anything positive to say about Spinergy Tiliums?



O

Oveto

Guest
I really would like to purchase a pair of the spinergy Tilium carbon wheels with the PBO spokes.
However, I can't seem to find a kind word about them. For example this is what is in
roadbikereview.com. Has anyone had a positive experience with these wheels?

Reviewed by: Pat Chavez, Road Racer Price Paid: $900 at Performance Bicycle Favorite Ride: Any Long
Hill Bike Setup: Giant TCR Composite with Dura-Ace, Speedplay pedals Summary: The first set was way
out of true. I returned for replacements and they also were badly out of true. I emailed Spinergy
Customer Service and they never bothered to contact me. I also tried to call the company without any
luck. As a result, I returned for a credit.

I don't understand how Spinergy can stay in business with such poor customer service and suspect
quality control. Strengths: Areo and light Weaknesses: Areo and light are worth nothing if the
company can't even true the wheels. Similar Products Used: Mavic Cosmos and Ksyrium SSC SL

Review Date October 12, 2003 Overall Rating 3 of 5

Value Rating
3 of 5

Used product for 6 months

Rate this review? 5 Highest4321 Lowest Shop for this product >> Report this review >> Reviewed by:
Charles, Road Racer Price Paid: $1000 at Supergo.com Favorite Ride: Anything Bike Setup: 2001 Carbon
Smoke Trek 5200 w/ full Ultegra. Look pedals. "GiR's" carbon seat post. Selle San Marco Era saddle.
Cateye CC-CL200 cordless computer. Michelin Axial Pro-light 700 X 20C tires. Summary: I am a Marine
stationed in Iwakuni, Japan. The rear wheel was slightly untrue when I pulled it out of the box. Two
expert mechs at the local bike shop, UEKI, didn't even want to attempt to true it. They said it
would be OK to ride on. I bought them primarily to race on but have put about 2,000 Km on them in
the past months. The front wheel is awesome; however, I have noticed that the rear wheel side wall
opposite the cassette is beginning to collapse at the 4th spoke forward of the valve hole. There
also appear to be two cracks forming in line with the spokes in other spots. I love the way they
soften the road and their incredible lightness. I finally rode a flat 40 Km time trial in less than
an hour. The only problem is the apparently flawed rear wheel at the $1,000 price tag. I am moving
to North Carolina during December 2003 where I will send the wheels back to Supergo and request
replacements. I don't feel the rear wheel is safe to ride. I'll go back to my Rolf's. Strengths:
Light weight. Very Aero! Good looks. Smooth ride. Stiff. Weaknesses: Weak rear wheel. Side walls
should NOT begin to collapse on ANY wheel. Similar Products Used: Rolf Vector Comp

Review Date October 6, 2003 Overall Rating 3 of 5

Value Rating
2 of 5

Used product for 3 months

Visitors rate this review 5 of 5, 2 votes Rate this review? 5 Highest4321 Lowest Shop for this
product >> Report this review >> Reviewed by: jasongun, Triathlete Price Paid: $600 at Don't want to
say! Favorite Ride: Steep Ones! - 16%+ Grade Bike Setup: Tsunami Full Dura Ace + the best of
everything. 16.0 lb.(w/pedals) Rocketship! Summary: After a much anticipated wait for these wheels,
I finally got my paws on a set. At firt glance, this is the ideal wheelset. Ultralight, super-aero,
really good looking, and supposedly very strong due to the PBO spokes. My first set out of the box
could not be trued. They were soooo wobbly, that they could not be ridden. They could not even be
trued after multiple tries, by multiple veteran mechanics. My replacement set took forever to arrive
(2 months). Spinergy's customer service is horrible. My first set came with MTB skewers & torn
stickers! I don't know how they allow a wheel to leave their company in that type of condition.
Unreal! I traded in a pair of Ksyriums for these. Huge mistake! I rode those Ksyriums for 14k miles
without having to true them even once. I have to true these wheels every 4 or 5 rides. Horrible! For
a supposedly top-shelf product, their inability to stay true is horrible. Strengths: Super-light &
Aero (A hard combo to find). Very good looking...I get a lot of looks! Weaknesses: Inability to stay
true. Spinergy's extremely weak customer service. Lack of attention to detail. Retail$$. I'm only
135 lbs, so imagine how bad it would be for a 175 lb. rider. Unless you want a lot of practice
truing wheels, get another wheelset. I know many other people are having the same problem with this
whelset. It is not a fluke. The design is flawed. Similar Products Used: Cosmic Elite, Bontrager
Race Lite, Mavic Ksyrium (The best wheels ever made!)
 
I have a set, rode them all last year, they are great, I love them. I did true them when I first got
them, but it was easily done and I have not had to mess with them for 300+ miles. By the way, I
weigh 220#'s Chris
 
"oveto" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:1btZb.89111$uV3.553020@attbi_s51...
> I really would like to purchase a pair of the spinergy Tilium carbon
wheels
> with the PBO spokes. However, I can't seem to find a kind word about them. For example this is
> what is in roadbikereview.com. Has anyone had a
positive
> experience with these wheels?

I haven't ridden them, but the general skinny around here (where Spinergy is located) is that
they're not the stiffest things out there, but do OK for TTs and etc. They are NOT crit wheels.

