Wheel Build - White Industries hub

A couple months ago, I noticed that my rim eyelets were cracking at several locations. The rim is a Salsa Delgado Cross 32h. This all happened as I was packing up our apartment for the move from Madison to Minneapolis, so the bum wheel is in storage until I can give it warranty attention back in Madison. We'll see how that goes.

In the meantime, I need a wheel with a non-cracked rim. I rounded up a new Delgado rim and chose 2.0 straight Wheelsmith spokes. The teaser photo here was of my hub choice. I decided on the White Industries hub for a few reasons.

First, its polished aluminum hubshell matches the overall evolving design of the Casseroll and the Schmidt Sondelux front hub.

Second, I like the High-Low hub flange design (55mm vs. 40.5mm). According to White Industries, "The hub shell design is a high/low flange which allows for a more even and better spoke tension with a hub spaced to 130mm." I'll buy that. Oh wait, I did buy that. My rim eyelet issue may have been enhanced by grossly uneven spoke tension. 


Third, the titanium freehub was a must-have. Also, 5 standard-sized bearings is a big deal. 


Fourth, people in Petaluma, CA make it. 




Here's a shot during the wheelbuild:

Gotta line up the valve hole with the hub logo.

It's lighter, its pawls are classy sounding, and it matches the look and feel of the Casseroll package. Stoked. 

Today's reason for Why I Ride a bike: My bike is my "car", and I invest in it accordingly.