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EICMA show -
Milan, Italy, September 15-18, 2006
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Part 12 - September 15-18:
Green goblins from Ursus
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By Anthony Tan at EICMA in Milan, Italy
Despite all the bling going on around me at EICMA, the lime-green beams of light coming from the Ursus stand were hard to miss.
It hasn't always been like this, though. Due to contractual arrangements with larger manufacturers, a number of Ursus wheels have been cleverly disguised in the ProTour peloton, but a strict confidentiality agreement prevents company employees from disclosing information on which riders actually use them. Not even a clue; believe me, I tried!
However, Ursus are the official wheel supplier for Italian Continental team Amore & Vita-McDonald's in 2006 and 2007, so these hoops coming from Rosā in Vicenza, Italy, aren't completely discreet.
In 2007, the company's flagship product is the MG wheelset. Standing for magnesium, a company representative told Cyclingnews 96 percent of the MG wheel is comprised of the material many consider overly difficult to work with. Yet Ursus say that despite this, on average, magnesium is 30 percent lighter than aluminium alloy and 75 percent lighter than steel, and is also more rigid and resistant to fatigue.
Unlike aluminium, however, magnesium is prone to corrosion; Ursus has consequently treated the rims with a special ceramic surface treatment called DELTA8. Once that is done, each wheel is hand-built using light bladed spokes (Ursus believe for a wheel to withstand the daily grind of racing or training, the minimum requirement is 20/24 spokes front/rear respectively), and comes complete with titanium axled quick release skewers.
Weight is a claimed 1.290 grams per pair, and is also available in silver and red versions if lime green doesn't do it for you.
Photography
For a thumbnail gallery of these images, click here
Images by Anthony Tan/Cyclingnews.com
- The MG is Ursus' flagship wheelset in 2007, with the rim 96 percent magnesium and a claimed weight of 1.290 grams per pair.
- Hubs on the MG are constructed from ERGAL 7075 aluminium alloy and are CNC-machined.
- Both hubs and the cassette are constructed from ERGAL 7075 aluminium alloy.
- A 26mm rim height and bladed spokes make these wheels suitable for all kinds of road racing.
- Ursus' deep rim Miura carbon wheelsets, available in clincher (L) or tubular (R) format with a claimed weight of 1.720/1.620 grams per pair.
- The Miura front clincher weighs 730 grams.
- The quick release on the Miura is made from 6005 aluminium and features a titanium axle.
- The Miura's carbon-alloy hub is CNC-machined and uses SKF bearings.
