Submitted by
Jerry Jamison
a Racer
from Fort Worth
Date Reviewed: June 3, 2005
Bottom Line:
NEWS FLASH!... I've had these wheels for three years and love them but I have made a recent discovery that has made them better. I've had Stans Strips in them for about a year and a half and recently discovered that the Trek/Bontrager tubeless rim strips fit perfect. There plastic and can be picked up at most Trek dealers. They're now true tubeless wheels at the cost of $3.99 per tire. They actually make an assemetric rim strip that will work better with the back wheel but I'm ussing the symetrical in both with no problem. My tires don't leak down and I can run a lower pressure without risking my tire blowing off the rim(a problem I ran into several times with the stans strips). This has been a HUGE improvement. Give it a shot.
Submitted by
Jerry Jamison
a Racer
from Fort Worth, Tx
Date Reviewed: April 13, 2005
Strengths: BULLIT PROOF! I've thrown everything at these wheels and there as true as the day I got them. Strong and FAST!
Weaknesses: None Yet
Bottom Line:
This is the single best upgrade I've done to this bike followed closely by the Cane Creek Cloud Nine shock. I've had a couple of violent crashes that would probably fold a normal tire but with the high tension spoke design, I haven't had to touch them. After 3 years of hard riding there as smooth and true as when I puled them out of the box. I've recently upgraded my Son's bike to the new ZONOS tubeless and there incredible too. Pick up a set. You won't be sorry.
Submitted by
Evan Johnson
a Cross Country Rider
from Flagstaff
Date Reviewed: December 10, 2003
Strengths: Pretty light, seems like rear is really strong.
Weaknesses: Radial lacing up front is flexy, not much lighter than xt 217 cross laced.
Bottom Line:
I'm a pretty big guy (6'4", 195lbs). This is the first radial laced wheel ive ridden and the flex took a little bit of getting used to. The rear feels nice and stable, although it went a bit out of true the first week i rode it, although not so bad that i feel i need to true it. Im not to sure that i can feel the lower rolling weight, at least not on the hills. This could also be because i tend to use heavier tires. All in all i would buy it again for the price, but i wouldn't pay more than like $200 for it.
Similar Products Used: older WTB wheelset, XT 217 then replaced rear with LX 221
Bike Setup: KHS Team Hardtail, SX-R, WAM wheelset, profile carbon riser, avid 7.0, XT and sram all around, LX hollowtech.
Overall Rating:
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Submitted by
liam
a Cross Country Rider
from philadelphia, pa
Date Reviewed: July 11, 2003
Strengths: Light, stiff, and fast; instant, intuitive acceleration.
Weaknesses: xt freehub
Bottom Line:
After blowing out the freehub on my WAM Ti's, I got a good deal on these. They're noticeably stiffer, have the same amazing acceleration as the Team Issue set, and seem to maintain speed just like their big Ti brother, despite a little added weight. The extra lateral stiffness is a confidence booster on rocky descents and corners; the Ti set in comparison flexes more under stress and is less predictable (although its not detectable on anything but rock beds and landings). From now on, these will be my everyday wheels, and I'll save the Ti set for marathon rides (they're much more comfortable overall).
As long as I have to pay for my own wheels, I'll buy Cane Creek Cronos. Zero complaints.
Bike Setup: Super V 400, Cloud Nine, X.0/9.0 - RD/shifters, xtr brakeset, time AL ATACs, Azonic Hot Seat
Overall Rating:
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Submitted by
Robert
a Cross Country Rider
from Lakewood, CO USA
Date Reviewed: April 5, 2002
Strengths: Light, strong and fast. Easy to true and solid
Weaknesses: Steel XT freewheel
Bottom Line:
Bottom line, if you're looking at high-end wheels, these are the ones to buy. Dont't know what the guys that are trueing them once a month are doing but I get mine trued once a year and my mechanic loves them. They are light, fast, and solidly built. And Cane Creek even offers an upgrade path, should you want to bust out the cash for a Ti freewheel.
Bike Setup: Mrazek BOH, Cane Creek wheels & headset, easton & shimano parts, Marzocchi fork
Overall Rating:
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Submitted by
Jon
a Racer
from State College PA
Date Reviewed: March 29, 2002
Strengths: higher tension = longer life and stronger build less weight at the perimeter = faster acceleration great bearings - they spin and spin.
