Saturday, November 7, 2009

My Bullet Proof Wheelset


A few years ago I bought a set of Zip Team CSC wheels. They looked cool, were light and the first 20 feet I rode on them before a spoke broke was wonderful. I replaced the spoke, but every other ride I did on them a spoke would break. Everyone I know who had them said the same thing, and one guy even sold them on EBAY only to have them sent back. My cool wheel set became a house for spiders in my garage.

I kept hearing about some magical-wheel building-mad scientist dude who worked at Spokes, ETC who could rediscabumalete (my word) my wheel set. His name Bill Mould, a retired military guy with a web site http://www.billmouldwheels.com/shop.html about building wheels. I dropped my wheels off to Bill and picked them up two days later.

Seriously, I get nothing out of this, no sponsorship or anything - but today when my bottom bracket was creaking, my derailleur not shifting and all kinds of other funky stuff I realized my wheels are still perfect. I have been riding 250 - 500 miles per week on these for five months and have not had to true them once. I commute to and from work in the dark and hit about every pot hole and bit of debris in the road. I even flipped a few weeks ago and watch my bike bounce for an eternity - and despite the need for a new tire, bar tape, a right shifter, a left pedal and handlebars, I still had perfect wheels.

I can't remember who first told about Bill, but who ever it was, thanks.


3 comments:

  1. You didn't post about your flipping. Any misfortune from people who kick my arse needs to be posted. Makes me feel better about myself.

    ReplyDelete
  2. I was in an all out sprint, and then with out warning my right cleat broke while I was pulling up. I immediatly rolled forward over the bars and my left leg, which was still locked in sent my bike higher than where my head would have been if I were still upright.

    ReplyDelete
  3. It's too bad I didn't have a helmet cam... It was a site to see as it was over 15 feet in the air. I didn't know it was your cleat. I just thought you overpowered your pedals (like at the road race Page Valley). Isn't it time you switched from the speedplays?

    ReplyDelete