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Airbomb
Sun Rhyno Lite with WTB hubs
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Submitted by
Wilson
a Cross Country Rider
from SD, CA
Date Reviewed: November 9, 2002 | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Strengths: | Strong, well built. Have stayed true through quite a bit of riding, including some downhill stuff at Big Bear. | | Weaknesses: | Packaging? | | Similar Products Used: | Stuff that rolls | | Bottom Line: | I bought this as a package deal with an Avid Mech Disc. I upgraded the hub to a Hope XC from the stock XT and the rim to a Sun 0 Degree XC rim (It's 3x, 32h, straight 14g spokes). I'm a pretty light guy, but in all my travels, this (front) wheel has stayed true. I was impressed as most wheels I've had (besides my Cane Creek rear wheel) have required a bit of truing after the initial break in period. Perhaps the handbuilding of this wheel helped. I dunno. Either way, it's been a trouble free wheeel and I guess that's a pretty good compliment. It sounds like I might be the minority but when I called them to change the hub and rim on the wheel, they were more than willing to discuss the weights and specs of different parts with me and were very helpful in general. Also, I was impressed that they allowed me to swap parts on a package deal. Oh, about the weaknesses: the "box" that the wheel came in seemed like it was a handmade box from other flaps of cardboard. Everything was fine but it wasn't the most impressive thing I've ever seen... | Value Rating: Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Kevin Tranor
a Weekend Warrior
from Portland
Date Reviewed: April 5, 2002 | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Price Paid: |
$199.00 | | Purchased At: | airbomb | | Strengths: | I have the airbomb built XT hubs on WTB laserdisk. The things are still dead straight after 1 full year | | Weaknesses: | none | | Similar Products Used: | lots | | Bike Setup: | Titus in XC mode | | Bottom Line: | I am so impressed with this, my first wheelset that didn't
need monthly tunes. Airbomb use a fellow named Aaron who built for Rocky Mt. in Canada - I checked if he is still the wheel builder and talked to him directly as I ordered a King wheelset from them | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
John Fleming
a Weekend Warrior
from Bloomington
Date Reviewed: January 21, 2002 | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Price Paid: |
$169.00 | | Purchased At: | airbomb | | Strengths: | Really really strong. Have stayed true longer than expected | | Weaknesses: | Rims are ATB surface, don't have the machined sidewalls (like the XLs) They would be even stronger. Airbomb builds a very good custom wheel but take about 2 weeks to get them out the door. | | Similar Products Used: | Cane Creek Cronos | | Bike Setup: | Kona HeiHei | | Bottom Line: | Go for the custom wheels if you are heavy, it pays in the end | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
James Seattle
a Weekend Warrior
from Compston
Date Reviewed: December 29, 2001 | | Favorite Trail: | Sliprock | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$125.00 | | Purchased At: | airbomb | | Strengths: | Nice black on black, great deal, came fast. Skewers included- I got the Deore Hubs on R.Lite rims and they have been perfect for a machine built wheel especially | | Weaknesses: | Deore hubs are heavy | | Bike Setup: | Azonic DS 1 | | Bottom Line: | nice, tough, cheap wheels. These guys have Kenda 2.35 tires that are pretty good fit with the wheels | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Grant
a Cross Country Rider
from Birmingham, AL, USA
Date Reviewed: November 6, 2001 | | Favorite Trail: | Oak Mountain | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Price Paid: |
$89.00 | | Purchased At: | Airbomb.com | | Strengths: | Rock Solid. Mine are built around Shimano Deore hubs, though they did come form Airbomb. | | Weaknesses: | Might be a little heavy if you care about heavy. I don't. | | Similar Products Used: | Mavic 221 UB | | Bike Setup: | 1998 Trek 930 | | Bottom Line: | I rode the trail today on Rhyno lites that convinced me that Mavic 221's are for those with a death wish.
I was amazed after having ridden my favorite local trail on Bontrager Corvairs first, then cruddy Mavic 221s, to find that the Rhyno Lites are still as true after that same ride as when we left the house.
The trail was rocky with rocky climbs and rocky downhills and....did I mention rocks? With no grace whatsoever from me, these things did well throughout. Not even a hint off wobble.
Also, they just felt good. Hard to explain, but the whole ride just felt solid and kind of locked in.
