This Week's Failures

So, the plastic bike came with Ksyrium Elite wheels, and with maybe 150-175 miles, it's got a front wheel wobble -- something my conventional wire spoke front wheels never develop unless I smash them on a railroad track. It's a radially spoked wheel with conventional nipples, so it's easy enough to true -- just disappointing.

Meanwhile, with my son getting ready to go off to college on Tuesday, I was giving his 29er a once over. It's an Airborne Goblin -- great bike for the buck but spec'd with no-name wheels with super-duper sealed bearing hubs. When he first got the bike, shifting seemed good, but he went riding down the local elf trails and did something that put the chain over the big cog and in to the spokes. I extricated the chain, straightened the hanger and got the bike up and running, putting off replacing the damaged spokes until it was time to go off to college. So, yesterday I pulled the wheel to put in some spokes, and the right axle end falls off in my hand. The bike has less than 50 trail miles on it. I had an old beater Deore disk hub sitting around, so I rebuilt the wheel using that. The axle broke right at the margin of the bearing cartridge and looks like there was a fatigue fracture -- that sort of grey finish with a bright area of the final failure.

It seems odd to me that wheels are now just something to hold up the bike on the showroom floor -- and its expected that you're going to go out and buy something that will last -- at least with the MTB. I think the Ksyriums are just not sturdy enough for a larger rider, at least at factory tension.

-- Jay Beattie.

On 12/08/13 14:55, Jay Beattie wrote:
So, the plastic bike came with Ksyrium Elite wheels, and with maybe
150-175 miles, it's got a front wheel wobble -- something my
conventional wire spoke front wheels never develop unless I smash
them on a railroad track. It's a radially spoked wheel with
conventional nipples, so it's easy enough to true -- just
disappointing.

It seems odd to me that wheels are now just something to hold up the
bike on the showroom floor -- and its expected that you're going to
go out and buy something that will last -- at least with the MTB. I
think the Ksyriums are just not sturdy enough for a larger rider, at
least at factory tension.

My rear Ksyrium died in the same way as a few others I've noted around
here went. A crack through one of the spoke holes. Too much load on
too few spokes.

The front seems pretty good however. The only time mine has needed
truing was when in a race, a fellow tried to ride between me and the
inside of a corner in a crit. His foot went into the front wheel. It
lifted the front wheel clear off the ground, and I guess we were lucky
not to go down. Some of the paint from his shoe was on the affected
spokes, and after a little tweak the wheel was true again.

I confess though that since building a new front with a Mavic OP Ceramic
and Miche hub with 32 radial spokes, I haven't used the Ksyrium.

As the Miche hubs have a bigger and more wear resistant bearing too,
I'll stick to my wheel until I destroy it some day. One thing's for
sure, it won't be from wearing out the brake surface. That ceramic is
the bees knees, the ducks guts, A1 to be sure.

--
JS

On 8/12/2013 12:52 AM, James wrote:
On 12/08/13 14:55, Jay Beattie wrote:
So, the plastic bike came with Ksyrium Elite wheels, and with maybe
150-175 miles, it's got a front wheel wobble -- something my
conventional wire spoke front wheels never develop unless I smash
them on a railroad track. It's a radially spoked wheel with
conventional nipples, so it's easy enough to true -- just
disappointing.

It seems odd to me that wheels are now just something to hold up the
bike on the showroom floor -- and its expected that you're going to
go out and buy something that will last -- at least with the MTB. I
think the Ksyriums are just not sturdy enough for a larger rider, at
least at factory tension.

My rear Ksyrium died in the same way as a few others I've noted around
here went. A crack through one of the spoke holes. Too much load on
too few spokes.

The front seems pretty good however. The only time mine has needed
truing was when in a race, a fellow tried to ride between me and the
inside of a corner in a crit. His foot went into the front wheel. It
lifted the front wheel clear off the ground, and I guess we were lucky
not to go down. Some of the paint from his shoe was on the affected
spokes, and after a little tweak the wheel was true again.

I confess though that since building a new front with a Mavic OP Ceramic
and Miche hub with 32 radial spokes, I haven't used the Ksyrium.

As the Miche hubs have a bigger and more wear resistant bearing too,
I'll stick to my wheel until I destroy it some day. One thing's for
sure, it won't be from wearing out the brake surface. That ceramic is
the bees knees, the ducks guts, A1 to be sure.

I thought it was in the RBT FAQ that Mavic Ksyrium wheels-in-a-box are
terrible?

