RAR - Roues Artisanales

We are delighted to unveil the 2010 RAR bike, it will be the bench test for the next components and wheels of the incoming range.
The white is in the place of honour this year. Its mere side is not unpleasant and the weather is quite adapted to this color.

 In the version above, the mixed wheels (46/66mm) are sub 1100g, which makes them very attractive. Specially built for large and powerful riders, they will offer their best from flat roads to medium mountains. This versatility is made possible through their low mass, their important stiffness, and their low wind sensivity. We specifically built this wheelset for Sébastien Harbonnier, professionnal rider from CCI Differdange team in Luxembourg. Because of his strength, we didn't have any other choice to use a deep rim and the AC2:1 spoking (more information on spoking page). This alchemy reinforces the rear wheel efficiency thanks to a torque transfer close to perfection, the maximal stiffness and reliability. The front wheel comes from a stock Optimal model: its stiffness, aerodynamics, and reliability properties being very adapted, even for large riders.

Extra pictures:

" 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 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.

Good resolutions or not, new year celebrated with excess or not, RAR team wishes you the best for the new year 2010.

May it be prosperous, full of enrichement, happiness, good health and with a large dose of passion!

Have an excellent year.

We take the opportunity of this update to tell you the carbone wheels pictures are now available in high definition.  Feel free to have a look at them in the wheels menu, then range sub menu, they replace with brio the former modelings.

We have been reworking the "custom-built" area of the website to facilitate the choice of components.
Instead of a simple informative table, you will be able to imagine, accurately, the custom wheels of your bike through sharp pictures. From rims to hubs, every available components are viewable in high resolution when clicking on the thumbnail.

Link: ABSOLUTE wheels