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Dave's
Wheels Speed Dream Wheel Set
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Submitted by
schingleschpeed
a Cross Country Rider
from Roseville, CA
Date Reviewed: September 7, 2009 | | Favorite Trail: | Bullard Bar | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Price Paid: |
$850.00 | | Purchased At: | Dave's Wheels | | Strengths: | Light, True, Responsive, Standard Technology | | Weaknesses: | None | | Similar Products Used: | Mavic, WTB, Specialized | | Bike Setup: | 1) Niner Air9, Fox F-29, XTR, King, Easton bars, stem, post etc. 2) Soulcraft Holy Roller SS, Niner Carbon Rigid fork, Hive fifteenG cranks. | | Bottom Line: | I'm writing the review for both sets of wheels that Dave Thomas built for me. Both sets were per Dave's expert recommendations based on a lengthy conversation with me. Dave spends the time to understand what kind of riding you like to do, the type of bike on which you plan to run the wheels and your riding weight. He is a really nice guy too and just loves to talk biking over the phone. If you've ever had questions about wheel building, queue them up and fire away at Dave on the phone, he will educate you beyond what you probably will be able to understand. At least it was more than I could understand. As far as I'm concerned, Dave is the guru of wheels.
Back to the wheels. I ordered my second set of wheels from Dave within two weeks of receiving the first set. Both sets are 29" No Tubes ZTR355 laced up on King Iso hubs (one set is a SS specific set). If you ride 29er's, don't mess around any longer with heavy wheels. When I got my wheels, I replaced a set of WTB laser discs with heavy tires and put Dave's wheels on with medium weight tires and dropped 2.2 pounds off my ride. That's 2.2 lbs that you feel. This was the most ride changing investment that I've ever made. But Dave didn't just build them light, they have held up to the trail also. I've been riding the first set almost a year including 3 solid all mountain days in Oakridge OR and the wheels are still as true as the day they came out of the box. The Stan's rim is an easy tubeless set up and can be run with most non-UST tires. Dave even weighs the wheels for you and tells you what they weigh, I'm 190lbs and my 29" wheels came in at Ft 767g and R 929g. In addition to the benefits of the obvious weight savings, I believe that the way Dave builds the wheel makes it more lively than other factor wheels that I've ridden. The standard technology of the King hubs (life time product in my opinion) standard spokes/nipples and rims make it easy for any bike shop to work on.
Being that you will easily drop 900 bones on a set of light factory high tech wheels, I highly recommend that Dave Thomas be consulted prior to making the investment. I'm convinced that this is the single best biking investment that I've made. | Value Rating: Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Designcycle
a Cross Country Rider
from Fremantle, WA, Australia
Date Reviewed: August 23, 2009 | | Favorite Trail: | Jarrahdale | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Price Paid: |
$850.00 | | Purchased At: | Direct | | Strengths: | Very light, great great hubs, look cool | | Weaknesses: | Rear wheel problems as described below | | Similar Products Used: | Mavic 223 with XT hubs, Sun Rhyno Lite, other Mavic/Shimano combinations | | Bike Setup: | Specialized Epic 06, XTR, XT mix, ZTR355 rims, King Hubs | | Bottom Line: | A friend in the US bought me the wheels as a thanks for some work I had done for him. My friend went all out to buy the best wheels he could, discussed bike setup, my weight, riding style etc. Out of the box the wheels looked beautiful and were lighter than my everyday road wheels (1540grams the pair. The King hubs are a work of art, and the the lag free pickup of the rear hub the single best upgrade I have ever given any bike. But...... 6 months in and few thousand k's down the road the rear wheel is just about cooked. I'm not too heavy (170lbs) and ride XC only, but the rear wheels is so flexy as to be almost unrideable. And because it's flexy it's constantly going out of true. I'll be needing a rebuild ASAP as they just aren't up to the job. Seems the combination of lighter gauge disc side spokes, and a two cross rather than three cross pattern just isn't enough to make a stiff enough wheel. The only explanation I can think of for the lack of strength is that this design is not a good matchup for the old style Epic which has the shock on the non drive side, and this extra stress has toasted the rear wheel. It's weird though that I haven't had a single broken spoke. If anyone else has had similar problems let me know. Disappointed. | Value Rating: Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
tneker
a Cross Country Rider
from Jefferson, WI
Date Reviewed: August 20, 2009 | | Favorite Trail: | Kettle Morain Blue Loop | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$850.00 | | Purchased At: | Dave's | | Strengths: | Rock solid wheelset. I am a 230# plus rider that bombs done the trail pretty hard. Went with Dave's recommendation and couldn't be more pleased. Only 3 months on these wheels, but absolutely no complaints. DT Swiss 240 with Stans 355's | | Weaknesses: | Pretty big price tag, will be worth it if they last 2 to 3 years | | Similar Products Used: | Mavic crosstrail | | Bottom Line: | Believe the hype | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
alembicf1x
a Weekend Warrior
from San Jose, CA
Date Reviewed: August 6, 2009 | | Favorite Trail: | braille | | Duration Product Used: | More than 3 years | | Price Paid: |
$850.00 | | Strengths: | Strong, light, stays true | | Weaknesses: | nada | | Similar Products Used: | wheelsmith (yep, good old wheelsmith in palo alto, remember them?) | | Bike Setup: | lots'o bling | | Bottom Line: | Here's the deal: Put a little extra money up front for a kick ass wheelset, and you will spend less down time dealing with truing or repairing them. If you are the kind of rider who likes to blast over stuff rather than around, these are the wheels for you.
I've had Dave build me several wheelsets over the years, and I can't remember ever having to true any of them. Like the Timex watch, they take a pounding and keep on rolling (or something like that). | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
o2binbuzios
a Racer
from Boulder
Date Reviewed: June 17, 2009 | | Favorite Trail: | What else - Porcupine Rim | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Price Paid: |
$800.00 | | Purchased At: | Dave's Friendly site | | Strengths: | Lightweight, stiff, good looking. Did I say they were stunning? | | Weaknesses: | None - I wouldn't call them cheap, but way less coin than factory wheels from mavic, shimano, etc | | Similar Products Used: | DT Swiss rims & spokes on XT hubs, but these compare more in quality and sex appeal to the Zipp wheels on my Tri bike. | | Bike Setup: | 07 Stumpjumper Expert (with Brain shock), FOX Talas, SRAM X0/X9 drivetrain, Crank Bros, Thompson goodies | | Bottom Line: | I was thinking about a race bike for XTerra tri's but couldn't justify the money...I'm not going to win on anything. I decided to lighten my Stumpy up with a sweet wheelset. This was a great call.
Dealing with Dave is a true pleasure, he won't even take an order without talking to you about how you ride and what you want. I went top-shelf for the King hubs, Sapim spoke and Stan's rims. The wheels showed up within a week and are the nicest looking bike parts I've ever owned.... It took over a pound out of my wheelset and that is a pound you truly feel.
The wheels are stiffer through the rock gardens, quicker to spin up for sprints and hills and make that ripping King wormdrive sound when you coast. Having the quick engagement on the rear hub makes a real difference in the technical stuff, (quarter-pedal, dodge a rock, eighth-pedal, bunny-hop and off you go). Going with a true tubeless rim and UST tire (Nevegal F, Larsen R) was way easier to set up than the Stan's kit on standard rims. It leaked some from the valve overnight, but I shook it around with a scoop of Stans sealant and they haven't lost a pound of pressure since.
This was a great way to speed up and freshen up a bike with a couple seasons on it. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
lastchild
a Cross Country Rider
from Bay Area, Ca. USA
Date Reviewed: June 12, 2009 | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Price Paid: |
$650.00 | | Strengths: | Super light and strong and they look awesome! | | Weaknesses: | None | | Bike Setup: | Giant Anthem XT/XTR Fox RP23 Fox Float RLC | | Bottom Line: | Another awesome wheelset from Dave. This time it's Stan's rims with White Bros hubs, all in black for my new Anthem X.
Dave has been building wheels for me for 30 years...yes, I said 30 years.
The first set was when I was 13 for my Redline Proline BMX bike...Avocet hubs radially laced...I can assure you there weren't too many BMX bikes in 1979 with a radially laced front wheel.
Dave has built every single set of wheels I've owned since then. He's the Master and he's always been lightyears ahead of his time.
He combines 'Old-World" craftsmanship with a Zen-Like mindset and his wheels are worth every penny. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
jhowa1
a Weekend Warrior
from Beaverton, OR
Date Reviewed: May 5, 2009 | | Favorite Trail: | Lake Waldo | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Price Paid: |
$600.00 | | Strengths: | Rock solid wheels built to my requirements. I went with Dave's recommended wheelset and put a hard six months+ on them. They are strong and have taken some mind boggling hits. | | Weaknesses: | Absolutely none. | | Similar Products Used: | Mavic, Specialized, Rhynolites | | Bottom Line: | Dave takes the time to understand exactly what you need and delivers the goods for the best value possible. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
historeeteacher
a Cross Country Rider
from Modesto, CA
Date Reviewed: April 7, 2009 | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Price Paid: |
$575.00 | | Bottom Line: | I have a set of Velocity Aeroheat rims laced to the American Classic front hub and the White Industries rear hub (both quick release). I actually have 18 months on this wheelset. I'm on my bike 5-6 days a week and put at least 100 miles on them per week. They were originally on my Santa Cruz Heckler and now they are on my Giant Anthem X. I weigh 200 pounds. I ride them everywhere...from Downieville (NorCal) to Pasadena (SoCal) to Santa Cruz (central coast). One bearing in the rear hub went out a couple of months ago ($5 fix). They still run true. I've had them checked out at the LBS a couple of times just to stay on top of things, but nothing more than very minor truing and spoke tension adjustment has been performed on them. Very pleased. I will be talking to Dave about my next upgraded wheelset when the time comes. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
kmathur
a Weekend Warrior
from Topanga, CA, USA
Date Reviewed: March 31, 2009 | | Favorite Trail: | Topanga Ridge Loop | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Price Paid: |
$599.00 | | Purchased At: | Dave's Speed Dream W | | Strengths: | Great custom order process. Exquisite craftsmanship. One of the more unique experiences in the bike industry. | | Weaknesses: | None so far. | | Similar Products Used: | Always have used stock wheels | | Bike Setup: | Daves Wheels: Stan's ZTR Arch 29 with Continental Mountain King, White Industries Hubs mounted on a Niner S.I.R. 9 Tang Singlespeed. On-One Carbon 29er Fork, White Industries drive train 32/21. Salsa Pro Moto Carbon Handlebar, Avid Elixer CR. | | Bottom Line: | Just built this bike. The personal wheel build process with Dave is something to experience. He will spend as much time on the phone as you need to work out the details, and get this, no-email and you must mail him a check or money order! You will love the analog experience.
I will post a performance update as I now only have a dozen miles on this bike. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
trekers5
a Weekend Warrior
from Salt Lake City
Date Reviewed: March 21, 2009 | | Favorite Trail: | Gooseberry Mesa | | Duration Product Used: | More than 3 years | | Price Paid: |
$800.00 | | Purchased At: | Dave Directly | | Strengths: | Excellent Workmanship and durability | | Weaknesses: | None | | Bike Setup: | Santa Cruz Blur XC w/ Stans Olympic ZTR and King hubs | | Bottom Line: | I wanted to wait to review these rims. I figure after 3 years would be a good product review. These rims have not seen a spokewrench since Dave last used one in the initial build. I weigh 200 lbs. and am more concerned about my frame giving out than these wheels!
Dave was great to work with and am very happy with my setup! | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
tech_dog
a Cross Country Rider
from San Diego
Date Reviewed: January 26, 2009 | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Price Paid: |
$800.00 | | Purchased At: | Dave's | | Strengths: | I ride agressive XC, with lots of rocks and 2-3 foot drops. I do a lot of climbing, and I wanted something that balanced low weight and strenght. I weigh about 205 without gear.
After talking to Dave about how what I wanted, he recommended using Stan's ZTR 355. I was a bit worried about going that light, but based on Dave's reputation I gave him benifit of the doubt. I went with DT Swiss centerlock disk hubs.
I've been riding on these wheels for about five months now, and gave them a particularly brutal beating yesterday. I held off on doing a review, but after yesterday I'm convinced.
A post ride check showed that the rims are still perfectly true... not a bit of detectable variation. My 1600 gram wheelset is indeed holding up as my no-mercy every day wheel. | | Similar Products Used: | Various mavic wheels. | | Bike Setup: | 2008 Stumpjumper FSR S-Works | | Bottom Line: | Dave's recommendation and build worked out perfectly for me. He's a nice guy, and makes the process fun.
| | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Wavey Davey
a Cross Country Rider
from Rockwall
Date Reviewed: January 19, 2009 | | Favorite Trail: | Northshore | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Price Paid: |
$800.00 | | Purchased At: | Speed Dream | | Strengths: | Light, Fast, Perfect | | Weaknesses: | None | | Similar Products Used: | Mavic, Roval | | Bike Setup: | ZTR 29er Arch on DT 240s hubs | | Bottom Line: | Dave is great ! and so are his wheels. Reviews tell the tale. Buy em. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
287sds
a Cross Country Rider
from Breckenridge CO USA
Date Reviewed: December 24, 2008 | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Price Paid: |
$825.00 | | Purchased At: | Speed Wheels | | Strengths: | Look great. Very well put together.Light | | Weaknesses: | None | | Bike Setup: | Yeti 575 2009, Rockshox Revelation 426 20mm, SRAM XO | | Bottom Line: | Dave is the BEST. He will take the time to get every thing right. After 2 phone calls with him I ordered my wheels, King hubs, stans rims. Waited for the FEDEX van to turn up.
Better than I had hoped for. These wheels are by far the best I have ever had. Light weight and roll so smooth.
If you what the best wheels give Dave a call. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
ks
a Weekend Warrior
from MA, USA
Date Reviewed: December 21, 2008 | | Favorite Trail: | vietnam | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$700.00 | | Purchased At: | Dave's Speed dream w | | Strengths: | Great build quality, wheels appear bulletproof. Built with Stans Notubes rims and DT 240s hubs | | Weaknesses: | I want to say price but a comparable wheelset would have been $100 bucks more | | Similar Products Used: | Mavic Crossmax, crossroc, X3.1, Sun Rhino lite | | Bike Setup: | Santa Cruz Heckler, Sram drivetrain and mix of other stuff | | Bottom Line: | Great customer service. Tailored the wheel setup to my riding style. Wanted durable wheels and he built them that way. Been riding on them for a few months, not bent spokes, wheels are still true. Very smooth and not to heavy. So far so good. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
25lbs&counting
a Cross Country Rider
from Houston, TX
Date Reviewed: October 20, 2008 | | Favorite Trail: | Austin, and keep heading west | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Price Paid: |
$800.00 | | Purchased At: | Dave's place | | Strengths: | Stong, stiff, rolls very well, smooths out the rough stuff. | | Weaknesses: | Had to wait | | Similar Products Used: | Easton XC one, Custom build DT Swiss 240s on Mavic 717, custom build XTR on Bontranger mustang rims, DT Swiss 340 on DT Swiss X1 rims. | | Bike Setup: | 04 Blur with XT drivetrain, with easton, thompson, Reba fork, "pushed" fox rear shock. | | Bottom Line: | First have to apologize to Dave, he asked me to call after a couple weeks to let him know what I thought of the build. I figured that this would be the best way to express my pleasure with his handy work, I've been riding. I own a few wheelsets, a couple of them handbuilt by local LBS, which have no comparison.
