Onyx Racing Products

U.S. Patent No. 9,102,197. This number probably doesn't mean a thing to you, but I am happy that it exists. It belongs to Onyx Racing Products of Minnesota. A company that seems to fly a little under the radar for some people and that shouldn't be the case. With out a doubt this hub manufacturer does some incredible things and they deserve the nod. 

I am completely stoked to be carrying this companies amazing hubs and I am looking forward to building up some seriously cool wheels this season with them.

  I should detail why I think that Onyx is worthy of your consideration. In a word, engagement. Zero degree engagement to be precise.  Onyx hubs use a special German made Sprag Clutch which runs silently and provides virtually instant engagement. It's a system that uses 29 cam shaped wedges that are held there by springs. The photo below helps to show what is hiding under those 7075 alloy hub shells.

                                                                           Instant engagement! The Sprag clutch is dead quiet and completely reliable.

This unique feature is not the only reason to line up for a pair of Onyx hubs. Their hub choices are sufficient to make you a little overwhelmed. Spoiled for choice is no overstatement. Just about every cycling discipline is represented in their catalogue. The only people forced to search elsewhere would be tandem riders and unicyclists. 

Onyx has concentrated their energies on hubs for those who would revel in their sprag clutch design. Their hubs are backed by a solid 5 year warranty against manufacturers defects. MTB, cyclocross, roadies, track, downhill, BMX and Fatbike enthusiasts will celebrate this hub in a big way. 

A trip to their website will reveal that they have left no stone unturned. Their bearings are a ceramic hybrid that is made for them in Germany. They come standard on all their models. In an effort to shave some weight off their rear hub they have updated their driver to a lighter alloy version. It can be retrofitted on older Onyx hubs. It saves you 65 grams, if you tend to count such things. Those riding disc breaks will find both standard 6 bolt interface and centerlock options. 

Where things really start to get interesting is your colour choice. Onyx offers the largest number of colours of any hub maker that I am aware of. 24 stock colours! If their fantastic stock colours don't answer your whims then they offer custom colours that can be sought through a company that they work with named Prismatic Powders. Upon visiting the website of Prismatic Powders it became immediately obvious that you are going to find a colour that will turn your crank. There's about a $100 up charge for this platinum service, but for some this is a must do. If all these colours options weren't enough there is still more. You can get free laser etchings of names or logos on your hubs! Let your imagination go to work.

                             A magnificent BMX rear hub in retina popping orange. Get a matching front and hit the road!

                                    Phat indeed! The Onyx Fat R 087807 Centerlock 177 X 12mm thru axle. In glorious gold!

Because Onyx offers things like custom colours its a good idea to build in a few extra weeks in the timing of your wheel order. Special things take a bit longer, but are definitely worth the wait. I can see a pair of Pelham blue Onyx hubs on my own bike soon. I just can't resist. 

What's in a name? Industry Nine has a name that almost any self respecting mountain bike rider knows well. This company is composed of a small group of about 3 dozen bike crazy employees who churn out precision made bicycle hubs daily. This is all happening in their Asheville North Carolina facility. Industry Nine keeps most of it's production in house with the exception of high end ABEC Grade 5 sealed bearings. If you're wondering what the acronym ABEC stands for, that's a good question. ABEC stands for Annular Bearing Engineers Committee. More commonly referred to as the ABEC scale, an industry accepted standard for the dimensional control and manufacturing tolerances of ball bearings. The ABEC scale is numbered as follows, 1, 3, 5, 7, and lastly 9. These numeric references identify the quality of the ball bearing. Each number corresponds to the roundness in the inner and outer races of a bearing. The higher the number, the tighter the tolerance. So a grade 5 bearing is a very high quality one. 

It's attention to details like this that set Industry Nine apart from the competition. But it's not just a matter of building any old hub and adding a top end bearing. 

From the get go I think it's important to discuss the build philosophy of Industry Nine. It's immediately evident when you visit their website that they still believe strongly in the classic straight pull hub design. Because they make both J-bend and straight pull designs no one is written out of the script. Industry Nine's efforts have been divided fairly evenly between satisfying the needs of the road racers as well as the MTB crowd. Fatbike riders are also more than welcome. 

                 Industry Nines i25 TL front hub with a hidden radial spoke pattern. Stealthy!

I think my favourite Industry Nine hubs are their "Classic" line. This line pretty much covers all the bases, including MTB, road, cyclocross and Fatbikes. All of these particular hubs favour the traditional J-bend spoke that allows several different lacing patterns and guarantees that the  owner will be able to source a new spoke at any bike shop they should walk into. That level of flexibility and easy service is very important to many riders. Myself included! 

What about disc brakes? Industry Nine is using the ISO 6 bolt interface on some hubs but also offers the option of centerlock  on other models. So you are covered with both platforms. 

Can I get my favourite colour you ask? I would say you have a pretty decent chance. Industry Nine does not disappoint when it comes to a broad range of bright and beautiful colours. At the moment we have black, red, silver, blue, gold, orange, turquoise, green and lime to choose from. Impressive! 

