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!