Amy Thomas is a musician with a sense of wanderlust that can only be satisfied by rough roads, singletrack trails, and barely-ridden paths. To get wherever she wants, she swaps between 650b wheels with fat tires and carbon 700 wheels with flashy, pink highlights. Amy describes her devotion to off-the-beaten-path routes as “obsessive.”
We say that’s a good thing!
FAR-OUT FASCINATION
“I love to explore the less-travelled routes. I have my little gravel obsessions. I will spend an entire season devoted to exploring one area: Gifford Pinchot, Central Oregon, or my latest fascination: the Fifteenmile Creek area around Dufur.
“I’ll do anything to get out there.”
SUGAR WHEELS: PRETTY+ PERFORMANCE
“Cycling gives me the sensations of absolute freedom, flying, and fitness. I am a ‘woman of a certain age,’ and it is excellent to feel agile, gritty and strong.”
“I’m feeling faster and finer on my Sugar wheels. I call it ‘Pretty+Performance.’”
Sepie is an IT engineer in Portland, Oregon. When he’s not baking artisan pizza pies, you can find him (or at least try to find him) far out on the trails and backroads of Oregon and Washington — or riding with the OMTM Crew on logging roads in the middle of nowhere.
Sepie is a firm believer that the best wheelset you can get is multiple wheelsets.
ONE BIKE=TWO BIKES?
“These days, I prefer to do as much mixed terrain riding as possible. I have three, soon to be four, wheels made by Sugar. While I still have a dedicated road bike with 700x25c tires, I prefer the simplicity and versatility of my Breadwinner B-Road. I have two wheelsets for this bike that Sugar put together for me — a 650b and 700c, knobbies on one, slick all-road tires on the other. These hubs on each set of wheels have been noticeably better than what I was previously using, in particular the engagement on the gravel wheels for the B-Road. I love having two wheelsets for one bike because it’s an easy change that almost makes it like two bikes.
THE PERFECT PACE
“The thing I love about cycling is the ability to experience your surroundings from a different perspective. You can cover more ground than on foot and slow enough to appreciate the nature around you. While I really like riding with others, especially now, there’s a therapeutic element to riding solo that I really enjoy.”
MOST MEMORABLE RIDE RECENTLY?
“While I’ve ridden a fair amount out in The Dalles, I recently went out solo for only my second time. I had a chance to take the Japanese Hollow route in reverse and extend it into the trail system near NF-44, east of Mount Hood. It ended up being 70 miles with nearly 7,800 ft of climbing. This ride had rolling sections of pavement to bookend the route, well-maintained gravel roads, some firelanes and my favorite: single track!
An avid runner, Jodi Gee never loved cycling; she suffered through the cycling stages of triathlons, but “hated” it. But after a car accident required hip surgery, a nurse suggested she give cyclocross a try as part of the recovery process. From there, Jodi was hooked.
Though she is enduring a continual battle with thyroid cancer, she rides on.
CYCLING THROUGH THE CHALLENGES
“By the time I was diagnosed with cancer, I’d been struggling for years to find the cause of my major migraines, my fading energy and my neck pain. I was at my wits end, but I pushed on through work and play.
“As if that wasn’t enough, within 2 weeks of the diagnosis, I was also hit by a non-insured driver. The accident injured my hip, leaving me unable to run anything more than a mile. Sitting for longer than 5 minutes was so painful, I had to change my life immensely. Driving was worse than sitting. I kept trying to run and the pain was horrendous.
“After surgery for my hip, my nurse told me about cyclocross, and that brought back so much joy! Cycling has brought me through some pretty hard times including 3 major surgeries, and a continuing battle with thyroid cancer. My recovery is going so well that I’ll be able to run again soon. But the bike will always be my favorite, now!”
A NEW FREEDOM
“One of the things I love about cycling is the wind in my hair and on my face, even the rain. I love the freedom riding provides — especially with the stress of life. It takes me away from everything and I think sometimes it’s the only thing that makes my brain shut up. I love the exhaustion after a race and the challenges that cycling provides, as well as the pride in facing those challenges.
