The Golden Wrench

A blog about bicycle repair and maintenance by the mechanics at Freewheel Bike.

Friday, March 4, 2016

Notes from a Wrench: Magnets!!!!!

Our friends at Zipp have come out with a brand new spin (pun intended) on free-hub bodies. I know what you're thinking and no it't not one of those Fabian Cancellara motors. Zipp Wheels have come out with a rear hub body that uses magnets to eliminate drag. That's right magnets!!!!! And as the philosophers and poets of the Insane Clown Posse once said "Magnets how do they work", the Zipp Cognition rear hub is just as mystifying.

The hub works by "disengaging the ratchet mechanism when coasting" this reduces drag and make the wheel more efficient. And for only $3,800 a set it could be yours. I think the product is too new to really have a proper option on it's future in the bike industry, but I know if you don't like the hub you can always hang it up on your refrigerate with your kid's homework. But like Moonpies and the inter-web, I think this is going to be a game changer. Check out the hub online and tell us what you think.

And that's the way it spins
Email me at alex.modic@freewheelbike.com