Equipment recommendation

Im building up a trick wheelset and i was set on sputniks but they have had some mixed reviews. is it worth spending the extra money for chukkers if i want the wheels to last and take abuse?

In short, nope, Chukkas would be marginally stronger and lighter, but the price difference makes Sputniks the logical choice.

Are chukkas lighter than sputniks? I find that hard to believe.

chukkas are crap, hassan has dented his 3 times. no dents in sputniks.

what are the 'mixed reviews' on sputniks?

I also heard reports of 'Taco'd' Chukkas (ala the infamous H+Son) from early batches in the states, but that may just be hearsay...

Anyone got suggestions for pedals? Just snapped one, have a replacement, but want to get something solid/long term? Plus straps?

By the way, I've got a chucka on the back and it's coped with almost 6 months of 16-17 stone of
me... Oh and other than my usual polo crashes Ive also had a run in with a taxi that decided to buzz me (broke his bumper) and a car that decided to ignore the asl (apparently I damaged his wheel arch with my back wheel)

I've tried both Chukkas and Sputniks... no real world difference.

Chukkas are listed as being slightly lighter 650g vs 690/745g (Sputniks are listed in different weights on different "official" sites).

Chukkas will be marginally stronger because of the shorter spoke length needed.

Sputniks have re-enforced rim holes and are much better value for money.

what are the 'mixed reviews' on sputniks?

???

Chukkas have huge side surfaces for the ball/mallets to strike, when I had deepVs they got fucked royally in no time, when I had sputniks they never got any damage at all, or bent. shallow section wide rims are the best.

The profile of the rim makes little difference in my opinion, deep Vs are thin rims, chukkas are more comparable (in width) to sputniks... (19mm Deep V, 24mm Chukka, 25mm Sputnik).

For what it's worth, I believe that Chukka's need less truing over time than Sputniks, just my experience though.

(I'd buy Sputniks if building some new wheels mind.)

I got some forumla's laced to spuniks 36h (4 cross) and I'm pretty disappointed in them... The rear completely buckled after one day, which wasn't even a heavy session on them! I then took them back to BLB to get trued again and then they just buckled again after some clean nose pivots... I thought they would hold up pretty well.. I guess it's time for some chuckers.

Thats in the fixed freestyle thread

^ Not convinced by that, Sputniks are a very strong rim... manufacturing defect or crap build if the rim buckled in a day.

Maybe do tricks on wheels designed for doing tricks then? maybe 20"?

that's just crazy talk gabes.

Maybe do tricks on wheels designed for doing tricks then? maybe 20"?

the only cool trick on a track bike is going fast

i'm trying to figure out if reducing trail also makes 'tucking under' of the front wheel more or less likely. i reckon probably so, as fear of this is what really prevents me turning faster as it always results in my launching off the bike and hurting my wrists.

If you're going to be pedantic the real value that's important is the mechanical-trail as opposed to the ground-trail. This is a line perpendicular to the headtube angle from the centre of the ground contact patch on the wheel.
This is an important distinction to make because as you turn you are turning the wheel and leaning the effective contact patch moves further forward around the front wheel, effectively lessening the trail. The effect you feel when the bike "Jack-knifes" is the trail being reduced to zero causing you to fall off. The remedy is less Rake (though this should usually be coupled with wider bars as the smaller-rake/larger-trail will mean you'll have to use more handlebar force.)

This isn't such a problem at high speed, as you will lean more and will turn the wheel less; but playing polo where you are making tight turns at relatively low speed (turning the handlebars more, with less lean) the trail is reduced to the point where jack-knifing can occur.

Bish bash bosh

Would longer stem work instead of wider bars?

If you're going to be pedantic the real value that's important is the mechanical-trail as opposed to the ground-trail. This is a line perpendicular to the headtube angle from the centre of the ground contact patch on the wheel.
This is an important distinction to make because as you turn you are turning the wheel and leaning the effective contact patch moves further forward around the front wheel, effectively lessening the trail. The effect you feel when the bike "Jack-knifes" is the trail being reduced to zero causing you to fall off. The remedy is less Rake (though this should usually be coupled with wider bars as the smaller-rake/larger-trail will mean you'll have to use more handlebar force.)

This isn't such a problem at high speed, as you will lean more and will turn the wheel less; but playing polo where you are making tight turns at relatively low speed (turning the handlebars more, with less lean) the trail is reduced to the point where jack-knifing can occur.