“My favorite type of riding is “suburban cyclocross.” What’s at the end of that dead end or behind those trees? I have to keep looking! I can’t stop myself. I remember Thanksgiving a couple of years ago, I rode some trails in my neck of the woods and realized that riding could be so much different and so much better than it ever was back when I did triathlons.”
A SWEETER RIDE WITH SUGAR
And through all of this, Jodi’s Sugar wheels are there for her.
“My Sugar wheels are the best upgrade ever. So sweet they add some sugar to my life. I used to spend a ton on flats and tires. But since I went tubeless, my budget is way cheaper.”
Loves to ride: in-town, road touring, and branching into gravel/bikepacking
Shimran does his best thinking and feeling on his bike. We can definitely relate.
He rides purpose-built machines, designed to react exactly the way he likes. Custom wheels make the ride even better. We’re honored to have been able to help him with wheels that feel just right.
WHAT DO I LOVE MOST ABOUT BIKING?
“The adventure and solidarity. Honestly, I don’t think there isn’t a time where I felt like my bike was not an adventure. Feeling the wind in your face, feeling the ground below you put you so in tune with the earth. There’s something spiritual about riding a bike and being able to think critically about how you can tackle challenges. Emotions are magnified tenfold. It’s a great time for reflection — and as humans I feel like being able to reflect and gain clarity are essential. Why not do it while pedaling for hours?
PERFECTLY UNIQUE
“I like to have purpose-built bikes, and I am pretty pleased that the bikes I own have very different riding characteristics. Building custom wheels with Sugar further augmented these characteristics.
“The first wheel build was for my singlespeed. I wanted a bike that was lightweight, simple to maintain, and worked wonders in the stop-and-go traffic of a city. By virtue of being a singlespeed and having 650c wheels, the bike was already nimbler than anything I had ridden before. But the Velocity A23/Phil Wood combo I built at Sugar transformed my riding experience! It was almost effortless to pedal, easy to control, and a huge weight difference. Despite being an old, unremarkable steel frame, it felt like an expensive track bike!
“I also built a second set of wheels for my Salsa Vaya, my primary get-out-of-town rig. I use this bike for touring, and the stock wheels work well for a wide variety of on-road, and gravely off-road conditions. However, I wanted to squeeze out better on-road performance without spending money on a new bike. Jude helped me choose a Hed Belgium/White Industries combo, allowing me to ride my touring bike more like a regular road bike. Plus, the hubs match my bike!”
MOST MEMORABLE RIDE: ACROSS AMERICA
“In the summer of 2011, I had the privilege to ride across the country from Providence, RI to Seattle, WA.
“I came to really appreciate every state I passed through and really felt like I got to meet wide swaths of America and people from different walks of life. I travelled roads that I would never have seen by car and visited towns that I never would have been to.
It’s true what they say: the best things are often off the beaten path. Being on a bike and riding through these quiet places, I felt like I was a member of a secret club, a local.
It’s a beautiful country, and even prettier on a bike. Seeing the Rockies and the Tetons for the first time, riding through some of the most pristine Earth imaginable on the Sioux reservations in South Dakota, looking up at the stars in a unpolluted—almost cinematic—night sky at the feet of Washington Pass: these images are etched into my memory forever.”
The days are getting longer and we’re all just ITCHING to get out there and ride more. Fantastic riding is right around the corner and we want to help you get ready.
We designed a selection of our favorite rim+hub combinations to ease you out of winter and get you stoked for the ride. We’ll tie them together with our favorite spokes – the Sapim CX Ray.
Here comes the sun doo-doo doo doo!
Dry singletrack, clean pavement and gravel adventures await. Whether we’re hopping out of bed for dawn patrol or leaving the office for our post-work social rides, we’re undeniably stoked to get back out on the bike.
We’re also excited to get you on a new set of handbuilt wheels, and right now we can make it happen faster than ever. Once March hits, our orders really start to pile up. Place your order now and take advantage of our fastest turnaround times.
