear. The specialists wanted the lightest wheelset, yet very reliable and laterally very stiff. We thus chose our most advanced hubset of the boutique. The Tune Mig45 front and the Mag150 rear obviously found their way on this wheelset: they have the lowest weight, yet yields an extreme resistance and reliability thanks to the carbon reinforcements into their flanges and through their well proven internals. This hubset gives a stiff and strong base for a very reliable wheelset. DT Aerolite/Sapim Cx-ray spokes laces the hubs to the rims through alloy nipples. Despite the weight save coming along with the titanium spokes, we didn't use them for this wheelset as they would decrease spoking endurance. For a weight record, they would easily save another 70g from the wheelset though.
The final step concerned the rims, we needed to use the lightest reliable hoops, yet with a good stiffness. The rims offering a staggering weight to stiffness ratio were the newest AX-Lightness 24mm, 190g rims. Thanks to the twill weave and the kevlar reinforced nipples area, we could reach very high spokes tensions, often impossible with most rims weighting twice. This super strength increases the wheels reactivity, reduces its rims deflection under the most explosive accelerations, and makes the wheel more reliable. |
