Lusted after by pros!
The Standard Tubular sets the bar so high for carbon racing wheels that it's hard to imagine any other manufacturer trying to dethrone this king of the peloton. Truly, if there is one item that all pros lust after, it's this wheelset. Pros know better than anyone else one simple truth: nothing beats a good pair of wheels. That's why many a pro in the last decade has dug deep into their own pockets to splurge for a pair of Lightweight's Standard Tubular wheelset (despite contractual obligations with other manufactures--hence, the un-decaled versions of these wheels so often seen in pro races). From Lance, who won the 2002 Tour de France on a pair, to Ullrich, Valverde, Cipolini, and Valverde, pros from around the globe have sought out a pair of the ultimate in cycling performance: the coveted Lightweight Standard.
Even though Lightweight makes the lightest production wheels available they are assuredly also the strongest and most durable. Lightweight accomplishes unparalleled strenght to weight ratio by
a) congruent rim and spoke angles
b) complete lack of mechanical joints and,
c) use of carbon/Kevlar spokes.
First, the rim angle of each Lightweight wheel is congruous with its spokes' angles. This means that forces applied against or away from the rim will be consistently applied against or away from the entire length of the hub, spoke, and outter rim. With no articulations where pressures or stresses can load, there are no areas on the wheel which are particularly vulnerable to failure.
Second, Lightweight wheels have no mechanical joints. In other words, the rims, spokes, and hubs of a Lightweight are, essentially, one piece. In a manner of speaking, it really makes no sense to speak of rims, spokes, or hubs with Lightweight wheels. The rim of a Lightweight just is an extension of the spoke, just like the hub is an extension of the spoke, and the rim an extension of the hub. In short, Lightweight wheels are essentially seamless, one-piece carbon/Kevlar structures. Hence, Lightweight wheels avoid the pitfalls of traditional spoke wheels; namely, where the spoke and flange join, and where the spoke and rim join. Because they lack mechanical joints--one of the weakest links in any mechanical system--Lightweight wheels are already that much stronger and as such, that much more durable than traditional spoke wheels.
Lastly, Lightweight's "spokes" are made from a carbon/Kevlar composite. These structures have phenomenal tensile strength and as such are virtually 100% resilient to the typical loads a wheel in motion undergoes. That is, they simply don't compress or stretch. A wheel in motion undergoes a number of stresses: one of which comes from the pulling load caused by centrifugal force, while another comes from the compressing load (weight being exerted by the rider). The degree to which a wheel can resist these forces means greater power--specifically, the wattage the rider is generating--is transfered to the road. Simply put, Lightweight wheels lose less of the power the rider generates making them--and by extension--the rider much more efficient: less power is lost in starting, sustaining, or increasing motion. For a less efficient, traditional spoke wheel, the same amount of energy would generate less power conversion towards momentum; essentially, that's a waste of the rider's precious and limited energy stores.
The Lightweight Standard is available in three configurations: 12 spoke, 16 spoke, or 20 spoke front wheels. Granted, for bigger riders, the 16 or even the 20 spoke versions will provided added strength and reduced flex for improved cornering, but even the 12 spoke Standard tests stiffer than any 32-spoke conventional wheel. For riders under 175 pounds we suggest the 12 spoke Standard; for riders up to 195 pounds, we suggest the 16 spoke version; and for riders up to 240 pounds, the 20 spoke version would be optimal.
Extremely light Samarian-Cobalt magnates are laminated into each rim. These .8 gram magnates in no way disturb the aerodynamics of the wheels. An individual microchip is also laminated into each wheel: this microchip is like the wheel's fingerprint so that the history, warranty issues, and other essential data can be stored for future reference.