How To Get The Most From Your Carbon Wheels

admin | Sunday, March 14th, 2010 | No Comments »

Carbon wheels are a big investment on your bike. They cost much more than traditional steel wheels, but their incredibly light weight makes them worth every penny. In this post I want to share with you how to make sure they last a long time, as well as one of the best sets of mountain bike wheels on the market.

It’s extremely important to remember that while carbon is very strong, it doesn’t take impact well. Improperly clamping your carbon wheels in a repair stand can cause some major damage. Also, much of the damage can’t even be seen, so you have to do everything you can to protect it while not riding. If you are concerned that your wheels may be damaged, have a pro inspect them. Carbon wheels can give out without warning when they are compromised!

Regular cleaning and maintenance of your wheels is the same as steel. Clean them with soap, water, and a soft cloth or towel. Be sure to thoroughly dry them off.

The biggest maintenance issue with carbon wheels is flat tires. When you ride on carbon, a flat tube is more than a pain in the butt, it risks ruining your wheel. As soon as you notice that you’re low on air, get off the bike! These wheels aren’t designed to take any sort of abuse without an inflated tire.

Also, be sure to check spoke tension frequently. Most carbon wheels are very tall, which means that spokes can almost come off before you notice that they are loose. Check them before and after every ride.

The Fulcrum Red Carbon Mtb Wheelset is one of the lightest and strongest mountain bike wheels currently available. They weigh in at a paltry 1450 grams, and have the strength to make them survive whatever punishment you throw at them. Another very cool feature of these wheels is something that they took from the racing circuit, each wheel has four spokes less than previous models, which reduces weight and makes maintaining their speed even easier.

Carbon wheels are the ultimate accessory on any mountain, road, or track bike, but with the upgrade comes increased maintenance. Follow the steps to make sure that your wheels last as long as the bike does!

		Ritchey WCS Carbon MTB Wheelset Buy now. Pay later on Ritchey WCS Carbon MTB Wheelset. Ritchey WCS Carbon MTB Wheelset: High modulas monocoque constructed rims for unparalled stiffness with an 19.5mm internal width. 20mm profile, 25mm wide UD carbon monocoque construction Manufactu		£940.50 More Information
		Pro-Lite Carbon Rim Washer Pro-Lite Carbon Rim Washer. Wheels Nipples. Genuine Pro-Lite washers designed specifically to be used with Pro-Lite Carbon rims		£1.99 More Information
		Vision QR-89 Mercury Carbon QR Set Vision QR-89 Mercury Carbon QR Set. Wheels QR. Carbon monocoque lever with stainless steel shaft, springs and a forged aluminium nut. •Size:100mm O.L.D. (front) and 130mm O.L.D. (rear) •Finish: Clear coated carbon fibre •Weight: 98g /		£124.99 More Information
		PZ Racing Carbon MTB Skewer Set PZ Racing Carbon MTB Skewer Set. Wheels QR. Quality combination of hallow Cr-mo axle and carbon arm for this exquisite QR set. •Length – 100mm (front) and 135mm (rear) •Weight – 68g per pair.		£53.99 More Information
		Fulcrum Red Carbon XRP MTB Wheelset Buy now. Pay later on Fulcrum Red Carbon XRP MTB Wheelset. Fulcrum Red Carbon XRP MTB Wheelset: Fulcrum® is, and has always been, a symbol of high performance having reaction as its wheels' main features. Red Carbon is a top-of-the-range mod		£1889.99 More Information
		Krylion Carbon Road Tyre The Michelin Krylion Carbon is the ideal training tyre. With rolling efficiency nearly equal to that of a racing tyre, it offers exceptional durability and superb grip on dry or wet roads. Average tread life of over 5000k! The shoulders of the tyre		£32.99 More Information
		Reynolds RZR 92 Carbon Tubular Wheelset Buy now. Pay later on Reynolds RZR 92 Carbon Tubular Wheelset. Reynolds RZR 92 Carbon Tubular Wheelset: The Reynolds RZR 92 is the first non-disc wheel designed and built for the precise demands of time trialing and triathlon. It's stiff, respons		£4999.99 More Information
		Reynolds RZR 46 Carbon Tubular Wheelset Buy now. Pay later on Reynolds RZR 46 Carbon Tubular Wheelset. Reynolds RZR 46 Carbon Tubular Wheelset: Following a headline-grabbing first season that included an international debut in road racing, the Reynolds RZR has been refined and improved, al		£4999.99 More Information
		Mad Fiber Carbon Tubular Wheelset Buy now. Pay later on Mad Fiber Carbon Tubular Wheelset. Mad Fiber Carbon Tubular Wheelset: A truely oustanding tubular wheelset. These wheels are full carbon and built with a unique design feature that stands out from the rest. They are aerodynamic,		£2250.00 More Information
		Pro-Lite Carbon Road Skewer Set Pro-Lite Carbon Road Skewer Set. Wheels QR. Premium Pro Lite designed quick release set developed with team riders resulting in an unbeatable feather weight QR set. The Carbon construction offers high performance with half the weight. The smooth cam		£49.99 More Information