Day 94...Alchemy Hubs

Ive talked about these hubs for a bit, and have recommended them ever since having a sit down with the owner of Alchemy and getting a tour of the rear ORC hub.  The front is just as impressive.  Now there are those out there who are die hard fans of Chris King, DT Swiss and others, but IMO these are the most well thought out hubs on the market and made with the intent being built to a rim from the ground up.  Alchemy just didnt set out to make a great hub, they set out to make a great hub that builds into a great wheel.

Im trying to set up an interview with Alchemy and get an actual video interview with the owners so they can explain every single aspect of the hubs.  Lil things like flanges that are angled in at an optimal 6 degrees for building. Oversized pawl/ratchet engagement system that helps to transmit maximum power input for maximum power output to the wheel. The front ELF hub has bearings that sit outside the hub flange making it 30% stiffer than any hub on the market in lateral stiffness tests.  2 bearings dedicated strictly to supporting the freehub body which in most hubs is simply compressed onto the hub shell making it sticky if overloaded. Many many other features as well.  When I get that interview Ill post it up here, but until then, enjoy these glimpses into the ORC hub.

this is the unpolished version, they come in Anodized Red, Black and Silver...all hand polished here in  Colorado

the cut away of the ORC hub.  

the 3 pawl system, with ratchets set at an optimal 10 degrees apart for almost instantaneous engagement. 

You can see 4 of the 5 bearings here. 1 at each end of the axle, directly against the end caps, 1 on the axle at the base of the freehub body, and the super BIG one at the driveside flange which directly supports the pawl/ratchet mechanism.

There's the 5th bearing directly underneath the pawl/ratchet mechanism, again optimally placed to take load from the freehub body

preload is adjusted with 2 5mm hex keys at the ends. there should be enough play that when clamped in the dropouts the play goes away, so as to avoid over tightening which overloads the cartridge bearing internal races

this nifty hidden bearing sits between the pawl/ratchet mechanism and the oversized outer bearing on the freehub body, again taking load off the freehub body

the oversized freehub bearing, directly on top of the ring drive and directly in line with the drive side flanges

another look at the pawl/ratchet system and 2 of the 3 bearings that help support it

the non drive side outer bearing. as you can see its placed outside the flange which makes for a super stiff wheel on the lateral plain.

Now there are many more features of these hubs that I haven't gone over, mostly because I want Alchemy themselves to tell you about them.  If you look up some wheelbuilder forums on interweb and search for Alchemy hubs, you'll find nothing but awesome comments about them.  Also, their website is going to get some love in the near future.  Currently its more of a word doc made into a webpage.

In addition to hubs, Alchemy also makes some awesome wheelbuilding tools, hub tools to work on their products, came up with an amazing bearing press kit(currently available through Wheels Manufacturing) and is currently working on their MTB Disc version, which should be out this summer!

Until next time...

...boots out.

Alchemy Teaser

This a lil slice of heaven if you're a wheelbuilder who knows anything about Alchemy hubs. There'll be more pics to come and some explanation.

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Cannondale Prototype Crossbike in Colorado

Just got to Colorado Cross Classic in Boulder CO. I saw the Cannondale team truck and walked over to see the new Prototype Super X cross bike. 

I talked with the mechanic who was building up Tim Johnson's bike on the spot. He said this was the 1st race for them today!!!  So awesome for Colorado. When asked about weight difference he said its only 1/2 lb difference!!!! They are running mechanical Avid BB7 disc brakes for road bikes. 

Pretty sweet!!! Ok, now I'm going to go watch some racing!!!

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Secret Sealant Tip

The conversation I wound up having over on Google+ w/Byron, from Bike Hugger, and Geoff, from New England, about FMB's tires and cyclocross got me thinking some.  Just now there was a question about goatheads...those nasty little thorn-balls from the vine-y ground cover plant out here in Colorado, and I'm sure other parts of the country.  That one really got me thinking about sealant and punctures and how much of a pain in the ass they are during this part of the year.

I ran a shop a few years ago that was very very very into cyclocross.  The owner was from Mass, just outside of Boston and was, probably still is, a cross fanatic.  He is also one of the best mechanics Ive met and was privileged to work for him.  Anyway...

We made our own sealant for the shop and sold it.  I feel safe giving out the "recipe" now that the shop has been sold to new owners and is a totally different place now.  This stuff worked so good, people would come by it from the other side of town.  Now, please don't think I'm going to rewrite the book on anything here or blow your minds.  Sometimes its the simple things that make a HUGE difference.  With that in mind...here's the recipe for the Secret Sealant:

• Sealant of choice: Stans or Caffelatex
• Glitter...that's right Glitter: as fine as you can buy at your local craft store

That's it! Seriously. Glitter is great stuff!  It helps to clog the holes faster, hence using less sealant and not allowing as much air to escape. Caffelatex wasn't around then, but now that its here and doesn't use Ammonia as its anticoagulant, which will degradate latex tubes over time.  Instead they use CO2.  Stans is great stuff, and my personal choice if asked, with the exception of the latex rule.  

Take whatever amount you use for the tire setup, road, cross, mtb...etc and pour it in a cup before you put it into the injector.  Pour in the glitter and give it a good mix, then put into the injector you're using.  Ive found that the syringes used by EMT's/Firefighters that are full of saline and have a screw on/off needle tip, work the best.  The only thing is, you have to have a tire/tube with a removable core.  The Caffelatex injector doesn't require removing the valve core, which for using sealant by itself works great.  You can custom widen the opening/tip so that the glitter moves through easier.  Then gently, and firmly press the injector on, make sure theres a good seal, and plunge away.  This is where you'll know if you found the smallest glitter possible.  There's super fine stuff out there, just ask your local club kid friends!  Once its all in, give the injector a couple of pulls and pushes on the plunger so the sealant doesn't backfire on you when you pull the end off.  Wrapping the coupled valve and injector with a rag while pulling off helps to keep from making any mess as well.  

