sapporoguy

I've been building our tandem wheels on Velocity Dyads and have been generally happy. I build them for fully-loaded touring, 40-hole with Sapim Strong spokes. We wear 700x35C Schwalbe Marathon Supremes on front, although I'm considering getting a new fork that would allow a 38 or even 40.
Our front wheel rim brake surface is getting a little concave, and it's getting that thump-thump-thump sound that suggests it's time for a new rim.
So:
Another Dyad?
Or maybe an Atlas, which is beefier and wider, and perhaps better for fully-loaded touring?
Anyone using the Atlas?

bobh123

We now have Atlas rims, 40 holes, with Sapim Strong spokes. We wanted to go from 700c to 650b to get a bigger tire and a slightly stronger wheel. Compared to Dyad, the Atlas rim is stronger (I think) and has a wider internal width so is better suited for wider tires. With the Dyads we ran 700cx35. With the Atlas we run 650bx42. No change in the fork or other hardware. We have disc brakes, so no problem changing wheel size. I take it you have rim brakes, so changing wheel size is a bigger issue. Changing from 700c to 650b is a noticeable change. I wrote about the conversion a couple of months ago in this forum, so it should be in the archives. Our plan is to use the wheels for loaded tandem touring, so this seems about as strong a wheel as we could get in 650b and a suitable width. Velocity (and Jill at Velocity) were great to work with to get the wheels.

sdodd

Sorry, no Atlas experience. I've been using Dyads (or Aeroheat their predecessor) for a number of years without issue. (I have also used the A23 on road wheels and tandem wheels and like them as well) I just built a new set of wheels for the tandem and went with dyads again. But, I run Panaracer Ribmo 1.25 tires so I don't have a big need for a wider internal rim. And, I also run 26" wheels (because we are short for standover) so the rim selection is much smaller. Most of my 26" tandem wheels are 36 hole without a problem, but I don't do anything loaded. And, the 26" is more forgiving than the bigger diameter 700c.

The Tire chart shows that the Dyad is a 19mm internal width, good for 25-38mm wide tires. The Atlas is a 20mm internal width good for 28-45mm wide tires. (internal width was not as big of a difference as I would have guessed) So if you want some room to go up in tire width, go with the bigger internal diameter atlas.

Bonus content - if you want a very (very) informal velocity rim factor tour, you can watch Joe from Cobra frames here:
simon

JanMM

We've been running Atlas rims on our RANS recumbent tandem for several years. The original wheels were Bontrager rims on Velocity hubs - the front rim cracked after about 4 years of use. We had Velocity rebuild the wheel with an Atlas rim. (20"/406) in 2014. The rear rim didn't fail but we again had Velocity rebuild it so that it would have our full confidence. This was a 26"/559 wheel in about 2015. No problems since then. Running first Marathon Supremes 1.6" and for the last few years Marathon Racers 1.5". (Supremes no longer made in 406 size.)

RoulezTandem

We have Velocity 26" noBS rims and Schwalbe Marathon 2" knobby tyres on our foot-forward, mid-drive assist custom steel framed tandem used on rail trails and gravel. No issues.

base2 

Atlas is definitely beefier than Dyad. Eyeleted rims of thicker overall extrusion & flatter spoke bed to discourage spoke-to-spoke cracking.

Thebucket71

I just purchased a new wheel set with Atlas rims, can't wait for riding season here in the Northeast. After trying numerous tire sizes last summer my stoker and I have agreed that 700 X 38 is the best size tire for the type of riding that we do. We found it's a good mix for comfort and speed on road and gravel. Before I purchased a new wheel set (Christmas present to myself) I contacted Peter at CoMotion, the first thing he asked me was what tire size I was running. When I told him the bike would be loaded up for overnight trips he said go with the Atlas. I hit a pothole last summer and cracked in Astral Outback rim and replaced it with a beefier Dyad. So, after two flats (both times glass) and a cracked rim last summer on Panaracer gravel kings I decided to get a second wheel set. For my road riding I will be using the Dyad wheels with Schwabel Marathon Plus tires and for the weighed down overnight trips on gravel I will be using the Atlas wheelset with the Panaracer tires. At first I didn't like the fact Atlas rims only came in polished or anodized but I went with black nipples and they really look nice. I will post pictures when they are on the bike.

canalligators

I rebuilt about 5 years ago with the redesigned Velocity Cliffhangers. I think these are tougher (and heavier) than their Atlas rims. These were, I think, the first two produced. There was a delay, they were having trouble rolling the 406 rim. My contact said that was probably the strongest rim they had ever produced.

I had trouble fitting a front tire. With cloth rim tape, the center well was not deep enough to let me mount a tire. Velocity sent me some very thin tubeless rim tape, and with a bit of swearing and lubrication, I got the tire on.

That said, I do like the rims. Durability goes far with me.

Thebucket71

I have cliffhangers on my mountain bike The difference between the two is the Atlas are designed for a narrower tire. The optimal tire size for cliff hangers are 45mm to 65 mm

sapporoguy

And Cliffhangers are tubeless-ready. Atlases aren’t.

fooferdoggie 

Ya we are running 38s on the cliff hangers. not sure if the wheel builder thought it was ok as he saw our tires. it does seem to work though it does make the tire a little wider.