Industry Nine i25 TL rear hub. 24 holes and weighing a mere 230 grams. A 4 cross straight pull  drive side and a radially spoked non-drive side combination. 

Industry Nines "Classic" MTB hub set. The freehub sports 120 points of engagement with 6 pawls. Available in 28 or 32 spoke holes and numerous axle configurations. 

                                                                                    A detailed exploded view of the internals of a an Industry Nine rear hub. 

We are now carrying Industry Nines complete line of hubs. Shoot us an email if you have any questions about building up a set of very nice wheels. I'd be honoured to build them!

Chris King

For anyone even remotely knowledgable about boutique high end bicycle parts the name Chris King is synonymous with cutting edge design and legendary reliability, Chris King has led the way for the last four decades. 

Many were introduced to Chris King with the debut of their incredible headset. I can personally attest to the impressive lifespan of a CK headset as my Merlin has one and that bike left the Merlin factory in 1993. Still going strong! 

Though CK offers numerous lovely components I'd like to concentrate here on there impressive line of hubs. As a wheel builder ones reputation stands or falls on reliability. Therefore I tend to gravitate to using components that have proven themselves time and again. It may be said that you are only as good as your last wheel set, so high quality is always at the forefront of my wheel designs. 

Companies like CK hold themselves to extraordinarily high standards and that makes my job easier. Lets look at what they are up to these days. My current fave is the R45. This hub could find itself on several different wheel types. An obvious choice for the roadie who wants a hub that will perform at the top end and keep on going for many many seasons. With a centerlock disc option the R45 could easily be found on a gravel grinder machine for those who choose a less travelled path. Those same set of wheels could do double duty on your cyclocross bike easily. The R45 uses the CK patented Ring Drive that offers 45 points of engagement for virtually drag free operation. Chris King makes their sealed bearings in house to maintain tight quality control. The R45 comes with a confidence boosting 5 year warranty. A ceramic bearing upgrade is yours for the asking. What about axle options? CK offers all the current popular axle configurations. The alloy freehub is compatible with either Campagnolo or Shimano/SRAM gears. 

I will be carrying all the necessary CK special tools to enable rebuilding your hubs when the time comes. 

Colours. CK has a enviable choice of different colours to keep things interesting. Black, silver, red, pink, pewter, navy blue, mango, turquoise, green and gold. Now and then there are limited edition hubsets that are done in unique colours. 

The Chris King R45 rear disc hub in the limited edition colour of Sour Apple. 

Chris King also has hubs that are suitable for several other cycling disciplines. Tandem riders, BMXers, cycle tourists, single speed junkies and triathletes have been taken care of. I suggest that you take a look at their comprehensive website for additional details on those other options. 

                                 Chris King has some specialist tools for their R45 hubs. These are required to perform a complete overhaul. 

                Numerous axle options from Chris King. 

Cognoscenti Cycles is very proud to be carrying the entire Chris King line of hubs! If proven design and bomb proof reliability are high on your list of priorities then a CK hub is a no brainer. With a long list of interesting rim options, there are many ways we could go in building up some very cool CK wheels. Lets chat and come up with something utterly killer. 

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                                                                                   Chris King ISO 142 X 12mm thru axle rear hub. Is black the new orange? Maybe...

Project 321

Project 321 sounds like a code name for a top secret spy ring in an MI5 operation.  But It's not.  Then again some might still say it's a well kept secret, unless of course you happen to be a serious MTB rider. 

Project 321 hails from Fresno California. These guys seem to have a wonderfully myopic vision for making top end MTB hubs in a variety of flavours. They do more than just hubs of course, but I will concentrate on those offerings for the moment. 

Decked out in a plethora of lovely vibrant colours are several notable models. First off, the G2 Mountain rear hub weighing in at just 274 grams. Available in numerous axle lengths and configurations, like 135mm QR, 135mm x 10mm TA, 135mm x 12mm TA, 142mm x 12mm TA or 135mm bolt on. Their new freehub has an option of either 144 or 216 points of engagement. This new freehub also boasts 68% less drag than the previous one. You even have a choice of how loud it is. A simple change of pawls will determine it's volume! They have chosen two angular contact bearings for more lateral load capacity. Coming stock with Enduro ABEC 5 bearings with an upgrade option to Enduro Ceramic Hybrid bearings if you like. Spoke hole counts are either 28 or 32. With a nice CNC engraved logo and a 3 year warranty, what's not to like? 

Project 321 has covered the bases with other popular options like boost width hubs as well as their Lefty Supermax.

The DH hubs come in either 150 or 157mm widths and are of course 12mm through axle configured.  32 or 28 holes are available. The DH hubs use the same freehub as the G2, which has an increased its warranty time to 3 years. The same bearing options as the G2 are found on the DH hubs. 

For you road riders who cap off your season with some mud soaked cyclocross there's the CX1 hubset. This disc hubset offers a front hub in 20, 24 and 28 holes. The rear in 24 and 28 holes. The axles are offered in 9mm QR, 15mm TA, 20mm TA and a rear OLD width of 135mm. The freehub is good for either 10 or 11 speed set ups. Lots of colours to choose from, all of them blending well with mother earth. 

