AX Lightness Ultra

Wheels, Tires, Tubes, Tubeless, Tubs, Spokes, Hookless, Hubs, and more!

Moderator: robbosmans

Forum rules
The spirit of this board is to compile and organize wheels and tires related discussions.

If a new wheel tech is released, (say for example, TPU tubes, a brand new tire, or a new rim standard), feel free to start the discussion in the popular "Road". Your topic will eventually be moved here!
UpFromOne
Posts: 1181
Joined: Wed Apr 08, 2009 5:23 am
Location: Olympic Nat'l Park, WA

by UpFromOne

WorkonSunday wrote:
Thu Mar 25, 2021 11:52 am
Any one know if the AX Ultra 55t is still in production? it's shown out of stock on Benobikes for a while. i emailed them but heard nothing back. Anyone ? :beerchug:
Beno's current line-up:
https://www.benobikes.com/en/bike-parts ... /roadbike/

Looks like Engage now makes the 45 and 62mm rims, not AX-L direct.

UpFromOne
Posts: 1181
Joined: Wed Apr 08, 2009 5:23 am
Location: Olympic Nat'l Park, WA

by UpFromOne

Another example of a finished pair using the Ultra rims and hub mods:
Attachments
Wheelset.NS.pair.scale.jpg

by Weenie


Visit starbike.com Online Retailer for HighEnd cycling components
Great Prices ✓    Broad Selection ✓    Worldwide Delivery ✓

www.starbike.com



Stillside
Posts: 42
Joined: Thu Sep 15, 2022 4:28 pm

by Stillside

UpFromOne wrote:
Sat Sep 03, 2022 11:58 pm
Another example of a finished pair using the Ultra rims and hub mods:
And I can say (as the owner of this amazing set) they are wonderful! UpFromOne does some excellent mod work. This set is a critical crowning piece on my 3950g build:
Attachments
SLZ_0680.jpg

UpFromOne
Posts: 1181
Joined: Wed Apr 08, 2009 5:23 am
Location: Olympic Nat'l Park, WA

by UpFromOne

Here's another rear disc wheel just completed, all of 415g.
Extralite SPD-3 hub w/ tirimic bearings, Pillar X-Lite spokes, with an AX-L Selection series rim (213g).
Attachments
AXL.SelectionDisc2.rear.scale.jpg

UpFromOne
Posts: 1181
Joined: Wed Apr 08, 2009 5:23 am
Location: Olympic Nat'l Park, WA

by UpFromOne

Here's another Ultra 25T wheelset, rim brake this time, and another anodized pair of Extralite hubs (my crap photos don't do it justice).
Front 293g, rear 390g, for a 683g wheelset.
Rear spokes are bladed ti, with a stock hub.
Front spokes are carbon, on a modified hub.
Not for sale, these are my new personal wheels.
Attachments
AXL.UltraRim3.front.scale.jpg
AXL.UltraRim3.front.scale.jpg (52.17 KiB) Viewed 1754 times
AXL.UltraRim3.rear.scale.jpg
AXL.UltraRim3.rear.scale.jpg (56.4 KiB) Viewed 1754 times
Last edited by UpFromOne on Tue Dec 20, 2022 8:47 pm, edited 1 time in total.

User avatar
MrCurrieinahurry
Moderator
Posts: 4825
Joined: Wed Apr 22, 2020 3:01 pm
Location: London

by MrCurrieinahurry

Waaaaat that's crazy weight (also just seen you hit 1000 posts )
Do they ride ok?

Basso Diamante eps 12

Formerly known as Curryinahurry

exctasy
Posts: 154
Joined: Mon Nov 30, 2015 4:34 am

by exctasy

wow! how do they ride @upfromone?

UpFromOne
Posts: 1181
Joined: Wed Apr 08, 2009 5:23 am
Location: Olympic Nat'l Park, WA

by UpFromOne

It's snowing today where I am, so it might be a little while before a ride report.

