To start off our recap of the Philly Bike Expo, we caught up with Cindy Parlin of Hawk Racing, known for their high quality and highly efficient steel bearing bottom brackets and pulley wheels. The highlight of their show was was the wheelsets they had on hand, including the new Spartan and Olympus lines.
Hawk Racing has three main wheelsets, the Zeus, Spartan, and Olympus. The Zeus line is the carbon road wheel, Spartan is the alloy cyclocross and gravel wheelset, and Olympus is the alloy mountain bike wheelset.
The Zeus line is their full carbon wheelsets for the road. They come in 30 (Zeus 3), 50 (Zeus 5), and 80mm (Zeus 8), rim or disc brake, quick release or thru-axle (disc only), and you can get them with either Sapim Race spokes for a more durable build or CX-Ray for a lighter build. Rim brake wheels get 20 spokes front, 24 rear, while disc see 24 front and rear. External width is 25.5mm with internal at 18mm, setting the max recommended tire width at 32mm. Claimed weights run from 1415g for the lightest Zeus 3 to heaviest Zeus 8 at 1916g, depending on the build. Pricing run $1849-1899 for the Zeus 3 and 5 and $2000-2050 for the Zeus 8.
The Spartan wheels were specifically designed for cyclocross. Parlin explained that they didn’t want to just slap a road rim on a mountain bike hub and call it a cross wheelset. During development, a lot of thought went into creating a balanced wheelset that was the right rim width for cyclocross tires and the right hub that wasn’t underbuilt, but also not overkill. It should also make a great wheel for gravel. The Spartan is available disc brake only and can be set up as quick-release or thru-axle. Like the Zeus line, you have the option to pick your spokes, with Sapim CX-Ray or Leader as your options, both in a 24 front and rear, two-cross pattern. Rim width is 25mm external, 20mm internal, and height is 25mm. They weigh in between 1536g and 1595g, depending on the build, and are priced at $750-800.
The Olympus is Hawk Racing’s alloy 29er mountain wheelset. It is available as thru-axle and disc brake only. They are laced up with Sapim Leader spokes, 28 front and rear, two crossed. The hoops are 30mm tall, with a 35mm external width and 30.2mm internal width, allowing you to run a recommended 1.9″-2.8″ tire. They weigh in at a claimed 1884g and pricing is set at $750.
Two things that all of these wheels have in common are that they all come tubeless ready from the factory and they include the brand’s top quality bearings in the brand’s hubs.
Hawk also has an alloy rim brake only road wheelset available, the Odyssey. These 25mm tall wheels are available in quick release only, built up with Sapim Race spokes with 20 front and 24 rear. They are not tubeless-ready though and have an internal width of 17.5mm. The claimed weight is 1560g. For smaller riders, or anyone looking for a lighter version, the Odyessy FL (Feather Light) is available at 1340g. Max weight for the FL is set at 250lbs for rider and gear. Price for either version is $599.
When it comes to bearings, Hawk Racing is all about steel. Part of the reason the company was originally founded by Sven Folmer was to find an alternative to expensive ceramic bearings, yet perform just as good, if not better. Folmer’s experience came from the aerospace industry, so he worked with different manufacturers of aerospace bearings to create a bearing that matched their specs, tolerances, and lubrication. Testing by Friction-Facts.com (before they were bought out by CeramicSpeed) showed Hawk Racing’s bearings to be the most efficient on the market at the time, and even beat out CeramicSpeed’s bearings.
Today, they offer bearings in three different levels, Standard, Full Stainless Steel, and Full Stainless Steel with CX Seals. Don’t read this as good, better, best though. They are all the same level of performance and quality, it is a matter of how you will be using them that determines what product is best for you.
For more casual riders, the Standard bearings will be great. They are made from aerospace steel and are great for drier climates.
For more competitive or high mileage riders, the Full Stainless Steel option is better. The aerospace-grade stainless steel holds up better to moisture, humidity, and salt. It is also a stronger steel and better able to cope with high wattage efforts and higher mileage.
For cyclocross, mountain bikers, gravel riders, or anyone that will be seeing a lot of harsh conditions and hard efforts, the Full Stainless Steel with CX Seals is going to be your choice. These bearings are made to handle the worst conditions. Along with the durability of the Full Stainless Steel bearings, the contact CX seals help keep the water out and the lubrication in. There is some drag created by the seals, but Parlin explained it is only about 0.0028 watts per pedal stroke.
Their bottom brackets are available in a wide range of standards to meet the needs of today’s bikes. Most, if not all, are available in all three levels of bearings.
Based in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, Scott joined Bike World News as the Cyclocross Editor in 2012 before taking over as Tech Editor in 2016. He has also worked as a photographer for various pro teams and shoot races along the east coast of the US, including the 2012 US MTB National Championships, 2013 UCI Cyclocross World Championships, and 2016 UCI Road World Championships. Scott has a passion for performance and technology, with 35 years of riding and mechanic experience. He also enjoys soccer, running, teaching group fitness classes, and is the founder of Lancaster Beard Company.
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