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Submitted by
bt
a Cross Country Rider
from mesa, azDate Reviewed: December 7, 2003
Strengths: speedmaster name - sounds cool?Weaknesses: very soft material. anything that brushes against the braking surface causes damage.Bottom Line: i commonly ride trails with lose rocks. when rocks are kicked up and come into contact with these rims there is always a gouge to the extent that rim braking is impacted. this happens so often that i have taken to carrying a small file to repair the gouges so that I can complete the ride.
i have been riding the same trails for years with mavic rims and have never had similar problems.
Favorite Trail: mcdowell mountains
Duration Product Used: 1 Year
Similar Products Used: mavic
Bike Setup: 20 pound SS.
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Submitted by
AJS
a Cross Country Rider
from Schenectady, NYDate Reviewed: November 22, 2003
Bottom Line: I can't speak about WTB's 650c MTB rims, but I've done some pretty radical off-roading with the Speedmaster 700c rims on my cyclocross rig.
I have a factory-built Speedmaster wheelset that came OEM on on my K2 Enemy CX bike (32H Speedmaster rims on 14/15ga DB spokes, WTB Speed FX hubs, 3X rear/radial front), and no problems after about 4 months now. I use Vredestein Campo 28c and 32c tires, and I weigh between 195-205 lbs, depending on the season.
WTB specs the 700c rims at 570 gm., but the Weight Weenies site lists them at 480 gm. "real" weight. They do seem as light in actual use as the Open Pro's and Aerohead's I've had.
If some of you crackheads wanna bomb down stairways and 3-4 foot drop-offs, you probably need a different rim. I know a lot of DH rims that wouldn't last long under that abuse.
But I can't complain about the Speedmaster's - they've done me right so far.
Duration Product Used: 6 months
Purchased At: Bikes Unlimited
Similar Products Used: Campy Shamal & Nucleon tubulars, Cane Creek WAM's, Mavic Open Pro and Velocity Aerohead customs.
Bike Setup: ~ 2003 K2 Enemy cyclocross, 105/Ultegra, Truvativ Elita crankset 48/39, Avid Shorty 4 brakes, Vredestein Campo tires.
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Submitted by
Ben
a Cross Country Rider
from NorwayDate Reviewed: July 30, 2003
Strengths: Reasonbly light.
Good if you don't ever brake.Weaknesses: Not strong enough.
Too soft?? My V-Brakes have eaten the braking surface.Bottom Line: They didn't take long to show wear on the braking surface.
I ride hard and fast, so braking when needed is also hard.
My rims are getting chucked out today. I set up Shimano XT disc brakes on my bike yesterday and got my LBS to build me some new wheels with Mavic disc brake wheels and XT hubs.
As for strength ...... I came off once and the back rim had a little wobble in it and I had to get it straighted at my LBS. But OK, I wasn't surprised, the wheel landed sideways on a tree root or stump.
But I came off like a week after getting my rim straightened, and it bends again, and I'm pretty sure the wheel didn't hit very hard at all. I did it myself this time, getting the rim running straight.
My front rim didn't run straight anymore and I'm pretting sure I didn't hit anything with that. But maybe it from all the braking and the rims walls becoming thin. They are REALLY worn!!
Use these if you don't like braking or don't plan on hitting anything.
Otherwise, get something stronger.
Duration Product Used: 1 Year
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Submitted by
Braxton
from Tucson, AZ Date Reviewed: February 4, 2003
Strengths: Strong, decently light, actually an outstanding Free Ride rimWeaknesses: Braking surface is gone after 1yrBottom Line: I have done nearly everything with this rim, from urban biking down long flights of 60* declined stairs, XC, downhill (no drops greater than 3' though), campus riding, asphault to school and back daily. Great rim, very strong, stays true (HANDBUILT WORKS, FACTORYBUILT DOESN'T). If you have trouble with these rims, check your head. My hubs are no-name crap (probably sun-poo) and my wheels stay true since I don't do crazy @#$! with them. Get them or Mavic F219s ;)
Duration Product Used: 1 Year
Purchased At: Stock on a GT i-drive
Similar Products Used: Varying degrees of Crap
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Submitted by
Phil
a Cross Country Rider
from Manchester, UKDate Reviewed: December 18, 2002
Weaknesses: So weak it's like rim-tape.Bottom Line: My friend bought a new bike recently. These rims came standard on the wheels. We went cycling. After a 3 minute XCesque downhill, I had to true his back wheel. When we got home, I trued both of them. Next day, we went cycling again. He tried a 2" huck. We then walked home after the front wheels turned the shape of a Dorito. That was the second ride. When we got home, I replaced his front wheel with an incredibly old wheels of mine. (Shimano Exage Hub, no-name alloy rim) a wheel i keep for emergencies. He STILL hasn't killed it.
