ADA Wheels

[saab2000]

OK Kids, so I finally have had enough of the jerk's hot air about these miracle wheels. So I go find their website and HOLY COW are those suckers pricey!!!!!!!!!! These things make a set of Campagnolo Hyperons or Boras look like cheapo trainers!!!!!

I just let an e-bay auction expire with a set of Nucleon tubulars which went for $345. I cannot justify that price, let alone TEN TIMES that price for a set of ADAs!

Anyway, I am just spewing. I am sure they are absolutely terrific wheels. But for the time being I am going to be working on just getting a set of solid tubular rims and lacing them up myself.

Does anyone here actually own any of these ADA wheels? And what is the deal with Cees? I have heard some people say some unflattering things about him. What is the real story?

[Chief]

Hey Saab,

Remember, if you have to ask for the price, you probably can't afford them. You did exactly what I did and I concluded there was no way that I could ever dream of having a pair of them regardless how good they maybe and even if they were self-propelled. I can only conclude that Mr. Jerk is a lot richer than I or he can get them at a SUBSTANTIAL discount. :rolleyes:

[saab2000]

I have a couple of good contacts in the business and get a few goodies per year, but I think that Mr. Jerk has many more better contacts in the business.

Anyway, I am constantly prowling e-bay for some good deals. I am now eyeing a set of Ksyrium tubulars with a campy freehub body. These ain't bad wheels either.....

[93legendti]

Have you checked into Zipp's wheels? After seeing Tyler's crash in the 2002 Giro on ADA's (self edited by 93Legendti... :) )the ADA's would worry me. (I think they were both on ADA's, maybe they just looked like them...)

[saab2000]

I have looked at Zipp. But frankly all I really want is a set of good tubular rims. For the kind of riding I do that will suffice.

I want a Bontrager 32-hole offset tubular rim for the rear and a 28 hole Bontrager tubular rim for the front. Alas, neither of these exist....

I am looking for a set of rims which I can build up to very high tension. My Open Pros do not take well to being really tightly spoked. I have a Bontrager clincher offset on one bike which thusfar has been a real trooper at high tension and the offset drilling as made the non-drive side feel much more like the drive side. My spoke tensionometer (my hand) never lies!

I continue to scour e-bay for good deals for tubular rims, and I might end up with a set of Ambrosio Nemesis. They seem pretty good.

[93legendti]

Dave Thomas from Speeddream is a high tension guy. For clinchers he likes Velocity...don't know if they make tubular rims. Maybe take a look at his site and see what tubular rims he uses.

[Big Dan]

I think Tyler and Ulrich were using Lightweight wheels as opposed to ADA's.
Maybe I'm wrong guys...I'm sure El Señor Jerk can help us.... :D

[93legendti]

http://www.velonews.com/race/tour2002/articles/2551.0.html

I think Ulrich was NOT riding ADA's in the 2001 tour, but in 2003 his wheels did look like ADA's...no crashes thou... :)

http://www.velonews.com/tour2003/tech/articles/4637.0.html

[Big Dan]

Ada's or not why be afraid of them, you like most of the newer stuff with carbon bits....Tyler's was someting on the cassette no??? Funny that the website for Lightweight wheels has pictures of Barne Riis....whatever I'll pass on those and get some open pro's.....cheers :beer:

www.carbonsports.com

[93legendti]

I prefer carbon from a "big shop"...like Zipp or Reynolds, to name a few, if I was to ride carbon wheels.

[pale scotsman]

Tyler's crash in the '02 Giro was on ADA wheels but they had been modified from 6 pawls to 3 to reduce friction for some reason. If the pawls don't engage then poo poo.

They may ride good, but I sure as hell have no business spending that kind of money on wheels when I'm just a recreational rider.


"The angle of the dangle is inversely proportionate to the heat of the meat." - Beavis

[slowgoing]

for that price, what would improve climbing more -- ADA wheels or liposuction?

[jerk]

adas are the best wheels in the world. his wheels are lighter, stiffer and stronger than anything else available. they are layed up and built for the individual rider and the purpose(s) for which they will be used. they are expensive but no more so than a custom made to measure frame which is arguably a less important component than custom made to order wheels. (lots of pros stick to their off the shelf frames but switch out the wheels to adas when things are really on the line, there are more examples of ada wheels in the pro-peloton than rebadged frames among the top riders.) lightweights are a copy of cees' older design which utilized a heavier, weaker multi-piece rim and heavier shimano or campy hubs....adas use a great hub which can be dis-assembled by hand and utilize ceramic bearings and a great pawl system.....they'll be availble here in the us really soon the jerk promises.

900-1100 grams a pair with greater torsionally rigidity than any currently availbe wheel. they have also quite aerodynamic. not as quick as a disc in, but better than anyother spoked wheel out there. (alot of this has to do with the spokes being hidden behind the rim and the rim depth forming a perfect airfoil shap in conjunction with a modern tubular. also, cees' testing has proven round spokes to be more aero than flat spokes which is why he switched from the type lightweight still uses......oh, withe the kevlar braking track and cork pads the things stop as well as regular aluminum wheels. the jerk doesn't want to speak for cees but his wheels are the most advanced technology product currently availble in non motorized sport. the jerk honestly believes that. here is one of the few examples in cycling where an athlete can buy speed. many of the pros, to the chagrin of their sponsers do.
jerk

[jerk]

I prefer carbon from a "big shop"...like Zipp or Reynolds, to name a few, if I was to ride carbon wheels.


why? that's like saying a huffy or a pacific is superior to a serotta because they push out more units. once you have held a pair of adas in your hands you will realize that styrofoam filled zipps are in an entire different league.
jerk

[jerk]

Tyler's crash in the '02 Giro was on ADA wheels but they had been modified from 6 pawls to 3 to reduce friction for some reason. If the pawls don't engage then poo poo.