Lastly, and not to be left out are the single speed enthusiasts. Project 321 hasn't forgotten you. The G2 Single Speed rear hub sits on the scales at 285 grams and has all the same axle options as the regular G2 hub. Also the same bearing configuration is exploited. Comes with either 32 or 28 spoke holes. 

As for disc specific bikes, all Project 321 disc hubs use the standard 6 bolt interface. 

So if you are dreaming of some very cool new MTB or cyclocross wheels with hubs that provide a boat load of options and colours, you might want to dial up their website to see how they all look, especially those killer colours. 

Cognoscenti Cycles is now a dealer for Project 321 and we can get anything that your heart desires. Call us for a quote. Spring is coming faster than you think...

             Perfect in purple. Project 321 CX1 Cyclocross hubs.

The Rohloff Speedhub 500

For over 2 decades this German company has produced a most unusual hub. One sporting 14 internal gears staggered precisely by 13.6% with a 526% overall transmission ratio. The Rohloff Speedhub 500 has no equal in the world of internally geared hubs. 

Built with typical German precision, this hub is the perfect answer for cycle tourists and off road enthusiasts who like the idea of all their gears hidden away in a sealed environment free from dirt and contamination. 

The Rohloff hub builds up with absolutely no dish in most applications, which is a real plus when it comes to wheel strength. This enables it to easily sustain heavy loads without a issue. 

Another feature is the ability to run a Carbon Gates set up. Imagine a perfectly clean and silent belt that replaces your dirty and noisy old chain. Sublime.

The Fatbike crowd and MTB riders can rejoice that they to can enjoy the Rohloff experience. Available in several popular axle widths like 135mm, 142, 148, 170, 177, 190, and 197mm. 

Maintenance is quite reasonable with only a periodic oiling to keep all those gears well lubed. Rohloff suggests some attention every 5000 km or about once a year. 

Disc brake devotees are covered with a 4 bolt disc design. Custom frame builders who are experienced with the Speedhub will incorporate the necessary frame fittings to enable a proper Rohloff set up. 

Handle bar shifters are numerous with a few different companies offering their own unique versions. 

The Rohloff Speedhub is available in both 32 and 36 hole spoke counts. Ample spokes to build up a bombproof wheel. Three different finish options are on offer. Silver, a deep lustrous red and a stealthy black. 

Cognoscenti Cycles is now carrying this unique hub, so bend our ear if a Rohloff hub is in your future. 

                                                                                        A rich red Rohloff Speedhub 500/14 with a 4 bolt disc brake interface. 

Boyd Cycling. The Handcrafted Revolution

Boyd Cycling came along in 2009 and was the work of Boyd Johnson who had ridden professionally as a racer in years past. His passion for racing is manifest in his products. Boyd Cycling has developed a line of carbon as well as alloy rims that have risen in popularity in the last few years. 

They have both carbon clincher and tubular models that range in depth from 28mm to a very deep 90mm and these are also available as disc specific models as well.  The 90mm version is ideal for triathletes or time trial specialists. It has a 25mm width and weighs in at 635 grams. 

                                                                                 A deep 90mm carbon tubular rim from Boyd Cycling 

One of my personal favourite rims is an alloy clincher called the "Altamont". Following the trend of slightly wider rims, the Altamont has an internal width of 19.86mm and was developed with a 25mm tire in mind, though it works well with a narrower 23mm tire or something much wider should you fancy some additional girth. The 2016 version has been modified and is slightly rounder with a 30mm depth, for enhanced stiffness and a better tire profile. It has a welded seem for ultimate strength and weighs 485 grams. Lastly is the bead blasted finish which is more than merely cosmetic. The bead blasting process is done before the rim is anodised. This improves the anodisation bond and further increases rim strength. These rims can be run tubeless should you desire that. The new "Altamont LIte" has a depth of 25mm and an external width of 24mm. It weighs in at a very reasonable 435 grams. A weight that I feel is good for a variety of cycling disciplines. There is an updated "second generation" version that will be available in January 2018. Boyd has said that the ceramic coating will be even further improved. 

                     Boyd Cycling's Altamont rim profile.

         The new Altamont Lite which is lighter by 50 grams.

Here's a clincher rim that you might consider for your next set of cyclocross wheels or for your gravel grinder machine. 

Cognoscenti Cycles will be carrying the entire line of Boyd Cycling rims in 2017. Whether you are looking at some nice alloy rims or investing in some high end Carbon wheels, give us a shout and we'll sort you out! We should mention that Boyd Cycling has recently included Cognoscenti Cycles among their list of recommended custom wheel builders. We are honoured to be listed with those other renown builders. 

Royce hubs. British engineering at it's finest.

