Submitted by
brian
a Racer
from Los Angeles, CA. Date Reviewed: July 18, 2004
Duration Product Used:
More than 3 years
Strengths:
Overall strong. Great engineering.
Weaknesses:
No weaknesses.
Similar Products Used:
Shimano & Cannondale wheel set-ups
Bike Setup:
Cannondale XC race hardtail
Bottom Line:
I love these wheels. I've been riding & racing the wheels hard for years & have had no problems. (And I've only maintained the wheels once). Great mountain bike product. Thanks Cane Creek for the good work.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Sevenguy
a Cross Country Rider
from Calgary Date Reviewed: February 7, 2002
Favorite Trail:
Secret Trail
Duration Product Used:
2 Years
Strengths:
Light, fast, relatively durable.
Weaknesses:
Rim strength
Bike Setup:
Seven Cycles Sola, White Bros SC UL 72, XTR, Easton.
Bottom Line:
I had the pleasure of riding a set of WAM Yellow's for just shy of 2 seasons on my hardtail Sola and was impressed by their durability and strength for such a light wheelset. I did however expereince a rim fracture while on a ride last fall that has since been handled with an amazing level of customer support from Cane Creek and particularily Peter Gilbert. In all my years of being a consumer, Peter blew me away with the amount of time and diligence he spent in making sure I was looked after. Rarely are my expectations met, and I must say that Cane Creek and Peter backed their product. As a result of this service, and the positive experience I had riding on the WAM's prior to my incident, I have again had the confidence to go the route of the Team WAM's with Blue rims and Ti spokes for this season. Thanks Peter, appreciate it.
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Submitted by
steve
a Racer
from wisconsin Date Reviewed: November 13, 2001
Duration Product Used:
2 Years
Strengths:
high spoke tension-stiff wheel
Weaknesses:
rear hub has been rebuild 3 times and still having problems with cones.
Bottom Line:
at least cane creek will send new parts if you call them, but they keep sending the same crappy aluminum cones.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Darren
a Cross Country Rider
from Reading, PA, USA Date Reviewed: September 9, 2001
Favorite Trail:
Anything that isn't paved
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$500.00
Strengths:
Light & look cool
Weaknesses:
I've had this wheel set for about 1 year now and had to send the rear back to the factory 2x's for new hubs. And as far as the front, I have replaced my fork, my headset and even pads and came to the conclusion that the front rim must have been machined uneven because of the chatter that I get when I apply the front brake.
If you have the cash, want your bike to look cool and want to be plagued by continuous maintenance, go for it. If you're a hard rider that needs good, solid, dependable and light-weight wheels, think again.
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Submitted by
Shaun H.
a Cross Country Rider
from Milford PA 18337 Date Reviewed: March 27, 2001
Favorite Trail:
nipple-ring
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$1.00
Purchased At:
Action Outfitters
Strengths:
These wheels came on my f-3000 , they are suprisingly strong, I'm 6'3" & 200LBs, The wheels are staying very straight. I would have to say that cane creek knows how to make a great wheel.
Weaknesses:
They aren't the lightest wheels ( althought they are light enough for me) and they are some what hard to true, but they hardly need to be.
Similar Products Used:
Mavic crosslinks, Ringle rpm
Bike Setup:
Cannondale cad-4- Full xtr - Python tires.
Bottom Line:
These wheels are as cool as they look, smooth hubs, stong rims, great breaking surface, stiff, & fast. You really feel the difference, period....
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Alfonso
a Cross Country Rider
from Oakland, CA, USA Date Reviewed: October 31, 2000
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$550.00
Purchased At:
Speedgoat, PA
Strengths:
strength by design; light and lively in motion; durable construction and powdercoat finish
Weaknesses:
braking surface could stand some improvement in wet/muddy conditions
Similar Products Used:
Specialized Stumpjumper WS, Bontrager Race
Bike Setup:
Santa Cruz Superlight, full custom build
Bottom Line:
Worth every penny spent on them... they are simply fantastic. Most of this wheelset's merits are gained by innovative design. I had actually purchased these wheels to replace a set of Bontrager Race wheels, for which I've left a scathing review a while back mainly due to repeated issues surrounding rim quality. Much to my initial dismay, I had discovered that the hoops used on the WAMs are identical to the Bontys I trashed so I thought I was doomed. I thought wrong.
Reverse lacing on the WAMs allows smaller drills on the rim, effectively strengthening the rim -- sounds like a bunch of engineering and marketing B/S, but I TRULY BELIEVE this has made the remarkable difference between the Bontragers and the Cane Creeks in my own experience. One might argue that more rim material makes a heavier wheel, but in this case, moving the spoke nipples to the center of the wheel have produced wonders in reducing rotational weight. You simply have to ride these to even understand its significance.
Asymmetrical construction of rear hoop significantly reduces dish -- but I had already learned to appreciate that when I rode the Bontys.
Cane Creek has done a marvellous job in constructing, greasing and sealing their hubs, most notably the rear hub. These wheels are outrageously fast, light in action, and behave like they have the active drive system of an Audi. They've stood up to abuse of rocky terrain, dropoffs (both intended and accidental) and stay true in spite of all that. One ride and you'll love em. 500 miles or more later, your wife or better half will be jealous of them.
My wheel setup is completed as follows:
Rear: Shimano XTR 9sp casette, Specialized AirLock tube, Panaracer Fire XC Pro 1.8
Front: Specialized AirLock tube, Panaracer Fire XC Pro 2.1
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Submitted by
Art
a Cross-Country Rider
from Adirondack Mtns., N.Y. Date Reviewed: May 9, 1999
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Similar Products Used:
--Matrix Swami. --Mavic 221 rims with Shimano Parallax hubs, (came stock with bike).
Bike Setup:
--C'dale Super V900-Large frame with Fatty D fork and Fox Vanilla R coil-over rear shock. --Easton Monkey-Lite Hi-Rise handlebar. --Thomson Elite seatpost. --Specialized Body Geometry Sport Saddle. --ODI Rampage grips. --Geax tires.
Bottom Line:
Actually, the WAM's in yellow retail at $625., not $600. These are the same WAM's as the others,but they have the trick yellow rims and hubs with the black steel spokes instead of blue rims/silver spokes. Looks way good on my ride! Bought mine from Speedgoat for $540. total, including Shimano XT 8-speed 11-30 cassette installed and black Salsa skewers, delivered. Absolutely love 'em! I weigh 200 lbs. and I've not had to true them at all. They are as straight now as the day I put them on the bike. The 221 Mavic's went out of true after about 2 weeks and I was afraid I'd taco them or something, so I sold them to a friend who weighs less. I bomb a gravelly, bumpy downhill run for warm-up next to my house almost every day going at least 30 m.p.h., and these wheels inspire confidence! I've done very rocky and rooty trails as fast as I dared to, and these baby's hold up. Handling is excellent, they feel very stiff and solid. Acceleration is quick and easy, on road or off. And they have a gorgeous finish that is durable. Had a bike shop offer me a set of Mavic Crossmax's for $600. I said Nah, you can keep 'em. I'm buying the WAM's. Glad I did! You will be,too. 5 steamy boners!
Overall Rating:
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