ADA Wheels 

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Richard Groenendaal becomes Dutch National Champion and
Super Prestige Champion (1997-1998) riding ADA wheels
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•  ADA wheels are completely handmade from carbon/kevlar
•  Extremely light weight - as little as 955 grams per set
•  Each wheelset is custom built based on each individual rider's weight and riding style
• Tubular or clincher version
•  650C or 700C
•  Durable - built to last a lifetime
•  EMC = Easy Maintenance Concept
•  Can be assembled and disassembled by hand - no special tools needed
•  Easy to clean
•  Longer valve stems not required (due to special valve stem adapter)
•  Instant engagement - ADA hubs utilize a unique drive head and pawl system that
         requires no springs and engages instantly
• Axles are internally threaded to increase strength
• Available in either Campagnolo- or Shimano-compatible versions
• Available in two different rim seatbed profiles
• Wheel is balanced to extremely high tolerances
• A magnet (for cycle computers) is built into the rim
• Carbon/kevler sidewall offers good braking performance in all types of weather
• Braking surface is able to withstand extremely high temperatures (tested to 340 C.)
• Options
• Special coating of ADA-Philcoat on the axle and hub body
• 50-gram skewers
• 24-gram drive head: you can specify 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 or 6 pawls

Why should I consider custom-built wheels?
Which pros use ADA wheels?
Will these wheels make me faster?
How durable are ADA wheels? What if a spoke breaks or the wheel needs to be trued?
Do the durability and stiffness of ADA wheels result in a harsh ride?
What are the aerodynamic properties of ADA wheels?
Can I service the hubs myself?
Can I use my current drivetrain?
Can I specify tubular or clincher rims?
What other options are available?
What are the differences between kevlar and carbon braking surfaces?
Do I need special brake pads?
Can I mount a cyclo-computer magnet on the wheel?
How much do ADA wheels cost?
How long will it take before I get my wheels?
How can I get more information about ADA wheels?
 

Why should I consider custom-built wheels?

Custom wheels is an idea whose time has come. All pro riders, many elite amateurs and uncompromising fitness cyclists fully realize the benefits of a custom-built frame. But, many of these same cyclists settle for wheels built with standard off-the-shelf components, despite the evidence that a perfectly balanced, lightweight set of wheels is the single piece of equipment that can have the most stunning impact on your cycling performance.

 

So, whether you're a natural climber who dances up the steepest mountains with finesse, a powerful sprinter who surges ahead through brute force, or a balanced all-arounder who excels in all disciplines, you can benefit from a custom-built wheelset. If you can visualize the experience of riding a set of wheels whose design is based on your specific body weight and riding style, then you should consider ADAs. If you can imagine the quiet confidence that comes from riding a set of wheels that have the perfect combination of lightness and durability, then you should consider ADAs. And if you know that deep inside you'll never be truly satisfied until you've ridden the best, then you should consider investing in a set of custom-built ADA wheels.

We all know that many professional cyclists ride equipment from manufacturers that sponsor their teams or that pay them to use a particular product. It is different with ADA wheels, however. We don't pay anyone to ride our wheels. In fact, many cyclists in the peloton pay for their ADA wheels out of their own pockets. Our wheels are that good.

The list of pro riders who have used ADA products and services reads like a Who's Who of professional cycling and includes two World Champions, an Olympic Silver Medalist, and a Tour de France winner. Please refer to the Cyclists page for a complete roster.

Yes, but only if you train wisely and are absolutely determined to reach your full potential. Good equipment, especially a lightweight set of wheels, does make a big difference. Because ADA wheels are the strongest, most stable wheels in the world, a higher percentage of your power is transferred to the road than with conventional wheels, thereby allowing you to climb faster than you ever have before. And this same combination of stiffness and stability translates to confidence-inspiring control of your bike, even while descending at speeds greater than 100 kph.

However, even the best equipment in the world does not take the place of a burning desire to overcome all obstacles to fulfilling your dream. If you really want to find your limits, if you really want to see just what you're capable of achieving, then ADA wheels can help you reach your goals.