--
T0m $herm@n

Jay Beattie wrote:
So, the plastic bike came with Ksyrium Elite wheels, and with maybe
150-175 miles, it's got a front wheel wobble -- something my conventional
wire spoke front wheels never develop unless I smash them on a railroad
track. It's a radially spoked wheel with conventional nipples, so it's
easy enough to true -- just disappointing.


Was going to crow about my superior HEDs until I got two snakebites in one
ride yesterday.
I know our roads suck but jeez. Not sure what's up with that. No flats
since I got them last year and now 4 in 3 weeks. Same wheel. Rim tape
looks ok.

Haven't needed truing yet aside from a wobble in the rear caused by a
fall.

Meanwhile, with my son getting ready to go off to college on Tuesday, I
was giving his 29er a once over. It's an Airborne Goblin -- great bike
for the buck but spec'd with no-name wheels with super-duper sealed
bearing hubs. When he first got the bike, shifting seemed good, but he
went riding down the local elf trails and did something that put the
chain over the big cog and in to the spokes. I extricated the chain,
straightened the hanger and got the bike up and running, putting off
replacing the damaged spokes until it was time to go off to college. So,
yesterday I pulled the wheel to put in some spokes, and the right axle
end falls off in my hand. The bike has less than 50 trail miles on it. I
had an old beater Deore disk hub sitting around, so I rebuilt the wheel
using that. The axle broke right at the margin of the bearing cartridge
and looks like there was a fatigue fracture -- that sort of grey finish
with a bright area of the final failure.

It seems odd to me that wheels are now just something to hold up the bike
on the showroom floor -- and its expected that you're going to go out and
buy something that will last -- at least with the MTB. I think the
Ksyriums are just not sturdy enough for a larger rider, at least at factory tension.


Not sure about your wheels or weight but the Ardennes require a special
wrap for riders over 190lbs.

-- Jay Beattie.


--
duane

THE NEW CF izzon Mavic ? I dunno Mavic from but the Co. takes a real beating online...

yeah ur havin a stand down period. no big deal. just consider what else.

get the kid an on wheel spoke protector anduh seat tube duhrang for small circle protection. beats repair. twice now I set off for the Elysian Fields in South Tinbuktu only to have the chain ripoff into the innards.

keep an eye on the fork...

Jay Beattie wrote:

:Meanwhile, with my son getting ready to go off to college on Tuesday,
I was giving his 29er a once over. It's an Airborne Goblin -- great
bike for the buck but spec'd with no-name wheels with super-duper sealed
bearing hubs. When he first got the bike, shifting seemed good, but he
went riding down the local elf trails and did something that put the
chain over the big cog and in to the spokes. I extricated the chain,
straightened the hanger and got the bike up and running, putting off
replacing the damaged spokes until it was time to go off to college. So,
yesterday I pulled the wheel to put in some spokes, and the right axle
end falls off in my hand. The bike has less than 50 trail miles on it. I
had an old beater Deore disk hub sitting around, so I rebuilt the wheel
using that. The axle broke right at the margin of the bearing cartridge
and looks like there was a fatigue fracture -- that sort of grey finish
with a bright area of the final failure.

That's a warranty issue.




:

--
sig 19

didya try 'LIVE CHAT' ?


http://www.airbornebicycles.com/prod...13-goblin.aspx

there's a breakdown on costs herein RBT for muh Redline Deore Sun Spec Conti coming in around $1400 with spares.

no live chat. aside from Nbar, was a fight to the death avoiding ripoff. they smelled money.

butbutbut nothing breaks.

On Monday, 12 August 2013 11:44:24 UTC+1, Duane wrote:


Was going to crow about my superior HEDs until I got two snakebites in one

ride yesterday.

I know our roads suck but jeez. Not sure what's up with that. No flats

since I got them last year and now 4 in 3 weeks. Same wheel. Rim tape

looks ok.



Pasta and beer?

thirty-six wrote:
On Monday, 12 August 2013 11:44:24 UTC+1, Duane wrote:


Was going to crow about my superior HEDs until I got two snakebites in one

ride yesterday.

I know our roads suck but jeez. Not sure what's up with that. No flats

since I got them last year and now 4 in 3 weeks. Same wheel. Rim tape

looks ok.



Pasta and beer?


Lol. My first thought. But no. Lost a couple if anything.
--
duane

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3VMSGrY-IlU