Neuvation R28 aero review

[sogood]

But isn't that 50g slowing you down on the climbs? </humor>

Like I said earlier, I completely understand in a set of ultralight wheels where they are striving to cut every gram. And in most cases these are race day only wheels. In a mid weight set of wheels there is no benefit and a pain in the ass downside when you invariably chew the body. Stupid engineering.

Well, just to say that there are still companies that use steel for their freehub, even at the top of their range. Interestingly, K-ES uses Ti for the Shimano compatible freehub.

 

[bobbyOCR]

Well, just to say that there are still companies that use steel for their freehub, even at the top of their range. Interestingly, K-ES uses Ti for the Shimano compatible freehub.

That may be true, but do they not use a bushing instead of bearing(s)? I thought this was a common complaint.

I do fully agree. They could benefit greatly with a steel freehub body.

OK, List of possible impovements


1. 2cross or 3cross lacing in the rear, and or more spokes. Or wider flanges

2. STEEL FREEHUB

3. better dustcaps in the front

4.(minor) less stickers and neater rim joint

.............

Please add more.

 

[Phill P]

Adding to list of improvements.....

Get an OEM deal so they make more of them and the price can come down even further.
Make a bigger range, the current models are good, just widen things a little (I'm considering SL2s myself)
Produce a range of Steel and Al bikes using the same theory (ie don't rout the customer but give them what they need with out the marketing and bling).

 

[mikesbytes]

But isn't that 50g slowing you down on the climbs? </humor>

Like I said earlier, I completely understand in a set of ultralight wheels where they are striving to cut every gram. And in most cases these are race day only wheels. In a mid weight set of wheels there is no benefit and a pain in the ass downside when you invariably chew the body. Stupid engineering.

--brett

Ah, but sogood's shaved 4kg off the mid-riff and he was the closest I've seen him after turning around at Waterfall today. He will have to do RNP with me tomorrow.

Brett, seeing from your review, these wheels may be good value for money but they won't hold up for a bike breaker like me.

 

[mikesbytes]

Had a perfect day of cycling planned today. A friend was staying down on the NSW South Coast and looking to ride in the Southern Highlands, I was able to get a late day off work, so made the drive down planning to do a 100km loop somewhere with some serious climbing. We settled on Berry to Kangaroo Valley, to Robertson and back down to Kiama. That's two 7km climbs both at around 7-8% and lots of rolling terrain.

What does this have to do with Neuvations? First climb of the day 5km out of Berry ping ... there goes a spoke. The wheel went so far out of true it was hitting the frame. Limped back to the car in Berry, drove 40km return to the closest bike shop to get a replacement spoke. Yep they take a nice easy to find J bend spoke, the hub hole however is bigger than normal so lots of dicking around ensued finding a spoke that wouldn't pull through.

Got everything sorted and eventually tackled the route we'd planned (and got roundly spanked). All I'm thankful for is the spoke didn't tank in the middle of nowhere cause there was no riding out on it.

One spoke after a few months happens, so maybe just an unlucky event. I'm going back to Cosmic Elites.

--brett

Did that route back in 1990, nice roads. Didn't break anything either he he.

 

[sideshow_bob]

Brett, seeing from your review, these wheels may be good value for money but they won't hold up for a bike breaker like me.

It's hard to say as I don't have that many miles in them. But based on the to date performance I'd probably not recommend them to anyone other than recreational riders who aren't doing a lot of miles.

--brett

 

[John M]

You experienced the disadvantage of blowing a spoke on a low-spoke count/high-tension wheel. If that were a 32 spoke wheel, you would have still been able to ride probably with just opening your brake QR.

 

[bobbyOCR]

Joy. After 1200km of base speed riding, with about 400km of that hard, maybe. I have a nice amount of cog bite on my freehub. the 15t cog has bitten in about 1/5th the way through the medium sized splines. Not happy. I had to file the edges of the notches to get the small lockring off. I will be contacting nugent about this, not angrily, but I'd be happy for an extra 60g for steel.

 

[sideshow_bob]

Or a 10sp only hub with the deeper splines that have more surface area for the cog to sit on.

Anyway my 2c is that it'll be the first of many more annoyances to come. Get rid of them now!

--brett

 

[mikesbytes]

Or a 10sp only hub with the deeper splines that have more surface area for the cog to sit on.

Anyway my 2c is that it'll be the first of many more annoyances to come. Get rid of them now!

--brett

OK, so whats the alternative ?

 

[bobbyOCR]

Or a 10sp only hub with the deeper splines that have more surface area for the cog to sit on.

Anyway my 2c is that it'll be the first of many more annoyances to come. Get rid of them now!

--brett

Hmm. No. I have a sponsor now (its a bike shop) so if I ever need to replace them, it'll have to happen after the 19th february.

 

[sideshow_bob]

see the thread in the aus section regarding neuvations and what i'd think are comparable in terms of $$ and performance.

as an example twe will do you a handbuilt set of wheels for $100 more and weighing in at only 100g heavier. the quality difference is not comparable. neuvations are junk.

--brett

 

[bobbyOCR]

New update.

The rear R28 was sitting around wallowing in its own crapness so I decided to do something with it......
I grabbed some DT competition (I think) spokes that I had laying around, luckily just the right length, and I re-laced the rear non-drive to 2X with elbows out. The difference is incredible. I couldn't see much point changing the drive side (yet) because I not only do not have spokes in the same length, but the dishing means they won't gain much in terms of stiffness anyway. I am going to tie&solder them today (Yes, I know it makes bugger all difference in the lateral stiffness, but it looks cool) mainly because if a spoke breaks (likely) I don't want it whipping around and possible damaging anything, and also it keeps the wheel a little striaghter in that case as well.

I will post pics too. Initial ride reports are that the 2X rear with DT spokes elbow out make it much MUCH stiffer. Must be the swiss-ness of the spokes

 

[bobbyOCR]

Excuse my dodgy tying&soldering job. These are the much improved Neuvation R28Bobby

 

[Phill P]

Gee got some nasty looking bends on some of your outside spokes there Bobby.

WHy dind't you go one in one out and avoid the horrible first bend on a few of those spokes?

I like the spider man like pattern you have with the ties on the bladed spokes.

 

[bobbyOCR]

Gee got some nasty looking bends on some of your outside spokes there Bobby.

WHy dind't you go one in one out and avoid the horrible first bend on a few of those spokes?

I like the spider man like pattern you have with the ties on the bladed spokes.

If they start breaking, I will.....

I used so much wire because the gold matches my KMC X10 chain

 

[tbick]

It's hard to say as I don't have that many miles in them. But based on the to date performance I'd probably not recommend them to anyone other than recreational riders who aren't doing a lot of miles.

--brett

Our experience has been just the opposite.

My wife and daughter have about 11k miles on them (They both run these wheels) and my daughter races them. Among many good races she has a state championship and a 10th place finish at an NRC road race.

One note however, they both weigh under 130 lbs so these wheels are not being tested by a "Clydesdale" rider