Weak, So incredibly weak.
Duration Product Used: Less than 1 month
Purchased At: OEM
Similar Products Used: Nothing this bad.
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Submitted by
Cal Cotter
a Weekend Warrior
from Glen innes,NSW, AustraliaDate Reviewed: September 5, 2002
Strengths: Light, strong, forgivingBottom Line: Don't mind anyone who says these suck.. they are a superb rim. Thewheel is very forgiving. I describe it as softness where you can alloy the wheel to grip the surface you are on. I actually belieive these wheels saved my life at about 40 through a dip and landing on a sidehill. they worked real hard and held on... thank you WTB
Favorite Trail: sandpits TSR
Duration Product Used: 2 Years
Similar Products Used: Weinmanns
Bike Setup: aluminium hardtail, tyre IRC mythos XC
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Submitted by
Rupert
a Cross Country Rider
from Fargo, ND, USADate Reviewed: June 17, 2002
Strengths: weightWeaknesses: weak as in the whole rimBottom Line: These rims lasted about 6 months. Its kind of patheatic, last night I ended up with a gigantic flat spot after about a 6 in bunny hop. I toasted the front rim on a bad landing, it was about 2 inches off center. These rims really won't serve you well, and they went out of true just a few days out of the shop.
Duration Product Used: 6 months
Bike Setup: GT agressor 1.0
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Submitted by
Peggy
a Weekend Warrior
from Osceola IN USADate Reviewed: May 20, 2002
Strengths: Light for the money
StrongWeaknesses: graphics are OKAYBottom Line: I am a fairly hard rider, while building my bike I ran short of funds at the point of purchasing rims..found a good deal on these. Read some decent reviews. I have been impressed. As of tonight I am completely sold wheels...unloaded my bike from back of van, propped front tire against rear of van (van is in the garage at this point). Well you get the picture...being a natural blonde it was only expected that I would close the garage door at this point. So much for the wheel I thought. Let me tell you this is as true as it started. I am sold on WTB....great wheels,cannot beat the price.
Favorite Trail: muddier the better
Duration Product Used: 6 months
Price Paid:
$100.00
Purchased At: ebay
Similar Products Used: Nothing this great
Bike Setup: K2 zed team, lx hubs, XT drivetrain, manitou fork, WTB tires, titec
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Submitted by
ed hu
a Weekend Warrior
from orangeDate Reviewed: December 8, 2001
Strengths: strength, durabilityWeaknesses: noneBottom Line: had these rims for 3 years now. came with the bike. started as a cross country rider...then technical trail riding and now starting to freeride a bit. nothing over 4 feet yet..but will get there. so far this wheelset has held up greeeat. a bit outta true this year..but nothing a spoke wrench couldn't fix. very happy with these wheels. going to get another set of WTB's after these when i upgrade to disc. forget mavic and sun!
Favorite Trail: lynn woods
Duration Product Used: More than 3 years
Similar Products Used: sun rpm lites
Bike Setup: DBR v.link 2.1, xtr all around, grip shifts, x-vert air, panaracers
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Submitted by
Mike
a Cross Country Rider
from SydneyDate Reviewed: October 5, 2001
Strengths: Builds easily, nice width, eyeletted, triple-box constructionWeaknesses: Not ultra light, but I didnt expect it to be.Bottom Line: This rim went great guns for a bit over a year, almost 1.5 years. But I build with moderately high spoke tension to make a super stiff wheel, and the other week a few spokes pulled through the rim (cracking it) when riding. The sidewalls wore pretty quickly too. I think they wouldve split within a few months. So they're a good general rim, but I wanted a stiff wheel for competitive riding, plus I ride offroad a lot. I should've gone with something a bit stiffer, and possibly with a cermaic coating.