When I called Dave, I had a couple of goals in mind already. First, I wanted the wheels to weigh no more then the Easton Wheelset I had, which was about 1590 grams. I really like having a light wheel, it makes a big difference in the momentum of the bike. Second, I wanted Chris King hubs, mango at that. Hey, if I have to pay for custom wheels, I want custom wheels. Anyway, looks good with the orange headset and black bike. So, gave Dave my "needs" and he asked a few other questions about riding style, weight, what I liked and didn't like about the other wheels and such.
He came up with a formula of matching the King hubs, to Stan 355 rims and a combination of Sapim spokes in different sizes for weight savings, added black brass nipples and extra spokes in case of an emergency. Waited about 4 weeks including shipping.
Worth every penny!!! Never have I been happier about a wheelset. The others that I own are great wheels, but each is lacking in some area. Either too heavy, too flexy, or just didn't feel right. What I have now is a wheelset that balances out the bike in performance and appearance. I keep the tires about 36 lbs, and ride from rooted to rocky areas around here. The wheels engage quickly when power is applied, much less washing out when cornering in loose dirt and sand, option to go tubeless, and weight came in at 1580 grams. Right on target.
I've rode on wheels in the same price range and some that cost more, even trending into the carbon fiber area, which might be just me, but carbon fiber rims don't belong on a mountain bike. Hands down, a custom wheel built to your standards, by someone who understands what they are doing and is an expert on all available materials, is nothing short of a wish come true. I am now selling the other wheels. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
mr. toad
a Cross Country Rider
from A2
Date Reviewed: September 30, 2008 | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Purchased At: | $680 | | Strengths: | strenght, durability, weight | | Weaknesses: | none so far | | Similar Products Used: | every kind | | Bike Setup: | titus switchblade, talas 32, rp23, thompson post and stem, monkey lite xc 1.5 rise, king head set, wtb stealth laser pro, Juicy 7 185 front , 160 rear, X.O triggers. with X.O. rear, Race Face Next cranks, quad bearing giga pipe, and Quartz peddles.
| | Bottom Line: | Dave is one of the rare gifts cycling has. I have purchased many up-grades over my 20 plus years mountain biking and these wheels from Dave had to be one of my best experiences. As you will read through out the reviews Dave is quite the bike guru. We talked first on my bike, riding style, my weight and my goals of the upgrade.
Well I came out with the best set of wheels I’ve ever owned. It’s been six months now and they are rolling faster and straighter than I could ever imagine. I am usually at the LBS by now with my wheel purchase getting them trued or worse but these seem indestructible. I have a nasty stick magnet in my body and I’m not a delicate lander of jumps. The side loading of wheels is my biggest problem. My rear wheels go out of true the fastest. Dave’s wheels, takes the abuse.
Dave set me up right. The front is a Stan’s ZTR 355, 32 spoke, with a hope pro II convertible hub. The rear is a Stan’s Arch, 32 spoke, with white industries hub with titanium cassette body. This set up address all my weakness and attains my goal of a durable, fast rolling and reasonable weight. Pretty darn light really. Knocked a half a pound off the toad. It's under 27 lbs and for a 5 inch bike that can take 5 foot flat lands I couldn’t be happier.
If that wasn’t enough, we talked on many cycling subjects from shocks to trails. Sometimes longer than a person would expect from a man who has to make a living with his hands and not his talking. After all the calls working out my exact wheels they were here in under two weeks.
| | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
pedalitup
a Cross Country Rider
from Oregon
Date Reviewed: September 14, 2008 | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Price Paid: |
$615.00 | | Strengths: | Ive used these wheels for over a year and they are as true as the day I mounted 'em. These are the lightest, stiffest, coolest wheels I've ever owned. | | Weaknesses: | NONE | | Similar Products Used: | Bontrager, Spinergy, XTR and XT hubs with various Mavic rims | | Bike Setup: | Voodoo hardtail with '08 Sid and Daves wheels. White ind rear hub, American classic front hub and Stans ZTR 355 rims | | Bottom Line: | This guy really cares for YOU and what YOU want and need.
Read the other reviews and believe it. Dave is the Guru of wheels. I called him last week about some play in my front hub, a new set of bearings was in my mailbox in 3 days at no charge. When I removed the old ones I discovered that I had probably rusted the disc side bearing by washing the bike hot. Superior customer service is just the icing on this cake.
I have recommended Dave Thomas to several fellow cyclists who ask where I found the wheels. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Jonathan
a Weekend Warrior
from Chicago, IL, USA
Date Reviewed: July 24, 2008 | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$700.00 | | Strengths: | Wheel set looks awesome, CK hubs sound great | | Weaknesses: | Price is a bit steep, King hubs don't roll quite as far as my old Mavics | | Similar Products Used: | Mavic Paris Gao Dakar | | Bike Setup: | '91 Bridgestone MB-Zip, Ritchey Logic headset, SunTour shifters and derailleurs, Mavic cranks and bottom bracket, black Velocity rims, black Chris King hubs | | Bottom Line: | The wheel set was a bit pricey, but Dave tailors the wheels to your weight, riding style and preferences. The King hubs is probably the most quality and coolest hubs around, and my bike is made even more awesome with the new addition. Like I said, though, the Mavic hubs that came standard do roll farther with less pedaling and effort. | Value Rating: Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
DISSR
a Racer
from Sacramento, CA
Date Reviewed: June 25, 2008 | | Favorite Trail: | Downieville | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Price Paid: |
$850.00 | | Purchased At: | Direct from Dave | | Strengths: | Tailored to me and my bike. Light, fast and strong | | Weaknesses: | absolutely none | | Similar Products Used: | Nuke proof, King(still a fan, Mavic etc | | Bike Setup: | Bianchi Diss,07XTcranks,XTR chain,Surly gears,WCSti Pedals,SpeedDream(Hope rear/Amer Classic fr)NoTubes rims, Avid disc,old SID race with a Campy Record headset and a little carbon here and there - 19.25 lbs of speed! | | Bottom Line: | These wheels are really fantastic! Dave custom tailors the wheelsets for each order and the selection of spokes with correct lacing patterns and guages for my weight and riding type etc along with some little tricks with the bearings etc really add up to a fast accelerating, fast rolling, druable wheelset. I highly recommend them to anyone that asks and sometimes even if they don't ask. This guy knows service, value and above all, how to build an outstanding wheelset. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
DISSR
a Racer
from Sacramento, CA
Date Reviewed: June 25, 2008 | | Favorite Trail: | Downieville | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Price Paid: |
$850.00 | | Purchased At: | Direct from Dave | | Strengths: | Tailored to me and my bike. Light, fast and strong | | Weaknesses: | absolutely none | | Similar Products Used: | Nuke proof, King(still a fan, Mavic etc | | Bike Setup: | Bianchi Diss,07XTcranks,XTR chain,Surly gears,WCSti Pedals,SpeedDream(Hope rear/Amer Classic fr)NoTubes rims, Avid disc,old SID race with a Campy Record headset and a little carbon here and there - 19.25 lbs of speed! | | Bottom Line: | These wheels are really fantastic! Dave custom tailors the wheelsets for each order and the selection of spokes with correct lacing patterns and guages for my weight and riding type etc along with some little tricks with the bearings etc really add up to a fast accelerating, fast rolling, druable wheelset. I highly recommend them to anyone that asks and sometimes even if they don't ask. This guy knows service, value and above all, how to build an outstanding wheelset. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
arrowem
a Cross Country Rider
from Duluth,MN,USA
Date Reviewed: June 17, 2008 | | Favorite Trail: | dirt | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$700.00 | | Purchased At: | Dave's | | Strengths: | Ultralight, solid, stiff and true. The perfect custom wheelset | | Weaknesses: | none | | Similar Products Used: | custom mavics | | Bike Setup: | 08 S Works FSR Stumpy set up with goodies | | Bottom Line: | Dave is a wheel building GOD. That's all there is too it. You call him, he asks questions and sets you up with YOUR perfect wheel set. You can not go wrong with these. The only problem is he is so good that he is getting backed up a little. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Steven Morse
a Racer
from Pawtucket, RI USA
Date Reviewed: March 26, 2008 | | Favorite Trail: | F. Gilbert Hills (Foxboro, Mass) | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Price Paid: |
$825.00 | | Purchased At: | Dave's Wheels | | Strengths: | Lightweight, bulletproof, beautiful | | Weaknesses: | Not a fault - but many adjustments needed on King hubs during long break in period. Just have to be aware of it. | | Similar Products Used: | WTB Speed Disc rims / XT hubs | | Bike Setup: | Salsa Mamasita, SRAM X9 bits. | | Bottom Line: | Dave is just the man. No idea how he can build a wheel this tough and fast for such a reasonable price. After a long phone interview discussing my weight, riding style, etc, we settled on the Notubes 355 rims with the King disc hubs, and a mix of spoke gauges for some weight savings. So, now it has been several weeks of some hard New England riding, and the wheels are straight as an arrow - which is incredible because I have beat the poo out of them on some pretty burly trails...rocks, roots, ledge drops you name it, I have smashed up against it. I am actually sort of infamous for destroying wheels rather quickly, and these seem to be up to the task so far- more time will tell. Best looking wheels I've ever ridden too. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Robert
a Weekend Warrior
from Casa Grande,AZ,USA
Date Reviewed: March 23, 2008 | | Favorite Trail: | The one I'm riding | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Price Paid: |
$474.00 | | Purchased At: | Dave'sSpeedDreams | | Strengths: | Super quick rolling/engagement of King hub. Wheels stay true. Dave's service is still the best. | | Weaknesses: | None. | | Similar Products Used: | Old bike still running my 1st set of Dave's wheels without any issues 2 yrs later of hard riding & is now used to pull my kids Burley trailer. | | Bike Setup: | 08 Specialized Enduro Sl, X9 components,Chris King hub & headset, & other assorted fancy parts. | | Bottom Line: | New bike so new wheels right? Dave builds wheels right & they stay true. My local trail has been abused by some dirtbikers. The trail is full of loose rocks every few feet. The wheels take constant hits from rocks as I ride 4 to 5 times a week at speed, still they roll straight. Wheels are strong too, as last week one of those rocks played plinko in my spokes breaking the rear derailleur hanger & shearing many pieces off the derailleur itself, but no broken spokes & still rolls true. The superman of wheels. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
AL GO
a Racer
from Québec, Canada
Date Reviewed: February 28, 2008 | | Favorite Trail: | fast & wild canadian trails | | Duration Product Used: | 2 Years | | Price Paid: |
$741.00 | | Purchased At: | Dave Thomas Speeddream | | Strengths: | personnel set-up with the best available part's for youre type of riding no compromise, Dave is a Professional wheelbuilder not a weekend salesman | | Weaknesses: | rim with tape always leak a bit at first even with stan sealing juice, Use tubeless tire, Maxxis is one of the best brand to avoid leak and they are very good overall | | Similar Products Used: | mavic crossmax sl, xl, shimano xtr, hugi etc. | | Bike Setup: | turner flux for xc, 5 spotfor am, rfx for the rest. with everything alldress with the best parts,sram,avid,thompson | | Bottom Line: | If you know what you want,or you need some info on wheels, Dave Thomas is the Men. If you want to talk about wheels, speeddream wheels, just call Dave 800-275-5031 He will deliver the wheelset for the riding you do xc,am,fr,dh you name it Dave will make the right set for you that it.Dave made my xc set with DT240 hub ¬ube ZTR355 rim, their fast. My allmountain set-up is Chrisking hub & notube new ZTR FLOW rim 28mm wide. How i can go wrong with that kind of wheelset. Mavic rim do the job to but i change my tires a lot, and notube rim are easier to set the tire right the first time. Enjoy the trails. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Patrick Eggers
a Weekend Warrior
from Duluth, Georgia
Date Reviewed: December 20, 2007 | | Favorite Trail: | Bull Mountain | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Price Paid: |
$800.00 | | Purchased At: | SpeedDream Wheels | | Strengths: | After 500 rough miles in the past few months, the wheels are still true. | | Weaknesses: | None. | | Similar Products Used: | A variety of rim and hub combinations. | | Bike Setup: | Iron Horse MKIII frame; Double Barrel shock; Marzocchi MX Pro; XTR drivetrain; Avid BB7's; King hubs laced to Aeroheat rims | | Bottom Line: | Dave knows what he is talking about when he recommends a wheelset based on his interview with you. At 250lbs, I stress every component in the drivetrain. I would typically deform rims and break spokes and have to have the rear wheel trued at least once a month. Dave recommended King hubs laced to Velocity Aeroheat rims and after several runs up and down Bull Mountain and dozens of laps at Chicopee Woods and Ft. Yargo, the rear wheel is still dead straight and all spokes are in place and tight. If you want a wheelset that you can put on your bike and not have to worry about them, talk to Dave. Bottom line, best investment I have made in components. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Rusty Flocken
a Cross Country Rider
from Highlands Ranch, CO, USA
Date Reviewed: November 18, 2007 | | Favorite Trail: | Kenosha to Georgia Pass | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Price Paid: |
$800.00 | | Purchased At: | Daves Speed Dream | | Strengths: | Fast, very, very fast. Instant engagement!! | | Weaknesses: | None yet. | | Similar Products Used: | CrossMax XL. | | Bike Setup: | YETI 575,All XTR, Fox Talus fork, Cris King head set. | | Bottom Line: | This was one of the best buying experiences I have ever had. I was very nervous about buying something this expensive over the phone. Dave answered all of my questions every time I called which was alot before I bought. His knowledge was amazing. I found him based upon the MTBR site and was very, very pleased. Unlike most of the reviews I am not a big guy, maybe a buck 60, and Dave built my wheels base upon my bike, my size and riding style. My first ride out on the new wheels was better than I expected and I expected alot. Fast, very fast, very responsive and INSTANT engagement, the Cris King hubs are
as good if not better than their hype. Time will tell how well they hold up so I will be sure to post again at the end of next season. Perhaps the most suprizing thing is that I payed about the same for the CrossMax XL's and my initial impression is that there is no comparison.. This may turn out to be the best upgrade I have done to my YETI.
Who should buy it? Anyone with a pulse on a bike. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Gerald
a Racer
from Budd Lake, NJ USA
Date Reviewed: July 21, 2007 | | Favorite Trail: | Allamuchy Mountain | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$800.00 | | Purchased At: | Dave's Website | | Strengths: | Stiff, Light, Can run at lower psi, Very fast rolling and great for climbing. | | Weaknesses: | None | | Similar Products Used: | Mavic Crossmax SL, XTR | | Bike Setup: | 2007 Bianchi Lewis Single Speed | | Bottom Line: | The bottom line is that if I had known about Dave earlier I never would have purchsed the XTR or Mavic wheelsets on my previous bikes. I never had a problem with Mavic 517's when I had rim brakes and XTR has always treated me well also, but this wheelset is better by far. These wheels definately go precisely where I point them and I'm more confident on them whether I'm climbing, downhilling or going hard into turns. They stick like glue in hard turns and I trust them like I trust the edge on my hockey skates.
