Shimano wheels: WH7700 vs. tandem "Sweet 16"?

Andy Coggan said:

Does anybody here know the exact differences between the original
Shimano Dura-Ace WH7700 clincher wheelset (ca. 2003 or so) and the
"Sweet 16" tandem wheelset that they developed in conjunction with
Santana?

http://www.precisiontandems.com/cat_pics/whshimano16.jpg

The latter is spaced at 160 mm, but other than that they appear to be
essentially the same?

I'll try this Q on some other lists as well...

Andy Coggan

Santana's website has some information:
http://santanatandem.com/Parts/Shimano07.html

I have a pair of the old WH7700's, and some good friends have a pair of
the Sweet-16 tandem wheels. The most obvious difference is the spoke
thickness, also, the disc-brake option and 160 mm spacing of the rear.
According to a Santana service update, Sweet-16 rim weight was reduced
on wheels built after Aug 2005. Santana claims stronger rims and axles,
fully-symmetrical flange placement and a stronger freehub mechanism, as
well as thicker spokes, compared to the WH7700.

Dave Lehnen

Dave Lehnen said:

Andy Coggan said:

Does anybody here know the exact differences between the original
Shimano Dura-Ace WH7700 clincher wheelset (ca. 2003 or so) and the
"Sweet 16" tandem wheelset that they developed in conjunction with
Santana?

http://www.precisiontandems.com/cat_pics/whshimano16.jpg

The latter is spaced at 160 mm, but other than that they appear to be
essentially the same?

I'll try this Q on some other lists as well...

Andy Coggan

Santana's website has some information:
http://santanatandem.com/Parts/Shimano07.html

I have a pair of the old WH7700's, and some good friends have a pair of
the Sweet-16 tandem wheels. The most obvious difference is the spoke
thickness, also, the disc-brake option and 160 mm spacing of the rear.
According to a Santana service update, Sweet-16 rim weight was reduced
on wheels built after Aug 2005. Santana claims stronger rims and axles,
fully-symmetrical flange placement and a stronger freehub mechanism, as
well as thicker spokes, compared to the WH7700.

Dave Lehnen

good info. as an owner of a pair of WH7700's, i'd have been very
surprised to learn the same rim, spokes, hub, etc. were on a tandem wheel.