Weaknesses: Expensive if you pay retail straight-pull spokes. Better get some spares... spoke wrench is unique, so don't lose it. heavy overall.
Bottom Line:
After rebuilding my XTR hubs (to aeroheats with XL-14 spokes), and selling the XT/Mustang set at a swap, I was down to one wheelset for mountain. Being a racer, and working 40+ hours a week, I wanted something in reserve, in case of problems. A friend, who also works at a sponsoring shop, used these wheels for a year, and was unloading them for $200. I grabbed them, and now that I've ridden them, I'd almost pay retail for them. Cane Creek delivers a lot of advertising on their website, but in this case, it's all true. At slower speeds, these feel like nothing special. The bearings are nice and smooth, true, but so are the XTR's. Stand up and start moving, though, and you can feel the difference. These definitely accelerate faster, and once up to speed, it's like they want to keep going. Definitely a racer's wheelset, but that's what I'll use them for, so fine. I did need to spend 5 minutes with the truing stand, but the task was fairly simple. After 5 rock-filled rides, they're running straight and true, so I don't expect to touch them again for a while. Overall, a great XC wheelset, and worth looking for. They've made me regret rebuilding the XTR wheels, since they're my spares now.
Submitted by
duh huh
a Cross Country Rider
from Georgia
Date Reviewed: October 29, 2001
Strengths: wow are these things stiff - spokes super tight, wheels very stiff overall - reasonably light weight
Weaknesses: expensive - i wouldn't have em if I hadn't got a deal from a bike team rider - rear hub bearing loading is darn tricky, hard to get balance between too much lateral rim play and too little free spin
Bottom Line:
I believe these wheels can make you a little faster if you're training hard and near your limits - really strong - my 200 lb big arse ain't popped a spoke out of the rear wheel yet - these wheels are really nice - straight pull spokes on front, straight/x on rear with asymetric drilling -
Weaknesses: not as light as some pre-builts, but a heck of a lot stronger, so who cares?
Bottom Line:
I ride for the Clemson Univ. mountain bike team and one of our sponsors is Cane Creek. They make incredible products. These wheels are great. after a year of abuse (an entire season of DH and CC racing) they have yet to be out of true. a couple of people below have complained about them going out of true and the rear hub coming loose, and that may be right, but if you have frequent problems they will replace them for you, because that is usually not the case. another correction: the freehub bodies are now XT, not LX, and the team issue set uses an XTR freehub. both are excellent quality. they are a little pricey, but they are definitely worth it with the repair money you'll save. these wheels are incredible. in most cases they will last forever.
Similar Products Used: bontrager mustangs and clydes, have worked on and trued countless wheels at the shop I work at (Sunrift Adv. in T.R., SC...stop by if your in the area)
Bike Setup: GT Zaskar, XTR/XT, Cane Creek wheels and headset, syncros stuff, and Judy 100
Overall Rating:
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Submitted by
Maniaco
a Cross Country Rider
from Phoenix,Az. U.S.A.
Date Reviewed: June 10, 2000
Strengths: Roll Quick, The front steers very nice with these rims
Weaknesses: None Yet!
Bottom Line:
OK this is SIMPLE! If you drop a rock off a cliff sooner or later it's going to break! I tip the scales at a FAT 225 lbs. and after an ice cream cone 230 HE HE HE! I didnt pay for these wheels so I have been beating them on everything from concrete curbs to desert rocks! The rear is only a tiny bit out of true, but I don't run my brakes a millimeter from the rim so I'm not concerned. I was also wondering if you guys that seem to be having rear hub probs read the manual? If you havn't this is what is says, tighten rear skewer "just enough" so that there is no free play in the hub! If you dont do this your gonna screw things up back there aspecially if your an aggressive rider. Now go ride and quit your complaining!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Similar Products Used: Cheapy single wall wienmans, Mavic 221 and 217
Bike Setup: 2K Rocky Element, See the review
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Submitted by
trailrat
a Cross Country Rider
from washington
Date Reviewed: June 3, 2000
Strengths: Looks
Weaknesses: Cheap freehub (LX), easily out of true, axle comes loose, poor seals
Bottom Line:
I have had nothing but trouble with this wheel (rear). The axle comes loose regularly. The freehub is cheap (LX) at this price you would expect better. The axle rusts. Hard to true. Uncommon spokes, bike shops don't carry them. I am going back to XT/Mustangs. In their defence I am a 210lb aggresive rider, these would probably work well for a 150-170 XC rider. The only this wheel has going for it as far as I am concerned is it's looks and low rotating weight. I am just glad I bought it cheap.
