Zen Carbon Wheels Xiamen

[toxin]

There's like ten brands all buying rims from the same places

[contraptions]

https://www.speedercycling.com/25mm-Internal-Wide-Carbon-Asym-All-Road-Gravel-Hooked-Tubeless-Rims_p407.html

Per my previous message I'm as satisfied as I can be that these Speeder filament wound rims are top-notch and very durable at their standard weights. I've built a pair with Aerolites and a pair with carbon spokes and by far the easiest and most evenly tensioned result I've achieved.

[Sander2177]

There's like ten brands all buying rims from the same
 places

Peter from XMC Made a comment on a FB post said these rims are coming from his friends factory.
Might be good to find out the actual source factory  🤔

[Lotnik]

Peter from XMC Made a comment on a FB post said these rims are coming from his friends factory.
Might be good to find out the actual source factory  🤔

That's right. I received quotation for the exact same rim from Zen and from Xiamen Most Sport.

[contraptions]

I wonder if anyone other than Speeder/Adapt are filament winding.  None of the factory tour videos I've seen showing rim manufacture have featured filament winding.

[Sander2177]

I wonder if anyone other than Speeder/Adapt are filament winding.  None of the factory tour videos I've seen showing rim manufacture have featured filament winding.

I was told buy Zara at Zen these butterfly rims are handmade, seems a bit complex for handmade! b

[MALIBA]

Good morning,

Sorry for my question, but I have been following this topic with great enthusiasm and I would like to thank everyone who is contributing with new information almost every day.

This wheel rim with the butterfly effect (it looks a lot like the Lun wheels) — is it also offered by Zen? If so, is it just a type of final finish or do they have a unique list of models, sizes, and weights?

I’m looking to place an order with them for wheels and the crank arm.

Best regards,

[MALIBA]

A second question: do you know if they can apply a brand’s graphics on the rims? I saw the stickers with their own brand, but would it be possible to customize them?

I work at a bicycle factory here in Italy, and after buying and testing for myself, it wouldn’t be a bad idea to see if there would be interest here in purchasing their wheels on a slightly larger scale.

[Lotnik]

Wouldn't be easier to ask directly? Butterfly effect is just a type of finish. As an OEM they can put any logo you want for the additional price for sure.

[Sander2177]

A second question: do you know if they can apply a brand’s graphics on the rims? I saw the stickers with their own brand, but would it be possible to customize them?

I work at a bicycle factory here in Italy, and after buying and testing for myself, it wouldn’t be a bad idea to see if there would be interest here in purchasing their wheels on a slightly larger scale.

Yes
They offer Multiple Rim Finishes including the butterfly weave Zara has confirmed that this is the carbon layup she has confirmed the can also do custom logo/decals
They have a list of rim profiles and sizes with weights and different KG load limitations

[MALIBA]

Wouldn't be easier to ask directly? Butterfly effect is just a type of finish. As an OEM they can put any logo you want for the additional price for sure.

Yes, certainly! But since I had just finished reading all 11 pages of the topic and was excited about everything I read, I ended up asking the question here first (of course, I will contact them directly). 

[MALIBA]

Yes
They offer Multiple Rim Finishes including the butterfly weave Zara has confirmed that this is the carbon layup she has confirmed the can also do custom logo/decals
They have a list of rim profiles and sizes with weights and different KG load limitations

Thank you for the response! So I’ll use as reference the images that have already been shared here of the model, weights, widths, etc… this way I can start contacting Zara with something more concrete!

Thanks to everyone for the answers.

[contraptions]

Butterfly effect is just a type of finish.

Which wheels do you believe have a butterfly effect solely as a cosmetic layer?  I can't imagine how/why a munfacturer would choose such a hybrid lay-up but happy to be corrected.

If you look at (every) other wheel on this thread you'll see they're also filament wound but with a narrower tow and (obviously) a final constant-angle outer layer.  I have one set on of Speeders like this and another with butterfly.  And now a second set of Zen with butterfly.

[Lotnik]

Which wheels do you believe have a butterfly effect solely as a cosmetic layer?  I can't imagine how/why a munfacturer would choose such a hybrid lay-up but happy to be corrected.

If you look at (every) other wheel on this thread you'll see they're also filament wound but with a narrower tow and (obviously) a final constant-angle outer layer.  I have one set on of Speeders like this and another with butterfly.  And now a second set of Zen with butterfly.

Butterfly pattern is also made from the UD carbon fiber cloth, just layered differently in the form. It's the same with other fancy finnishes as "forged carbon", marble effect and others 'XX' Ks used for ascetics.

[contraptions]

Marbled/forged are just a random mess of fibres, but i don't see how you create a butterfly effect which is a very accurate radially aligned pattern. No two arced sections would be the same and joint would be super obvious. 

I have a trashed butterfly film and the outer surface is clearly following the same layup as the inner layers.  I'll take some photos at the w/e.