Bish bash bosh

interesting stuff - this is the first i've ever heard of mechanical-trail. it makes sense though. conventional bike design is more concerned with counter-turn and then leaning in i guess, but in polo you're very often actually 'steering' the bike with the bar at low speed. if the sport develops to the point where big manufacturers make frames/bikes, we'll never hear the end of polo-specific geometry...

any links to a more info about mechanical trail?

what are the 'mixed reviews' on sputniks?

I was in BLB earlier today and one of the guys behind the till overheard me talking about sputniks. He rudely interupted me to say point blank that they're shit! D*CK! I wasnt asking for a recommendation esp as it wasnt something Id purchased in there. He also said they are hard to lace up true...yet I had no probs lacing a 48h 4x the other night. Perhaps his knowledge was based on this Captain dudes experience with a 36h. Maybe, but for our polo needs I reckon you cant go wrong with a 48h sputnik on a decent hub.

what hub did you go for?

1. 14 bike co. (i aint shitting you, you know that's the shizzle)
   
2. Charge Plug - Strong, heavy, OTP, reliable, flexible options for set-up
   
3. Charge Scissor - Strong, heavy, reliable, flexible options for set-up, allows for larger tyres
   
4. On One Pompino - Strong, light, very flexible options for set-up including V brake bosses, allows for larger tyres, cheap, not gash.
   
5. Surly Steamroller - Strong, light, very flexible options for set-up, allows for larger tyres,
   
6. Archie Wilkinson - cheap, quick, light, very strong. Mine has taken a lot of abuse and it's fine
   
7. IRO mark V - Strong, light, very flexible options for set-up (40mm length dropouts, hangers under the top tube for brake cable), solid feeling frame.
   
8. Brooklyn Machine Works Gangsta - strong, great geo, not big enough tyre clearance, no rear brake mounts
   
9. Fuji track - cheap & strong
   
10. Cotic Roadrat - A cheap alternative to a semi-compact polo frame akin to the Bruiser/BB, loads of braking choices, gusseted, semi-aggressive geo, strength unknown and is relatively light?!
    
11. Fixie inc. -light but solid, tighter geometry, small turning circle and good balance, caliper brake drills, no v-brake thingys
    
    

** Forks.**

1. NS RNS - not too tall, not much rake
   
2. Onza Tuff Guy - 40cm axle to crown, 30mm rake, great geometry and £18.99.
   
3. Sunn 26" 5.99 off ebay. very short steerer 150-160mm i think.
   
4. Brooklyn Machine Works burly, not much rake, Expensive
   
   

** Cranks.**

1. Profile Race Cranks durable, beefy
   
2. Miche Youth cranks, lots of crank lengths available, annoying BCD, file the outer ring and use the 36t and you have polo cranks for ~£50
   
   

** Bars.**

1. Easton EA 30 - Cheap, light and relatively strong
   
2. Tioga R35 or R60
   
   

** Hubs.**

1. Goldtec available in 36 and 48, not the cheapest, but pretty damn bombproof. they look rather schexy too. goldtecs are awesome but the bolts are made of cheese and round off easy, replace with stainless 6mm!
   
2. Somax, relatively cheap but awesome hubs that can be custom ordered in 48 for £108 a pair.
   
3. 14 bike co trick hubs - 48h, upgraded goldtecs (and mine were cheaper), had 8 spokes pull out and no damage at all to the hub flange.
   
   

** Rims.**

1. Rigida Sputnik - strong, wide for big tyres, come in 48h and very cheap
   
2. Velocity B43 (48 hole) - no braking surface, but very strong, Hassan reckons it's one of the straightest rims he's ever built. Narrow enough for 25 (and under) c width tyres. Expensive.
   
3. Plain and simple deep Vs
   
4. Rigida DP18/DP22. Cheaper than Velocity..
   
5. Sun Rhyno Lite XL - 26", 32h or 36h, the strongest, but £40...* cheaper pinned version only £20 on CRC, multiple crashes and mine still run true. Wider even than Chukkas*
   
6. Velocity Chukkas - super wide rim, comes in 48, marginally lighter than Sputniks, deep-profile means a stronger polo wheel, some questionable build-quality on the first batches, but all seems sorted now.
   
