One-K wheels

[RDY]

Saw an ad here at WW.

In lightest most expensive format they're pretty light.

Choice between Erase and Non+ hubs high flange hubs for looped carbon spokes.

Odd that they haven't listed any rim specs beyond depth

Can someone explain what on earth those 'nipples' are though. They're enormous and almost look like they clip on. Presumably disastrous from an aero perspective ... they look like they'd create a lot of dirty air, and at the speed they'd be spinning, I assume additional drag would be huge.

https://www.one-k-wheels.com/en/RD-S/10 ... -DLC-48-48

[ONEKWheels]

Thanks for your interest in our wheels!

Yes, unfortunately about the rims there is a lack of information. We are working on a proper solution. With our costomized shop system it is not too easy...
But right now we are only offering the DUKE Baccara, as a standard or ultra version, 36 or 48 mm. Currently you can only find more about the rims on duke's website.
https://www.duke-racingwheels.com/duke- ... 2/?lang=en
Short: inner width 21 mm, outer width 27.6 mm. 2 mm spoke offset.

Regarding the nipples: Yes, they are clipped into little loops. They are a little bigger than conventional nipples. Priority was the lowest possible weight, areodynamics second. According to tests made by the German TOUR Magazin (issue Febuary 2023), the nipples do not cause a significant additional drag at 45 km/h. Our Wheelset with the 36 mm rim was tested with 222 W and the best was 217 W, but with a 50 mm rim. The only other wheel with also a 36 mm rim had 221 W.

[maxima]

Any chance you have data for the 48mm rim profile? Also the specification of both Hubs you offered? BTW, good to knows how reliable are the spokes compare to a LIghtweight of CADEX carbon spoke wheelset? It seems you are using a material that is extremely strong and flexible??

Thanks for your interest in our wheels!

Yes, unfortunately about the rims there is a lack of information. We are working on a proper solution. With our costomized shop system it is not too easy...
But right now we are only offering the DUKE Baccara, as a standard or ultra version, 36 or 48 mm. Currently you can only find more about the rims on duke's website.
https://www.duke-racingwheels.com/duke- ... 2/?lang=en
Short: inner width 21 mm, outer width 27.6 mm. 2 mm spoke offset.

Regarding the nipples: Yes, they are clipped into little loops. They are a little bigger than conventional nipples. Priority was the lowest possible weight, areodynamics second. According to tests made by the German TOUR Magazin (issue Febuary 2023), the nipples do not cause a significant additional drag at 45 km/h. Our Wheelset with the 36 mm rim was tested with 222 W and the best was 217 W, but with a 50 mm rim. The only other wheel with also a 36 mm rim had 221 W.

[ONEKWheels]

Hey maxima, sorry, we do not have more information on the rim profile as offered on DUKE's website. Is there any specific info you want to know I can measure?

The Erase hubs are not available right now, so I skip these. The NON+ hubs have the very same freehub system they use on they E-bike aproved MTB-hub. It has a kind of conical ratched system with 45 engagement points. Because of the sophisticated shape NON+ can machine the feeewheel out of aluminum. That leads to a very low weight. It is aprrox. 155 g rear with XDR; HG and Campa a little more. Front hub is about 85 g.
The finish is sand blasted matte, black only. The hub with standard straight pull steel spokes is used by another american brand, so NON+ does not sell the road version themselve.
Anything else you want to know about the hubs?

Our spokes are made of a fibre also used in bullet proof applications, very similar to Aramide/Kevlar, but stiffer. The spoke-stiffness is the very same as a Sapim CX-Ray, so is the strenght. But of course with the Duke Ultra rims it can't be as stiff and long lasting as with a more heavy rim. But we offer the standard Duke Rims as well.
I can't compare to cadex or leightweight, because I have not tested them on the test stand. They have 300 g more, if they do not last as long as our system, at least, they would have made a bad job. I doubt that Also pretty wheels with some advantages and disadvantages.

[RDY]

Why not just use LightBicycle rims? It would bring the cost down for you and the consumer, and you'd have way more rim options to choose from. Duke's range is either straight up LB rebadges or LB SKUs with minuscule changes, for brand snobs who will buy 'French' but not Chinese, despite the fact that the former is the latter but with a different decal at 2-3x the price.

Realistically I don't think you'll see much in the way of sales though until you do something about the nipples - in the real world I suspect they're much more draggy than that Tour test may have suggested, and they look like an afterthought.

But I'd definitely like to see more non-carbon composite spokes (or weaves incorporated with carbon) on the market, of which your first products are one. They can significantly mitigate both the harshness of the ride and undesirable failure modes of carbon (only) spokes.

[ONEKWheels]

As far as I know LightBicycle does not have a 36 mm with 21 mm inner with rim under 300 g, as Duke does. And one advantage with duke is, that we can order a small batch of rims and get them in a couple of days. That's not so easy with direct order in China. But yes, in the future, when the numbers increase, a direct order at a manufacurer makes sense.
The nipples - as they are - are the most lightweight version possible. That was our first goal. As I said aerodynamics was not a top priority, but should not be too worse. I think we achived that goal. We also have triathlon athletes testing the 48 mm version, they do not feel any additional drag compared to classical spokes and nipples. Maybe there is one, but beyond recognition.
For sure we will not stop improving the spokes in the future. To make the nipples smaler is top priority, because it will further decrease the weight. Less aerodynamical drag could be a consequence I will take with pleasure.

[MarcelW]

Nice to read some extra info about the wheels and the brand!
The nipples sure do look remarkable. Personally, I think they look cool and add some character to the wheels.
Question: Are these wheels true able like more traditional steel spoke wheels?

[ONEKWheels]

Yes, these nipples are hold by a screw. This screw has a rounded head to use the same bed in the rim as conventional nipples for steel spoke. This is the reason why we do not need a special rim. The rim ist quite the same as for conventional spokes. With a torx 15 tool you can turn the screw and adjust the tension and true the wheel as you are used to.

[freepk]

Duke rims my favorite, use it many years )

ONE-K wheels with 36C Ultra on order, long term test soon )

@ONEKWheels, thanks for innovation and passion, did you plan make wheels for MTB?

[ONEKWheels]

Yes, we are planning to make wheels for MTB, too. But I think it will not be ready before 2025.

[freepk]

Hi, today i make my first ride with One-K wheels.
This wheels make strange sound then riding, is this ok? Noone other my wheels does not make this strange sound, i think sound goes from spokes friction. Actually i dont like this sound (9

[ONEKWheels]

Oh, we are very sorry to hear your troubles.
Of course the wheels should not make that sound. A little tweak can occure at special loads, but nothing else a conventional steel spoke can do, too.
Please write us an email to "info(at)one-k-wheels.com" and we will solve the problem. Please write us wich model you have and where you bought it. If at hand the serial numbers would be nice. You can find them in the small booklet you schould have received with the wheels (6 digit numbers, each for front and rear).
Again, sorry for the inconvenience!

[freepk]

@ONEKWheels, sorry for sad news, but today i exam my wheels and find this:
Im 100% sure there are no chain drops outside cassette.

[ONEKWheels]

Very strange, contact with the chain would be my solid guess.
But anyhow, I saw you wrote us an email, so we will arrange the repair and the examination of your noise via email.

[freepk]

@ONEKWheels, yes, i know it looks very similar to chain damage after chain drop, but i rode with this wheels just once and i do not recover chain after chain drop by my hands, maybe it goes in and out somehow, i dont know

I'm already swaped wheels and do not plan experiment any more with this technology primary because of strange sound from spokes(i like silence)