I heartily suggest them. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Rich Dalles
a Weekend Warrior
from Pemberton
Date Reviewed: October 11, 2001 | | Favorite Trail: | ladies | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Price Paid: |
$139.00 | | Purchased At: | airbomb | | Strengths: | Great value, good build | | Weaknesses: | Rims won't take anything bigger than 2.4 | | Similar Products Used: | var | | Bike Setup: | Joker with Mr T | | Bottom Line: | These guys pump out tons of wheels and have the price/performance balance right. Nothing special but a surprise value | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Rieta Ulativ
a Weekend Warrior
from New York
Date Reviewed: October 23, 2000 | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Price Paid: |
$169.00 | | Purchased At: | airbomb | | Strengths: | Keep on staying true, sidewalls not worn through | | Weaknesses: | Rims are heavier than I thought | | Similar Products Used: | X517 (bent) | | Bike Setup: | Nukeproof Stealth | | Bottom Line: | A handbuilt wheelset usually costs way more than this, they
told me one of the secrets is linseed oil instead of spoke
prep and a ton of pre-stressing. Get brass nipps. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Mark
a Cross Country Rider
from Londonderry, NH
Date Reviewed: June 20, 2000 | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Strengths: | Bomber build, staying true riding hard! | | Weaknesses: | Weight! | | Similar Products Used: | Mavic's that came on 98FSR Comp | | Bike Setup: | 98 FSR Comp, Race Face low riser bar, WTB saddle and these great rims! | | Bottom Line: | Can't believe the quality bulid of these rims and the great customer service I had! The only issue I had was I wanted black hubs and got chrome...but honestly believe it was a mis-undersatnding during a conversation I had with them! Bevin also refunded me with store credit when the price dropped right after I had mine built! Overall, they were great to deal with! | Value Rating: Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Asif Shaikh
a Cross Country Rider
from Vancouver, BC
Date Reviewed: May 26, 2000 | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Strengths: | none | | Weaknesses: | Extremely poor quality. Very poor customer service | | Bottom Line: | I would never buy anything from airbomb.com again. Wheels are not even close to being true. Very poor customer service. It seems, according to one employee, Bevin, that expecting the same quality as a local bike shop is absurd. Bevin explained that since they are an internet business, a customer should not expect anything much in the way of customer service unless he were spending " $7000 or $8000 " and then maybe that would be a long shot. Bevin was also kind enough to explain that the fact that I had just spent $1500( not close enough to his 7-8 thousand mark) at airbomb.com the previous week did not entitle me to any expectation of customer service any that I should quit "moaning" if I was still unhappy. I would never trust these people again with anything. | Value Rating: Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Asif Shaikh
a Cross Country Rider
from Vancouver, BC
Date Reviewed: May 26, 2000 | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Strengths: | none | | Weaknesses: | Extremely poor quality. Very poor customer service | | Bottom Line: | I would never buy anything from airbomb.com again. Wheels are not even close to being true. Very poor customer service. It seems, according to one employee, Bevin, that expecting the same quality as a local bike shop is absurd. Bevin explained that since they are an internet business, a customer should not expect anything much in the way of customer service unless he were spending " $7000 or $8000 " and then maybe that would be a long shot. Bevin was also kind enough to explain that the fact that I had just spent $1500( not close enough to his 7-8 thousand mark) at airbomb.com the previous week did not entitle me to any expectation of customer service any that I should quit "moaning" if I was still unhappy. I would never trust these people again with anything. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
bilbo
a Cross Country Rider
from vegas
Date Reviewed: March 13, 2000 | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Strengths: | cost
stregnth | | Weaknesses: | heavy | | Similar Products Used: | crosslands
cane creek WAM
xt-517 | | Bike Setup: | turner xce | | Bottom Line: | i had airbomb (john to be specific) lace me up some hope ti-glide (splined) hubs to sun rhyno lites. and since mtbr would not add a new category for them, i am sticking the review here. basically john at airbomb does everything that you want a custom wheelbuilder to do. you tell him what you want. then he asks the right questions. and you get a solid wheelset. forget about machine built rims using grade 'a' components or high zoot 600+ dollar wheelsets. this is where you put your money. six months of rocks, jumps, drop offs, and bombing over baby heads later and the wheels are still true. i used to be in the habbit of checking my rims for trueness after every ride but lately i hardly even need to look. if you are looking for a custom rim builder, i recommend you give them a shot at puting together your next wheelset. period. five flamin' turds. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Cam
a Weekend Warrior
from Nanaimo BC
Date Reviewed: February 22, 2000 | | Favorite Trail: | Oakridge | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Strengths: | Strong!Great build! | | Weaknesses: | None | | Similar Products Used: | Rhyno lite with xt | | Bike Setup: | Cove Stiffee, Manitou X-vert | | Bottom Line: | I've folded a Rhyno lite built by someone else somewhere else, but the ones I'm on now are still true (even though they probably shouldn't be). These wheels are great for aggressive, big boy riding. You can't beat the price, service or the quality of the build. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
tony
a Cross Country Rider
from huntsville, al
Date Reviewed: January 16, 2000 | | Favorite Trail: | fell mtn, carbondale, pa. | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Strengths: | a great wheelset for clydesdale riding.