When I built my Ibis this wheelset was a serious indulgence. I am big (6'3", 210 lbs), and I looked far and wide for a wheelset that had a reputation for taking abuse, but didn't weigh as much as a boat anchor. I have not been disappointed.
Out of the box they were perfectly true. My last wheels were never so true. After several months of riding, and a few crashes (one where I hammered one of the wheels in a ditch -- that would have easily pulled a spoke out of my old wheels) they are remarkably just as true. Nothing seems to affect these things.
I used to fear the big hits on my old wheels, knowing they just might buckle. With the WAMs, I have started sticking my neck out a little bit more. I have a lot of confidence in these puppies.
If you are hard on wheels, but still want something fairly light and responsive without having to buy a new set every month, these are a good choice.
Bike Setup: Ibis Mojo, XT/XTR drive, SRAM Rocket shifters, Precision Billet brakes and levers, and the WAM wheelset with Geax Blades.
Overall Rating:
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Submitted by
Joe
a Cross Country Rider
from Arizona
Date Reviewed: March 6, 2000
Strengths: They look good except for the blue sticker fast for the weight.
Weaknesses: I had a set of the 99 models that I had to true on a regular basis, I got my LBS to upgrade me to a new set of 2000 wheels, due to all the problems I had with the 99 set I have already broken 2 spokes & I am a 55 Yr old who easy an easy rider.
Bottom Line:
These wheels are way over priced & over rated. If you are considering buying these wheels your better off getting the same XT hubs they use & have your local wheel builder use light weight spokes cross lace them & save your self alott of $$$. The bottom line is my LBS is taking them back & building me a set of Mavic 517s with King hubs & giving me a $100.00 store credit. I give my LBS 5 chilis for standing behind what they sell.
Submitted by
RACER X
a Cross Country Rider
from Colorado
Date Reviewed: March 5, 2000
Strengths: They look good & work well when they are new.
Weaknesses: After 3 months they have to be trued once a month & what a pain that is to do & I am not a hard rider.
Bottom Line:
I had no problems with my stock XT 517 wheels & should have never sold them. I have ordered a set of Chris King 517s so I can enjoy riding on wheels that are round & are trouble free. The bottom line is you dont always get what you pay for & Chris King is the King.
Submitted by
SLR
a Cross-Country Rider
from Chapel Hill, NC
Date Reviewed: January 2, 2000
Strengths: Strong, stiff, light
Weaknesses: Hard to true
Bottom Line:
These bad boys are incredible. I've taken them on some of the worst DH stuff that Pisgah can throw at you, riden them through rock garden after rock garden, and yet they hold up. Only 1 broken spoke for all my torture. Just superb for tight, technical singletrack. Got them new on e-bay for $300 so I feel twice as good about them.
Bike Setup: Tricked out Huffy that I bought at Wal-Mart.
Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Nathaniel Roy
a Cross-Country Rider
from Sherbrooke, Qc
Date Reviewed: December 31, 1999
Strengths: very light, accelaration,look great, strong
Weaknesses: cheap casette body, rims wear quickly, very difficult to rebuild, no ceramic rim option, cheap bearings
Bottom Line:
These wheels are beautiful, light, strong and accelerate like crazy, but they are still the most dissapointing product I have ever bought. Performance is great but I think a product that costs this much should be more durable. I can't believe that wheels this expensive come with an LX casette body. I ride in very muddy conditions so the thin sidewalls of my rear rim wore in no time at all. I am a bicycle mechanic and I went through hell changing the rim, all so I can do it again in a few months when my rim wears out again! They are incredibly strong however. I just found that even though they perform great they aren't very durable and a huge hassle to true. The parts (bearings, casette body ) were nowhere near the quality I would have expected for the price. I am going back to good old mavic rims and XT hubs, at least they are serviceable. If you don't do your own bike service and ride in dry conditions I guess they would be alright, but otherwise I say stay away from them, no way were they worth their price. worth their price.