Duration Product Used: 1 Year
Price Paid:
$30.00
Purchased At: LBS
Similar Products Used: Syncros XLT and XLR, Bontrager Blue Label, Bontrager Red Label
Bike Setup: Alloy Hardtail with Atom Bomb
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Submitted by
Dimitris
a Cross Country Rider
from Athens,GreeceDate Reviewed: July 12, 2001
Strengths: -Light
-Stiff
Weaknesses: noneBottom Line: these rims are really good.my old vuelta airlines 1 look like crap in comparison to these rims,my rear rim had some problems but that doesn't seem to affect my ride.
Favorite Trail: all
Duration Product Used: 3 months
Purchased At: Frederik
Similar Products Used: none
Bike Setup: Trek 4500,WTB Speedmaster/LX Hubs,Marzocchi bomber Z4,deore drivetrain ,michelin tires
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Submitted by
Barney
a Cross Country Rider
from MDDate Reviewed: March 10, 2001
Strengths: Strength, period. Anyone whining about these being weak rims have either a poorly built set of wheels, or are sloppy untalented riders with zero finesse. I have ridden the hell out of these laced to Paul SS Hubs for about two years...i think i have trued them once. Stop b*tching.Weaknesses: None, fair product for the $.
Bottom Line: As a mechanic, I'd recommend them to anyone. Nice strong rim for the money. Light, they're not 517 light, but you didn't pay for 517s did you?
Duration Product Used: 2 Years
Similar Products Used: Mavic, other crap
Bike Setup: Voodoo Nzumbi, meh...
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Submitted by
jeferbeest
a Weekend Warrior
from alberta, CanadaDate Reviewed: February 19, 2001
Strengths: relatively light xc wheels, would make a good winter setWeaknesses: I hit one big tree root about a month after i got them, and it folded like a two dollar lawn chair.(front rim)Bottom Line: not a bad rim, just make sure they're built properly, and use them for xc as they were intended. my back rim has lasted me a good 6 months and no troubles, have taken it off 4 foot drops and was still straight.
Favorite Trail: swollen ass
Duration Product Used: 6 months
Similar Products Used: none
Bike Setup: hartail
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Submitted by
ed
a Cross Country Rider
from miDate Reviewed: February 14, 2001
Strengths: light (400-410 gm.)
strong
eyeletsWeaknesses: no welded seam
crappy decalsBottom Line: I think those who have had problems with these rims have cheaply made wheelsets. When I first got the wheelset that had these rims the spokes were severly undertension. This led to some problems. BUt I re-adjusted the tensions and since then I have not had to true the front wheel in over a year and have trued the rear wheel about two or three times. Considering that I weigh 230 and put in about 20 hours a week, I can truely say these are great rims. However, I still prefer Mustangs because I thing they look better and have a better braking surface. Also, the decals on these rims look like they were put on by a crackhead.
Duration Product Used: 2 Years
Similar Products Used: Mustangs
oem crap
crosslinks
Bike Setup: Cuda Comp
all XTR
Easton Carbon
Judy Sl
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Submitted by
Jeff
a Cross Country Rider
from DallasDate Reviewed: February 2, 2001
Strengths: looks, bad ass name, don't dishWeaknesses: my ten year old sister probably couldn't keep these in trueBottom Line: these suck
they bend after a week even after a fresh truing/tensioning they still bent to unrideable
tried three kinds of brake pads(aztec, kool stop, and avid) and I still couldn't stop good with my avids
DONT BUY THESE FOR ANY REASON THEY SUCK HARD
P.O.S.'s
Favorite Trail: sand trails
Duration Product Used: 1 Year
Price Paid:
$150.00
Purchased At: airbomb.com
Similar Products Used: crap, and mavic 221, and bontrager
Bike Setup: moab 3 with Z2 bam and Xt package
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