Another thing I love about these wheels are the Chris King hubs. The rear hub has 72 points of engagement and boy does it matter when you are going through a long rock garden and you have to do several half-cranks. That extra meat you get makes the difference in many instances not to mention that wicked howl they produce at speed.
I hate to sound like a commercial for Dave but man I'd have to be out of my mind to ever consider purchasing a high end stock wheelset anywhere else ever. Hell even if Dave stopped doing this for a living I'd still go to another wheelbuilding professional. Speaking of Dave, you couldn't find a more informative, kind or fair guy anywhere. I called him several times and he found the time to call me back or answer his phone every time and I never ever felt rushed. Trust me I asked him a million questions and he remained more than gracious. Actually, on the first phone call he asked me alot of questions. My weight, riding style, what I want out of biking, budget........all of it. It's a great feeling having wheels hand built specifically with me in mind. I've had these wheels for over 30 hardass rides and if they were gonna go out of true they would have already. Any rim I've ever bent was all my fault anyways. The longer you ride the less they bend I find. I'll be telling any and everyone who needs a wheelset to see Dave. Count on that. Happy Trails. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Cam
a Weekend Warrior
from Brighton, MI, USA
Date Reviewed: May 27, 2007 | | Favorite Trail: | Highland | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Price Paid: |
$800.00 | | Purchased At: | direct from Dave | | Strengths: | Custom set up, lots of options, strong, lite, service, hand assembled | | Weaknesses: | none | | Similar Products Used: | spin lite wheels, mavic cross max, velocity wheels, XT/517 wheelset,spinergy rev X, Mavic Ksy. | | Bike Setup: | Hairy Gary steel/carbon cross frame, King headset-hubs, thomson stem & post, dura ace drive train, avid canti magnesium brakes. velocity fusion rims black, pewter king hubs, wheelsmith oval spokes black, kenda kwick tires, cinelli bars. | | Bottom Line: | Best wheelset I own. I have busted spokes, pulled eyelets on many rims *(225 lbs rider) I read about these wheels from Dave for sometime now. Other builders wanted me to ride 36h both wheels with straight gage spokes. Dave took the time to talk with me about my weight, riding style and use. These wheels are for road and cross. I am now a very proud owner of a 28h front and 32 rear . Single track, gravel roads, paved MI roads are all thrown at these wheels. Over six months and they run true as when I got them. If you are hard on wheels and are looking for new set then call him up. You will not go wrong. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Brian
a Cross Country Rider
from Seattle, WA USA
Date Reviewed: May 14, 2007 | | Favorite Trail: | Galbraith Mtn. - Bellingham | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Purchased At: | Direct from Dave | | Strengths: | Custom spoke size/lace pattern for my weight, fast turn around time, awesome service. | | Weaknesses: | None | | Similar Products Used: | 26" Chris King SS, Mavic 717 Rims | | Bike Setup: | '07 Unit 29'r, Chris King Hubs (34x22), Stans NoTubes ZTR 355, White Bro's Magic 80 fork, Magura Marta brakes, Maxxis Ignitor 2.1 tires, keystone cops squeeze horn | | Bottom Line: | I bought these wheels based on reviews on this site. They weren't the cheapest, but the price was certainly reasonable and you definitely get what you pay for. Dave's service was world class. I've ridden 5 of the last 7 days up and down all kinds of terrain - no problems whatsoever. I'm 205 lbs - and these wheels are totally solid. You should buy from Dave it you want awesome customer service regardless of riding style...he'll totally set you up. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
robert jones
a
from lancaster, pa
Date Reviewed: April 23, 2007 | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$620.00 | | Purchased At: | Daves' SpeedDream | | Strengths: | Entire Wheelset, Customer Service. | | Weaknesses: | No Weaknesses | | Similar Products Used: | Mavic, Sun Rhyno Lites. | | Bike Setup: | Giant NRS Air, Fox Talas fork | | Bottom Line: | Dave is the real deal. After he personally answered the phone, we spoke about my riding style and weight to get a custom build. He recommended the 355 No Tubes rim with White Industries/American Classic Hubs. I weight 185lbs so we couldn't go too light with the wheelset. I beleive the set weighs 1620gms. I've ridden them (trouble free) for 3 months now and they are just fantastic. They climb quickly and extend the confindence I need for fast singletrack. I highly recommend a set if you have the means. Leave Mavic and Bontrager Wheels at the bike shop and treat yourself to a set of wheels that you will never regret purchasing. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Zac
a Racer
from Manassas, Va. USA
Date Reviewed: February 12, 2007 | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Price Paid: |
$570.00 | | Strengths: | Sturdy, Light, attractive | | Weaknesses: | none | | Similar Products Used: | FSA xc300, many others | | Bike Setup: | Ellsworth Epiphany, SRAM XO | | Bottom Line: | Believe the hype, Dave makes fantastic wheels. I've ridden this set hard for one year and they have yet to need truing. The sturdiest set of wheels for the money our there, plus Dave offers incredible service and is extremely friendly and knowledgeable. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Stewart
a Cross Country Rider
from Miami, FL, USA
Date Reviewed: December 10, 2006 | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Price Paid: |
$560.00 | | Purchased At: | Dave's Wheels | | Strengths: | Very light, true, coureously arranged, quickly delivered. | | Weaknesses: | None | | Similar Products Used: | ready-mades from PricePoint, XT hubs | | Bike Setup: | KHS Alite 4000 frame (Easton Elan triple-tapered tubing), XTR shifters/levers, Avid Single Digit 7, XTR Rapid Rise, Race Face Turbine crank arms, Blackspire Pro chainrings, XTR cassette, Egg Beaters, Titec 118 bar,Answer Orbit stem, Oury grips, Selle Italia Flite, Thomson post (you get the picture: Dream Bike!)and of course, Dave's Wheels (Valiant rims, King hubs) | | Bottom Line: | Not enough miles on them yet (despite the time) to really know, but they're things of beauty and, I suspect, the best things on the bike. (Not much new to add to the raves below, but I love them.) Who should buy them? People who want the best in service and in a product tailored to their needs. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
miagi
a Weekend Warrior
from red hill, pa
Date Reviewed: October 9, 2006 | | Favorite Trail: | french creek | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Price Paid: |
$745.00 | | Purchased At: | phone | | Strengths: | Light and stiff, fast. | | Weaknesses: | Not true after 9 months of use. Rear wheel has a nice wobble. Front has a slight wobble. | | Similar Products Used: | full bonty wheels, lots of mavic/shimano combos | | Bike Setup: | former 03/current 07 rocky etsx-70, CK/mustang rims, fox front and rear, shimano hydros, time pedals | | Bottom Line: | Hey, I bought these wheels based on reviews I read here. Right out of the box, they felt incredibly fast. Stiff too. I felt like I was riding on rails (and I still do).
But after about 40 rides, the rear wheel is far from true and the front is slightly out. I haven't contacted Dave yet, but I trust he will take care of my problems. I am very hard on my equipment and this wheelset has not held up as well as the set that originally came with my bike (RM Wheeltech/Mavic 317 with XT hubs). I'm about 210 with gear, and I discussed that with Dave. That's why I leaned more towards durability than light weight. Still, they're not true and I have to send em' back. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Barb
a Cross Country Rider
from Tewksbury, MA, USA
Date Reviewed: September 13, 2006 | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Price Paid: |
$765.00 | | Strengths: | Lightweight...incredibly smooth rolling (probably due to the Chris King hubs)...nice looking...strong...can't say enough good things about these wheels. | | Bike Setup: | Specialized Sworks Pro | | Bottom Line: | Get these wheels...Dave's a nice guy too...he'll talk with you to figure out what setup makes the most sense to you. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Mike
a
from PA
Date Reviewed: September 9, 2006 | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Strengths: | Simply the best wheelset I've ever owned. | | Weaknesses: | None. | | Similar Products Used: | Too many. | | Bike Setup: | Used on a rigid SS. Set up with Bonti Valient rims and King hubs. V brake, dishless and strong. | | Bottom Line: | The toughest, lightest, fastest wheelset I've ever owned. My 180# carcass has been thoroughly beating these wheels about 4 times a week on my rigid SS on some of the rockiest trails going. They are still completely true. When I pick up one of these wheels I can't believe how light they are. I've raced and won on these wheels. I trail ride on them. They are simply the best and that's saying something because I've been through a lot of wheelsets in my 15 years of mountain biking. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Warren
a Cross Country Rider
from Ogden, UT, USA
Date Reviewed: September 2, 2006 | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Price Paid: |
$769.00 | | Purchased At: | dave's wheels | | Strengths: | King disc hubs, Stan's olympic rims. I run them tubeless with the really light yellow tape without leaking problems - with Stan's sealent.
I have ridden and crashed these wheels hard. He built them for me as a cross country rider (no significant air) and they have been flawless. I did not think a set of wheels could make as much difference, but now I know better! Precision, stiff, immediate, fast. | | Similar Products Used: | Stock wheels on Specialized Epic. | | Bike Setup: | Specialized Epic - XTR shifters, axid discs, XT drivetrain, FOX float fork. | | Bottom Line: | Dave knows what he is doing and will help you pick the right components for your wheels. His wheels are light (mine are lighter than the Mavic Crossmax SL disc), true, and durable.
Depending on your choices the wheels can be expensive, but the performance leaves nothing to be desired. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
john s
a Cross Country Rider
from richmond, va, usa
Date Reviewed: August 15, 2006 | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Price Paid: |
$900.00 | | Purchased At: | Dave | | Strengths: | Solid, attractive, true, they work | | Weaknesses: | None | | Similar Products Used: | OEM garbage | | Bike Setup: | FS Kona K-D | | Bottom Line: | 500+ trail miles and they roll as true as the day I got them. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Sean
a Cross Country Rider
from Newark, DE
Date Reviewed: August 5, 2006 | | Favorite Trail: | Fair Hill | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Price Paid: |
$760.00 | | Purchased At: | Through Dave | | Strengths: | Wheels are light, fast, and strong. | | Weaknesses: | None. | | Similar Products Used: | Mavic Crossmax | | Bike Setup: | Turner Flux | | Bottom Line: | As everyone has mentioned, the build quality on the wheels is superb and the customer service is off the charts. Dave has sent me out new spokes and a rim strip pronto. In both cases, I needed replacements through no fault of Dave's and the follow-through was amazing. I talked to him on the phone and a few days later they're at my doorstep. The DT Swiss 240 hubs and Stans Olympic rims ride great. Best upgrade I ever made on my bike. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Gregory Finch
a Cross Country Rider
from Waverly, N.Y., USA
Date Reviewed: June 24, 2006 | | Favorite Trail: | This week: Waverly Glen | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Price Paid: |
$614.00 | | Purchased At: | Dave's | | Strengths: | Strong, light, Well built | | Weaknesses: | Too nice, don't think I'll ever buy another off the rack wheelset. Dave has spoiled me. | | Similar Products Used: | XT hubs laced to Mavic rims | | Bike Setup: | Gary Fisher Team Issue | | Bottom Line: | I was already to buy another popular brand wheel but before doing so checked the reviews on this site an found Dave. I am very glad I did. Dave is just like he has been described in other reviews. Easy to work with, responsive and with lots of good advice. These wheels are fantastic so far. I just got them and only have a few rides on them but I am impressed. I'm not what you would call a finese rider so I didn't necessarily expect to notice a difference. Most of the time I read a reviews but just don't experience the nuances of the ride like others do. In any case I noticed an immediate difference. Granted at this time I only have a few rides on them, I'll post an update later this summer or at the end with my long term impressions | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Rick X
a Weekend Warrior
from Portland, Or
Date Reviewed: May 24, 2006 | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Price Paid: |
$650.00 | | Strengths: | Dave built tubeless disc wheelset using Stan's ZTR 355 rims, White hubs and DT spokes. Light, strong, great traction, well built, great value. | | Weaknesses: | Rear weheel was a bit out of true when I received it, but 10 minutes on a truing stand solved the problem. Other than that a clean build. | | Similar Products Used: | I've been riding everything w/tubes up until now. | | Bike Setup: | Turner 5 Spot w/Horst link. TALAS/RP3, Dave's wheels, SRAM XO, Avid Juicy 5's. | | Bottom Line: | Tubeless technology is for REAL, it isnt a bunch of hype. Lower pressure allows way better traction especially on the climbs and technical trails. I'm using Kenda Nevegal 2.1 tires w/Stan's liner and sealant. I was pretty skeptical at first but if you use the ZTR 355 rims, which were designed specifically for tubeless use, and carefully follow the tire mounting directions on Stan's video on his website anybody with with a clue will get excellent results. The tires lost some air after the first 48 hours after sealing but have been solid ever since, no more air leakage than on a normal tube.
I ride technical trails with lots of rocks and roots and these wheels are really light and feel very solid and compliment the handling of my frame.
This is the third wheel set I've purchased from Dave. I have 2 road wheelsets that have been trouble free for years.
