New Build: Stan's NoTubes Crest 29 to DT Swiss 240s Mountain Wheels

When an email came in for a new Niner Air9 Carbon, I knew special wheels were needed.  This bike is going to a great home that already has a beautiful Independent Fabrication SSR that we built a while back.  That SSR is sporting some DT Swiss wheels we built (not pictured), and since the rider was so happy with them the natural choice was 240s hubs for this new build.

Actually, lets check out this IF SSR.  Custom paint all over, tons of little custom touches, Super Record:

Now you see where we were starting and why these wheels needed to be something nice.  The choice of a rear 240s hub is simple.  DT Swiss engagement and quality are well known, there's no debate there.  The front 240s hub is also a perfect match for the SID XX fork since it has a 15mm Maxle thru axle.

The wheels were built with DT Swiss Competition spokes laced 3x all the way around.  Competition spokes offer light weight and excellent durability and stiffness.  DT Swiss ProLoc black brass nipples were used to match the black theme and to provide a solid base to work from.

Rotors are Shimano IceTech XT, which in my opinion are setting a new standard.  I've never used a brake set that was so powerful and so functionally flawless.  They are a little heavier than some of their counterparts, but will more than make up for their weight with their unbelievable performance.

Cassette is also Shimano XT, an 11-36.  Wide range cassettes have opened the door to 2x10 drivetrains and Shimano has provided on that front.  With excellent shifting and a light action, XT shifting provides great feedback without too much effort placed on your thumbs.

The bare wheelset came in at 1,580g, about 30g lighter than I expected.  Always a welcome surprise!

Independent Fabrication Steel Crown Jewel w/ Campagnolo Chorus 10

Here is the beauty I've been gushing over.  Independent Fabrication Steel Crown Jewel with a matching steel fork, Campagnolo Chorus 10-speed, hand-built Record hubs to Mavic rims, Thomson seat post, and Tiffany-inspired teal main color with Lamborghini-inspired green panels.

This thing is just so classic....

I love jobs like this....

I'm happy to see anyone bring just about anything into the shop that we can work on.  No, I'm not going to start replacing spark plugs on the bikes that someone rigged up with an engine, but if the rider is the sole source of power we most likely want to work on it.

Sometimes though, we have bikes like this one come in.  The Crown Jewel is a staple of the Independent Fabrication line-up.  It's their history, it's the baseline of their stable.  This one in particular is made even better with Campy, hand-built wheels, and custom paint.  The main color is oh-so-close to the packaging Tiffany is known for.  The panels are painted a beautiful lime green.

There's something special about this one.  I get excited when it comes in the door, I get excited when it goes into the stand, and I get excited when I see it on the road.  This one has seen the road for plenty of miles over it's 12 year life.

Yes, this bike is 12 years old.

That's what you get when you make the investment upfront, a beautifully crafted steel bike, custom for you, that over a decade later will look as good as the day you bought it yet provide you with even more value every day.