November FAQs

What spoke count do you recommend? Why are your weight limits so low compared to other wheel companies?

Recommended spoke count is a funny topic.  Many companies use weight limits as a sort of "the wheels almost certainly won't explode on you if you weigh less than x pounds" kind of thing.  We believe that the story is much deeper and individualized than that.  The more durability you are looking for, the more spokes you should have.  The more you weigh, the more spokes you should have.  The more explosive a rider you are, the more spokes you should have.  Mike and I weigh about the same thing, but he's got a far bigger kick than I do, so where the 20/24 build on our alloys is fine for me and my hypnotically graceful style, his gnashings about are best supported by a few more spokes.  For a durable, all conditions, every ride training set, there's nothing wrong with 28/32 for any rider.  The fashion is to use the fewest spokes possible, but to do this successfully requires heavier rims and spokes that often result in a wheel that rides with all of the liveliness of a manhole cover.  Spokes are without a doubt the lightest way to add strength to a wheel.  I've sometimes joked that you could divide a wheel set's weight limit by the number of spokes, and the higher the result, the less likely I'd be to like those wheels, except that I believe it more and more all the time. 

Can I get your wheels with PowerTap?
You sure can. We hand build all our wheels right here in the U.S.A., so we can weave in your daily fix for you data junkies, no problem. Our FSW and RFSW rear wheels are 24-hole, so of course your PowerTap hub will have to match. Email us to set it up.

Is it worth it to upgrade to Chris King or White Industries hubs?

To make a short story long, read here.

Do you have a crash replacement policy?
Original owners of our wheels can take advantage of our crash replacement policy. Read about it here.

What factory do your frames come from? Who else's frames do they make?
We get this a lot. The heart of this question is usually "What kind of bike can I tell my friends this is if they've never heard of November?" And the heart of that question usually has something to do with reassuring yourself that - despite our wickedly low prices - you still don't feel like you got ripped off for buying something the rest of your local Sunday throwdown isn't riding yet. Look - if you want prestige, it'll cost you. And you can't get it here anyway - we don't sell it. Instead, we sell pure unadulterated utility. Going fast doesn't need to cost you a $2000 frameset or $2200 pair of wheels. If you're the kind of racer who needs to feel that kind of investment between your legs in order to believe you're doing everything you can to win, you probably won't be happy with a November. But if you're OK spending a fraction of the cash on a bike and saving the rest for entry fees, coaching and fancy microbrews, you might do well to look around here a bit. 

We can't actually tell you what other bikes come out of the factory in Taiwan our Novembers come from. But we can pledge that if you're on your way to the podium, our bikes won't hold you back. (We'll stop short of the claims that other brands make, suggesting that their bikes actually get you to the podium. We think it's arrogant and patently untrue, and it undervalues all the work you've done yourself.)

How are your bikes different from the naked carbon framesets I see on eBay? 
Nobody knows. Seriously - we have no idea who made those bikes you see on eBay, nor does anybody who buys them. Maybe they came from the same factory that Specialized or Pinarello or Cervelo or November came from. But maybe they didn't. I sure don't want to find out on turn 3 with 2 laps to go. Those framesets you see on eBay for $429 are a great price. But we're not convinced that makes them a great deal.

When will you have a TT frame? A MTB frame?
For the moment, we're just trying to provide the best road and cx bikes that we can.  Both TT and MTB are things we'd love to get into, but they would require shifting resource priority away from where we need them right now.  The good news is that we have outstanding wheels for every category. 

What if I want your bike(s) but can't order in November? 
The only way we can afford to sell at these prices is because we don't take and hold much inventory. Space costs money; risk costs money; even money costs money. We buy in large enough quantities to keep inventory available throughout the season, but we definitely err on the side of having too little than having extra.  Check the Wheelhouse page or HOT BUNS page for current availability. 

Can I get my frameset unfinished and paint it myself?

Not unless you want to buy a WHOLE lot of frames.

Is there a Pro Deal for your sponsored teams?
Dude, our whole business model is a Pro Deal - for everyone. 

Any other questions, ask away.