Friday, October 16, 2009

Mysterious R&D advice and the A23

We got this letter in the mail today:
It came in this envelope:


Who are you giver of invaluable research and development advice?! If anyone recognizes this mailer's handwriting, please contact matt@velocityusa.com so that I can properly thank this cycling enthusiast for taking the time to unlock the secrets of the industry to us. I've fast tracked this idea and am proud to announce the newest Velocity rim, the A23.
In reality, this project has been churning for months. At Interbike this September we presented the first bits of extrusion to our dealers and distributors. The idea behind a 23mm wide rim is that when paired with a 23c tire, the internal width of the rim clinches the tire beads just right so that the tire profile is very close to that of a tubular rim. All technojargon aside, it's pretty much a CLINCHULAR setup. You get all the benefits of a tubular tire (glassy smooth ride quality, lower rolling resistance) with the convenience of a clincher tire (ease of installation, easy to repair a flat, low cost). It should weigh in around 450 grams, we'll have them available as rims and wheelsets (cool new road hub coming soon) around the end of the year.

I'm not sure if this is what the anonymous writer is getting at, but I hope they're happy knowing that they were on to something great.


Have a great weekend!

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