If you have been pondering going tubeless, this wheelset is the way to go. One of the best performance upgrades I've ever made. There is just no way I'm ever going back to tubes! | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Lee
a Weekend Warrior
from Laguna Niguel, CA, USA
Date Reviewed: May 20, 2006 | | Favorite Trail: | San Juan Trail - Capistrano, Amasa back - Moab | | Duration Product Used: | More than 3 years | | Price Paid: |
$600.00 | | Purchased At: | Davew Wheels | | Strengths: | Un-thrashable, light, great value. I have ridden them since 2003 and logged over 1500 miles, all in the dirt, with over 225000 ft of slow climbing (210 lbs of me...) followed by fast descending. The wheels are still true, not a wobble or ding with many miles of point and shoot rock gardens behind them. | | Weaknesses: | None. | | Similar Products Used: | Mavics, the usual Supergo stuff... | | Bike Setup: | The wheens are Velocity Aeroheat rims on King IsoDisc hubs. Bike is an Ellsworth Id, 8-speed XTR, Avid 7" mechanicals, Fox 125RLC, etc... | | Bottom Line: | Great wheels, strong, light. A testament to what an expert wheelbuilder can do. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
guy fischer
a Cross Country Rider
from lafayette,co
Date Reviewed: April 28, 2006 | | Favorite Trail: | Colorado Trail | | Duration Product Used: | More than 3 years | | Price Paid: |
$500.00 | | Purchased At: | Speedream | | Strengths: | Reliability
Rideability
Looks
Longevity
| | Weaknesses: | Finding a LBS that can correctly overhaul Chris King hubs | | Similar Products Used: | Shimano XT + XTR = Offer good, but not great performance
Mavic Crossride = Inferior quality + ride | | Bike Setup: | Litespeed Owl Hollow
Currently a mixed bag of SRAM, Ritchey and Shimano | | Bottom Line: | Proud to be the 100th reviewer of these quality wheels
The art of wheel-building mated to the science of performance | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Brad
a Cross Country Rider
from Randall
Date Reviewed: April 15, 2006 | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Price Paid: |
$630.00 | | Purchased At: | Speed Dream Wheels | | Strengths: | Light, strong, and they roll forever when you spin them by hand. | | Weaknesses: | None | | Similar Products Used: | Mavic Crosslink, Deore | | Bottom Line: | Great wheels and cheaper than the best factory-made models. My wheels have the DT 240 hubs along with the Bontrager Valiant rims. Like them so much that I'm having Dave make a pair for my daughter as well. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Karl
a Cross Country Rider
from Layton, Utah
Date Reviewed: April 11, 2006 | | Favorite Trail: | Crest Trail | | Duration Product Used: | 2 Years | | Price Paid: |
$600.00 | | Purchased At: | Dave's Speed Dream | | Strengths: | Lite, sturdy, well built, mx free. | | Weaknesses: | None | | Similar Products Used: | Bontrager Race-lite | | Bike Setup: | Truth - XT Shifters/XT-V brakes, XTR everything else, Next LP cranks, Swinger 3-way rear, MX Pro front, Chris King around. | | Bottom Line: | As a 220 lb Clydsdale I was a little concerned with the durability of light weight wheels. Dave dispelled all concerns and delivered a sweet set of wheels that have lasted nearly three years of IMC races, three 24 HOM, and nearly 4.5k miles in Wasatch/Moab adventure in between. I've only had to true these rims three times, with normal mx for the Chris King hubs. I bent a rim once attempting a rock field at slow speed - got caught between while laying the bike down. Dave had the wheel back in a week good as ever. I've held off writing a review but nothings going to change. You will not be disappointed in this purchase. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Tony
a Cross Country Rider
from Charlotte, NC
Date Reviewed: April 6, 2006 | | Favorite Trail: | poplar tent | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Price Paid: |
$700.00 | | Purchased At: | Dave's Speed Dream | | Strengths: | Talk with Dave about wheels and you will know the strenghts | | Weaknesses: | Nothing | | Similar Products Used: | Rolf Urrocco | | Bike Setup: | Trek STP 300 - Old School Carbon Soft Tail Pro | | Bottom Line: | Damn It Man! These wheels are fast and light. I order Stans ZTR-355 with Chris King Classics. They are unreal, after reading reviews and mag articles I thought custom wheels would make a bit of a difference but I had no idea it would be so drastic. The fact that Dave ask questions about bike set up and riding style makes you feel good about the purchase. I thought about buying wheels from Dave for over a year, needless to say I wish I bought them a long time ago. I have upgraded everything on my bike expect the fork and this wheel purchase is without doubt the best upgrade. Hell it may be one of the best purchases I have ever made. If you are looking for a nice wheel set CALL DAVE!! | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Robert
a Weekend Warrior
from Casa Grande, AZ. USA
Date Reviewed: April 4, 2006 | | Favorite Trail: | Mormon National. | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Price Paid: |
$565.00 | | Purchased At: | Dave's Wheels | | Strengths: | Dave's questions before purchase set you up right. I bought the Bontrager rims w/White Ind. hubs. The wheels have given me zero problems right from the box. They roll fast & are true, plus the quicker hub engagement buzz sounds great. Buy these wheels if you would rather ride than hang out at the local bike shop waiting for repairs. | | Weaknesses: | None. | | Similar Products Used: | Mavic w/Oynx hub (rear), Mavic w/Specialized stout (front) | | Bike Setup: | 01 Specialized Enduro Pro,Chris king headset,Gothic rotors,XT & XTR components. | | Bottom Line: | Dave's my hero. Great wheels that are priced right along the others, but you are getting a custom built set of wheels just for you. Sweet!! I was considering buying some Mavic Crossmax XL's, but heard they are a maintenance nightmare & lock up without any notice. Save your pennies & get Dave's Wheels you'll be glad you did!!! | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Bob Slayden
a Weekend Warrior
from Nashville, TN, USA
Date Reviewed: March 29, 2006 | | Favorite Trail: | montgomery bell | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Price Paid: |
$750.00 | | Purchased At: | Direct from Daves Wheels | | Strengths: | Strong, Light, springy | | Weaknesses: | None, so far. | | Similar Products Used: | Mavic 717's on DT Onyx | | Bike Setup: | Classic Blur. CK hubs, Stans Olympic ZTR rims, Wheelsmith spokes. Spoke cross and size tailored to location, rider weight, and use. total weight 1560g. | | Bottom Line: | Ride fairly aggressive cross country with some small, smooth jumping. Bike feels downright frisky since I put new wheels on. I am no expert, but I love the feel of these new wheels. Running Kenda Nevegal 2.1 frt and 1.9 rr. Using the Stans Notubes system with just yellow tape, no rim strips. So far no complaints. Wheels a little pricy, but personal service from Dave, and his experience helped me decide on just the right combination of components, then left the rest up to his magic. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Trey
a Cross Country Rider
from Fairplayn CO
Date Reviewed: March 3, 2006 | | Favorite Trail: | that one | | Duration Product Used: | 2 Years | | Price Paid: |
$600.00 | | Purchased At: | dave | | Strengths: | Light, Strong, Springy, Stiff, Dave Built 'em. | | Weaknesses: | none | | Similar Products Used: | crossmax ust and other hand built | | Bike Setup: | These wheels have been on 3 bikes now. Blur, Salsa Bandito and now ASR SL... | | Bottom Line: | Call Dave first, Call dave last, but, CALL HIM BEFORE YOU BUY WHEELS FROM ANYONE ELSE. YOU WILL BE HAPPY! | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Nicholis Statz
a Racer
from Pillager, Mn, USA
Date Reviewed: March 1, 2006 | | Favorite Trail: | Anything single tack! | | Duration Product Used: | 2 Years | | Price Paid: |
$620.00 | | Purchased At: | Dave's | | Strengths: | The strongest wheels around! | | Weaknesses: | None | | Similar Products Used: | Custom Built Wheels from Pete Hamer at Penn Cycle | | Bike Setup: | Ellsworth Sub 22, All Chris King, Thomson, XTR and Hope | | Bottom Line: | This guy is the Wheel God! I have beat the crap out of these wheels for 2 years and I have not had to touch them, not even to true them! I watched a buddy of mine that has the same wheel set I do launch off a 12 footer and land only on the front wheel. He hit so hard that it knocked his head set loose and then he took a digger. Needless to say the wheels never came out of true and the only thing that lost that fight was my friend and being such a good friend I am it was all caught on tape. The best thing about that story is not only did he do it 1 time but he did that jump twice, he also ate crap both times of course and the wheels took it like Jenna Jameson. I'm sold on Dave's wheel building skills and if you have the cash don't hesitate because you will not be able to purchase a better or stronger wheel set. Dave if you read this I also have a buddy who has a wheel set of yours that are pre 96 and they are still going Strong and true. Thanks for the great wheels Dave and I look forward to another season of putting abuse on these Dirt Wranglers! Cheers! | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
guy
a Cross Country Rider
from lafayette, co
Date Reviewed: January 30, 2006 | | Favorite Trail: | sunset (flagstaff) | | Duration Product Used: | More than 3 years | | Price Paid: |
$535.00 | | Purchased At: | Dave's SpeedDream | | Strengths: | I can't kill this wheelset. I weigh 180 lbs. and ride a hardtail and they keep rolling true.
You can probably get cheaper wheels somewhere else, but better built wheels will be hard to find. | | Weaknesses: | Not really a product weakness per se, but Chris King hubset needs to be serviced by a shop that knows how to take hub apart.(My LBS didn't have the tools) | | Similar Products Used: | Mavic Rims/XTR Hubs
Other wheelsets | | Bike Setup: | Litespeed Owl Hollow/ Marzocchi Fork/ Dave's Wheelset | | Bottom Line: | A product that delivers. I just passed 6000 miles of hard Colorado riding on these wheels and except for some maintenance on the rear hub, have not had a single thing go wrong with these. Time to get a set of Dave's Road wheels. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
J Patridge
a Racer
from Clarkdale
Date Reviewed: January 28, 2006 | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$820.00 | | Purchased At: | direct from Dave | | Strengths: | incredible workmanship | | Weaknesses: | NONE!!!! | | Similar Products Used: | Mavic
| | Bike Setup: | the same as before | | Bottom Line: | I just wanted to add an update after a few months usage of the product. The high I experienced with the first ride is still with me. These are without a doubt the best wheels I have had the privilege of owning and riding. You will not regret the money spent. Dave simply builds the best wheels. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Daniel
a Cross Country Rider
from Phoenix
Date Reviewed: December 28, 2005 | | Favorite Trail: | Desert Classic | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Price Paid: |
$830.00 | | Purchased At: | Directly from Dave | | Strengths: | Light, strong and looks really great. | | Weaknesses: | None | | Similar Products Used: | Mavic Crossmax | | Bike Setup: | Specialized Epic / XTR | | Bottom Line: | I live in Phoenix so I called Dave and he turned my order around in one day! Dave will give you several choices of wheel designs (hubs, spokes, nipples, rims) and helps you pick the right wheelset for your needs. My wheels have Chris King ISO Hubs and Stan's ZTR 355 rims. They weigh less than Crossmax SLs and are stronger too... In addition, it is easier to put a UST (tubeless) tire on these rims than my previous Mavic Crossmax wheels. These are the best wheels you can buy, in my opinion, and the service is first rate. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
J Patridge
a Racer
from Clarkdale
Date Reviewed: November 26, 2005 | | Favorite Trail: | porcupine rim | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Price Paid: |
$820.00 | | Purchased At: | from Dave | | Strengths: | workmanship, strength, attention to datail-all this and light too! | | Weaknesses: | absolutely none | | Similar Products Used: | Mavic Crossmax SL | | Bike Setup: | see my Yeti 575 reveiw, smart light at 26.5 lbs. | | Bottom Line: | Dave is the only person I will let build a wheel in the future. He put together a lighter than anyone and stronger feeling wheelset than I have ever experienced. With King ISO hubs, ZTR 355 rims and just the right spokes(picked by Dave),he takes the best material and turns it into a work of art. Front wheel-710 gms, back-850 gms. They look great, feel great and they fly. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
jack rawlins
a Cross Country Rider
from chico
Date Reviewed: November 19, 2005 | | Favorite Trail: | mackenzie river | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Purchased At: | from dave | | Strengths: | fairly priced, super-light, strong, pretty--perfect! | | Weaknesses: | none | | Similar Products Used: | Bontrager Race X Lite | | Bike Setup: | Santa Cruz superlight, Manitou Mars Super fork, XTR | | Bottom Line: | Dave answers his own phone in two seconds, gives you the straight dope clearly, lays out your choices, gives good advice, then quickly builds the lightest wheel you've ever seen--70 g. lighter than American Classic, and strong! Very fairly priced, too. The whole experience was fast, fun, and completely satisfying. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Ricky J
a Weekend Warrior
from San Luis Obispo, CA
Date Reviewed: October 23, 2005 | | Favorite Trail: | Flagstaff area | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$735.00 | | Purchased At: | Direct from Speed Dream | | Strengths: | A 29er wheelset hand-built by Dave Thomas, who takes customer service and satisfaction to new heights. Perfectly crafted with top quality components. Very quick delivery! | | Weaknesses: | none | | Similar Products Used: | Many 26" wheelsets, most served me well. | | Bike Setup: | 2005 Ventana El Capitan 29er full suspension, XTR, BW 1.0 fork, Hayes hydraulics | | Bottom Line: | My 29er needed to be built with a very short lead time, and being unfamiliar with the big wheels it was a great opportunity to call Dave Thomas.
I'm glad I did: he's extraordinary at finding out what you need and then giving a choice of options to get there. We decided on Bontrager Mustang disc rims with Chris King hubs. The entire process took nine days including shipping, most excellent.
A complete 5-star rating! | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Curt
a Racer
from Meridian, MS, USA
Date Reviewed: October 21, 2005 | | Duration Product Used: | 2 Years | | Purchased At: | Direct from Dave | | Strengths: | Super light
Super strong
Bomb proof | | Weaknesses: | They have spoiled me to the point where I absolutely WILL NOT EVER shell out my hard earned cash for any other new, high-end wheelset, period . . . but is that a weakness? | | Bike Setup: | Superlight @ about 24.5 lbs | | Bottom Line: | I weigh about 170 lbs and I am not a finesse rider/racer. I pedal in squares, I ride crappy lines, and I beat the hell out of my equipment. I talked to Dave, he built me a wheelset (King classic hubs & Valiant rims) that weighed 1410 grams . . . after over two years and several thousand miles later, they are still arrow straight and crazy fast. I'll never buy another new, high-end wheelset from anyone else. Why bother? His customer service is second to none and his wheel building skill is fast becoming legendary. Thanks again, Dave. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Toby
a Cross Country Rider
from Charlotte, NC, USA
Date Reviewed: August 13, 2005 | | Favorite Trail: | Tsali | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$600.00 | | Purchased At: | Direct from Dave | | Strengths: | True custom build, lightweight, strong, customer service | | Weaknesses: | NONE. | | Similar Products Used: | Prebuilt wheels from shops like jenson, supergo, etc. | | Bike Setup: | Titus Racer x, 8sp XTR, PUSHed Fox float fork | | Bottom Line: | It's hard to decide which is the best part of these wheels. To start, you call Dave and he asks you some questions about your weight and riding style and so forth. Then he recommends a build-up right for you. I went with the white ind. rear hub with Ti free hub body and American Classic front on Bontrager Mustang tubeless disc-only rims.
Talking to Dave is like talking to Mr. Rogers, I say that because the guy is down right nice. He makes you feel like he is only building a wheelset for you and you have been his best friend for 20 years. Dave knows his stuff, this guy is as good as there is out there. He sends the wheels out pronto, and includes extra spokes and nipples in the ultra rare chance something happens. I have been thrashing on these for the past few months and they aren't even a hair out of true.
These wheels are light (~1600g/pair), strong as hell, better than great customer service from Dave, and worth every penny! | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Matt Borsa
a Cross Country Rider
from Raymond, NH
Date Reviewed: July 27, 2005 | | Favorite Trail: | Exeter (Fort Rock) | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Price Paid: |
$740.00 | | Purchased At: | Direct from Dave, of course! | | Strengths: | Very light and stiff, even with the tapered spokes. | | Weaknesses: | Absolutely none. | | Similar Products Used: | Lots, but none as good as Dave's. None even close. | | Bike Setup: | '05 Santa Cruz Heckler, Maverick fork, and Dave's wheels! | | Bottom Line: | BUY THESE WHEELS!!!! They are definitely worth it. I only spoke with Dave once, but that was enough to convince me he was the person to go with. Very knowledgeable, and very patient. I was researching wheelsets for quite some time, as the sets I had had in the past would all go out of true/out of round within only a few rides. Hadn't even heard of Dave or Speed Dream, but the overwhelming positive feedback on this site, and my one conversation with the man himself, convinced me this was the way to go. Think about it: for a decent set of pre-manufactured wheels, you're going to spend at least $600.00. Isn't it worth the extra $$$ (only about $140 for me) to get a custom-built set that is virtually bomb-proof??? And the service is spectacular. I got my set (from first conversation to doorstep) within a week and a half; I don't believe my check had even cleared, by then!!
