Hi, I’m Ben Jackson.
I’m a Chicago-based triathlete, marathoner, recreational Uber-driver, and entrepreneur. I’m an obsessive optimizer and racing provides more than a bit of fuel for that fire.
About three months ago I became fed-up with the ever-increasing price and seldom-improving performance of the options on the market. It’s hard to optimize with a price-tag of $2,000+ per wheel! I had done a decent amount of prior wheel-building and had developed some extremely random connections with overseas parts manufacturers in the process. I started to wonder – “Why on earth can I buy all of the parts used by the major brands for a fraction of what they charge for an assembled wheel?” Ever have one of those moments where 3-4 million mental puzzle-pieces snap together so violently that you practically get whiplash?
That’s exactly how Dished Wheels was born.
Our vision is simple – to provide a full line of fast, reliable, and simple full-carbon race wheels at bargain basement pricing. I’m more of a “show, don’t tell” kind of guy, so I want to give you a few quick highlights about Dished:
- 13 different wheel models ranging from 40mm spoked – full disc designs
- 12 color choices
- Tubular and Clincher options
- Wide-toroidal rim profiles providing a maximum aerodynamic advantage
- Durable full-carbon designs with rider-weight limits around 300lbs
- DT-Swiss and Novatec hubs
- Sapim CX-Ray spoke setups
- Real-time ordering – no need to wait for monthly queues.
Most wheels are far too expensive for the aerodynamic advantages they claim to provide. Our wheels perform in line with the best at a fraction of the price. We have designed them to hit the sweet spot between aerodynamics, affordability, and customization. They are hand-built to our exacting specifications by our overseas manufacturer and shipped directly to you within 10 days of your order.
How can we do this? Great question.
Roughly 70% of the price of most big-name race wheels is attributable to three factors:
- Excessive research: There is a significant misunderstanding in the market as to the total aerodynamic advantage that wheels can provide, as well as the design factors that actually contribute to their aerodynamics. The majority of aerodynamics research done on modern wheels is done simply to justify the price-point and does not play a meaningful role in decreasing their total drag. Our wheel designs achieve the balance between “just right” and “excessive” by following industry standards without pushing expensive “features”.
- Inefficient marketing and distribution: The more people who sell your wheels, the less money that you make per sale. This is due primarily to the standard 60% wholesale pricing paid by distributors and the downward affect that cross distributor competition has on pricing. Because our wheels are only sold direct to consumers via our web-store we are able to avoid the impact of distribution markups.
- The “because we can” effect: As racers, we often spend outrageous amounts of money on things that we think that we need. After all, it’s all about the gear, right? The major manufacturers know this as well as we do and they charge accordingly. Could Zipp sell their super-9 for $600? Probably, but why the hell would they do that when people will buy it for $2300? It doesn’t have to be that way, and our prices make that point loud and clear.
I’m really, really excited about what Dished is becoming and I’m even more excited to see what it will become with your help. Whether you are a new triathlete looking for your first set of race wheels or a seasoned vet filling in the gaps in your arsenal check us out at www.dishedwheels.com. You’ll find our wheels, blog, and forums there – take a look and let us know what you think!
You can also follow us on Twitter and Facebook for updates, antics, and the occasional adorable puppy video.
Here’s to the start of a beautiful friendship!
- Ben
Ben Jackson
Founder and President
Dished Wheels, LLC
I’m a Chicago-based triathlete, marathoner, recreational Uber-driver, and entrepreneur. I’m an obsessive optimizer and racing provides more than a bit of fuel for that fire.
About three months ago I became fed-up with the ever-increasing price and seldom-improving performance of the options on the market. It’s hard to optimize with a price-tag of $2,000+ per wheel! I had done a decent amount of prior wheel-building and had developed some extremely random connections with overseas parts manufacturers in the process. I started to wonder – “Why on earth can I buy all of the parts used by the major brands for a fraction of what they charge for an assembled wheel?” Ever have one of those moments where 3-4 million mental puzzle-pieces snap together so violently that you practically get whiplash?
That’s exactly how Dished Wheels was born.
Our vision is simple – to provide a full line of fast, reliable, and simple full-carbon race wheels at bargain basement pricing. I’m more of a “show, don’t tell” kind of guy, so I want to give you a few quick highlights about Dished:
- 13 different wheel models ranging from 40mm spoked – full disc designs
- 12 color choices
- Tubular and Clincher options
- Wide-toroidal rim profiles providing a maximum aerodynamic advantage
- Durable full-carbon designs with rider-weight limits around 300lbs
- DT-Swiss and Novatec hubs
- Sapim CX-Ray spoke setups
- Real-time ordering – no need to wait for monthly queues.
Most wheels are far too expensive for the aerodynamic advantages they claim to provide. Our wheels perform in line with the best at a fraction of the price. We have designed them to hit the sweet spot between aerodynamics, affordability, and customization. They are hand-built to our exacting specifications by our overseas manufacturer and shipped directly to you within 10 days of your order.
How can we do this? Great question.
Roughly 70% of the price of most big-name race wheels is attributable to three factors:
- Excessive research: There is a significant misunderstanding in the market as to the total aerodynamic advantage that wheels can provide, as well as the design factors that actually contribute to their aerodynamics. The majority of aerodynamics research done on modern wheels is done simply to justify the price-point and does not play a meaningful role in decreasing their total drag. Our wheel designs achieve the balance between “just right” and “excessive” by following industry standards without pushing expensive “features”.
- Inefficient marketing and distribution: The more people who sell your wheels, the less money that you make per sale. This is due primarily to the standard 60% wholesale pricing paid by distributors and the downward affect that cross distributor competition has on pricing. Because our wheels are only sold direct to consumers via our web-store we are able to avoid the impact of distribution markups.
- The “because we can” effect: As racers, we often spend outrageous amounts of money on things that we think that we need. After all, it’s all about the gear, right? The major manufacturers know this as well as we do and they charge accordingly. Could Zipp sell their super-9 for $600? Probably, but why the hell would they do that when people will buy it for $2300? It doesn’t have to be that way, and our prices make that point loud and clear.
I’m really, really excited about what Dished is becoming and I’m even more excited to see what it will become with your help. Whether you are a new triathlete looking for your first set of race wheels or a seasoned vet filling in the gaps in your arsenal check us out at www.dishedwheels.com. You’ll find our wheels, blog, and forums there – take a look and let us know what you think!
You can also follow us on Twitter and Facebook for updates, antics, and the occasional adorable puppy video.
Here’s to the start of a beautiful friendship!
- Ben
Ben Jackson
Founder and President
Dished Wheels, LLC