I've been on several sub-700g wheels before, and there's nothing like the ease of pedalling.
Consider that riding uphill is really a continuing set of micro accelerations and declines.
It's really hard to ride perfectly constant. Thus the light weight comes into its own.
And just as stable as any wheel. I would admit giving up level-land aeroness with the shallow rim,
but then I don't spend a bunch of time leading the peloton.

UpFromOne
Posts: 1181
Joined: Wed Apr 08, 2009 5:23 am
Location: Olympic Nat'l Park, WA

by UpFromOne

Snowed in again in Olympic Natl Park this week.
So I decided to re-build the rear with carbon spokes instead of the ti.
The rear is now 380g, so this pair now sits at 673g. And I still have axle mods to do.
Weight-weenie-ism may no longer be what it used to, but personally I find this very satisfying.
Attachments
AXL.UltraRim3.rear.scale.jpg
AXL.UltraRim3.rear.scale.jpg (60.74 KiB) Viewed 1391 times
AXL.UltraRim3.hubs.jpg
AXL.UltraRim3.hubs.jpg (124.52 KiB) Viewed 1391 times

User avatar
Kayrehn
Posts: 1776
Joined: Thu Mar 24, 2011 6:06 pm

by Kayrehn

Awesome build! Hope the carbon spokes gives it longevity and stiffness!

Sent from my Pixel 6 using Tapatalk


UpFromOne
Posts: 1181
Joined: Wed Apr 08, 2009 5:23 am
Location: Olympic Nat'l Park, WA

by UpFromOne

I researched several suppliers before deciding on EIE.
These have an incredible tensile strength, build up with noticeably stiff progressions.
The drive side spokes won't budge a Park tension meter, and barely bend by hand.
But please note, only the AX rims have molded holes that were designed for high spoke tension.
The EIE spokes are rated to 430 kg/ft. Most wheels are built with a target of about 120.

UpFromOne
Posts: 1181
Joined: Wed Apr 08, 2009 5:23 am
Location: Olympic Nat'l Park, WA

by UpFromOne

Not leaving well enough alone, I disassembled the front and re-built it with new axle ends and carbon nipples. It's now at 289g.
So with the rear at 380g with a stock axle, I finally broke into the 660 range for a pair, and without compromising the spoke count.
Thank you AX-Lightness!
Attachments
AXL.UltraRim3.front.scale.jpg
AXL.UltraRim3.front.scale.jpg (49.44 KiB) Viewed 950 times
AXL.UltraRim3.rear.scale.jpg
AXL.UltraRim3.rear.scale.jpg (60.74 KiB) Viewed 950 times

User avatar
MrCurrieinahurry
Moderator
Posts: 4825
Joined: Wed Apr 22, 2020 3:01 pm
Location: London

by MrCurrieinahurry

Bloody heck

Basso Diamante eps 12

Formerly known as Curryinahurry

mrlobber
Posts: 1928
Joined: Sat Oct 23, 2010 9:36 am
Location: Where the permanent autumn is

by mrlobber

It is hard to imagine the wheel does not explode instantly at that weight, but this is totally AWESOME :beerchug:

Played with a thought of buying a set of Ultra 25Ts for a long time, but never really got around that even though at their price they now start to look more and more a bargain, compared to some of the disc wheel offerings :D
Minimum bike categories required in the stable:
Aero bike | GC bike | GC rim bike | Climbing bike | Climbing rim bike | Classics bike | Gravel bike | TT bike | Indoors bike

User avatar
Kayrehn
Posts: 1776
Joined: Thu Mar 24, 2011 6:06 pm

by Kayrehn

mrlobber wrote:It is hard to imagine the wheel does not explode instantly at that weight, but this is totally AWESOME :beerchug:

Played with a thought of buying a set of Ultra 25Ts for a long time, but never really got around that even though at their price they now start to look more and more a bargain, compared to some of the disc wheel offerings :D
My sentiments too! My dream is to buy a set and get it tuned by @UpFromOne, that'll be the ultimate ww wheelset!

Sent from my Pixel 6 using Tapatalk


by Weenie


Visit starbike.com Online Retailer for HighEnd cycling components
Great Prices ✓    Broad Selection ✓    Worldwide Delivery ✓

www.starbike.com



Post Reply