Mike is applying all sorts of pressure to get the frames out. Let's make a long story short by just saying that a shipping company can have many links in the chain that don't care if someone put a box (even if it's a lot of really big boxes) in the wrong spot, and thus said box isn't where it's supposed to be, and thus it becomes a series of farcical things that in the end have caused us plenty of pressure. It's just boxes to them - boxes that don't have a story, boxes that don't have guys chomping at the bit to get, and build, and ride. And so today Mike applies that pressure right back. He's in GI Joe full ass kicker mode. *update - the eagle has landed. repeat: the eagle has landed. mike has the frames*
Our QC process is involved. We unwrap each frame and give it the general inspection. Does it look right? How's the paint? Logos correct? Then we get more specific. Each cable routing port gets stuck with these neat little cable deals we made, to make sure housing stops will fit. A bottom bracket gets installed. Cages get installed to ensure that the bosses are aligned and secure. A crown race is put on the fork, and the expander plug is put into the steerer tube to make sure it fits. A derailleur is screwed onto the hanger to make sure the threads are clean and to check alignment. A seat post collar is put on to check that. Front and rear wheels are installed to check the dropouts. Basically, we go as far as we can short of building the actual thing before we send it to you, so that your build goes smoothly. Then we pack the whole thing back up and get it to you.
Another pressure issue that keeps coming up is tire pressure. Specifically, what's the maximum tire pressure that you should use with RFSC wheels? The answer that we were given by our agent (on the manufactuer's behalf) is more than we recommend, both because we are conservative and because what the heck would you ever want to use that much tire pressure for? Here are the recommended maximums (in psi) from various popular brands of carbon clincher: Brand W - 100-125, Brand M - 138, Brand Z - 125, Brand R - 147, Brand D - 130, Brand E - N/A. Now look at your tire. What does it give for a pressure range? My particular favorite recommends a range of 115-145 psi. Have you ever ridden on a tire pumped up to 145? I once pumped a clincher all the way up to 120, and it was HORRIBLE. I hated it. The ride stunk, cornering stunk, everything stunk.
At 165 (plus 15 pounds of bike for a total of 180 "load") and using 23mm tires, I'll go up to about 110 max in the rear and 100 in the front. Usually I don't even go that high. The best presented study I've seen on the subject suggests that even at that, I'm pumping my tires up harder than optimally. So why anyone other than a track rider for whom road surfaces inch toward "perfect" and for whom cornering is more or less a complete non-factor would try to pump his tires up to 145, I just can't say.
For the structural health of your rims, we recommend a maximum tire pressure of 130 psi for a 23mm tire, and 120 for a 25mm. For the structural health of your enjoyment of riding your bike, we recommend quite a bit less than that.