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ProWheelBuilder launches signature wheel line with aero, standard road wheels

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ProWheelBuilder-Ventus-aero-road-bike-wheels01

By building around 4,000 wheels per year, ProWheelBuilder has learned a few things about what makes for a good wheel. So far, their wheels have been custom built from a variety of rim types and sizes, various hubs based on the consumer’s needs and wants, and then they’re laced together with the right spoke count, type and tension to suit the rider and their riding style.

Now, they’re branching out a bit to offer their own complete wheels for road with two options. Both come tubeless ready with rim tape and valve stem preinstalled, and both use White Industries’ T11 hubs. The hubs were chosen for their low drag and high quality build, which includes a chromoly axle, titanium freehub body and side-adjustable preload.

The Ventus, above, is their aero offering with a 24mm wide x 31mm deep alloy rim, and the Aeris is their light weight do-it-all road wheel…

ProWheelBuilder-Ventus-aero-road-bike-wheels03

Both are 24mm wide on the outside with 19mm between the bead hooks. The Aeris is 22mm deep, and the Ventus stretches that to 31mm with a basic aero profile. Both have a bead locking design to help keep the tire in place with low pressures and a deeper, rounded center channel to aid tire installation.

ProWheelBuilder-Ventus-aero-road-bike-wheels04

Spokes on both are Sapim CX Ray with Sapim locking alloy nipples to prevent anything from wiggling loose under hard riding or rough roads. PWB only uses J-Bend spokes because they’re easier to source and can be built into very strong wheels thanks to their stress relief and tensioning procedure used on every wheel they build.

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White’s titanium freehub body is tougher than aluminum ones, so it resists the cassettes efforts to dig into it and get stuck.

ProWheelBuilder-Aeris-climbing-road-bike-wheels01

The Aeris uses a KinLin XR22T rim, which comes in at about 440g. It’s made of Niobium, which they say is lighter and stronger than traditional aluminum alloys used in rims. It’s laced 2x on the front with 24 spokes and 3x on the rear with 28 spokes. Claimed weight is 1,499g as is.

The Ventus uses a KinLin XR31T rim, also Niobium and also with a machined brake track. It’s laces with just 16 spokes in the front and 20 in the rear to reduce drag, which helps it match the Aeris’ weight of just 1,499g for the set.

Both have a choice of SRAM/Shimano, Campagnolo or SRAM XD freehub bodies, and both have multiple ceramic bearing upgrade options, plus a choice of hub and nipple anodization colors, too. Retail is currently $650 per set for both.

ProWheelBuilder.com

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svelocity
svelocity
8 years ago

If you can take the stickers off I would be interested. Otherwise it seems like a solid build.

Matty
Matty
8 years ago

You could get an unstickered version in a kit from bikehubstore; the parts are exactly the same. Just build it yourself or find a wheel builder.

WV Cycling
WV Cycling
8 years ago

Flit Letica and Cone-A’s but with a Titanium freehub?

Prowheelbuilder
8 years ago

svelocity, the stickers are easily removable.

Matty, you are correct however you might be hard pressed to match the price for the just the components before labor. Plus we offer a 2 year warranty. Just saying 😉

Prowheelbuilder
8 years ago

Here is a comparison chart for either the Aeris or the Ventus wheel sets.

http://www.prowheelbuilder.com/Ventus%20Comparison.jpg

http://www.prowheelbuilder.com/Aeris%20Comparison.jpg

Matty
Matty
8 years ago

Oh I wasn’t trying to imply otherwise, just give a possible answer to the previous commenter.

Rico
Rico
8 years ago

Great deal. I have a few sets of stans which are similar purpose, but these white hubs are way better. Also like the sound of the locking nipples.

Rico
Rico
8 years ago

Weird they are the same weight to the gram? Or is the shallow one lighter?

anonymous
anonymous
8 years ago

@Rico
The shallow one has a lot more spokes. Not really sure why you would want to get the less aero one if it weighs the same unless you feel like you really need the extra spokes.

TypeVertigo
8 years ago

@Prowheelbuilder
Nice wheels. Have you any plans for a disc brake version of these?

Prowheelbuilder
8 years ago

Rico, The deeper Ventus actually built up lighter than the Aeris however I made the decision to list them at the same weight as the weights vary and I wanted to be on the conservative side as to not disapoint my customers (as is the norm with most other companies).

TypeVertigo, Yes we will be releasing a centerlock version of the Ventus. It will incorporate a non machined version of the Ventus rim and come with Sapim Race spokes. We are still up in the air on the drilling as we need to run some real world tests on 20/24 versus 24/24. The price should still fall into the $650 range. We also have plans for 4 MTB versions as well.

Prowheelbuilder
8 years ago

Rico, sorry I missed the second part of your comment. The reason for the shallow offering i.e. Aeris is for those that want a more compliant ride over rough surfaces such as dirt roads, chip seal or for commuting. Both wheel sets have there own attributes and are similar in weight and strength.

Garrison
Garrison
8 years ago

You should compare your Ventus to Boyd Altamont, since you are already comparing to smaller manufacturers like Rol

Cheese
Cheese
8 years ago

I think you mean aluminum niobium alloy. Niobium rims would be quite expensive.
http://www.goodfellow.com/E/Niobium-Tube.html

Prowheelbuilder
8 years ago

Garrison, The reason I did not include Boyd is I try not to compete against a company I represent however since you asked. The Altamont Alloy Clincher costs $650 weights 1541 grams using 20/24 and with a rider weight limit of 180 lbs. They are using an Asian supplied hub (which will most likely change to there Infinity hub but will also increase the retail price by quite a bit), Sapim CX Ray spokes and Sapim nipples. The rim is 24mm wide with a 18.3mm interior width and 30mm deep.

COMPARISON

Price is the same, we are between 42 to 75 grams lighter, we use 16/20 and have a weight limit of 235lbs, our rim is deeper by 1mm and has a beed lock system, we use a much better hub (for now) and our wheels come tubeless ready.

Prowheelbuilder
8 years ago

Cheese, you are correct. They use a Niobium infused aluminum. Thank you for the clarification.

scott b
scott b
8 years ago

These look great. Kinlin rims are not something I know much about, any insight?

Prowheelbuilder
8 years ago

Scott B, KinLin has been producing rims for other wheel manufactures for several years such as Easton, Rolf, Williams, Rol and several others. We have been building with them since 2006 and have never had a bad experience. There level of reliability, competitive weight and price is the primary reason we used them on these wheels.

Prowheelbuilder
8 years ago

http://www.prowheelbuilder.com/Ventus_Disc.jpg

Look whats coming! We will be releasing the Ventus Disc wheel set as a 24/24 2x2x build tubeless ready using White Industries CLD hubs (there will be a centerlock to six bolt adapter offered for $25.00). These are intended for Cyclocross, Gravel Grinding and Road Disc.
The question is, do we use Sapim CX Ray’s which will reduce the weight to 1550 grams and sell for $700.00 or use Sapim Race spokes at a weight of 1600 grams but sell for $650.00? Your input would be most welcomed

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