I've been riding on these wheels for a few months shy of a year now, and I haven't had to take them to the shop to have them trued once. No regrets. I will never buy a set of wheels anywhere else. Again, BUY THESE WHEELS!!! | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
John Rahm
a Cross Country Rider
from Sisters, Oregon USA
Date Reviewed: June 12, 2005 | | Favorite Trail: | Peterson Ridge | | Duration Product Used: | More than 3 years | | Strengths: | Light and bomb proof and beautiful | | Weaknesses: | Huh? | | Bike Setup: | Titus Racer-X, Talas, pro-pedal, XT and XTR | | Bottom Line: | Dave is rebuilding my rear wheel...the rim wore out after 4000 miles. Never had to true either wheel. I'm a customer for life. These are great for anyone who appreciates maintenance free lightweight strong reasonably priced wheels. I'm tempted to sell my sexy Rolf road wheels and get a set from Dave, 100 gms lighter and $200 cheaper. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Scott
a Cross Country Rider
from San Francisco, CA, USA
Date Reviewed: June 2, 2005 | | Favorite Trail: | Skegg's | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Price Paid: |
$650.00 | | Purchased At: | Directly from Dave | | Strengths: | Fast, Strong, Light | | Weaknesses: | None | | Bike Setup: | Santa Cruz Superlight | | Bottom Line: | Dave's wheels are everything everyone else here has siad about them. One thing that I don't think any one mentioned...when I called Dave and we jointly decided on what he was going to build for me, I fully expected to have to wait at least 6 weeks to get them. No! They where built and in my hand in slightly less than 2 weeks. Maybe I just caught Dave when he did not have a backlog, but I thought that his customer service was first rate! | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Mark
a Cross Country Rider
from Mesa, AZ, USA
Date Reviewed: May 12, 2005 | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Price Paid: |
$700.00 | | Purchased At: | Daves Wheels | | Strengths: | Single Speed 29er disk wheelset...Light, stiff when accelerating and still feel compliant over the rough stuff. | | Weaknesses: | none | | Similar Products Used: | Mavic, Cane Creek, American Classic | | Bike Setup: | Sycip 29er Single Speed disk brake w/ ecc. bb,Sycip seg. rigid fork,King headset,Daves Wheels(King SS Disk Hubs and Bontrager Mustang Rims),Jones H-bar,Thomson post and stem,Hope Mono Mini Disk Brakes | | Bottom Line: | This is my second set of Daves Wheels....you can't go wrong with the best! My first set never needed truing even after 2 seasons of racing on them. Daves level of customer service is the best and his wheels are worth every penny. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
KEN
a Cross Country Rider
from BOSTON
Date Reviewed: May 9, 2005 | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Price Paid: |
$860.00 | | Purchased At: | SPEED DREAMS DIRECT | | Strengths: | ALL ASPECTS RELATED TO WHEELS | | Weaknesses: | WON'T HAPPEN HERE | | Similar Products Used: | CROSSMAX XL | | Bike Setup: | CUSTOM SEVEN SOLA TI SS W/EBB, FOX F100X, FSA MEGAEXO CARBON CRKSET,THOMPSON MSTRPC POST AND X4 STEM,HOPE DISC | | Bottom Line: | THIS IS MY SECOND WHEELSET FROM DAVE THOMAS AT SPEED DREAMS. THE FIRST WAS A KING-VALIANT VBRK SET WHICH 3 YRS LATER IS STILL GOING STRONG WITHOUT EVEN 1 TRUEING. THIS LATEST PROJECT IS A KING SS-STAN'S NOTUBE OLYMPIC DISC ONLY SET. AS WITH THE VBRK SET REVIEW I'LL COVER THE PARTS AND THEN THE BUILD.
AS WITH MOST THINGS, USING THE RIGHT COMPONENTS IS KEY. IN THE CASE OF WHEELSETS, THIS IS OBVIOUSLY TRUE. I WENT WITH DAVE'S ONLINE SPEC OF KING SS DISC HUBS, WHEELSMITH SPOKES, ALLOY NIPPLES, STAN'S NOTUBES OLYMPIC DISC RIMS, AND ALL PARTS IN BLACK. THIS IS A "COST IS NO OBJECT" SET THAT IS THE BEST THAT'S CURRENTLY OFFERED. THE KING HUBS ARE STRONG, LIGHT, AND ELEGANTLY SIMPLE IN APPEARENCE. WITH OWNER SERVICEABLE BEARINGS AND LASER ETCHED GRAPHICS, THESE ARE AS MAINT FREE AS YOU CAN GET. THE FRT HUB IS ULTRA SMOOTH AND USES AN UNCHANGEABLE ISO STD MOUNT. THE REAR HUB USES A SPLINED BOLT-ON ISO STD ADAPTOR AND RUNS WITH THE SIGNITURE KING BUZZ SOUND WHEN FREEWHEELING. ODDLY THOUGH, THE SS REAR HUB RUNS QUIETER THAN MY GEARED KING HUB. THE DIFFERENCE IS FROM AN ANGRY BEE BUZZ TO A SLIGHTLY ANNOYED BEE BUZZ. ENGAGEMENT IS INSTANT AND PEDAL POWER IS ASTONISHING. THE WHEELSMITH SPOKES ARE SMALL AND LOOK LIKE THEY WOULD EASILY BREAK BUT 3 YRS ON MY OTHER WHEELSET AND NO PROBS SO WHO AM I TO SAY. STAN'S NOTUBE OLYMPIC RIMS HAVE A BASIC V SHAPE EXTERIOR WITH A VISIBLE WELD JUNCTION COVERED BY A HIDIOUS YELLOW STICKER. USING THE SPECIAL PROVIDED RUBBER RIM STRIP, MY NON-TUBELESS TIRE MOUNTED EFFORTLESSLY BY HAND BUT AIR'D UP A LITTLE HARD WITH A FLOOR PUMP. ONCE ON THOUGH THESE RIMS HAVE BURPED NO AIR AND ALLOW LOWER PRESSURES THAN OTHER CONVERTED RIMS I'VE TRIED. AIR RETENTION HAS BEEN NOTICEABLY BETTER THAN CROSSMAX. ALL TOGETHER THE WHEELSET RIDES BETTER, ROLLS FASTER, HOLDS AIR BETTER, AND IS ALMOST A POUND LIGHTER THAN CROSSMAX XL. THE XL IS BETTER LOOKING BECAUSE OF THE BOLD SPOKES BUT DAVE'S ALL BLACK OPTION IS STILL SHARP AND IN A MORE ELEGANT WAY. AT 860$ A DISC AND SS SPECIFIC WHEELSET IS NOT A CHOICE TO BE CONSIDERED LIGHTLY. A GEAR COMPATIBLE SET CAN BE MADE AND NEATLY CONVERTED TO SS IF YOUR UNSURE ABOUT SS OR WANT TO USE ON OTHER (GEARED) BIKES. FOR ME SS IS THE ONLY WAY TO GO AND THE KING SS HUB BUILDS AN EVEN CLEANER LOOK AND WITHOUT ANY DISH SO THE TOTAL WHEEL IS ALSO STRONGER. IN SUM, REMOVE THE NASTY YELLOW NOTUBES STICKER, LEAVE DAVE'S STICKER ON, AND GO RIDE...SIMPLE.
REVIEWING THE BUILDER IS VERY EASY. HE CAN BE CONSIDERED AMONG THE BEST. I'VE NEVER HAD A CUSTOM BUILD AT THIS LEVEL DONE BY ANYONE ELSE AND SEE NO NEED TO TRY. BOTH TIMES HE ANSWERED THE PHONE, LISTENED TO MY NEEDS, BUILT THE WHEELS, AND DELIVERED WHAT THE OTHER REVIEWS RAVE ABOUT. HE SHIPS THE WHEELS SAFELY PACKED WITH EXTRA SPOKES AND ALL THE INSTRUCTION MANUALS. FROM THE FIRST CALL TO THE BUILD TO MY DOOR TOOK LESS THAN A WEEK. BOTH TIMES I GOT EVERYTHING I HOPED FOR AND BOTH TIMES I FELT COMPLETELY CONFIDENT I DID THE RIGHT THING. IN ADDITION, HE'S VERY PLEASENT TO TALK TO. UNFORTUNATELY, HE STILL DOESN'T TAKE CREDIT CARD ORDERS SO YOU HAVE TO PAY UP FRONT. THE FIRST TIME I SENT HIM A CHECK BUT THIS TIME I WIRED IT DIRECTLY TO HIS ACCOUNT. REMEMBER, USING THE BEST PARTS DOES NOT ASSURE THE BEST WHEELSET, THE BUILDER DOES. IF YOU CAN'T AFFORD THE HIGH END OFFERINGS DAVE HAS DON'T LOOK ELSEWHERE. CALL HIM. HE CAN BUILD A WHEELSET WITH MORE POCKET FRIENDLY PARTS THAT WILL PERFORM LIKE THE PRO'S BIKES BUT WITH BETTER RELIABILITY.
BUY DAVE'S WHEELS AND SUPPORT YOUR LOCAL BIKE SHOP FOR EVERYTHING ELSE. GO SS AND RIDE HAPPY...SIMPLE.
| | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
R B
a Racer
from Holiday, FL USA
Date Reviewed: February 4, 2005 | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Purchased At: | Dave | | Strengths: | Light (1495 grams), strong, responsive. Cheaper and lighter than Mavic Crossmax. | | Weaknesses: | None to date | | Similar Products Used: | Mavic 317 with XT Disc hubs | | Bike Setup: | 04 S-Works Epic | | Bottom Line: | I bought this wheel set based on the reviews posted here and I have not regretted it once. This wheel set ROCKS. I've put nearly 1800 (rough & tuff) miles on them over the past year and they are as true as the day I received them from Dave. I have had to adjust the rear hub a couple of times, but this is no fault of Dave’s workmanship. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Dennis
a
from Wa
Date Reviewed: January 28, 2005 | | Favorite Trail: | Skookum Flats | | Duration Product Used: | 2 Years | | Price Paid: |
$600.00 | | Purchased At: | From Dave | | Strengths: | They stay true after lot's of riding. | | Weaknesses: | Not enough publicity! | | Similar Products Used: | Mavic 221, Mavis CrossRoc's UST | | Bike Setup: | Sometimes a hardtail, at times a singlespeed, and at other times a full suspension. | | Bottom Line: | These wheels have been just awesome. I am a big rider (220Lbs) and ride seated a lot of the time, even on a hardtail. I was so used to having to true my old rims that I even took mine in after 4 months to have them inspected. They were still true and I had the Chris King hubs adjusted as per their warranty demands.
Almost 2 years into these wheels and I have only needed to take them in for that one visit.
These rims are the bomb!
Buy these wheels if you want a great lightweight set of wheels that may be the last you ever need.
By the way, to keep my Mavic CrossRocs rolling they saw the shop 5 times in a year before they were deemed unrepairable. Broken spokes, rim flat spots etc....
Email me if you have any questions.......
D | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
danny
a Weekend Warrior
from thousand oaks
Date Reviewed: November 6, 2004 | | Duration Product Used: | 2 Years | | Purchased At: | web site | | Strengths: | Dave's knowledge and helpfullness in selecting; customer service when repairs are needed; wheels are super durable, stay true and are fast. | | Weaknesses: | zero | | Similar Products Used: | several Mavics and Bontragers | | Bike Setup: | Tracer, Romic shock, old XTR, Chris King, Thomsen | | Bottom Line: | Well worth the money. The first set I bought were Velocity VXC which were super light. However, I am 210 lb rider who rides hard. I bent the front after ~ 8 months and Dave offered a great/fair cost to relace the original hub to a stronger wheel... went with the Velocity Aeroheat. This wheel has been GREAT. About a year later, the same deal applied to the rear wheel. They are strong, fast, stay true... well worht the money! | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Ryan K.
a Cross Country Rider
from San Jose
Date Reviewed: September 23, 2004 | | Favorite Trail: | Kenedy | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Price Paid: |
$600.00 | | Purchased At: | Dave's | | Strengths: | Just completely bombproof | | Weaknesses: | Nut'n Honey | | Similar Products Used: | Mavic W/ xt hubs | | Bike Setup: | Zaskar frame & Frankenstiend extrasq | | Bottom Line: | yup, Dave answered the phone. We spoke (just like the other reviews said) and he dialed me in for the XC'er/commuter I am. I'm 240 lbs, and sometimes I take my two yearold for long rides too...........never had a problem. Thank you Dave. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Bill
a Racer
from Chicago, IL, USA
Date Reviewed: August 6, 2004 | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Strengths: | Light, stiff, fast, custom, strong, cool-looking, did I mention custom? Dave's super-nice to talk to, did fast, quality work, great service -- these wheels beat all those pre-fab wheel systems like mangy dogs. | | Weaknesses: | None so far. | | Similar Products Used: | You name it -- CrossMax, shop-built wheels, QBP wheels, etc. If they've built it, I've broken it. | | Bike Setup: | '04.5 Giant NRS 2, Avid cables, XO drivetrain, Stylo Team cranks & Gigapipe Ti Max BB, Thomson stem & Masterpiece seatpost, '05 Fox F-100X fork. | | Bottom Line: | I pro-dealed a pair of King ISO disc hubs and sent them to Dave to build up my wheels. He asked about my weight, riding style and bike set-up, then recommended Velocity Synergy asym rims. I've had some experience with those rims (last year's race wheels built by the wrench at the shop where I work -- I destroyed them...) so I was skeptical, but he extended the factory 1-year rim warranty to 2 years, so I took his advice.
These wheels are for my XC race bike, and as such, are not intended for freeride, dirt jumping, etc. I'm sure Dave would build up a FR/DJ wheelset for you if you called and asked -- the guy is a wizard. But don't get the impression that these are weight-weenie, disposable XC race wheels like CrossMax or RaceLites -- these are the real deal. I'm 190 lbs, and I'm a pretty aggressive XC racer (e.g. I usually choose the shortest line, baby heads be damned...), so I'll re-post after I've got some more miles on them, and let y'all know how they hold up. But so far, they're AWESOME.
These wheels are not only the sweetest looking set I've ever had (red hubs and nipples, black spokes and rims), they're also incredibly light -- but SO stiff! I noticed a dramatic improvement in stiffness over every wheel I've ever used -- and believe me, I've used them all. They just hold your line so much better than anything I've ever tried. The fact that they're as light as CrossMax is amazing, especially since Dave uses standard spokes that you can get anywhere. So unlike pre-fab wheel systems (which are more expensive and less servicable), you can replace spokes yourself if you break one, and they can be trued easily, instead of requiring that stupid Mavic tool to hold the bladed spokes straight, or needing to be trued at the hub like the Cane Creeks.
Dave uses some exotic lacing patterns and mixes up spoke manufacturers and gauges to balance the tension on each side of the wheel. However, he doesn't do radial lacing or any other trick that might void your hub's warranty. You can really see the attention to detail when you look closely. Once you see what a master wheel builder can do with TOTALLY STANDARD, OFF-THE-SHELF COMPONENTRY, it becomes clear that the whole bladedspoke/paired-spoke/Spox/blahblahblah thing is really just a gimmick that Mavic/Bontrager/CaneCreek/Spinergy use to make cool-looking but disposable wheels that -- in the end -- aren't nearly as reliable, durable or service-friendly. Trash a CrossMax rim and it'll cost you $300 and take two months for Mavic to rebuild it. Trash a rim on Dave's wheels, and -- well, if his initial service is any indication, it would be a much cheaper and faster process.