   

** Tyres.**

1. Schwalbe Marathon Plus - strong,a bit expensive, go for price match ♡♡♡♡♡ (5 heart rating)
   
2. Vittoria Randonneur - cheap, pretty thick and come in large sizes, a very good front tyre, grippy and tough
   
3. Thin tires. I've actually been pretty happy with the Gatorskins. Lean and quick.
   
4. Schwalbe CX Comp - Grippy as fuck on the front
   
5. Schwalbe Marathon Dureme HS 410 okay I haven't actually used them but they are basically an upgrade on the Marathon Plus. 5/5 on grip, protection and durability, light for the size, and available in 26x2.0, 700x35 and 700x40
   
6. Vittoria Zaffiro Pro Road Tyres- grippy tyre, that works in all conditions outdoors. Not really suitable if you like to burn rubber. Nice strong side-wall which makes it a bit more suitable than the Conti Dura Skin range. Nice range of colours, too.
   
7. Panaracer RibMo - features the same ultra-resistant strip as Marathon Plus but has more grip and is a rounded tyre allowing for more speed in the corners... the tyre of choice for polo outside of Europe.
   
8. Tioga Skidrow - great tyre for 26ers. Nice and fat and really grippy in all weather especially on turns - Chain Reaction
   http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=22341
   http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=22341
   
9. Fyxation - really nice and grippy in dry, wide, 700, not so good in rain though but still better than thin tyres, bombproof
   
10. Schwalbe Big Apple - 26" fat and hard wearing, run super low pressure for extra grip on wet courts
    
    

Brakes.

1. DNA V Brake mount, big, expensive but lets you run a v brake!
   
2. TT Tektro quartz r725 brake. - great, doesn't work with sputnik as the brake isn't wide enough
   
3. Fixed wheel
   
4. ProblemSolvers cable doubler allows two brakes on one lever
   
5. Shadow Conspiracy Linear Brake Cable - coated cable for easy cutting and super slidyness
   
6. Oval Aero front brake - mounts on the fork backwards - meaning that the caliper won't get bent everytime the front wheel turns back on the frame. Expensive, a little fussy to set-up, but works very well. Not suitable for tyres over 25c width.
   
7. Odyssey M2 dual-cable lever. (Strong, easy to use, many lever styles, file your cable ends down to stack two in the lever without any fussing.)
   
   

Shoes.

1. Vans chukka mid. suede - solid flat, slight ankle protection, flexible,
   
   
   
   

** Alcohol.**

1. Kronenbourg 1664 (50cl can) - widely available, usually with offers on the price, price/taste/alcoholic content is good for the price.
   
2. Fireball as recommended by ROBBIE BOARDZ
   
3. Anything with a percentage higher than 5.5
   
4. 6 for 5 Carlsberg Export
   
5. Whiskey (good for polo olympics and cold weather)
   
6. A can of whatever you bought. Actually, I'll have another, if you got one.
   
7. Whisky, again. Good anytime anywhere.
   
   

** Flame.**

1. BIC - More durable than Clipper, better for opening bottles.
   
2. Lynx
   
3. Waterproof Matches
   
4. Dan's ice melting flamethrower
   
   
   

** Brooms.**

All have failed (try Ti?)
Ford 120 or 145 with sweeping attachment and plow (for winter)

Chukkas have huge side surfaces for the ball/mallets to strike, when I had deepVs they got fucked royally in no time, when I had sputniks they never got any damage at all, or bent. shallow section wide rims are the best.

That's interesting because my experience of box section vs v section is the opposite. I folded up 5 or 6 box section rims in less than a year, but since I have switched to v, I have fewer problems.

On the other hand, I ride narrow section (Velocity deep v), as opposed to wide section, so that may have something to do with it...

Are chukkas lighter than sputniks? I find that hard to believe.

This. When I picked up Chukkas they were so heavy. Sputniks feel normal. Odd.

I haven't had any problems with 3 Sputniks. I don't think Emmet's had any issues with the one I built him so far. Good rim, good price as far as polo is concerned.

No issues at all. I was initially delicate about it as I am with most new things. But I was soon throwing it about and found that is more than fine.

Sapim spokes are awesome too.

but bill, you were using shitty mavic open pros or something, designed for road riding, hardly gonna be tough are they, sputniks are triple box section, a fucks site strong than mavics.