They may ride good, but I sure as hell have no business spending that kind of money on wheels when I'm just a recreational rider.


"The angle of the dangle is inversely proportionate to the heat of the meat." - Beavis


actually, there was only one pawl left in that wheel. adas will function fine with three pawls.
jerk

[Big Dan]

Thanks for the knowledge Señor...but...did anyone used the Lightweights at all???...Why do they say that they won the 97 TDF??.. Maybe was just me dreaming... :confused:

[93legendti]

why? that's like saying a huffy or a pacific is superior to a serotta because they push out more units. once you have held a pair of adas in your hands you will realize that styrofoam filled zipps are in an entire different league.
jerk

I have held them in my hands. I also prefer spokes that are trueable and easily replaced by a LBS (At the least the ones I held had kevlar/carbon spokes that were not trueable by a LBS.) I prefer Reynolds and Zipp products. Sorry!

Comparing Reynolds or Zipp to huffy or a pacific is funny. I never said my preference was based upon units sold. Sorry it was unclear for you. :D

[BumbleBeeDave]

. . . They had taken all but ONE out of Tyler’s wheel?

That’s appawling.

(Sorry.) :rolleyes:

BBDave

[oracle]

lightweight (http://www.competitivecyclist.com/za/CCY?PAGE=BUY_PRODUCT_STANDARD&PRODUCT.ID=1488&CATEGORY.ID=366&MODE=)

mo' lightweight (http://www.competitivecyclist.com/za/CCY?PAGE=BUY_PRODUCT_STANDARD&PRODUCT.ID=1489&CATEGORY.ID=366&MODE=)

[oracle]

if you prefer reynolds and zipp products, then you don't know any better. if p, then q.

[93legendti]

oh?

[oracle]

oui

[shinomaster]

mai le merde et tres cher?? rats I should have studied my French...

[oracle]

yes, you should have. :-)

[shinomaster]

ha ha ha..oui c'est dommage! :banana: :banana:

[William]

Omelet du fromage??? :rolleyes:


William (Who is still searching for the right strength to price ratio in wheels that won't break the bank, won't self destruct, will stand up to overly large & strong riders, are trueable and repairable by the self or your local LBS and dang it, just plain look good too. Is that really too much to ask??? :confused: )

[Too Tall]

In business dealings with Sir Cees he proved himself to be an obnoxious unapologetic know it all. Guess what? He does know it all and his culture ain't our culture...my bad.

Call David at Nimble wheels and talk about rims and weight you'll be surprised. The Fly rim is ounce for ounce one of the strongest carbon rims made.

PM me and I'll hook you up. F.Y.I. they are coming out with a new rim / wheel called noseeums. I recall these will come in around 1100 grams. Light enough?

[Climb01742]

i can second that nimble wheels (in clincher form) are both very light and thus far, very well made. i can also say they are incredibly nice to work with. they really seem like a small company that really cares...a bunch of cycling junkies like us!!!

[coylifut]

...well at least by the guy who won the race. I always found it a bit odd that Rebellin has stuck with a traditional box section tubular rim with a lot of spokes. Tom Kellog once told me that aero wheels only matter when you're off the front.

[shinomaster]

what about the Nimble Spider wheels?

[Too Tall]

Spider's a custom rim made by Velocity for Nimble and are light as heck. I'm shocked that the 28 spoke PowerTap wheel I had them make for #1 wife has held up to a full year of training,racing and computrainer abuse....remarkable never out of true. It's an easy wheel to order light and strong since all you have to do is talk to the owner and have them build according to need no extra cost for that. Also, he has a crash replacement deal....try that with housebrand XYZ. but I thought were were discussing uber light bits that don't fall apart non?

[shinomaster]

yes, but I can afford $500. not $5000. for a set of hoops.

[shinomaster]

yes, but I can afford $500. not $5000. for a set of hoops.

[jerk]

yes, but I can afford $500. not $5000. for a set of hoops.


cheap skate. :rolleyes:

[Climb01742]

yes, but I can afford $500. not $5000. for a set of hoops.

shino, then definitely check out spiders from nimble. so far, mine have been great. david at nimble was awesome to work with. can be had for about $600. or maybe if you sweet talk sir jerk, he could get you a deal on some bontrager race x lites...he clued me in to them and they're very nice too...one thing i dug about the spiders is i got a basically an all black wheel...hubs, spokes and rim (just a sliver braking surface) to go on an all black "stealth" frame...superficial, yes, but kinda fun anyway...see...black is right for everything EXCEPT socks!!!!!! :p

[William]

one thing i dug about the spiders is i got a basically an all black wheel...hubs, spokes and rim (just a sliver braking surface) to go on an all black "stealth" frame...superficial, yes, but kinda fun anyway...see...black is right for everything EXCEPT socks!!!!!!

Yes, yes, yes!! Those sound simply sublime for the Super Stealthy Serotta Skunkworks SS-71 Blackbird (TM). :banana: :banana:

Everything except black socks!!! :p

William

(Maybe I should change the name to Superbird??? What says Sandy? :confused: )
http://forums.thepaceline.net/showthread.php?t=4219

[shinomaster]

Were yours custom built or their standard build? How would you compare them to campy Neutrons???