In the last century some great hub makers have come and gone in Britain. Some notable names come to mind like Bayliss Wiley, Harden and Airlite. These hubs had to compete with makers from the continent and they did rise to the occasion. Indeed the competition was daunting but the Brits did not disappoint. In Europe we had French makers like Maxi Car and Italian hub makers like FB who eventually were making hubs for a new kid on the block named Tullio Campagnolo. All the while top British riders were winning gold medals and breaking time trial records on British made Airlite hubs pre and post war. Eventually the European makers like Campagnolo garnered respect from top continental pros and the peloton was largely riding hubs from Vincenza, home of the swiftly growing Campagnolo factory. This seemed to bring to an end the prominence of British hubs.

Some time would elapse before another talented designer would surface. Fast forward to 1980 and we see a new company with the name Royce. I remember when I started seeing these beautiful hubs and cranks and other assorted bike parts coming out of the UK. They had an impressive finish that told you right away that these parts were indeed special. And they were. 

A few years ago at the London Hand Made Bicycle Show I got the chance to finally meet Cliff Polton who is the man that put Royce on the map. I took the opportunity to pick his brain on all things Royce. Cliff was more than keen to share his insights on the perfect hub design. I was all ears.

As a wheel builder I was fascinated to learn what made them tick and why they are made in the way that Royce engineers have chosen to build them. 

Riders who own Royce hubs are usually fiercely loyal to the brand and probably wouldn't ride anything else. A closer look at any model of Royce hub will quickly tell you why. They exude quality and good design sense with a perfect finish. The freehubs are made from titanium for ultra durability and some weight savings over steel. The hubs run on top quality sealed bearings that spin quietly and smoothly for tons of worry free miles. 

For those willing to shell out the big bucks there is an option for hubs with titanium flanges and a ground lacquered carbon fibre shell. If that is not enough then there's an upgrade to have the titanium flanges plated with a gold coloured titanium nitride finish. You have to see these hubs in person to see what this level of quality is all about. 

So it's no surprise that world class cyclists like Chris Boardman chose Royce to supply key parts for their world record breaking bikes. Boardman's Hour Record machine had Royce hubs.

Royce's top hub is their "Venus". Available for Shimano or Campagnolo cassettes in either a straight up road hub or a disc friendly version.  Axle widths are available from 135mm to 160mm for both hub's. 

Their track hubs are gorgeous with the option of titanium cogs should you demand the best. A special titanium cog with the option of a  titanium nitride finish will be hard to beat by any manufacturer. 

Custom ideas will be considered by Cliff and his small team of in house engineers should you fancy something out of the ordinary. Keep in mind that custom orders can have a several month waiting time.

Cognoscenti Cycles would love to build you a pair of wheels with some superb Royce hubs. We hope 2017 will see some adventurous souls investing in a pair of wheels that will be the envy of the peloton. 

                          Royce "Venus" hubs with a titanium nitride finish and lacquered carbon fibre sleeve. 

Rims from H Plus Son

This Asian rim manufacturer has really captured the imagination of all kinds of cyclists all around the world. Just as many fixie crazed riders as road only riders have fallen in love with the H Plus Son rim. You may be wondering why... Is it that unusual name? Can't just be a funky name. No, its defiantly more. H Plus Son have a few things up their sleeve that make them a go to rim for all kinds of riders. First off, they offer some very different rim profiles that are seductive.  The graceful and beautifully tear dropped shape of the Archetype is immediately attractive. This model has also embraced the "wider is better" theme that several notable rim designers have been telling us is the way to go.  That slightly wider rim changes the profile of your tire, making for a more plush ride. It enables you to traverse more challenging road surfaces with ease. Gravel grinders are already hip to this and know the the benefits of that additional width. 

Models like the Archetype and the Hydra sport widths of 23 and 25mm respectively. If your frame has sufficient clearance, then I'd say a slightly wider rim is worth exploring. You can still run your fave 23mm tire if you wish or experiment with a 28mm or 30 plus mm tire for a completely different feel on the road. The Hyrdra is their new disc friendly model. Weighing in at a very respectable 440 grams with a proper welded joint and tubeless compatibility, this rim could answer your off road yearnings perfectly.  Both of these rims are made from G609 alloy and from my research G609 is reputed to be 20% stronger than 6061 alloy. 

For the MTB crowd there's the Todestrieb which has a 32mm width and additional internal support to strengthen the rim for more punishing off road miles.

The fixie fiend has several deep V shaped rims for a very different look. Available in both 650B and 700C sizes. 

For the 2017 season Cognoscenti Cycles will be carrying H Plus Son rims. Maybe its time to consider a slightly wider rim for that extra plush ride. Give me a call and we'll match these rims up with some worthy hubs. 

             H Plus Son Archetype rim in a stealthy black anodised finish.

The Filament Spin Evolution. FSE carbon rims.

These days carbon rims are ubiquitous in the Pro peloton, and steadily growing in popularity among serious amateurs. Its got to the point that if you aren't riding them you're probably starting to feel you should be exploiting their advantages. The  best quality ones are normally quite pricey and the technology needed to produce them usually involves extensive hand work, skill and many man hours. That all may be changing soon if people like FSE have their way. This American company has thrown out the rule book in favour of their newly patented process that has literally rewritten the book on how to make carbon fibre rims. 

