Flash-Point Friday - A New Beginning

Here is my latest topic thread. My Flash-Point Friday will share space with Family & Friends Friday as I try to post more often on Fridays.

So why Flash-Point Friday? Obviously because of the F factor, but most importantly because I will be reviewing the set of FP60’s that I am fortunate to have in my possession courtesy of TriSaraTops. At the beginning of the year Sara was contacted by Flash-Point to write blog posts about training/racing on Flash-Point wheels. Even though she was completely up front about being pregnant and possibly not riding her bike the Flash-Point rep still mailed her the wheels. I was so jealous when she told me about it.

We must be on the same brain frequency because while talking on the phone she said I could use the wheels for the 2007 racing season. I was thinking how I could so rip it up on those wheels. I promised that I would write some posts that she could post on the Flash-Point site. She can write the “my journey to mommy land” posts and I would write the “these wheels are so awesome” posts. She would be the prophetic writer and I would be the technical writer. She’s a little bit country…..I’m a little bit rock ‘n roll. I guess if you teased her hair a little Sara could look like Marie Osmond.

I met Sara for lunch during her schools spring break and the hand-off was made. I gingerly took the wheels from her trunk and placed them delicately in my car. I couldn’t wait to get them on my bike. Unfortunately I had to get some supplies for these new wheels and this is where my first Flash-Point Friday begins.

Out of the package these wheels are a thing of beauty. The matt black carbon fiber is feather light. The deep 60mm rims just beg to slice through the air. The rear hub signs with the unmistakable click of a high quality hub. Included in the package were the skewers and valve extensions.

The valve extensions had the best set of instructions for use. I like the FP valve extenders with their 3mm hex head for tightening the valves in place. The instructions also had the all important recommendation of using white plumbers tape between the tube valve and the extension. This helps eliminate any leaks between the valve and extender. Amazing how much information a little piece of paper can hold.

I checked on the Flash-Point web site to get information on the hubs used for these wheels. While the “name” of the hubs was not provided some specifications were available. Most importantly there was information about the bearings used in the hubs, ABEC-5. Bearings are ranked on a scale from 1-5 with 5 being the highest. During my rollerblading days I was buying ABEC-5 bearings for my skate wheels so I knew the quality inside these hubs was top notch, and they do spin like greased lightening.

So to use these new wheels I needed some supplies, primarily tires and tubes. My stock of tubes was low and quality tires are needed for these quality wheels. But then I noticed that I would also need rim tape. I was a little surprised that there was no rim tape already on the wheels. Rim tape is such a basic necessity that I felt it was a bad oversight. If you are not familiar with the concept or application of rim tape be careful. The rim tape covers the openings for the spokes. Usually the holes are deep and have sharp edges. These two factors, when rim tape is not used, will lead to numerous flats. The rim tape is the only item missing from a perfect set of wheels.

Once I bought tires, tubes and rim tape I was ready to assemble the wheels. There is nothing like the kid in a candy store feeling when I came home and wanted to work on the wheels right away. Unfortunately I had other things to attend to so the wheels would need to wait until another day. I finished the wheel set by taking the cassette from my tri bike wheels and installing it on the FP60’s.

These wheels were looking hot. Each time I picked them up I was amazed at how light they were. I should get used to it. I did race IM USA with some Zipp 404’s. This season I will be able to take advantage of the FP60’s all summer. I’ll even put them on my road bike and test them in some road races.

Overall my impression of the FP60’s is great. The wheels are light, strong and great looking. I’ll let you know in the next FP Friday how they handle on the road……and will probably have a race to report as well.

Game On.