ADA wheels are designed to last a lifetime. If your wheels are used in the conditions for which they were built, it is highly unlikely that they will ever need any repair work. Their exceptional durability has been proven time and time again in the most severe professional racing environment.

We must all recognize, however, that ADA wheels are built for speed, and that accidents do occur in racing situations. If your wheel breaks in a crash and it is unrepairable, we will build a new wheel for you at half of the original price. In the unlikely event that a spoke breaks or the wheel goes out of true, it must be returned to us for repair.

This question is based a common misunderstanding of the role of wheels in contributing to ride quality. To dampen road shock, a wheel would have to flex in the vertical plane, and no wheel does this. Choice of tire and tire pressure will have a far greater impact on the perceived "harshness" or "comfort" of your wheels.

However, ADA wheels' lateral stiffness compared to traditional wheels is of real benefit to you. This lack of flex results in an extremely stable and precise-handling wheel that will bring you a new level of psychological "comfort" on high-speed, technical descents.

In tests with elite cyclists, ADA wheels were found to provide significant advantages in both aerodynamics and inertia.  Granted, disk-type wheels still provide, under ideal conditions, the best aerodynamics.  Compared to ADA wheels, disk wheels provide at best 5 watts more power at 50 kph; but, this small increase in power comes at the cost of high rotational inertia (heavy mass) and control problems.

ADA wheels are designed to achieve an ideal balance between low weight (100s of grams less than so-called ultra light climbing wheels), high strength, excellent aerodynamics, and complete control in all kinds of riding conditions.
 

We don't publish comparative data because there is no standard way of testing; therefore, reported results of aerodynamic testing should be taken with a grain of salt.  Instead of making a one-dimensional wheel whose impressive wind-tunnel data might look great on paper, we at ADA concentrate on making balanced wheels whose performance is impressive on the road, in real-world conditions.

For years we have been collecting performance data on our wheels in racing conditions by means of SRM cranks.  However, we don't collect these data simply to "market" our wheels; instead, we have used this data to improve the design of our wheels.

Absolutely. All our designs are based on the "Easy Maintenance Concept" (EMC). Pro riders and mechanics demand equipment that is simple and easily serviceable. In fact, the drive head in our hub is based on an elegantly simple design that allows the pawls to engage instantly, without any springs. As a result, the hub can be quickly assembled and disassembled completely by hand. Even the sealed, angular-contact bearing cartridges can be pushed out by hand for replacement.

Yes, you can specify rear hubs that are compatible with either Campagnolo or Shimano 9-speed cassette bodies. If you want more flexibility in your choice of drive trains, we also offer a Campagnolo-compatible hub with an extra Shimano hub body.

ADA wheels currently are available only for use with sew-ups, but we are working on a clincher version that should be available in November 1999.

· An ultra light 24-gram drive head.

· Titanium/aluminum wheel skewers.

· Carbon or kevlar braking surfaces.

A kevlar braking surface results in a lighter wheel that offers good braking performance in all types of weather and road conditions. Braking action with kevlar is very easy to modulate; it is not as "aggressive" as carbon and there is no "grab." Because kevlar dissipates heat better than carbon, it is better suited for high-speed descending.

A carbon braking surface results in extremely efficient braking performance that may even be "too good" unless you have a light touch on the brake levers. Carbon surfaces don't dissipate heat as well as kevlar, and are not as easy to keep clean.

If absolute stopping power is your top priority, then you should consider a carbon braking surface. On the other hand, if you prefer an all-around wheel that works well in all conditions, then we recommend that you choose a kevlar braking surface.

In principle you can use any brake-pad compound, but we strongly recommend that you use cork compound pads (e.g., Corima pads) to get the optimal combination of performance and pad longevity.

You don't need to do this; a small magnet is built into the rim of each wheel. This magnet, which is embedded opposite the valve stem, also serves as a wheel weight for balancing the wheel to an extremely high tolerance.

Cost is NLG 3000 per wheel. Please note that payment must be made in Netherlands Guilders. (To see the current exchange rate, look here.) For more ordering information, see How to Order ADA Wheels below.

Wheels are built in the order in which payments are received. It takes about a week to build each pair of wheels. Currently, there is a three-month turnaround from the time payment is received until your wheels are shipped.