Instead of a complicated and tedious process of hand laying up of carefully cut carbon fibre sheets, FSE uses a completely different method to build a carbon rim. Their approach uses computer controlled machines to guide resin impregnated carbon fibre onto an electronically charged mandrel. This method is highly accurate, devoid of human error and highly repeatable for ultimate accuracy and quality control. 

The claimed advantages are several. FSE says their rims are about 40% stronger , with 40% increased lateral stiffness, and up to 200 grams lighter than a conventionally made carbon rim. It all sounds very impressive and it caught my attention when I first looked into their work. 

I recently enjoyed a lengthy conversation with Dan Kellerby from FSE. He explained to me how their new patented process came about. Several years of prototypes later and extensive in house testing brought their current rims into being. They apparently caused quite a stir at Interbike this year. 

Cognoscenti Cycles will be offering these rims in 2017 for many of our custom carbon wheel builds. If you are thinking of upgrading your wheels to ones with carbon rims, these may be worthy of serious consideration. If you require more information please call me or send me an email and we'll talk carbon!

                                                                            Their unique patented process has produced rims with UCI certification.

  The EVO 79T tubular rim.

Paul Component Engineering

For the last 25 years Paul Component Engineering has been steadily evolving. These days plying their trade out of their converted 1926 Texaco warehouse in Chico California. Things have grown a lot since their start in Paul's garage in 1989. 

In comparison with the big guys in the industry Paul's is a small boutique manufacturer who turns out stylish bicycle components for the high end parts junkie. 

They're  located in Butte County, home to some beautiful and challenging off road cycling country where many of their components saw extensive testing. 

Though Paul makes a variety of lovely bike parts, my interest lies in their hubs. For the single speed purist they gave us a rear hub called the W.O.R.D. This odd acronym stands for "Wacky One Speed Rear Device".  It's designed with wide spaced flanges which builds up a super strong dishless wheel. Made from 6061 alloy and sporting spoke hole counts of 28,32 and 36, the W.O.R.D will answer your single speed needs with aplomb. 

Nowadays the single speed phenom has crept into the world of cyclocross which has a separate category for the multi speed challenged.  Paul's special hub might be the perfect option. Cognoscenti Cycles is now carrying the entire line of Paul's hubs, so If you are a single speed purist they may be ideal for your next set of wheels. Give us a call for a quote.

                                                            Paul Component Engineering's W.O.R.D rear single speed hub in black anodised finish.

Cognoscenti Cycles is excited to now be carrying Phil Wood hubs!

Anyone acquainted with American made hubs will certainly know the name Phil Wood. Synonymous with beautifully made and well designed bicycle hubs for almost every discipline, Phil Wood has answered the call since the early 1970's. My first pair of Phil's hubs was in 1974. At that point they were hardly a house hold name but they were on their way to a well respected brand. During 4 decades Phil Wood has continually strived to produce top end hubs that we know we can trust.  

Nowadays they make a hub for almost any cycling need, be it road, track, cyclocross, touring, tandem and more. Cognoscenti Cycles is now carrying the entire line of Phil's offerings. If a new pair of wheels are in your future please take a look at what Phil Wood has to offer. I'd love to build you some wheels with a set of Phil's fabulous hubs. Give me a call and we'll put something special together for you. 

                                                  Cyclocross hubs by Phil Wood.

Cognoscenti Cycles is now carrying White Industries hubs!

One of my favourite boutique hub makers is White Industries. A company based out of Petaluma California that designs and manufactures beautiful high end hubs as well as a few other interesting products. A hub set that I often recommend to road riders is their T11. It comes equipped with a machined 6061 shell, high quality sealed bearings and a titanium free hub for ultimate strength and longevity. With 7 colours to choose from and spoke drillings from 20 holes up to 36 holes these hubs leave little to be desired. 

White Industries T11 road hub.

For those riding fixed wheels White Industries has the perfect hub that employs a splined interface for the cog which pretty much guarantees that your rear hub will never become stripped like conventional threaded hubs sometimes do. They produce numerous sizes from 13 teeth up to 20 teeth in both 3/32 and 1/8th widths. These bullet proof cogs are made from 8620 case hardened steel. 

White Industries rear track hub with the special splined interface for the cog.

Another innovative hub from White Industries is their eccentric "Eno". It enables riders to run a single speed  and make a chain tension adjustment with the twist of the hub axle. You have the option of a single cog with their unique splined interface or their single freewheel.

Rear "Eno" hub with both a splined interface for a fixed cog on one side and a threaded side for a single cog freewheel. 

Cognoscenti Cycles will be carrying the entire line of White Industries hubs, as well as their unique track cogs and their bomb proof freewheels.  Drop us a line if you want a lovely set of custom wheels with White Industry hubs. 

Their top quality completely rebuildable single cog freewheel. 

We are excited to announce we will now be carrying NOX Composite carbon rims!

