More Than You Probably Ever Cared to Know about How Aluminum Bicycle Rims Are Made
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Well, as the saying goes, the large cat has transformed into a young sheep: As of last week, it seems that spring has finally arrived here in New York City after what has been a long and by all accounts brutal winter, and what better way to enjoy the mild weather than to go for a leisurely bicycle ride? In fact, I’ve already noticed more cyclists during my morning and afternoon commutes, and the forthcoming bikeshare will surely spur increased ridership over the next few months (so too has the long and imperious arm of the law seen fit to capitalize on the uptick… but that’s a story for another time).
With the advent of the new season, I’ve treated myself to a new set of wheels—I’ll spare you the details,1 but it so happens that my search led me to yet another slick manufacturer vid from alloy rim purveyors H Plus Son:
The industrial-footage-set-to-industrial-music approach is certainly in keeping with the brand’s appeal, but they’re also not ashamed to admit that they’re manufactured in China. And who’s to argue otherwise? The pricepoint is competitive and the product hasn’t failed me yet (which is why I’m looking to get a second set). That said, there’s no denying that the video is more style than substance. Thankfully, Science/Discovery Channel’s “How It’s Made” has it covered.2
If it seems that the folks at H Plus Son have omitted a few steps that are seen in the “How It’s Made” segment, such as a detail shots of the CNC finishing and anodization, it’s worth mentioning that I can see the joins on my Campy Eurus and Mavic Open Pros but they’re nowhere to be found on my H Plus Son deep V rims.3 The ‘edutainment’ short nicely summarizes the process and precision that go into a set of strong yet lightweight, perfectly trued wheels, though there is much debate as to whether pre-built wheels are inferior to hand-builts.
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