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It’s All Ball Bearings: Chris King Precision Components Factory Visit

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It’s All Ball Bearings: Chris King Precision Components Factory Visit

Within a relatively straightforward product lineup, Chris King Precision Components manufactures hubs, headsets, bottom brackets, and, perhaps most importantly, the bearings inside that make them spin. On a recent trip to Portland, Oregon, Josh spent some time at the Chris King HQ factory to learn more about the company’s origins and what makes it continue to stand out in a crowded space of bearing-centric bicycle components. Read on below for the full rundown of what goes on at CKPC’s giant vegetable oil-fueled machine shop!

Designed For The Dirt: Curve Cycling Carbon Dirt Hoop Wheelset Review

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Designed For The Dirt: Curve Cycling Carbon Dirt Hoop Wheelset Review

Since its launch in 2013, Melbourne-based Curve Cycling has developed an impressive and unique stable of adventure-focused titanium and steel bikes. Perhaps you caught Sam Rice or Pat Valade’s review of their GMX+ or watched Abdullah Zeinab scoop first place at the Rhino Run last year? But before they made race-winning adventure bikes, carbon wheels were their bread and butter. 

After spending time with the alloy rims that came on his GMX+, Sam Rice switched over to carbon Dirt Hoops from Curve and has since put considerable mileage on them. Below, he offers an overview of the wheelset along with an in-depth review…

I Am Not SPOX: A Spinergy MXX 30 Wheel Review

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I Am Not SPOX: A Spinergy MXX 30 Wheel Review

After the bike industry woke up from its fever dream of futuristic mag wheels, Spinergy held on for one more go with their fiber-spoked SPOX lineup. Unfortunately, those first-generation SPOX would join the rest of those early carbon wheels to be remembered as educational, innovative, but ultimately failed experiments. But a lot has changed since then. Fiber technology has made huge leaps, and it’s now possible to weave a spoke that is stronger and lighter than steel. Berd spokes have been twisting our expectations for the past year, but Travis Engel was more curious about what Spinergy has learned in the past decades. Their MXX 30 mountain bike wheels, laced with their unique PBO spokes, make some bold claims. Travis spent a couple months on them to see if they delivered.

Chris King Goes Deep: A First Look at the ARD44 All-Road FusionFiber Wheelset

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Chris King Goes Deep: A First Look at the ARD44 All-Road FusionFiber Wheelset

Today, with the launch of the ARD44 wheelset, Chris King adds an all-road offering to their FusionFiber wheelset lineup that previously catered to gravel cyclists with the GRD23 and mountain bikers with the MTN30. Laced to King’s R45D hubs, at 25mm internal width and 44mm deep, ARD44 wheels are designed for riders of all roads – from tarmac to dirt tracks. Josh got his hands on a set of these new aero wheels just a few days ago and shares a first look below…

Spoke Too Soon: An In-Depth Review of BERD Spokes

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Spoke Too Soon: An In-Depth Review of BERD Spokes

Last year John wrote briefly about his early impressions of the BERD spokes while piloting the Sour Bicycles Pasta Party. Due to mixing around bikes and wheels, he ended up handing them over to Kyle Klain to ride and review. After months of riding in and around Santa Fe as well as across southeast Utah during the Aquarius Huts Tour, Kyle has some thoughts to share on this unusual wheel-building option.

John’s Moots Womble 29er Hardtail Updates: Chris King Fusion Fiber MTN30 Wheels and the New Rock Shox Pike Ultimate

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John’s Moots Womble 29er Hardtail Updates: Chris King Fusion Fiber MTN30 Wheels and the New Rock Shox Pike Ultimate

I’ve been privileged to throw my leg around many fine bicycles, and two years ago, when I got to review a Moots Womble, I fell in love. It’s incredibly light and capable, but, most importantly, it pedals pleasantly whether you’re climbing or descending. It’s the bike I ride the most here in Santa Fe, and while it often gets in over its head, so to speak, I find it capable enough for a proper all-mountain experience. I’ve climbed with it from town to our towers (12,500′) and took it right back down the guts of the Rocky Mountains on a long, 15-mile singletrack descent. It’s taken me across the Uncompahgre Plateau and all over Northern New Mexico. While it only has a 140mm travel fork, it’s honed my riding skills to where I feel like I’ve mastered this titanium chassis. Yet, I’m not opposed to upgrades or using this trusty bike as a lab rat for product tests.

