New Wheels (Re) Build, This time with HED C2 rims. (PICTURES).
05-07-11, 11:41 PM
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New Wheels (Re) Build, This time with HED C2 rims. (PICTURES).
I'd started a thread or two recently asking for advice on replacement rims ideas, and after all the praise that I got on the HED rims, I decided to give them a try. I built them up yesterday and put them through their first 80 miles today without incident.
Machining and finish quality is beautiful, and braking is nice and smooth. (aahhhhh) The poor braking was my main reason for replacing the old rims, as I'd only built them (the first time) about a year ago. These HED C2's built up easily and it was obvious that the rim itself is stiffer than the old ones as well.
As you can see in the pictures, the profile DOES in fact change significantly with the wider rim. I don't buy that they increase the aerodynamics, but I doubt they hurt it, and the ride quality was pretty good. I haven't tried dropping the 5 or so psi that they recommend yet, but even at the usual 100, they felt great.
Anyway, I thought I'd share some pictures for those of you who may be considering them too. I'm currently using Conti Gatorskins on them, but will eventually swap those out for some Vittoria Rubino Pro's.
First picture is of the old and new rim side by side for width comparison.
-Jeremy
Machining and finish quality is beautiful, and braking is nice and smooth. (aahhhhh) The poor braking was my main reason for replacing the old rims, as I'd only built them (the first time) about a year ago. These HED C2's built up easily and it was obvious that the rim itself is stiffer than the old ones as well.
As you can see in the pictures, the profile DOES in fact change significantly with the wider rim. I don't buy that they increase the aerodynamics, but I doubt they hurt it, and the ride quality was pretty good. I haven't tried dropping the 5 or so psi that they recommend yet, but even at the usual 100, they felt great.
Anyway, I thought I'd share some pictures for those of you who may be considering them too. I'm currently using Conti Gatorskins on them, but will eventually swap those out for some Vittoria Rubino Pro's.
First picture is of the old and new rim side by side for width comparison.
-Jeremy
Last edited by Tunnelrat81; 05-07-11 at 11:44 PM.
05-08-11, 07:09 AM
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Nice looking wheels! 
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05-08-11, 08:21 AM
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I chose to build again with DT Swiss Comp spokes. It's what I'd used the first time around and I was really happy with them. I thought a lot about rim/spoke options before building, and almost went with the Velocity A23 and cx-ray spokes. That option would have been quite a bit lighter than these, but I liked the idea of a welded seam and the reported overall high quality of the HED rims. With the more expensive rims, I simply couldn't justify even more $ for the lighter aero spokes. I also would have lost a 'bit' of stiffness going to the thinner cx-ray spokes. I'm not much of a weight weenie, and really wanted a slightly over-built set for my weight anyway.
-Jeremy
-Jeremy
05-08-11, 09:50 AM
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Nice. I'm building up a set for a buddy, and I've got a second set on deck for my cross bike. I love building with those rims.
05-08-11, 10:02 AM
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good lookin rims, beware of the rubino pro slicks tho, as they measure wider than their 23mm width, canceling out the benefits from running a wide rim
05-08-11, 10:15 AM
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As you can see in the pictures, the profile DOES in fact change significantly with the wider rim. I don't buy that they increase the aerodynamics, but I doubt they hurt it, and the ride quality was pretty good. I haven't tried dropping the 5 or so psi that they recommend yet, but even at the usual 100, they felt great.
Q. Dear Mr. Hedtech, how much PSI should I run in my C2 rims?
A. Our wider C2 rims should be run at AT LEAST 11% lower pressure than you would use in the same tires on a 19mm rim. I weigh 165 lbs and run 22mm tires at 80-90 psi. Because the C2 rim is wider, your tire's air volume is greater than it would be on a 19mm rim and PSI needs to decrease.
Excessive pressure will do two things:
- Compress the rim slightly and decrease spoke tension
- Harden the tire to such a degree that it no longer has the small amount of flex that it would have at a lower pressure or on a narrower rim. The flex is both lateral and vertical. In the case of the wheel rubbing the brakes or frame, lateral flex is what we are concerned with. As frames and wheels have gotten stiffer and stiffer over the past decade, torsional force on a bike has gotten more noticeable.
A. Our wider C2 rims should be run at AT LEAST 11% lower pressure than you would use in the same tires on a 19mm rim. I weigh 165 lbs and run 22mm tires at 80-90 psi. Because the C2 rim is wider, your tire's air volume is greater than it would be on a 19mm rim and PSI needs to decrease.
Excessive pressure will do two things:
- Compress the rim slightly and decrease spoke tension
- Harden the tire to such a degree that it no longer has the small amount of flex that it would have at a lower pressure or on a narrower rim. The flex is both lateral and vertical. In the case of the wheel rubbing the brakes or frame, lateral flex is what we are concerned with. As frames and wheels have gotten stiffer and stiffer over the past decade, torsional force on a bike has gotten more noticeable.
05-08-11, 10:19 AM
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-Jeremy
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