Submitted by
MeaCulpa
a Cross Country Rider
from Finland
Date Reviewed: October 6, 2011
Strengths: Good rim for cheap money. Riden these for 2 years, even some harder rides, with no problems. Really good value for the money. Bike, Fully. Rider, 70 kg. Very good looks too, and a nice finish. Less problems with these hubs then my friends have had with hubs that cost 4 times so much as the wheelset!
Submitted by
boomer88
a Weekend Warrior
from Elma, Washington, U.S.A.
Date Reviewed: April 19, 2011
Strengths: they work good enough to get you to a bike shop to buy better wheels
Weaknesses: this rim folded on a ride i was on at about 40 mph resulting in a shattered wrist which will need to have at least one surgery and screws and plates installed in me for the duration of my life.
Bottom Line:
Change these immediately if you get these stock on the jamis dakota 09'. Do not purchase these because you might die.It is only an upgrade from the first wheel man ever invented. Always wear a helmet, it saved my life when the wheel failed me. if i could give these a negative rating I would.
Submitted by
Nitrometal
a Cross Country Rider
from Lanham, MD, USA
Date Reviewed: April 25, 2010
Strengths: They're not bad looking. no catastrophic failures yet and they've taken some abuse (over a short amount of time)
Weaknesses: not holding true too well. front is somehow way out of true and it's only been 3 rides. rear gets smacked around but is hanging in there
Bottom Line:
Having read the rest of these reviews I see i'm not alone with my experience in these rims. they really aren't too strong. i haven't folded them, which i'm very thankful for since thats pretty much the end of your ride (and potentially your face), but as stated above the front is VERY unhappy after less than 50 trail miles. i had Mavic X223's on my previous bike and i hammered the piss out of them for roughly 6 years before they really came out of true. this is no exageration. Mavic makes a dynomite rim! these DP17's...i'm pretty sure they'll be looking more like a bow-tie than a hoop by the end of this season. 2-chilies value for coming on my bike. 2-over-all because they're hinting to a failure before actually failing...eventhough i know the failure is looming.
Bike Setup: EWR frame, SRAM X7-X9 drive, Avid Juicy 3 Brakes, Rock Shox Recon fork
Overall Rating:
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Submitted by
stoviber
a Weekend Warrior
from Falkirk
Date Reviewed: March 1, 2010
Strengths: The rim is almost a perfect circle when you first purchase it
Weaknesses: They're not too tough
Bottom Line:
I was out in the snow at the weekend with a mate and lost control coming down a trail with around 2 inches of snow, jack-knifed into the mud and wheel folded, wheel is now ruined. Replacing with a decent mavic rim / shimano hub. I know bike is not the most expensive Specialized money can buy but I can buy a much better mavic rim for £25.
I'd understand it if it had bent under more force but it really was an insignificant amount of pressure, and I wouldn't say I was doing anything mad.
As a commuter wheel it's sufficient, anything else - upgrade to something decent.
Bike Setup: Specialized Rockhopper SL 2010 purchased about 4 months back
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Submitted by
davidf6464
a Cross Country Rider
from Sydney, Aust
Date Reviewed: January 14, 2010
Strengths: Struggling to find any. Stickers look nice & cheap.
Weaknesses: Flimsy and fairly heavy.
Bottom Line:
From day one, I have had no confidence riding down hill at speed. I basically only ride fire trails and a bit of single track, but nothing too heavy or technical, but this rim seems to flex all over the place. I suppose I got what I paid for, but never again.
Similar Products Used: WTB speed disc. Can't recall others.
Bike Setup: GT i-drive 5 2.0 2006, mostly OE ,ie, Tuvativ Stylo cranks, Shimano XT gears, Majura Julie brakes, Fox Vanilla R forks, although have put on Fox RP2 rear shock.
Overall Rating:
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Submitted by
Wirelas
a Weekend Warrior
from Copenhagen, Denmark
Date Reviewed: September 14, 2009
Strengths: Looks good
Weaknesses: Bent on first trip on my brand new bike!!!
Bottom Line:
They are probably ok if you ride it on the road but I thought I bought a mountain bike and apparently these rims are for trekking.
Bike Setup: Brand new Ghost SE 7000 Midseason (1500$)
Overall Rating:
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Submitted by
Mr.Treeve
a Cross Country Rider
from UK
Date Reviewed: August 19, 2009
Strengths: Harder than fudge but not as tasty...
Weaknesses: Stainless eyelet has pulled through rim, and I only use it to ride to work!
Bottom Line:
I use my Rockhopper for commuting to work, never taken it offroad.
after 3 months of light use (3 days per week commuting, 15miles per day, on road, I'm 200lbs +kit bag), the spokes started popping every week (replaced broken spoke as soon as I got home). After 5 went I had full spoke re-build with DT Swiss by LBS, in comparison the Specialized supplied spokes appeared to be made from soft poo, not drawn out butted stainless steel like DT's finest wires.