Break away from the pack and place your orders before the longest days are here. We’ll get you on a beautiful set of custom handbuilt wheels just in time for the best of the best.
10-15% off Chris King Hubs through December 14, 2019
Chris King Precision Components is discontinuing the (obviously) beloved Matte Punch color to make way for two new colors: Violet and Bourbon. Get in on the bike bling while you still can – be one of the chosen few to own this iconic color! Chris King hubs can be rebuilt time and time again (we can do that for you) so you’ll be able to love these hubs for a very long time to come.
Dear Matte Punch,
Oh how we pined for you daily. Your vibrant hue, so similar to ours, it was love at first sight. Every time an order came in for your color, the entire shop lit up with joy.
We still get butterflies when we look at you.
It feels like we just met yesterday, but at the same time it feels like we have known you all our life. You make time meaningless, you make birds soar, the sun shine and stars twinkle. Your vibrancy as you roll by sparks love in the world.
We understand your reasons for having to go away, but still it makes us sad. We promise to honor our love for you by making friends with Bourbon and Violet. You will never be forgotten as we contiune rebuild all those old Chris King hubs that have been though endless miles. Our love for you burns for all eternity.
With all our heart, Sugar Wheel Works
SALE DETAILS
15% off all orders of complete wheels using Matte Punch, Violet or Bourbon hubs
10% off all orders of complete wheels using any other Chris King hub color
Orders must be placed by December 14 (the LAST CHANCE for Matte Punch)
We can source headsets and bottom brackets to match!
This offer does not apply if you bring in your own parts
Contact us today to get your order started.Even if you aren’t sure where to get started, we can talk through some options with you as together we bid a fond farewell to Matte Punch.
SHARE THE LOVE
Do you have matte punch hubs (or other components)? Share your love with the world! Post your pics to Instagram with #FarewellMattePunch
HELPFUL TIPS!
As this is a pre-order process, lead times may be slightly longer than usual. We will do our best, as always!
For those who already have CKPC hubs, it is important to fully overhaul them every two years or ‘as needed.
We offer Chris King hub service! Our turnaround is generally only about 3-7 days on hubsets.
If hubs starts to get really loud, the bearings feel rough to the touch, or they chronically come out of adjustment its time to get them overhauled.
Join us in honor of the Second Annual International Wear Your Sugar Day, a celebration of handbuilt wheels and insanely comfy t-shirts*.
On October 25, 2019 handbuilt wheel fans from all over the world will wear their Sugar Wheel Works t-shirts for an entire day. To participate, start your day by donning a Sugar Wheel Works t-shirt and go about your day in style.
Meet the New Shirts!
We recently launched a new line of Sugar Wheel Works t-shirts in crazy fun colors – just how we like it! If you don’t have one of our shirts or if it’s time for a freshie, we’ve got you covered. Place your order early so it arrives in time for Wear Your Sugar Day. Shirts are also available at the Sugar Wheel Works Shop in Portland.
Post to Instagram with #WearYourSugarDay and you could win our grand prize.
The person who posts the most entertaining picture of a Sugar Wheel Works t-shirt in action will win a fantastic prize pack.
If your Instagram is private, we won’t be able to see your post so be sure to also send us the pic directly through Instagram. By sending us a pic and/or posting with #WearYourSugarDay we will assume you are granting us access to share your pic. If you don’t want us to share it, please just let us know and we’re happy to comply.
It’s that time of year when the daylight is getting shorter and hassle-free lights are an essential part of your early morning commute, squeezed-in after work ride or weekend adventure.
Don’t let the shorter days hold you back from riding your bike. It’s time to Get Lit!
10% off Shimano and Shutter Precision dynamo front wheels or 15% off dynamo wheel sets
15% off Schmidt dynamo front wheels or 15% off dynamo wheel sets
15% off on certain lights
Here’s the best part: You don’t need to know anything about dynamo hubs to place an order. We’re here to talk you through the details and build the perfect wheel set so you never have to fuss with lights again.
To qualify for this promotion all parts must be purchased through Sugar Wheel Works. Complete wheels only.