Making the decision on what carbon rims to buy can be downright confusing. There are countless models from quite a large number of companies, and the price gap between the cheapest to the best is a huge one. Many buyers are leery about cheap Chinese carbon rims and I understand their reservations. On the other side of the coin are top quality American or European made carbon rims that command very heavy price tags. Is there an affordable option without any compromises? This led me to search out a top quality carbon rim that had solid design features and build quality, but didn't require remortgaging your house to own a pair! My search has led me to a company in Knoxville Tennessee, aptly named NOX Composites. 

Cognoscenti Cycles is very happy to announce we will be offering the full line of their carbon rims. I will be featuring some special cyclocross wheels with NOX Composite carbon rims in the "wheel recipes" section very soon. 

All of NOX Composite carbon rims are designed and tested in house at their facility in Tennessee.  The actual rims are made in Asia using the molds, carbon layup methods and proprietary production techniques as determined by NOX Composites.

When I first became aware of NOX Composites there were several design elements that  impressed me. 

Their use of an "asymmetrical" spoke bed helps to equalise spoke tension. By increasing the non drive side spoke tension by about 15% and improving the bracing angle, the wheel is strengthened. This is a significant improvement over symmetrical rims, and this feature is also useful for front disc wheels as well. 

Their rims are built to easily withstand higher spoke tensions of 120 kgf which makes for a stronger/stiffer wheel. Their carbon fibre is sourced directly from Toray in Japan. I invite you to take a look at their website which details several other notable design features. 

With a dozen different dedicated rims for road, MTB and cyclocross, you should have no problem finding the perfect rim for your next set of wheels. 

Lastly I should mention the prices are very affordable for this level of rim. Please contact me if you are interested in having some very top end carbon wheels built. 

                                                                                                                 NOX Composites S36R Road Carbon clincher

Cognoscenti Cycles is now carrying Schmidt dynamo hubs.

For those of you who recognise the value of a high quality front dynamo hub, the name Wilfried Schmidt is probably familiar. This German company produces the renown SON Nabendynamo hub. This high end dynamo hub went into production in 1995 and the line has continued to expand since then. They now offer hubs for just about any front wheel combination needed, including 2 disc friendly models, a 12mm thru axle model, all the way to special hubs for Brompton owners. They also produce hubs for both 110mm "boost" width and for 150mm Fat bikes.  A few years ago at the annual Paris bike show I got the chance to see their new models. They had dissected hubs on display that showed the internal details, highlighting their use of top quality materials & design.

Along with their impressive dynamo hubs, they offer equally high quality LED head lamps that have been developed in tandem with their hubs. Super bright even at lower speeds,  the Edelux ll head lamps keep the road very well lit. 

Cognoscenti Cycles is excited to be able to offer these incredible hubs and lights. 

If your considering a front dynamo hub for your touring or audax bike, your city commuting bike or your off road machine, take a good look at what is on offer from Schmidt! Our distributor is in the USA so we should be able to get whatever you need in a reasonable amount of time if we don't presently have it in stock. 

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The SON Delux front dynamo hub.

Cognoscenti Cycles is now a dealer for Efficient Velo Tools.

The importance of using the right tool for the job can't be overstated. It usually makes your work much easier and quicker and great tools are a joy to use. I recently started to use some tools made by a US company called Efficient Velo Tools and I was pleasantly surprised at the quality and simple innovations that they employed. The latest addition to my work bench is a small tool called the Mulfinger. Its a stainless steel probe that comes in a few different lengths that one uses to pick up a spoke nipple to start it on the threads. A fantastic little tool that speeds up your lacing by stopping you from fumbling with nipples with your fingers. It fits securely into the end of a nipple and enables you to drop it into the rim hole perfectly each time. No more dropping nipples on the floor! Its the type of tool that I wish was invented when I first started building wheels. Its also quite inexpensive and trust me, once you have used one you will never go back to your old habits. They are available for both 14 and 15 gauge nipples. The longer version is ideal for lacing wheels where the nipple bed is deeper.

The next Efficient Velo Tool that shows some clever innovation is their wheel dishing tool aptly named the "Trigger". It enables you to precisely check the alignment of the rim over the axle ends with just one hand. Its built with chromoly Dedacciai fork blades which are TIG welded to last a lifetime of use. It employs a spring loaded plunger which is designed to be used with just one hand. The pads that touch the rim are machined after welding to guarantee absolute parallelism. That is an all important factor if you insist on complete accuracy in judging a wheels alignment. The Trigger is finished off with a lovely Ferrari red powder coating which looks quite striking. Its undoubtedly a pricey tool but one that could potentially last a lifetime or two. It fits wheel size's from 24" all the way up to a standard 700C wheel. 

                                          A look at EVT's dishing tool aptly named the "Trigger". Constructed from Dedaccai fork blades for a lifetime of use.  

These and some other select tools will shortly become available for sale on our website. Check in periodically as I feature different high quality tools to make your wheel building experience that much more enjoyable and accurate. 

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The "Mulfinger". This must have tool enables an easy grabbing of a spoke nipple and placement into the rim.  Once experienced it's hard to imagine going back to your old habits!

