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TPE16: Woodman lightens things with new carbon spoked wheels & tools to help you build a better wheel

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Woodman P1100347

Woodman Components known for manufacturing trick lightweight parts for our weight weenie needs did not disappoint this year in Taipei. Their new carbon wheelset with their own “made in-house” carbon rims, spokes, and hubs felt like it would float away if I let go of it. Also wheel building nerds that want to take precision to the next level will love their new spoke tensiometer and for even more geeking out… spoke tensiometer calibrator?

Woodman P1100340

As seen in the top pic, their new carbon wheel uses carbon straight pull spokes with bonded aluminum ends that pass through their proprietary hub. The wheels will be available with SRAM/Shimano, Campagnolo, or even XD cassette bodies and will be available in 25mm & 40mm tubulars, as well as a 40mm clincher. The prototype 40mm tubulars on hand weighed in at only 1200 grams for the set!

Woodman P1100348

The carbon spokes weigh in at about 3.5g each. Woodman say they tried several options to bond the aluminum ends before finally finding one they were satisfied with. Though the spokes will only work with their own hubs they mentioned that they can make custom lengths in case someone wanted to build a set of wheels on a particular rim of their choice.

Woodman P1100351

Though not particularly a consumer product, we have a good amount of shop-based readers, and being a long time wheel-builder myself, I got a kick out of their Spoke Tensiometer. Easy to use and doing just what it should (measuring a spoke’s tension) a couple of things that stand out are that it has nicely tapered lugs that help guide the tool into position on the spoke (when you have to do this many times per wheel, it adds up) and that there is a small knob you can turn to adjust the little “marker” to where each spoke should line up.

But how do you know where that marker should be set you ask?

Woodman P1100354

Yep, they have a calibrator for your calibrator! Though it may seem like overkill, “If anything is worth doing, it’s worth over doing”… am I right? First, the same size spokes from different brands will vary a little, and even within the same brand, spokes may vary a bit between batches on how much tensile strength each has. So, when you build a wheel with a set of spokes from one batch or manufacturer, the tension may be a little off with that same build with spokes from another batch.

What the Spoke Tensiometer Setter does is let you tension a spoke to a set amount then calibrate your tensiometer on that very spoke. Once the desired tension is on the display put the tensiometer on it and set the adjustable “mark” where you want it. For those who’s eye’s are not glazed over right now, the rest of you us are probably considering where on the shop bench we’ll be putting this gadget next to this other little gem.

WoodmanComponents.com

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Guillaume
8 years ago

Gotta love Woodman ! And I’d like to see their new spoke nipples too, I’m waiting for them for 5 years now.

Gef
Gef
8 years ago

It makes sense to be able to calibrate a tension meter, after all one is supposed to have torque wrenches calibrated at a regular interval.

tom
tom
8 years ago

I made a calibration unit for tensiometers a few years back. Super handy to have. I’m glad a commercial one is available now. It would be especially useful for the low-end meters, like the Park TM-1. Pulled 3 out of the box, all read different. I tell ya….

DJR
DJR
8 years ago

Spinergy Spox 2.0, not that there’s anything wrong with that. I liked mine and these look 403% better give or take a few points.

Dominic Bruys Porter
8 years ago
Reply to  DJR

difference being the SPOX had a flexible spoke. If anything it’s more like R-Sys

Ol'shel'
Ol'shel'
8 years ago

With enough drag to make a Schwinn Airdyne jealous.

Andrew
Andrew
8 years ago

I really don’t understand carbon spokes unless mated with a super light rim. Why attach an arrow-ish mid-section rim with spokes that will completely cancel any aerodynamic gains? If light is your goal why not mate it to a 20-25mm rim?

Mike
Mike
7 years ago
Reply to  Andrew

Perhaps there is a larger market for durable pro-level training wheels than there is for ultra low drag race wheels.

I like the idea of durable carbon spokes if it can eliminate or reduce the need for wheel truing.

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