Thursday, 23 July 2015

Alto Velo: Better wheels through tighter tolerances

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As pro bike racers and engineers, Bobby Sweeting and Shawn Gravois have spent a lot of time thinking about race wheels, and how to make them better. Unlike many racers, however, Sweeting and Gravois decided to launch a wheel company and put some of these ideas into play. Alto Velo Wheels launched this year, with some big claims and some ridiculously tight tolerances.

Alto Velo CEO Sweeting says the company’s wheels are stiffer and more balanced than anything out there on the market. Further, he says its wheels will last much longer than other options because of the internal hub design and precise tolerances.

“Most people blame poor-performing wheels on bad bearings, rain, etc,†Sweeting said. “But 99 percent of the time it's because the tolerances simply aren't great, and it wears the bearing races down prematurely. We put a lot of time and effort into ensuring that that will never happen with Alto Velo.â€

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Aside from keeping out water and grit, Alto Velo’s machined-in labyrinth seal also makes for a super-quiet wheel.

“There is simply no drag,†Sweeting said. “We spent a year and a half working with a machine shop in the aerospace and medical industries to dial in our processes. We are currently holding a 50-millionth of a millimeter tolerance on all surfaces that touch the bearings. That's incredibly tight, and it means a super smooth and long-lasting product.â€

You can read more at BikeRadar.com



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