A review of Filip Kralyevski's custom made spoke tension meter.

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Today we'll take a look at a custom made spoke tension meter from Filip Kralyevski to see how it stacks up against other similar quality meters. I will be drawing comparisons from some well known and high quality units like the DT Swiss Analog Tensio 2 and the popular Wheel Fanatyk meters that are based on the Jobst Brandt design. 

I should start off by stating that Filip's meters follow in the tradition of Jobst Brandt's triangular body design as seen in the photo above. This design is quite ergonomically sound and fits in your hand nicely for quick and easy working. Your fingers fit through the large holes and the palm of your hand depresses the plunger at the top of the meter. It feels different from the DT Swiss Tensio 2 which uses a plier like design. I find I am able to use both of these without issue, though their shapes are quite different.

I believe that Filip chose the Jobst Brandt design for more than just an ergonomic consideration and I will address that aspect shortly. First off I'd like to talk about the overall build quality. Filip's meters are all hand made one at a time and offer some different options depending on your needs and how much you would like to spend. He does the actual CNC work on the 7075 alloy body himself. On the unit we are looking at today the CNC machining work is pretty much flawless as is the final anodising. The unit pictured has a fine bevel throughout, showcasing some very top quality machining. Though the bevelling work is for aesthetics only, this attention to detail speaks volumes about Filip's high standards and workmanship.

He has chosen to reduce the weight by adding four additional cutouts in the body, which looks nice.  His choice of parts also shows his keen interest in keeping the quality top notch. On this meter he has used a Swiss made Atorn digital dial indicator. I can attest from using this tool that the Atorn dial indicator is incredibly accurate and shows great sensitivity even in the range of lower spoke tensions. When making a spoke tension measurement I immediately noticed that I didn't need to make 2 or 3 measurements as I did with my DT Swiss Tensio 2.  This is admittedly an issue with my DT Swiss analogue meter. I noticed that I didn't always get the same measurement on the same spoke and I put this down to the fact that the analogue dial indicator was having a degree of difficulty in rendering the exact same measurement on the same spoke. That problem is both time consuming and can cause you to wonder what the precise tension really is. By comparison the Atorn dial indicator on Filip's meter showed the same value no matter how many times I checked. This saves a great amount of time when assessing your wheels. 

The next design difference with Filip's meters is his inclusion of a THK linear bearing, something not found on the older FSA or current Wheel Fanatyk meters. This is unique to his meters and is one of the things that are responsible for its ultra smooth operation.   The plunger that you depress to take a reading slides along that linear bearing which enhances not only the ultra smooth feel but contributes to the accuracy of the readings. Its importance can't be overstated. The THK linear bearing is a costly addition that comes standard on Filip's meters.  This is a level of sophistication that is not found on either the DT Swiss or the Wheel Fanatyk meters or any other meter presently available to my knowledge. That doesn't mean that the aforementioned meters aren't good quality units, but Filip has raised the bar with this innovation. 

Another nice detail which could easily go unnoticed lies in the spoke path. The area where you place the spoke to engage the tip of the dial indicator to take your measurement. The two circular end pieces are type 696 2Z bearings that rotate, and are held in place with stainless steel allen key bolts. The rotation of the bearings helps to enable the spoke path to glide along the spoke to where you decide to place the meter. This enables precise and easy placement of the meter before depressing the plunger to take your reading. A simple but important addition. By comparison, the DT Swiss Tensio 2 has only static allen key bolts in the spoke path and has decided to forgo this clever feature. 

Its important to mention that Filip has experimented with numerous different dial indicators and he offers both analogue and digital indicators at different price points. Each spoke tension meter is a boutique custom made unit and therefore the price varies according to the different options that he makes available. When contemplating what type of dial indicator you might prefer, remember that the prices can vary considerably. You may be perfectly happy with a more affordable Japanese made Mitutoyo dial indicator as seen on the Wheel Fanatyk meters. Or you can inquire as to whether or not he has any of the more expensive Swiss or German made digital dial indicators in stock. It all depends on your budget. The same would be the case for a specific colour anodising of the body or any other custom options such as fine bevelling. 

I should mention that when ordering my new spoke tension meter I was impressed with how very helpful Filip was in assisting me to make the right decision on the dial indicator that would suite my needs. I wanted something different than my analogue DT Swiss meter and I did make the right choice with Filip's help. He's very knowledgable about these matters and is more than willing to help to educate you enough to make an informed decision.  

Whether you are a novice wheel builder or a seasoned professional I believe that you will immediately see the benefit of such a fine tool. Its a highly refined version of a well known and appreciated design. Those builders who own or have used the Wheel Fanatyk or the FSA meters will feel right at home with Filip's meter as its very similar in feel. 

A purchase like this will up your wheel building game and for bona fide tool junkies it will be like Christmas morning. Filip Kralyevski does not have a website yet, but he can be reached by email at kralyevski@gmail.com 

Filips meters start at $250 USD and increase from there depending on what dial indicator is chosen and possibly other options. In my opinion, a very fair price for an incredible meter. 