Simple, elegant, well-built and so far, bomb proof. My first real test of these wheels came during a 12-hour solo race I did last weekend. I beat the snot out of them for 12 hours straight (minus two short breaks) and they didn't come out of true even a little. In all, I put in 162 miles off-road, with some pretty nasty, rocky downhills in the mix. They accellerate really well, hold speed easily and just feel nice and smooth. I just can't say enough good things about them.
If you're thinking about buying a "wheel system," put your money toward a pair of these babies instead. Easy to fix (assuming they ever break, which I hear is rare...), super quality and personal service from The Man, Dave Thomas, himself. Can't go wrong. I'm planning to have a road wheel set built by Dave this winter, so I can retire my finicky, creaky Ksyriums for good. Rock on Dave!
PS his site is www.speeddream.com | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Brian
a Cross Country Rider
from Yakima, WA
Date Reviewed: July 23, 2004 | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$630.00 | | Purchased At: | Direct from Dave | | Strengths: | Strong and stiff. Looks great. Dave backs up what he makes and sells. | | Weaknesses: | None that I've noticed | | Similar Products Used: | Bontrager Racelite Tubeless Disc
A variety of Mavic wheels | | Bike Setup: | 04 Titus Switchblade/Fox F100RLT fork/Fox Float R rear shock/XTR front deraileur/SRAM X0 rear deraileur/XT Crankset/King headset/Easton Carbon handlebar and seatpost/Dave's Speed Dream Wheelset (Velocity Aeroheat Hoops paired with King Hubs)/SRAM PG990 cassette and hollowpoint chain/WTB Weir Wolf tires/Stan's No Tubes | | Bottom Line: | The wheels are fantastic. The first thing I noticed upon receiving the wheels is how good they look. Black spokes paired with red Chris King hubs and red nipples complements the matching King headset and Red salsa skewers and seat post quick release. I put a 2.1 WTB Weir Wolf tire on the rear and a 2.3 up front and am running Stan's No Tubes. This wheelset is a lot stiffer than the Bontrager's I was running before and so far I've had no issues with the wheels coming untrue, even on the rockiest of trails. Purchasing the wheelset was great. When you call Dave's Speed Dream Dave himself answers the phone and helps you select the wheelset that will best suit your riding style and needs. I had the wheels delivered to me within 10 days of talking to Dave. If you want a truly unique wheelset made by someone who clearly takes pride in what he does, then Dave's are for you. I'm sure he's tired of all the 5 chili ratings, but that's what he's getting from me. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Grant Reid
a Racer
from canada
Date Reviewed: June 30, 2004 | | Duration Product Used: | 2 Years | | Price Paid: |
$600.00 | | Strengths: | Bullet proof, light and great service | | Weaknesses: | none | | Bike Setup: | Intense Spider XVP | | Bottom Line: | Bought a wheelset for my wife last season, told Dave her situation: 105 lbs, national master's expert racer, needed super light and reliable race wheels. Dave weighed all his hubs in stock, weighed the rims, used the thinnest spokes I have ever seen and said "don't let anyone over 150 lbs ride these". He even had the weight marked on the rims down to the 1 gram point. Well, they are still running true after 20+ races and she road these to the Cdn National Master's MTB championships and 5th at the Master's world champs. Best product ever purchased. Dave listens to what you need and builds a wheel for YOU and YOUR riding style. Keep up the good work! | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Kim
a Cross Country Rider
from Klamath Falls, OR, USA
Date Reviewed: June 18, 2004 | | Favorite Trail: | Scratch | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Price Paid: |
$600.00 | | Strengths: | Hand built by a VERY knowledgable and nice guy. Custom all the way. Quick turn around. Dave stands behind his product 110% | | Weaknesses: | One could say price, but not when you consider the competition. | | Similar Products Used: | Original Mavic 317s on Deore hubs followed by LBS rebuild of the rear with Mavic 321. | | Bike Setup: | Kona Bear Deelux. XTR throughout. Hayes Hydrolic Brakes. Fox Float RL front and back. WTB Laser Team saddle. Continental Vertical Pro tires. | | Bottom Line: | Dave IS what makes Dave's Speeddream Wheels such an awesome deal. He listens to your needs, considers your weight, riding style and bike, then recommends the custom setup that is right for you. CUSTOM.... Right down to your color choice on spoke nipples. We originally guessed too light for my local rock garden, agressive (skilless?) riding style and weight (180). I managed to bring about an early demise for Velocity Aeroheats, 14/15, 16/17 spokes. Dave had a new set built up with Velocity Cliffhangers, 14/15 spokes throughout and my original cool blue Chris King hubs within a week. This, at a financial loss to him, I'm sure. Now they weigh a bit more than Dave probably would have liked, but I am beating on them hard every day and they are just glad to be along for the ride. Straight, Strong, and Dependable. Where I go and what I like to do on the bike, I am much more concerned with a pair of wheels that will get me home, hopefully without leaving any skin behind, than with weight. These wheels deliver!! Thanks Dave! | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Julia
a Cross Country Rider
from Bayonne, NJ
Date Reviewed: June 14, 2004 | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$600.00 | | Purchased At: | Dave's | | Strengths: | see below | | Weaknesses: | excuse me? | | Bike Setup: | specialized FSR | | Bottom Line: | Yes I agree, those wheels are light and fast and everything that said bellow.
So why am I writing this review? I would like to share a little story.
This weekend after the ride while we where packing our stuff and bikes in the car, some knucklehead in the minivan slowly rolled over my front wheel which was laying on the ground next to my car. He kept on going over it while I was screaming for him to back off. In his own words - he did not see it . Well, I thought he killed my $300 Kenny.
After he finally backed off, I picked up my mortally wounded wheel and was kind of surprised that it did not show much damage. Since I could not believe my eyes, I took it to the local LBS for inspection and it was as round and true as in the day it was borne. Hurray Dave, for a fragile looking cross-country wheel - that is tuff !
| | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Milan Kratka
a Cross Country Rider
from Chicago, IL, USA
Date Reviewed: May 31, 2004 | | Favorite Trail: | South Kettle Morainw, WI | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Price Paid: |
$585.00 | | Strengths: | Light custom built wheelset perfect for my adventure racing bike | | Weaknesses: | none | | Bike Setup: | Hardtail Airborne Ti Lucky Strike, Skareb Super, XTR including 48 tooth large dish, SRAM grip shift, Avid Mag brakes, Moots ti bar+ seat post, Easton Mag Stem, Chris King headset, LP Anatomic bar ends, Koobie seat, Miry map Holder | | Bottom Line: | Dave has built the wheelset to my weight (205lb) with my preferences (Chris King hubs, Bontrager rims), in under 1,400g! He asked me what I need the bike for and a lot of stuff around it that helped him make the best choice. Impossible to beat the quality and the weight for th emoney. The wheels are still perfect after 1.5 season. They came within a week of my order with spare parts I never needed. The specified red color of the nipples matches one of my chris king headset :). Bike is maintained periodically and I did not need any extensive work on the wheels. I would definitelly order next top end set of wheels (if I ever need one) from Dave. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Rob
a Cross Country Rider
from Dayton, Oregon
Date Reviewed: May 14, 2004 | | Favorite Trail: | Dallas | | Duration Product Used: | More than 3 years | | Price Paid: |
$550.00 | | Purchased At: | from Dave | | Strengths: | Simply the best product I have tried on a bike. | | Weaknesses: | I don't know what to do when Dave retires...probably take up golf | | Similar Products Used: | Lots, but nothing since I called Dave | | Bike Setup: | SC Superlight, Duke XC, Hayes Hydraulics, Stan's No Tubes, blah blah blah | | Bottom Line: | I posted a review in 2002 (see below). I should let you all know that I am an upgrade freak. It drives my wife crazy.
A product update: I finally broke something...a nipple. Big stick in spokes, one spoke breaks loose and makes an awful racket, 8 miles from the car...no problem. The last time I broke a spoke, the wheel I was riding went horriby out of true. Not with this wheel set. The wheel stayed as true as the day I got them in the mail. Rode the rest of the trail, threw a new nipple on...good to go.
I stated in my last review tha I had never trued the wheels. This is something I do on my road bike religiously. With the Daves Wheels, I always check the tightness of the spokes, but I have never needed to true the wheels! Amazing!
I could go on for pages about these wheels. Put simply, this is the best purchase I have ever made for my bike(s).
In the last 2 years, my style of riding has changed as such that I am afraid of breaking my Superlight (jumps, small drops, etc.) so I am getting a Heckler. My riding style could best be described as epic, hard-core trail riding. That being said, I will definitely be getting another set of wheels from Dave, although I am tempted to put this set on the Heckler.
Who should by these wheels? Everyone short of a downhiller. But please, wait until I get my next set before you call Dave. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Don
a Cross Country Rider
from Nor Cal
Date Reviewed: May 3, 2004 | | Favorite Trail: | Micky Mouse | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$585.00 | | Purchased At: | Dave's | | Strengths: | Super Light, Strong, Stiff | | Weaknesses: | None | | Similar Products Used: | Stock Mavics | | Bike Setup: | Jamis Dakar XC comp. | | Bottom Line: | Holy Crap! Was all I could think when I went on the first ride w/them. So much more responsive, lighter than the stock rims. I was floating over rocks and flying up and down the trail. It was like when I first went to full susp. over hardtail. The Chris King hubs are outstanding also, they hook up instantly and have that great buzz. After about three months have had no problems with comming out of true. Dave's the best, he asked what kind of riding I wanted them for and built accordingly. Why spend the same or more on some mass produced junk when you can get custom. If you upgrade one thing on your bike get these wheels. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
D
a Cross Country Rider
from Wa. St.
Date Reviewed: April 4, 2004 | | Favorite Trail: | The next one | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Price Paid: |
$600.00 | | Purchased At: | Dave's Speed Dream Wheels | | Similar Products Used: | Mavic CrossRoc's, Mavic 221 | | Bike Setup: | Rocky Mountain Instinct, Avid Mechanical Disc's | | Bottom Line: | The wheels showed up on Friday and I installed them on Saturday. Sunday rode 3 miles of road to the trail. Damn these wheels are fast on the road, even up hills with knobbies. Hit the trail for 10 miles and had to be careful cause these wheels are fast. I abused them hard the first ride. Rode back home another 3 miles of road. Dang that rear hub is loud over 20mph. Got home and spun the wheels, look good so far and are still true.
I am very happy with these wheels. Will give a long term report after the summer. See ya on the trails!!!! | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Village Idiot
a Cross Country Rider
from Austin, Texas
Date Reviewed: January 19, 2004 | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Price Paid: |
$600.00 | | Purchased At: | Daves of course! | | Strengths: | Light Weight, Durable, STIFF | | Weaknesses: | Your Joking right? | | Similar Products Used: | crap | | Bike Setup: | Ti Hardtail, XT/XTR drive train, Raceface Cranks/BB | | Bottom Line: | I was told these were simply the best, and they are. THese wheels made me completely upgrade everything on my bike including my frame. Being a clydesdale, wheel flex is rough. I traded my friend front wheel because he couldn;t keep speed on a turn and he was simply amamazed. Of course I was then bouncing everywhere. Best thing I've bought on my bike, possibly including my Ti frame. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Dan
a Racer
from Arkansas
Date Reviewed: November 23, 2003 | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Price Paid: |
$600.00 | | Purchased At: | Dave's | | Strengths: | Stiff, and Super LIGHT feels like they should. Goes where you want. 1420 grms. King hubs with Bont. Valliant rims (none disc). 2x lace upfront, 3x rear. | | Weaknesses: | Absolutely none. Had to true them once this entire race season | | Similar Products Used: | XT's, Mavic Crossmax UST | | Bike Setup: | Trek Fuel 100, with these wheels and 02 sid sl | | Bottom Line: | Awesome wheel. Notice a little flex/looseness when they first arrive. Tighten the body/axel and true them. They have been perfect. They make a very different and distinct noise and starting to notice a little drag after a whole season of racing. Dave?? He's the man. Talk to him and told him a little about me and what I'm looking for and sent him a check and he sent the wheels as promise. The wheels are smooth and fast and I would recommend them to other racers. I would get another set if I could afford them. Might go with a tubeless rim though. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
John
a Cross Country Rider
from Sisters, OR
Date Reviewed: September 1, 2003 | | Favorite Trail: | Peterson Ridge | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Strengths: | Corner beautifully | | Weaknesses: | Dave's sticker came off the rim. | | Similar Products Used: | Mavic 221 | | Bike Setup: | Giant NRS, MX pro, RaceFace Prodigy, Dart on front, Fire on back. | | Bottom Line: | Didn't realize how great these were until I put the stock wheels back on to sell the bike, and took it for a farewell spin. Same trail, same everything, and now this vague unpredictability in the handling, esp. cornering. I am looking forward to taking them for granted again on my new Hammerhead/Titus. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
John
a Cross Country Rider
from Sisters, OR
Date Reviewed: August 30, 2003 | | Favorite Trail: | Peterson Ridge | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Purchased At: | Dave | | Strengths: | Very positive steering and tracking. Light and beautiful. | | Weaknesses: | Dave's sticker came off...I want people to know where they came from. | | Similar Products Used: | Mavic 221, stock on NRS 3 | | Bike Setup: | MX Pro ETA fork, Cane Creek Cloud 9, RaceFace Prodigy | | Bottom Line: | Didn't realize how great these wheels were until I sold the bike, put the stock Mavic's back on, (nothing else changed)and took it for one last spin/check ride. Whew, sloppy! With the old wheels back on the bike demanded a level of micro-management in turns that was decidedly unnerving. I now appreciate the confidence that I have been taking for granted. Somehow didn't notice the difference going the other way...probably the flexy SID fork I had until last Spring.
Thank you Dave..they will be a treat on my new H-Head 100x. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
John
a
from SoCal
Date Reviewed: August 27, 2003 | | Duration Product Used: | 2 Years | | Strengths: | Craftmanship by someone who lives and breathes wheels | | Bike Setup: | SC Blur frame with 5th Element air shock, Fox RL100 fork, Avid Ultimate levers and mechanical disks, Thomson seatpost and stem, Dave's Wheels with Chris King hubs, etc. | | Bottom Line: | Dave really understands the subtle dynamics of spoke pattern and gauge needed to build superior wheels with tried-and-true technology. For example, my new disk wheels have three-cross spoking on both sides on the rear and the disk side only on the front. His wheels are things of beauty. Viva Dave! | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Gregor
a Cross Country Rider
from Ketchum
Date Reviewed: August 14, 2003 | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Purchased At: | speaddream.com | | Strengths: | everything | | Weaknesses: | none | | Similar Products Used: | White, XTR, XT, Mavic, etc., etc. | | Bike Setup: | moots | | Bottom Line: | I've been riding these wheels for a year and a half now. They've easily logged 4000 miles. That's over 4000 miles without EVER being trued or requiring maintenance. I finally broke a spoke and started to get some chain "push" from the free hub. I called up Dave and tried to explain what was happening with the hub. Even though I'm sure I wasn't always using the correct terminology for the various parts of the hub, Dave knew what was causing the problem. I shipped the wheels to Dave with a check for $20 to cover the return shipping. I got the wheels back in ONE WEEK, and now feel like I have a new wheelset again. Dave's service is nothing short of amazing, not to mention the quality of his work. Try getting that anywhere else!
