Bah, no powertap.

Chris, have you gotten a chance to put them on a speed concept yet? Thanks

Chris, have you gotten a chance to put them on a speed concept yet? Thanks

Any information on the weight/launch date/price of your "climber wheels?"

Canadian, If you want to test either a Quintana Roo cd0.1 or Lucero Lite, PM me. My girlfriend and I live in Las Vegas and would be more than happy to help out!

Chris,

Any estimate for Australia (e.g. Brisbane 4000). Looking at 60mm front and rear.

Thanks.

Check out the Tririg video review of the wheels. They are on a SC and look absolutely amazing one them!!

Free set of wheels for helping to answer a question, Chris?? ;)

Will the disc wheel be track compatible/convertible?

are you going to make tubular wheels?

Our FLO ceramic bearings are produced by a company called TPI (Technology Precision Innovation). The ball bearings are made using Silicone Nitride (Si3N4). Silicone Nitride offers a long list of improved physical properties that make the bearings ideal for high performance applications. As an example, silicone nitride bearings are used in the main engines of NASA's Space Shuttle. This means if you reach speeds high enough to launch yourself into outer space using FLO wheels with ceramic bearings, they still won't fail ;). Let's take a look at a list of the improved physical properties and a table comparing ceramic bearings and standard steel bearings.

• Improved Temperature range
• Lower Density
• Reduced Thermal Expansion
• Improved Hardness, Young’s Modulus, Poisson Ratio / Excellent Wear Resistance
• Lower Friction

Let's now detail the improved physical properties listed above and discuss why they make a better bearing.

High Temperature Range
Standard steel bearings see a reduction in their hardness when exposed to higher temperatures. Silicone nitride bearings are capable of handling much higher heat loads and do not see a reduction in hardness or life endurance when exposed to heat. For the most part the bearings of a bicycle wheel (steel or ceramic) will not experience temperatures high enough to effect the bearing. However, over time the improved temperature range of a ceramic bearing could provide an improvement.

Low Density
The density of ceramic bearings is less than one half that of a steel bearing. Knowing this, bearing manufacturers use ceramic balls with smaller diameters (shown below) which greatly reduces the influence of centrifugal force (ie. ball sliding and spinning caused by a gyratory moment). As a result, ceramic bearings show a reduction in temperature build up and an improvement when spinning at high speeds.



FLO EZO Bearing (left) w/ 10 Ball Bearings - FLO Ceramic Bearing (right) w/ 11 Smaller Ball Bearings


Thermal Expansion
The thermal expansion of silicone nitride is four times less than steel. As the ball bearings inside of a bearing heat up, they become larger which increases the overall bearing friction. Using a silicone nitride ball bearing reduces the amount of thermal expansion and as a result reduces the overal friction of the bearing.

Hardness, Young’s Modulus, Poisson Ratio / Excellent Wear Resistance
Silicone nitride bearings have improved hardness, Young's modulus and Poisson ratio. This improvement in physical properties improves the overall wear resistance and service life of the bearing.

Low Friction
All of the items listed above equal a reduction in overall bearing friction. Simply put, ceramic bearings rotate with less resistance than a standard steel bearing saving you watts and getting you to the finish line faster.

The Bottom Line
Ceramic bearings as a whole are a better quality bearing. They last longer and will help shave even more time off of your next race. Sounds like a pretty good reason to upgrade if you ask us.

Chris

The better question might be whether ceramic bearings are worth the cost. Are there numbers on reduced wattage (due to reduced friction) or expected lifespan? With the low price point, the bearing upgrade is 20+% of the cost of a wheel, is it worth it?

I don't have any specific values on reduced wattage or lifespan. I would consider ceramic bearings more of a luxury instead of a necessity.

Also, will disc covers be available for purchase for those considering a rear flo 60/90 + disc cover?

We will not be selling disc covers. Rich from wheelbuilder has my product specs and is sending me samples to determine if his cover will work.

Can't wait to see these wheels in person!

Thank you.

Take care,

Chris,

Will the Clydesdale version be part of the pre-order? What is the maximum weight of the regular 60 or 90 rear?

Yes, the clydesdale wheels will be part of the pre-order. The maximum recommended weight limits are 198lbs for standard builds and 242lbs for clydesdale builds.

Thanks,

You're welcome.

All the best,

Bill