Octto Components Toronto

www.octto.com



When I first met Dave of Octto Components I was still riding for the racing powerhouse Jet Fuel Coffee out of Toronto. The next season the team was riding his equipment. In 2010 Dave sent me a pair of clincher (regular tube and tire wheel) track wheels to try out and give a good thrashing too spite no longer riding for Jet Fuel Coffee. Although I am generally really good on wheels sprinters tend to give a pair of wheels a good run for their money. Just the nature of the training wears on a wheel set aside from frequent gear changes and wheel removal. These wheels saw the bulk of training and warm ups for the spring, summer and fall of 2010. At the end of the year I had no issues to complain about other than a puncture at the Bromont Velodrome (surprise, surprise) The threads on both the rear hub and both axles looked new still and aside from some standard issue wear marks on the hub Lock cones the only damage to report was a bent spoke from my chain whip slipping. I like how the rear hub uses a traditional threaded axle and proper track nuts. I know there are umpteen studies that say the alen bolts are just as strong but when I push down on the wrench I trust that 15mm nut to hold. When its your ass going 70 or so around a track you need to trust your equipment. I'm glad Dave went with proper track nuts. What I liked most about these wheels was the precision built into them. Even as an all rounder track wheel the use of high quality rims, DT Swiss spokes, spoke head washers to ensure a tight fit were all put to use by a builder who really knows what he is doing. Even now with well over 5000km on them the only thing that has worn out are the bearings. Incorporated into the hubs are bearing retainer rings witch I wish more people would start using. The beauty here is you can crank the end cones down as tight as you can and not crush the bearing at all. God knows how over tightened I set them, the bearings felt silky smooth.


Simple and tough.


Who knows how many wheel changes and pot holes Ive run this one thru.



Subtle, tough as nails and most importantly - reliable.

Before I left for Australia I was sent a pair of prototype carbon track wheels to test out. At first neither Dave or I were sure how well or long they would last as they were designed with mass start racing and pursuits in mind. Needless to say as soon as the tubular tires were mounted (high pressure, glue on type) I gave them a whirl on Burnaby's track before boxing them back up. They share the same hub as the clincher wheels only with less spokes. The rims are 50mm deep carbon fiber but have a narrower and deeper tire track that better locks the tire in place when glued. What I thought was dead smart was a deeper channel running down the middle of the rim to allow for the seam on some tubular tires to sit into and not cause a void between the glue and the tire. For spokes they use DT areo light spokes witch have a bladed profile. They aren't like other bladed spokes witch require you to slot the hub (witch is silly I think) These are more elliptical in shape, hold disgusting tension and are strong as hell. Like the other wheels they use spoke washers witch help building a long lasting tough wheel set. I wasn't sure what to expect of them but hammered out a full tilt effort from the top of the track anyways. I may have shut my eyes in the first turn anticipating an explosion but I exited with the complete opposite reaction. For how insanely light these wheels are I couldn't believe how stiff and true they rode. In Melbourne I did at least 75% of my riding and racing on these wheels. I didn't have any drama either. At 190 lbs going 65kph on a flat track like the one in Wangaratta I knew they were going to flex but it wasn't noticeable enough to worry. The very quick response to pedaling or turning is what I liked most about these wheels. Over my short time on the track I have had my chance to try alot of wheels out. One thing I notice quickly about wheels is how wind turbulence effects them. This was something I discussed with Dave extensively. These wheels hardly noticed the effects of riding in a bunch like you would if you were riding a pair of Zipp 808's or a Disc wheel. Anything with a tall profile is going to be pushed around by a side wind but I didn't feel it was that bad. If I was getting pushed around by the wind it only made me glad I wasn't using my Disc and Four Spoke.

At 24 spokes one would assume at some point there are going to fail. I gave them plenty chance. I had another riders wheel nut go into the front and it stayed true spite a bent spoke. I had a rock on the side of the track catch the edge witch punctured the tire and it still showed no sign of damage to the wheel. And even a week ago on Burnaby had a tubular go flat mid turn going full speed. I drifted the bike with the back wheel sliding and banging off all the un-even boards and it still turned out just fine. At the end of the day I have to say these wheels far ex ceded my own expectations so much that I don't want to give them back. These wheels alone have almost 2000km on them between tracks, rollers and riding two and from tracks on shit roads in Australia. Spin the axles and you wouldn't know it.



Rear wheel hub is the same, just less spokes. Still going strong!



Nice and light, quick a predictable something I like.



50mm of Rim, harder than a coffin nail.



These wheels are like jewels for the bike, that you could take into the mines with you!


One of the juniors on the Canadian Team, Kyle Buckosky used these wheels at the Pan Am Champs for Juniors in late spring. His thoughts were the same as mine. For how light they are they are super strong, predictable and fast.

Also from Octto I recived one of his road frames to use. For a sprinter I do alot of milage on the road. Between all the easy spins and A-R rides I do alot of my lactate and strengh work on the road bike, and when I can try to get to a local crit. I'll save that report for another date but will leave you with the fact that I haven't ever in my life ridden a road bike that is as comfortable, quick handeling, and as light (build up dependant) that doesn't go from one side of the road to the other when you stand up to sprint in top gear. In a market filled with bikes that come with warning stickers saying "dont clamp or sit here" on the tubes, this bike shows its just as light, and way tougher. More to come.