Over the past few months, I’ve been giving two new products a proper thrashin’ from New Mexico to Montana, so let’s see what I think about the Chris King FusionFiber Wheels and the new RockShox Pike Ultimate below.

Crust Bikes Disc Generator Wheelset is Designed for Your Gravel Build

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Crust Bikes Disc Generator Wheelset is Designed for Your Gravel Build

Let’s just say it’s safe to bet the world isn’t returning to a sense of normalcy anytime soon, so when a deal like this pops up, we’ve gotta share it! The new Crust Disc Brake wheelset offers quality, lightweight, and affordable generator hub wheelset ($525). The rims are made of 6066 series Aluminum with a welded joint and weigh in at 360g, making them a great choice for your gravel-focused bike like the Bombora, or a more road-oriented Lightning Bolt build.

Each wheelset has a Shutter Precision PL-7 dynamo front hub, and a rear hub with either a Shimano 12 speed compatible or Sram XDR driver. Currently, Crust only offer its disc brake wheels in 650b but 700c is on the way (we think/hope/pray). Also, how good is that Crust Bikes Mavic flip?

See more at Crust Bikes.

Chris King Now Offers Made in the USA, Recyclable, GRD23 Gravel, and MTN30 Mountain Wheelsets

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Chris King Now Offers Made in the USA, Recyclable, GRD23 Gravel, and MTN30 Mountain Wheelsets

If you’re going to manufacture carbon fiber rims in 2021, do it right. Chris King has developed its own made in the USA carbon hoops that are 100% recyclable thanks to FusionFiber tech, less harsh to ride (plush? supple? compliant? you pick), making it a winning choice for people looking for new gravel or mountain wheels. These wheelsets are built in-house at Chris King, with a plethora of anodizing colors, R45D Centerlock hubs for GRD23 gravel ($2650.00) and Boost Centerlock for the MTN30 mountain wheelset ($2550.00).

See more at Chris King.

Manufacturing with Passion: Velocity USA’s Grand Rapids Wheel Factory

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Manufacturing with Passion: Velocity USA’s Grand Rapids Wheel Factory

During a visit to my hometown of Grand Rapids, MI this past summer I stopped in at Velocity USA, purveyors of finely shaped and colorful formed aluminum. Jill Martindale – resident endurance racing aficionado and winter weather lover – graciously took time out of her day to show me around their manufacturing facility. I’ve been a fan of Velocity for quite a while (still have a 20ish-year-old set of Deep Vs kicking around) and was very geeked out roaming around the factory with Jill, observing the precision processes that go into creating each rim and wheel build, and meeting the folks that make it all happen.

Revel’s RW23 Fusion-Fiber Gravel Rims

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Revel’s RW23 Fusion-Fiber Gravel Rims

Lighter, stronger, made in America and 100% recyclable thanks to Fusion-Fiber. There are no environmentally harmful or brittle epoxy in this carbon- it is a toughened, high-performance composite polymer that makes for a significantly more durable, and lighter wheel. Revel took this technology and made the RW23, their first gravel wheels with a 23mm internal width, 24 or 28 Hole, and available as a wheelset or rims. Head to Revel to read more.

Industry Nine’s New 1/1 GRCX Wheels Won’t Break the Bank at $765

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Industry Nine’s New 1/1 GRCX Wheels Won’t Break the Bank at $765

Designed for a 33-55mm tire, on a 24.5 alloy rim, the new Industry Nine 1/1 GRCX wheels might be what you’re looking for to get your new build rolling or to give an existing build some sprucing up for summer rides. These new wheels use I9’s new 1/1 Road series hubs which offer 90 points of engagement on a 6 pawl freehub body, use J-bend spokes for ease of maintenance, and are backed by a 2-year warranty. Best of all, they retail at $765. Check out more at Industry Nine.