solid and true construction.
good value. | | Weaknesses: | doesn't come with rim liners. | | Similar Products Used: | mavix 221 w/lx hub and specialized radial stout front | | Bike Setup: | 98 stumpy m2 with a heavy judy t2/c3 xl. | | Bottom Line: | i'm thoroughly pleased with this wheelset. i'm 240 pounds and with complete confidence have ridden this wheelset on some of the most rugged trails in alabama, tennessee and pennsylvania. for the price, $125 plus s&h, these wheels are of great value. as the others have said the service at airbomb was excellent. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Grant
a Weekend Warrior
from Vancouver
Date Reviewed: November 30, 1999 | | Favorite Trail: |
Ladies only | | Duration Product Used: |
3 months | | Strengths: |
Straight and true | | Weaknesses: |
none | | Similar Products Used: |
XTR/521 | | Bike Setup: |
Dekerf | | Bottom Line: | A great deal if they were build by machine but
handbuilt? - can't say enough | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Dale
a Weekend Warrior
from Toronto
Date Reviewed: November 11, 1999 | | Duration Product Used: |
6 months | | Strengths: |
Quality Build | | Weaknesses: |
Bit heavier than XT | | Similar Products Used: |
RPM | | Bike Setup: |
Airbomb reynolds 853 | | Bottom Line: | Perfectly straight wheelset after dozens of rides. John is super nice to deal with - he's the
builder. Incredible price | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
doter
a Weekend Warrior
from San Diego
Date Reviewed: November 10, 1999 | | Duration Product Used: |
3 months | | Strengths: |
solid, tough, wide | | Weaknesses: |
a bit on the heavy side | | Similar Products Used: |
mavic | | Bike Setup: |
Rockhopper A1 Comp with Manitou FS-Ti | | Bottom Line: | first of all the guys at airbomb are awesome! great customer service. even got a call back to check up on their product. who does that these days? as for the wheels, the price was right and they're living up to their billing. I'm a heavy guy, and they've stood up to the downhill pounding so far. very stable. can't wait to take 'em up to Big Bear. grease guard is nice too. I'm not the most experienced rider, and I'm sure that there are stronger, lighter wheels out there. but they're not in my price range. these were. and did I mention they look cool too? so at this price... | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Jon Ormsby
a Weekend Warrior
from Boulder, CO
Date Reviewed: October 15, 1999 | | Duration Product Used: |
3 months | | Strengths: |
Beefy. Stay true over roughest terrain. | | Weaknesses: |
Heavy. | | Similar Products Used: |
Weinmann ZAC-19 | | Bike Setup: |
GT Rebound stock eqpt. w/ Jett C fork (blah) | | Bottom Line: | These wheels are excellent! Hand-built by Airbomb for $125, straight gauge 3-cross, WTB Momentum hubs with Grease Guard. I replaced the Weinmann's b/c they would constantly go out of true after any bumpy ride. I've had the Sun wheels for over a month, taken my bike on some seriously rocky stuff (Hall Ranch, fast downhills at Winter Park) and have not had to true once. And I'm not the most skilled rider. Even recieved a return phone call from Jon at Airbomb asking if I was satisfied. I am. | | Overall Rating: |
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