Now after 6 months of regular every day commuting (4-5days a week now and I off road with my full suss at weekends), the spokes are fine but a nipple has pulled through the Alex rim (thought I'd noticed a bit of a whip in the backend). The whip was consistent with a snapped spoke (experienced previously) but all were tensioned evenly, it was on this inspection that I noticed the bulging rim under the brand sticker.
Proper DISAPPOINTING.
How long would it have lasted if I used it off-road?
Should've bought a 3speed sturmy archer...
Strengths: A bit stronger than fudge, but not as tasty...
Weaknesses: Hard to tell as the whole Specialized hub, spoke build, Alex rim package is disgustingly rubbish!
Bottom Line:
I use my Rockhopper for commuting to work, never taken it offroad.
after 3 months of light use (3 days per week commuting, 15miles per day, on road, I'm 200lbs +kit bag), the spokes started popping every week (replaced broken spoke as soon as I got home). After 5 went I had full spoke re-build with DT Swiss by LBS, in comparison the Specialized supplied spokes appeared to be made from soft poo, not drawn out butted stainless steel like DT's finest wires.
Now after 6 months of regular every day commuting (4-5days a week now and I off road with my full suss at weekends), the spokes are fine but a nipple has pulled through the Alex rim (thought I'd noticed a bit of a whip in the backend). The whip was consistent with a snapped spoke (experienced previously) but all were tensioned evenly, it was on this inspection that I noticed the bulging rim under the brand sticker.
Proper DISAPPOINTING.
How long would it have lasted if I used it off-road?
Should've bought a sturmy archer...
Similar Products Used: Mavic X117 on Spesh Stout hubs, Hope3/DT Swiss 4.2D/SP DT Swiss spokes,
Bike Setup: Bog standard Specialized Rockhopper Comp Disc (these wheels)
2004 Enduro, other wheels
Overall Rating:
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Submitted by
Robotdancer
a Cross Country Rider
from Yorkshire, UK
Date Reviewed: July 30, 2009
Strengths: Cheap cheerfull, plenty strong enough and they roll!
Weaknesses: weight, not the most cutting edge kit
Bottom Line:
As previously stated, can't see why some people have a downer on this product. It's a good solid (and good looking) smart money product. I've run these on my XC hardtail on the Yorkshire dales and VTT runs in the alps with no problems. Of course if you downhill them or start using them in the terrain park you're gonna come unstuck... but hey if you're dumb enough to do that you probably won't read this... So in short: Smart, simple, well enough made, not the most cutting edge but good value.
Bike Setup: GT Hardtail, Rockshox Tora forks, Easton EC 90 Monkeylite bars, Shimano Deore XT running, Tektro Disc Brakes.
Overall Rating:
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Submitted by
Jimmy J.
a Cross Country Rider
from San Bernardino , CA
Date Reviewed: June 9, 2009
Strengths: strong enough, more than the X117 mavics
Weaknesses: really none after a year...
Bottom Line:
don´t know why some complain about this rims,I´d really do some aggresive all mountain ride & still round & stiff, made some downhill in rocky tracks & no problem!
Bike Setup: rims came stock with shimano deore disc hubs
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Submitted by
Travis1234
a Weekend Warrior
from barre,VT,USA
Date Reviewed: March 26, 2009
Strengths: it rolls...
Weaknesses: super WEAK!!!even curbs and everyday trail riding will bend these things
Bottom Line:
DONT BUY THESE RIMS....they are way to weak for anything unless you just ride the roads or some flat trails....Im going to some Azonic Outlaws because i put a beating on these rims and they dont hold up at ALLL!!
Submitted by
ryan dent
a Weekend Warrior
from united kingdom
Date Reviewed: September 1, 2008
Strengths: it is round and kind of rolls
Weaknesses: everything!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!weak build crap quality and extreemlet hevey
Bottom Line:
rubbish these are the worst rims on earth even the crap steel rims you get on £80 pooh heaps are better.first time out on them i rolled over a grain of sand and it bent.this is no more than a ride to school wheelto heavey and crapif you got them on you brand new bike your first upgrade should be to buy mavics with hope hubs and bin the alexis rims anyone with a intrest in any form of biking should AVOID!!!!!these rims are only for road use and will not even take a bump up a curb.
Bike Setup: gt aggressor xc2 with full deore kit and rock shock reconfull upgraded breaks set up and gt finnishing kit
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Submitted by
d283
a Cross Country Rider
from Lviv, Ukraine
Date Reviewed: August 27, 2008
Strengths: Good looking, stylish, lightweight
Weaknesses: Weak, too gentle for gravel
Bottom Line:
Rims go in standard set with a bike. I used them almost 6 months and I'm quite dissatisfied. These rims are good for leisure riding, but they are too bad for aggressive ride on rough terrains.