In full disclosure I want to mention that I paid for this meter just like everyone else. I did not receive any remuneration or product for this review. 

Spoke Tension Meters

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I think that all wheel builders would agree that one of their goals would be to arrive at a finished tension that was as close to equal as possible. If achieved, this will go a long way in maintaining a wheels strength and balance over its lifespan.

The only available tool to help you ascertain the variance in overall spoke tension would be a spoke tension meter. There are many different models available at various different price points. An inexpensive spring driven one will run you less than a $100.00 and the most expensive digital models can be as high as $900.00   Is a spoke tension meter absolutely necessary? You could answer both yes and no to this question.

In the history of wheel building a spoke tension meter is a relatively new invention. Literally millions of well built wheels were finished without them for well over a century. Riders raced in the largest events including the Tour de France on wheels that were done by master mechanics who built them relying on many years of experience and "feel". A most unscientific term by modern day standards but nevertheless something that worked. I myself had the same approach for most of my 40 plus years of wheel building. I relied on extensive experience and an unquantifiable thing called "feel", something that I learned to trust implicitly. A few years ago I bit the bullet and bought my first spoke tension meter. I was honestly hesitant in the beginning because I was convinced that this nifty new tool wasn't going to help me build better wheels. I was both right and wrong! My new tool was a DT Swiss Tensio 2.  A very well made and somewhat expensive analogue spoke tension meter. The DT Swiss meter comes with a protective plastic carrying case and a handy booklet that provides you with spoke tension information on all the various spokes that are produced by DT Swiss.  

After using it for awhile to analyse my wheels I realised that my initial suspicions where correct but with an interesting twist. True, I wasn't building better wheels, but I now had a way of doing accurate comparative work of the tensions of different types of wheels. I was now able to dialogue with other wheel builders and component manufacturers about the specifics of spoke tension and we could all be talking the same language. This was the part that opened up a new avenue in discussion. Its important to say at this point that I didn't stop paying attention to the way that a wheel "felt" as I was building it. "Feel" was as important as it ever was. That unquantifiable thing that luthiers like Stradivarius used daily to build the finest violins ever was just as important as a work bench full of expensive tools! I can't stress this enough. But an old dog had learned a new trick. Today I use my spoke tension meter several times through out a build to assess how the overall tension is ramping up as I am getting closer to what I would call the "finished tension". These numbers vary according to what I am building with. For instance, I will get very different readings if comparing a 24 hole radial front wheel with bladed spokes and a 36 hole rear touring wheel with 14 gauge straight spokes and a cross 3 lacing pattern.  Its important to mention here that your spoke tension meter is only a tool to make an assessment of what tension your spokes are at, and not a tool that informs you what your finished tension should be. That all important information is arrived at by extensive experience with all kinds of different rims, spokes, hubs and spoking patterns. The longer that you build, the more that you will be exposed to. There's no short cut!  By incorporating  a spoke tension meter into your build and keeping accurate records of your work you'll begin to refine the process that leads to excellence. Therefore I would highly recommend that new and old builders alike invest in a high quality spoke tension meter and learn how to incorporate it into their workflow. It will be a valuable teaching tool that will pay for itself many times over and give you further insights into your work. In my next blog entry I will be reviewing a custom made digital spoke tension meter made by Filip Kralyevski. Check it out!

Up and coming wheel building seminar at Cycles Tosi

On sunday March 27th at 2pm I will be giving a wheel building seminar at a new bike shop here in Paris, Cycles Tosi.  I will be building to completion some light alloy road wheels. I encourage all wheel enthusiasts and mechanics to come by with as many questions as they can muster. Its free of charge so I look forward to seeing you on sunday!

"On the Rivet"

I decided to call my blog "On The Rivet", a phrase that was sometimes uttered by the older British riders who I trained with back in the day. Upon first hearing this remark I immediately inquired what on earth it meant.  A dear old friend Fred Lacey, who had gone head to head in the Dolomites against Italian champion Fausto Coppi was quick to set me straight.  He explained that when a racer had finely spent all his energy reserves and was forced to ride on shear guts he was said to be "on the rivet"! Many pro and amateur racers favoured leather saddles back then and those saddles were often held together by brass or copper rivets. The largest rivet was usually at the nose of the saddle, a place where exhausted riders found themselves as they squeezed out the last few drops of energy from their near spent bodies. 

So after a little history on a cool piece of antiquated cycling jargon, I'd like to talk about what is in the works for Cognoscenti Cycles. The website is now live and will gradually evolve with important new features like my "wheel recipes". This blog will share some interesting and arcane information on what goes into the best wheels I can build. I plan to try to keep abreast of new gear that you should be aware of and new tools that help refine the work that all wheel builders do. In the near future I will be shooting short pieces for a wheel building tips channel on You Tube, sharing valuable information for both amateur and pro wheel builders. This spring I will be hosting a few wheel building seminars here in Paris. Details to follow on the times and places where they will be held.  So I encourage you to drop by from time to time to see what we have on the boil!