It's been said a million times, but seriously, if you're looking at buying a high end wheelset; Dave's are unbeatable. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
david
a Racer
from columbia
Date Reviewed: August 14, 2003 | | Favorite Trail: | oak mountain | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Price Paid: |
$550.00 | | Purchased At: | dave's | | Strengths: | light and durable | | Weaknesses: | none | | Similar Products Used: | mavic crosslinks, 223's, various other mavics, cane creek wam, campy record/mavics on road | | Bike Setup: | 2002 sobe team scalpel, elo lefty, sram x/o, xt disc brakes, stan's notubes on king/velocity rear and woodman/velocity front. | | Bottom Line: | best wheelset i've owned. still true after 9 months of training and racing. just call dave. don't make me show you a wheel! | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Mason
a Cross Country Rider
from Sunnyvale, South SF Bay Area, CA
Date Reviewed: July 30, 2003 | | Duration Product Used: | More than 3 years | | Price Paid: |
$540.00 | | Strengths: | Virtually perfect. Rapid acceleration, non-existent while climbing hills, pretty stiff while railing singletrack or bombing downhill, beautiful, custom, rare...... perfect. | | Weaknesses: | Dave doesn't believe in weaknesses. | | Similar Products Used: | Mustang rims w/ XT hubs, Race Lite wheels, semi-DH/freeride wheels. | | Bike Setup: | These wheels are Valiant rims w/ ceramic, King hubs, and 32 spokes front and rear. The rest of my bike: Bontrager Race Lite (God's gift to mountain bikers), SID World Cup (don't think you can fit one on a Bonty? Check out my review on the Bonty), XTR. | | Bottom Line: | These wheels are near-perfect. You will NEVER find better, lighter, faster wheels at any price (and certainly not a lower one), whether they're custom-made or pre-made wheelsets.
The only thing I would even consider thinking about pondering as a remote possibility is lateral stiffness. In an attempt to make them more vertically stiff, Dave laced the front wheels "heads out", meaning the spoke heads are on the outside of the hub flange, and the spokes come up from the inside of the flange. When I'm riding on flat, hard ground and I lean the bike to one side really far I can hear the rim rubbing on the pads. If this is a problem for you, ask Dave for "heads in", and maybe bigger spokes (I've got fairly small ones), and you'll be fine. As for myself, I'm fine with this characteristic, as it's non-existent on all but the most extreme descents, and I realize that it's a matter of trade-off for other characteristics in the wheels. As a final note, if you don't like it after you've ordering it, Dave will re-lace the wheel for you. What service!!!
As for everything else about these wheels: they're perfect. Combine them w/ some light tubes, some good, fast-rolling, sure-footed, light slicks (I've found Geax Hubi's roll fast, are really bloody light, and rail corners), and you will no longer have to work while going up climbs. Well.... maybe. They rail corners, accelerate like a scalded monkey, fly up hills like homesick angels, soak up trail shock, and are a beauty to behold, own, and ride. I didn't true them for at least a year (not even for the usual "break-in period", which never materialized). It took me three or four years and thousands of miles of bombing, jumping, flying, and crashing to finally snap a spoke on these bad boys, and I think it was because I'd overtightened all the spokes when tightening up the wheel as a whole. Oops. Then I broke some more spokes before I realized my mistake. Now the wheels are at Daves, getting relaced and a new rim (the ceramic was pretty much gone). One time I landed a jump horribly wrong, landing on the lip of a concrete step. It bent one side of the rim in fairly badly. However, as a testament to Bontrager's engineering/quality control, and Dave's building skill, I was able to simply bend the section of rim back into place! The wheel was totally true and round, and it lasted for years more! Awesome.
I don't understand why anyone other than a DH rider, or someone who doesn't want the best wheels in existence wouldn't get these. Even if you don't really have the money, scrape it together, and you may never buy another set of wheels. And for you freeriders who think these dinky XC weenie parts won't hold up: give Dave a call. He'll get the parts you need, but it's the build quality that makes it a superior wheel. The builder is the most important component. Period. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
KEN MAYO
a Cross Country Rider
from DANVERS, MA.
Date Reviewed: July 9, 2003 | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Purchased At: | SPEED DREAMS | | Strengths: | QUALITY BUILD
CUSTOMER SERVICE | | Weaknesses: | NO CREDIT CARDS ACCEPTED | | Similar Products Used: | SHIMANO/MAVIC,RINGLE/MAVIC,CROSSMAX TUBE AND TUBELESS | | Bike Setup: | CUSTOM SEVEN CYCLES TERES SOFTAIL
FSA CARBON POST,C BAR,C CRANK,STEM,TI BB
RS SID TEAM,AVID ULTI,ROLLX
CONVERTED TO SS | | Bottom Line: | THESE WHEELS ARE AS GOOD AS IT CURRENTLY GETS. THEY'RE STRONG, LIGHT, AND LOOK GREAT. I CALLED DAVE BASED ON THE UNUSUAL AMOUNT OF 5 CHILIS REVIEWS AND FOUND OUT THAT THE REVIEWS ARE TRUE. I WAS SO OVERWHELMED BY DAVE'S COMMITMENT AND DESIRE TO BUILD ME THE PERFECT WHEELSET I FELT LIKE NO OTHER WHEELSET WOULD DO. AS OTHER REVIEWS URGED, I WENT BY DAVE'S RECOMMENDATIONS BASED ON MY RIDING STYLE FROM PARTS SELECTION TO BUILD STYLE. THE FINAL PRODUCT WAS BLACK CLASSIC STYLE NON-DISK CHRISKING HUBS, BLACK BONTRAGER VALIANT RIMS NON-CERAMIC, AND BLACK SPOKES. BOTH THE PERFORMANCE AND LOOK MADE FOR AN EASY TRANSITION AWAY FROM MY CURRENT CROSSMAX TUBELESS SET. AFTER REMOVAL OF THE BONTRAGER RIM STICKERS I HAD A TRULY SHARP, "LIKE IT WAS MEANT TO BE", CUSTOM BUILT WHEELSET (I DID LEAVE DAVE'S SPEED DREAM STICKER ON BECAUSE IT ONLY SEEMED RIGHT). BUT THE REAL KICK WAS HOW IT RODE. THESE WHEELS WERE NOTICEABLY LIGHTER WHICH TRANSLATED INTO FASTER ACCELERATION AND A LIVELIER FEEL. THEY ALSO SEEM TO RIDE MORE COMFORTABLE AS WELL. HANDLING,CORNERING,AND LATERAL STIFFNESS ALSO WAS AN IMPROVEMENT. AS FAR AS THE PARTS USED, I DON'T KNOW WHICH ONE OR MAYBE ALL, WERE THE CAUSE OF EACH OF THE PERFORMANCE IMPROVEMENTS BUT I DON'T REALLY CARE. INDIVIDUALLY, THE RIMS HAVE A NICE LARGE RIM BRAKE SURFACE WHICH IS SEAMLESS AND WELL MACHINED. THERE'S SUFFICIENT BRAKING POWER AND NO VBRK SQUEAL. I HAD DAVE SUPPLY STAN'S NO TUBE RIM STRIPS SO I COULD CONTINUE MY TUBELESS EXPERIENCE. STAN HIMSELF STRONGLY APPROVED OF THESE RIMS AND IT'S OBVIOUS WHY BECAUSE THE STRIPS INSTALL EASILY AND FIT PERFECTLY. UST TIRES GO ON EASIER THAN WITH THE MAVICS BUT STILL ARE NOT EFFORTLESS. I FOUND BEER CELEBRATING BLISS USING SPECIALIZED ROLLX TUBE TIRES. THEY ALMOST GO ON THEMSELVES AND NO LEVERS WERE NEEDED. EASY MOUNTING WAS SO WELCOMED AS MOST ARE AWARE THAT MOUNTING UST TIRES SUCKS. THE RIMS,STRIPS, AND SEALANT PLAY WELL TOGETHER AND SAVE A POUND LESS THAN THE CROSSMAX. AS FAR AS THIS TUBELESS SET-UP COMPARED TO MAVIC'S IT PERFORMS EQUALLY AS WELL SO FAR. I'VE HAD REASONABLY GOOD LUCK WITH TUBELESS SO I THINK IT'S WORTH IT. WHEN YOU BUY DAVE'S WHEELSET, NOT IF, HAVE HIM DRILL/MODIFY THE VALVE HOLE WHETHER YOU WANT TUBELESS OR NOT. THIS WAY IF YOU DO, AND IT'S MOVING THAT WAY, STAN'S RIM STRIPS SLIDE RIGHT IN WITH NO FURTHER MODIFICATION. IN LOOKING AT THE SPOKES THERE'S NOTHING STAND-OUT HERE BUT THEY HAVE A GOOD FINISH AND ARE ALL HIGH QUALITY SPOKES. THE STAND-OUT OF THIS WHEELSET IS THE CHRISKING HUBS. THEY LOOK,FIT,AND PERFORM BETTER THAN ANYTHING I'VE EVER HAD. AND I'VE HAD A LOT. AS OTHER REVIEWS MENTIONED, THE INTERNAL DESIGN OF THE REAR HUB CREATES A LOUDER THAN MOST "BUZZ". THOSE LOOKING FOR A SILENT HUB SHOULD ASK DAVE FOR ALTERNATIVES. NOT BEING A BIG FAN OF THE NOISE MYSELF, I'D STILL RECOMMEND GOING WITH THE KINGS. THE NOISE IS FROM THE ADDITIONAL ENGAGEMENTS IN THE HUB WHICH IS DOUBLE THE AMOUNT FROM MOST OTHER HUBS. WHEN I HIT THE PEDALS THEY ENGAGE INSTANTLY AT ANY POSITION. NO MATTER HOW HARD YOU JUMP ON THE PEDALS THE FEEL IS STRONG AND POSITIVE. THE "BUZZ" WHEN COASTING NOW REMINDS ME THAT I HAVE A JACKED PIECE OF PERFECTION RATHER THAN AN INTERNAL DEFECT. NOW THOUGH THE REAR WHEEL IS A MULTI-GEAR AND DISHED SET-UP, I'VE CONVERTED IT TO SINGLESPEED. CHRISKING MAKES SPACERS AND EVEN A SHARP ALUMINUM LOCKRING TO PERFECTLY COMPLIMENT THE HUB. THE END RESULT IS STILL THE SAME...A PERFECT WHEELSET. ALTHOUGH THIS IS A LONG REVIEW, IT'S WORTHWHILE TO PROMOTE SUCH A WORTHY ITEM. TOO MANY PRODUCTS ARE SUPER EXPENSIVE AND NOT WORTH THE PRICE YOU PAY. THIS WHEELSET IS NOT ONE OF THEM. IT IS NOT EXPENSIVE CONSIDERING WHAT YOU GET. YOU PAY A LOT BUT GET A LOT. ANY PART SPEC YOU CHOSE WILL BE BUILT THE BEST THAT IT CAN BE BECAUSE DAVE THOMAS CARES ABOUT HIS WORK AND DELIVERS PERFECTION. WHEN YOU BUY YOU TALK TO HIM, WHEN YOU HAVE A QUESTION YOU TALK TO HIM, IF YOU HAVE A PROBLEM YOU TALK TO HIM. YOU ALWAYS TALK TO HIM. THE ONLY COMPLAINT I HAVE IS THAT HE DOESN'T TAKE CREDIT CARDS. I WAS VERY SCARED SENDING A CASHABLE CHECK TO SOMEONE I DON'T KNOW AND WONDERING IF I'D ACTUALLY GET MY RIMS OR JUST GET SCAMMED. WELL, I DIDN'T GET SCAMMED. I GOT THE BEST WHEELSET I'VE EVER HAD. I BELIEVE ANY RIDER COULD BE A CANDIDATE FOR A SPEED DREAM WHEELSET BECAUSE DAVE CAN BUILD ANYTHING TO MATCH MOST BUDGETS. AS TIME PASSES I'LL SUBMIT ANOTHER MUCH SHORTER REVIEW. UNTIL THEN, SELL YOUR WHEELSET AND GIVE DAVE A CALL. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Dominic
a Racer
from Lake Zurich, Illinois
Date Reviewed: June 18, 2003 | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Price Paid: |
$600.00 | | Purchased At: | speeddream.com | | Strengths: | LIGHT 1460 grams! Resonable price and custom made by Dave THomas | | Weaknesses: | None at all | | Similar Products Used: | bontrager race, Mavic, Sun, and cane creek | | Bike Setup: | Gary fisher full xtr, full chris king, and Dave's awsome wheels! | | Bottom Line: | I have over 400 miles on these wheels and 100 of them are from raceing. These wheels hold up great and are as light as I have ever seen at 1460 grames. I told Dave what kind of rider I am, my weight and he recomended what kind of wheel to go with.Dave custom builds all of his wheels. He listens well and charges a fair price under $600 for bontrager/ Chris King. Do yourself a favor and buy these wheels. It is the best upgrade I have ever made to my bike! | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Lee
a Weekend Warrior
from Laguna Niguel, CA, USA!
Date Reviewed: June 9, 2003 | | Favorite Trail: | San Juan Trail, Porcupine Rim | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Price Paid: |
$600.00 | | Purchased At: | Spead Dream | | Strengths: | The first wheelset I have not been able to thrash in 20 years of MTB riding. I currently weigh in at 205 lbs and like to take the point and shoot approach ro rock gardens and drops in the 4-5 ft range when they present themselves. With unflappable strength, these wheels are also the lightest MTB wheels I have ridden. Go figure...
Dave recommended Velocity Aeroheat rims (from Australia, no French surrender-monkey parts for me anymore...) and Chris King IsoDisc hubs. Dave developed this recipie from a 10 minute phone dialog with me describing my weight, riding style, wants and needs.
Initially I was taken back by his suggestion of a brand name I was not familiar with, but the Velocity rims are a truly tough and light A frame design. | | Weaknesses: | Dave only takes personal checks... | | Similar Products Used: | Various Mavic's with XT and HuGi hubs, and lots of older heavy stuff. | | Bike Setup: | 2003 Ellsworth ID, XTR, fox 125 Vanilla RLC, Avid 7" mechanical discs, yada, yada... | | Bottom Line: | 1. Read the other reviews.
2. Believe them.
3. Buy what Dave recommends.
These wheels are not the cheapest things, but WILL NOT let you down when you are in the middle of a 20-mile-from-water ride in Moab. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
David
a Cross Country Rider
from Montebello
Date Reviewed: May 28, 2003 | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$529.00 | | Purchased At: | speeddream.com | | Strengths: | Light, true, strong, delivered on time. | | Weaknesses: | ... I'm not working my legs as hard. | | Similar Products Used: | stock tioga factory xc rims, formula fr hub, shimano parallex rear hub. | | Bike Setup: | Ellsworth Truth with weight weenie parts. | | Bottom Line: | It's simply top quality sound product with no gimicks. It has all the goods: light weight and durability and great customer service and is a steal in terms of price.
I've ridden for a few hundred miles on them in rock gardens with my hardtail and on my FS and they are still true. I lost about 1-1.5lbs on the wheelset alone. Definetely the best upgrade I've made next to a frame.