Give it a try if you're having trouble, or just want to see if it works for you.  Hopefully you'll enjoy the same results so many riders did when we sold it.

Those Wheels I Was Telling You About...

As promised to one of my Google+ peeps, I took pics of the Edge wheels w/custom painted DT Swiss hubs via Vanilla Cycles.  The Andre Dugast "Flying Doctors" are new for @denvercx and the irony of the whole situation is that he plays a Dr in real life!  All thats left is some Caffelatex for some added security.

nice set of carbon and rubber

i think thatll do

awesome touches from Vanilla Cycles

yum

fast tread, and perfect for our Colorado courses

Primus SS Whip

This was a nice little project that just got finished...minus the bar wrap(owner's choice of course).  Primus Mootry SS conversion.  Fresh glue job on the tires, new bars and stem.  Have fun Peder!

Going To USGP Fort Collins CO?

If so and youre looking for some wrench help, pit help, whatever help, feel free to hit me up on twitter, @chandlersnyder.  Ill be in the team area under a CU Tent.  We're paying for the weekend, and all we ask in return are TIPS for "Services Rendered".  Both days should be amazing fun for everyone, whether youre racing or cheering/heckling your favorite racers!

CX Love

Getting a bike ready for cross is no small task at times, especially when you get into something and find that things havent been done, or they are just plain ole dirty.  After going through my boy, Matt Klick of Frites-en-Mayo, bike, he should be all ready to roll this weekend!  All new Jagwire cables and housing, new bar tape, and a fresh coat of grease in all the right places.

Have fun Matt!

After a good bath, his steed rested peacefully in the stable overnight

cleaning and grease are a must for Cross season

this was the lower bearing in his headset...sad sight and much better now!

after cleaning, its all ready for a fresh thin layer of grease...those "creaks" you hear in your headset, check to make sure its all greased. most shops dont double check it from the factory

clean, inflated wheels make the world go round...literally!

even though they will more than likely fall off, its the little touches that make prepping a bike super fun and rewarding

fizik bar tape is not my favorite, but ive managed to become friendly enough with it so it lets me wrap it nicely

Everything on this frame is toptube run

nice new cable/housing set works pretty good actually, and im not a fan of Teflon coated cable...Jagwire Race Cable/Housing set

I removed the water bottle bolts and replaced with bits of electrical tape...no sticking into the ribs when carrying now!

not the best photo, but heres the finished product

that fizik bar tape, a love/hate relationship

Avid Ultimate Canti's are the choice for Matt

Representin local team love here!

Better Late(& Lame), Than Never

I was going through my Picasa stuff, and came across the only 2 pics I managed to get from Colorado CX States.  First one is the parking lot view...now everyone say ooooooooooooooh, aaaaaaaaaaaah.  The second one, is a bit more of a true bike related/involved photo, and is from the pits, where I did most of my hanging out.  The other place I hung out was the free Frites spot.  There was no food for sale "allowed", due to a last minute bit of contraversy that only allowed the hosting site(a local high school) to serve food as a "fund raiser".  Well, nonetheless, they failed to do research on what their clientele would eat, and failed to sell much, if anything.  Then this guy shows up Sunday with FREE FRITES, and Mayo.  There was a line for them, and I must admit, I enjoyed a bit of the lopsidedness in the situation.  Anywho...I digress.  Here are the pics...

quite the view I know

at least there are bikes in this picture

Sunday "Trail" Ride

This past Sunday, the wife kicked me out of the house for a bike ride...solo.  I was a bit reluctant at first, and then I remembered the Sand Creek Trail is right around the corner.  Ive wanted to explore the southern half of the trail as it goes from being all nice and paved to sandy, gravelly, cyclocross potential type surface...so I headed out.

The weather was perfect...started in the mid 60's and by the end of the ride it was in the low 70's, which for Colorado this time of year is a gift from the weather gods indeed(to contrast that with waking up this morning to mid 20's and a light dusting of snow on the ground).

The pics below I took on the ride.  I managed to tool around some and figure out a nice steady route that took me east/south on the Sand Creek Trail, and eventually wind my way back towards the house on the Highline Canal Trail.

If you've got a 'Cross bike and enjoy just going out for a "cyclocross" type ride, then these 2 trails are perfect.  There were also lots of sections(ill check out later), that have some single track that runs along both creek beds.

For my friends back east in NC, Ill be posting pics of the upcoming snow soon.  Ive actually missed riding in the snow, and I thought that wouldnt happen again.  Looks like I might get a chance tomorrow, for a commute in the snow home!

Next time I go out, ill fire up the GPS and route it out.  Im curious to see if there's workout potential on this ride.  

Sand Creek running low

you can sort of make out the downtown & mountains over there

Sun and gravel for lots of the ride

there's trailer parks out here too!

considering the creek is directly to my right, i hope these things dont leak!

there are some paved sections on the southern part of the sand creek trail

the "Green Machine" wants everyone to know the Lottery pays for CO trails!

rolled through a beautiful nature preserve

those clouds rolled in right as I pulled into the driveway

yes, this will be an "indoor mall" in the near future(old Lowry Airforce Base)

great CO day for a ride

little bit of desert, little bit of grassland