With all the new top notch wheelsets out there, Dave's wheels has remained at a great price while equalling or beating light weight standards. With Stan's no-tube, they even hold their own against UST. Get these while you can, I can hardly believe such perfect wheels are available and affordable. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Will
a Cross Country Rider
from PRK
Date Reviewed: May 19, 2003 | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Price Paid: |
$600.00 | | Purchased At: | speed dream | | Strengths: | Lightweight, extremely well built, handcrafted | | Weaknesses: | If there is one, I haven't found it yet :} | | Similar Products Used: | Mavic, Bontrager, Spinergy, Rolf | | Bike Setup: | Moots YBB SL loaded | | Bottom Line: | One awesome set of wheels. Used the so called best of the best factory wheel sets and nothing compares to Dave's workmanship. I've got roughly 1500miles on the wheelset with 2 tweaking sessions in 1 year. My wheel set is built on King hubs 28H front and 32H rear with radial lacing front and radial 2X in back using Revolution spokes. Combined weight of 1476grams.
Give Dave a call, you won't be disappointed.
| | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
I Love Dave
a Racer
from USA
Date Reviewed: May 7, 2003 | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Price Paid: |
$580.00 | | Purchased At: | http://www.speeddream.com | | Strengths: | Everything. Light, Strong, Very inexpensive for what you get. | | Weaknesses: | None. | | Similar Products Used: | Crossmax, Rolf | | Bike Setup: | Bontrager Valiant hoops, Hugi hubs, 1400 grams for the set. | | Bottom Line: | I can't recommend these wheels enough. They're faster than my old Mavics, lighter than the Mavics, and most likely more durable as well. Time will tell for durability, but I have put about 300 miles on them and they have not even needed an initial truing.
On my last ride, I drifted off a clean line and rolled over a rock garden at SPEED. My fork was bottoming out and I was pretty sure I was going to eat it. These wheels didn't even flinch at the rocks. I gave them an eyeball check afterwards by spinning the wheel and looking for any wobbles...straight as an arrow. My Mavics would go out of true if I looked at them funny. (No disrespect to Mavic - maybe I got a bad set, eh?) The strength of these wheels is amazing considering the 1400 gram weight. It just goes to show what can be done by a SKILLED WHEEL BUILDER.
As far as speed...they are light, and a light wheel is a fast wheel. Add a notubes.com kit, and you're set!!! | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Andy
a Weekend Warrior
from Kalamazoo, MI
Date Reviewed: April 28, 2003 | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Price Paid: |
$574.00 | | Strengths: | Very light. Quite fast. Not another set of Mavics like everyone else has. | | Weaknesses: | Ummmm, the rider. And the King BUZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ. I'm sure I'll get used to it though. | | Similar Products Used: | Mavics Crosslink | | Bike Setup: | Klein Attitude Comp, King Headset, Speeddream Wheels, Blah blah blah.... | | Bottom Line: | Wow. These things are FAST!!! I'm a cross country rider and I really value lightweight wheels and these things are great. I call Dave and described my riding style. He suggested a set and I had them in my hands several days before he promised. And they were lighter than promised also. I picked up a XTR cassette and threw it on the bike and I can honestly say I can tell a major difference over my Crosslinks. I can climb better and they seem to absorb a little more of the bumps. I'll post a follow-up when I get more miles on them. So far, I'm very happy with them. The only thing I'm worry about is that the spokes are very tiny. I've never had a broken spoke or a bent rim with my Crosslinks so I'm hoping that the same holds true for these. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Hayes Flynn
a Weekend Warrior
from Birmingham, AL
Date Reviewed: April 25, 2003 | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Price Paid: |
$600.00 | | Purchased At: | Speed Dream | | Strengths: | Customer Service (patient, helpful, capable), Strength, Weight. | | Weaknesses: | None | | Similar Products Used: | Rhyno's, Mavic 223, Crossroc | | Bike Setup: | SWorks Enduro with Z1, Hopes, and Dave's Wheels | | Bottom Line: | First product review after riding for 5 yrs through 3 bikes. Was hesitant at first. Coming off Rhyno lites (which I was having trued every two months) I worried about strength but wanted lighter set and tubless wheels. Purchased from Dave a set of Mavic X3.1's with an American Classic rear and King front. Answered all of Dave's questions honestly (riding style, weight: 195 lbs, bike setup, etc.) he then picked spoke gauge and pattern and I had a set in about a week. Summary: still true after a year of pounding (including 24 hrs of Moab, and trips to Pisgah), lighter than Crossmax's, not one flat, and haven't had any air loss between rides (chalk up to wheels being true, not certain). Incredible. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Bill
a Cross Country Rider
from Venice, CA
Date Reviewed: March 6, 2003 | | Favorite Trail: | Backbone | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Price Paid: |
$560.00 | | Purchased At: | speeddream.com | | Strengths: | Lightweight, stiff, tough, pretty | | Weaknesses: | There's so nothing wrong I can't even think of something funny... | | Similar Products Used: | Bontrager Superstock (which are wheels, but that's about where the similarity ends) | | Bike Setup: | mostly stock Fisher Sugar; soon to be an Indy Fab Deluxe (just bought yesterday, I can't wait to get it!) | | Bottom Line: | Let me tell you a little story about buying wheels from Dave. After reading reviews here and shopping around my local stores, I decided that speedreams were the way to go. Dave asked lots of questions about how I ride (lets' call it "aggressive XC"; lots of rock gardens, no five-foot drops) and how much I weigh and so on. Based entirely on reputation, I went with King hubs, and went with Dave's recommendation of Bontrager Valiant rims.
Dave took maybe ten days, and my wheels arrived. Unbelievably light, and beautiful, too: blue hubs, blue nipples, silver spokes... like a kid's dream. The spokes made groovy doinging noises when plucked - can you say "high tension?" Anyway, It took me about a week to get tires, cassette, and skewers before finally taking them out for their first ride, a quick street blast through the Marina.
I hated them. Oh, I couldn't believe it. Specifically, I hated that trademark Chris King buzzzzzzzzz. Like a playing card clothespinned into the spokes. I'd heard they were loud, but this was like the time a Northern ran with my line, before snapping it under the boat; in other words, like a cheap reel. A loud, cheap reel. I was so bummed.
I called Dave and explained. I'm one of those dorks that likes to startle deer and coyotes and mountain lions. It wasn't Dave's fault – the wheels were everything he'd promised – I'd just never heard a King hub before.
Get this: Dave suggested I put the wheels on eBay; he expected they'd fetch $400-450, and he offered to build me a replacement set on different hubs for whatever I was able to sell them for.
Talk about customer service.
And the wheels? Well, I decided to keep them, noisy hub and all, because another ride or two clued me in to the rear hub's performance upside. Now, a year later, the spokes are dinged and the rims are chipped from all the rocks that've gone into them, and I've stacked a bunch of times, but the wheels are as true as the day they arrived.
I'm still not sold on King hubs. Seems to me that even properly adjusted they drag way more than a quality bearing should, but that's a review for another heading.
Let me put it this way: As I go about building up a new bike (with disc brakes) I had to budget for another set. As good as Dave's wheels are, I can' t imagine riding anything else. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Steve
a Cross Country Rider
from West palm Beach
Date Reviewed: November 26, 2002 | | Duration Product Used: | 2 Years | | Price Paid: |
$550.00 | | Purchased At: | www.speeddream.com | | Strengths: | Can't go wrong with this setup.
King hubs, Bontrager valiant hoops, radial front lace with 17 gauge spokes, rear is radial 17 gauge with the drive side laced 3-cross with 15 gauge spokes. (I weigh 165 pounds, and ride XC) | | Weaknesses: | None so far. None expected. | | Similar Products Used: | Rolf, Mavic, etc. | | Bike Setup: | trek stp 400,xtr, king, blah blah. | | Bottom Line: | The reviewer below has it exactly right. In addition to that, Dave supports his product 110%. I beat the hell out of these "race only" wheels, and Dave is always happy to send a spare spoke or three to fix the results of the usual overly-spirited group rides.
5 stars value and overall. If there was a higher rating, I would give it.
Next stop... king road wheels. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Gregor
a Cross Country Rider
from Ketchum
Date Reviewed: October 17, 2002 | | Favorite Trail: | any | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Price Paid: |
$550.00 | | Purchased At: | direct | | Strengths: | strong, stiff, true, and you deal directly with Dave | | Weaknesses: | none whatsoever | | Similar Products Used: | white, XTR, and XT hubs on 517's, Crosslinks, etc. | | Bike Setup: | moots YBB, Avid disks, XTR drivetrain, Thompson, etc. | | Bottom Line: | I bought these wheels in May of this year. I have put over 2K miles on them, weigh 165, and downhill like a banshee.
Mine are built with Hadley hubs which have required zero maintenace (let alone repair) whatsoever other than retightening a slightly loose free wheel one time which I suspect was loose "out of the box."
The front and rear wheel both need a slight truing over the winter, but this is probably my fault for not having the spokes retensioned after break-in.
You call up and talk directly with Dave and he builds your wheels based on the information (weight, riding style, etc) you tell him. You get a custom built wheelset for less $$$ than any other high-end (mass produced) wheelset out there.
Bottom Line - Dave knows his s#@t, and is great to work with. IMHO, there is no better deal on a wheelset, anywhere, period. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Tom G
a Weekend Warrior
from Ambler, PA
Date Reviewed: October 11, 2002 | | Favorite Trail: | Fairmount Park | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Price Paid: |
$1.00 | | Purchased At: | Bike Line | | Strengths: | light, strong, good looking, stays true. | | Weaknesses: | I was confused with the tubless wheels; they came with tubes? Should I make the switch to tubless tires? | | Bike Setup: | Trek Fuel 98 | | Bottom Line: | I've read all the reviews about bad hubs? These wheels are great! I ride fairly hard on Sat and Sun, almost every weekend for a year. I weigh about 165 lbs. OK, maybe these wheels are not for heavyweights, they sure have worked great for me. NO PROBLEMS! | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Kurt
a Cross Country Rider
from Colorado Springs
Date Reviewed: September 28, 2002 | | Favorite Trail: | Templeton @ Palmer Park | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Price Paid: |
$540.00 | | Purchased At: | www.speeddream.com | | Strengths: | Dave. Strong. Dave. Light. Dave's Service and commitment to quality and satisfaction. True. Did I mention Dave? | | Weaknesses: | You've go to be kidding right! Not enough advertising, but that is probably why nothing goes in this category. You can't mass produce wheels of this quality. | | Similar Products Used: | Bontrager Race Light. Bontrager Race. XT. LX. Older, heavier garbage. | | Bike Setup: | Sugar 1 with SPEED DREAM WHEELS and a bunch of other lightweight stuff made of carbon fiber, titanium and aluminum. Did I mention the SPEED DREAM WHEELS?! | | Bottom Line: | There is no better wheelset available period! I have never been more satisfied with any purchase as I have with buying these wheels. From the day I put them on my bike was noticeably lighter and faster.
They have remained true to this day with an average of 30-40 miles per week use over mostly technical, rocky terrain. If there is one upgrade that you can do to your bike to make it faster and lighter - this is it.
Dave Thomas is absolutely committed to your satisfaction and ensuring that you have the right combination of components and setup for your wheels. You cannot buy a set without spending at least 10 minutes on the phone with him discussing you riding style, conditions and what you are trying to achieve with getting new wheels. He will take care of you. Did I mention Dave? | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Pete
a Cross Country Rider
from Nashville, TN
Date Reviewed: September 16, 2002 | | Favorite Trail: | Blue Ridge Hills, Virginia | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Price Paid: |
$580.00 | | Purchased At: | by Dave, at Speeddream.com | | Strengths: | Unbelievably well made. Perfectly true. Very very strong. Gorgeous wheels with custom spoke, hub, rim colors. Absolutely the best wheels I have ever owned, including my time-trial road bike rigs. 1450g for the Chris King XC set. | | Weaknesses: | none. I could say the price, but you are getting much more than you pay for...so it's worth saving up for a pair. | | Similar Products Used: | Mavic 223, 517, Crossmax, Zip, Spin, Formula. | | Bike Setup: | Carbon/titanium custom XC build. 20.25 lbs. Leader, SID, King XC, FSA, Easton, Truvativ, Raceface, Kenda, XT/R, Look, Avid Ti. | | Bottom Line: | save up for a pair of these and suffer from eternal perma-grin... :_)
Dave also provides that exceptional personal service you only dream of getting when making a big purchase. He personally calls you to verify important info before making the wheels. He takes extreme care in his work, and in providing you with exactly what you were looking for. Outstanding customer support!!!
| | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Gary Hoffman
a Cross Country Rider
from Nesna, Norway
Date Reviewed: August 14, 2002 | | Favorite Trail: | Sjonfjell | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Price Paid: |
$580.00 | | Purchased At: | Dave | | Strengths: | Light, solid, great lateral stiffness, bombproof performance | | Weaknesses: | Uhhh....the necessity of flossing out the bugs from between my teeth due to the perpetual smile on my face. Near misses with low-flying aircraft caused by unforseen levitational properties of these wheels combined with Kenda's ultralight 345gr tires. Scary.... | | Similar Products Used: | Stock Matrix wheels | | Bike Setup: | Trek Alpha ZX frame, SRAM, Blackspire cranks, Rockshox seatpost, X-lite, Kore, Avid, Gore... and a water bottle. | | Bottom Line: | All these people can't be wrong (or paid off by Dave). Probably one of, no, these wheels are THE best upgrade I've made on my bike. Dave gives one the kind of service that I find refreshing in this day and age where "mom and pop" stores have been blown out of existence by high-volume warehouses. Rant, rant, rant....
Anyway, Dave, throw a roll of toilet paper in the freezer 'cause here comes a truckload of hot flamin' chilies for 'ya!
Great job Dave!
| | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Dave
a Cross Country Rider
from coeur d'alene
Date Reviewed: July 8, 2002 | | Favorite Trail: | Cave | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Price Paid: |
$574.00 | | Purchased At: | Dave's | | Bottom Line: | Here is a follow-up. Been using the wheels now for about a year. Used them on the trainer all winter. Needed to true the rear once because I crashed and put a big dent in the rim wall--MY fault NOT Dave's. The front is a true as the day I bought it. Only had to adjust the King hubs once. They only weigh 1470 grams! When these rims are done, I'll have Dave lace up new ones. No doubt about it, if you want the best wheels, have Dave build them. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Robert
a Cross Country Rider
from Dayton, Oregon
Date Reviewed: June 14, 2002 | | Favorite Trail: | Baker Ck | | Duration Product Used: | 2 Years | | Price Paid: |
$550.00 | | Purchased At: | Dave | | Strengths: | Light
Strong
Fast
Custom
Rock-solid | | Weaknesses: | I actually liked to true my wheels (just a little bit)
I can't give Dave a big hug over the phone. | | Similar Products Used: | Custom XT w/ Mustangs
Factory Rolf Wheelset | | Bike Setup: | SC Superlight, Avid Discs, SID XC | | Bottom Line: | There was a previous review where the reviewer said that he thought Dave had only sent him one wheel because the package was so light. I thought "yeah, right." Well, when I picked up my package, the same thought crossed my mind. The wheelset ended up being 60g lighter than Dave had promised. The wheels have Hugi 240 Disc hubs and Sun rims. After 2 long years of riding in rutted and rocky terrain, I have yet to need to true the wheels.
The acceleration is fantastic. They track well. I love them.
Don't waste your money on the Mavic's or Rolf's. Trust Dave. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
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