Mike
 
[email protected] wrote:

> I really would like to purchase a pair of the spinergy Tilium carbon wheels with the PBO spokes.
> However, I can't seem to find a kind word about them.

Why do you want them if you've heard nothing good about them?

--
Benjamin Lewis

On a paper submitted by a physicist colleague: "This isn't right. This isn't even wrong." --
Wolfgang Pauli
 
Based on what you've already found and written, why would you even consider these wheels? There are
too many choices out there to tolerate this kind of nonsense from Spinergy.

Bob C.
 
I have owned Spox and Xaero wheels, and in general I find Spinergy products to be over priced and
not well designed. I can't imagine buying Spinergy wheels when better, and probably cheaper,
altenatives exist.

oveto wrote:
> I really would like to purchase a pair of the spinergy Tilium carbon wheels with the PBO spokes.
> However, I can't seem to find a kind word about them. For example this is what is in
> roadbikereview.com. Has anyone had a positive experience with these wheels?
>
> Reviewed by: Pat Chavez, Road Racer Price Paid: $900 at Performance Bicycle Favorite Ride: Any
> Long Hill Bike Setup: Giant TCR Composite with Dura-Ace, Speedplay pedals Summary: The first set
> was way out of true. I returned for replacements and they also were badly out of true. I emailed
> Spinergy Customer Service and they never bothered to contact me. I also tried to call the company
> without any luck. As a result, I returned for a credit.
>
> I don't understand how Spinergy can stay in business with such poor customer service and suspect
> quality control. Strengths: Areo and light Weaknesses: Areo and light are worth nothing if the
> company can't even true the wheels. Similar Products Used: Mavic Cosmos and Ksyrium SSC SL
>
>
>
>
> Review Date October 12, 2003 Overall Rating 3 of 5
>
> Value Rating
> 3 of 5
>
> Used product for 6 months
>
> Rate this review? 5 Highest4321 Lowest Shop for this product >> Report this review >> Reviewed
> by: Charles, Road Racer Price Paid: $1000 at Supergo.com Favorite Ride: Anything Bike Setup: 2001
> Carbon Smoke Trek 5200 w/ full Ultegra. Look pedals. "GiR's" carbon seat post. Selle San Marco
> Era saddle. Cateye CC-CL200 cordless computer. Michelin Axial Pro-light 700 X 20C tires. Summary:
> I am a Marine stationed in Iwakuni, Japan. The rear wheel was slightly untrue when I pulled it
> out of the box. Two expert mechs at the local bike shop, UEKI, didn't even want to attempt to
> true it. They said it would be OK to ride on. I bought them primarily to race on but have put
> about 2,000 Km on them in the past months. The front wheel is awesome; however, I have noticed
> that the rear wheel side wall opposite the cassette is beginning to collapse at the 4th spoke
> forward of the valve hole. There also appear to be two cracks forming in line with the spokes in
> other spots. I love the way they soften the road and their incredible lightness. I finally rode a
> flat 40 Km time trial in less than an hour. The only problem is the apparently flawed rear wheel
> at the $1,000 price tag. I am moving to North Carolina during December 2003 where I will send the
> wheels back to Supergo and request replacements. I don't feel the rear wheel is safe to ride.
> I'll go back to my Rolf's. Strengths: Light weight. Very Aero! Good looks. Smooth ride. Stiff.
> Weaknesses: Weak rear wheel. Side walls should NOT begin to collapse on ANY wheel. Similar
> Products Used: Rolf Vector Comp
>
>
>
>
> Review Date October 6, 2003 Overall Rating 3 of 5
>
> Value Rating
> 2 of 5
>
> Used product for 3 months
>
> Visitors rate this review 5 of 5, 2 votes Rate this review? 5 Highest4321 Lowest Shop for this
> product >> Report this review >> Reviewed by: jasongun, Triathlete Price Paid: $600 at Don't
> want to say! Favorite Ride: Steep Ones! - 16%+ Grade Bike Setup: Tsunami Full Dura Ace + the
> best of everything. 16.0 lb.(w/pedals) Rocketship! Summary: After a much anticipated wait for
> these wheels, I finally got my paws on a set. At firt glance, this is the ideal wheelset.
> Ultralight, super-aero, really good looking, and supposedly very strong due to the PBO spokes.
> My first set out of the box could not be trued. They were soooo wobbly, that they could not be
> ridden. They could not even be trued after multiple tries, by multiple veteran mechanics. My
> replacement set took forever to arrive (2 months). Spinergy's customer service is horrible. My
> first set came with MTB skewers & torn stickers! I don't know how they allow a wheel to leave
> their company in that type of condition. Unreal! I traded in a pair of Ksyriums for these. Huge
> mistake! I rode those Ksyriums for 14k miles without having to true them even once. I have to
> true these wheels every 4 or 5 rides. Horrible! For a supposedly top-shelf product, their
> inability to stay true is horrible. Strengths: Super-light & Aero (A hard combo to find). Very
> good looking...I get a lot of looks! Weaknesses: Inability to stay true. Spinergy's extremely
> weak customer service. Lack of attention to detail. Retail$$. I'm only 135 lbs, so imagine how
> bad it would be for a 175 lb. rider. Unless you want a lot of practice truing wheels, get
> another wheelset. I know many other people are having the same problem with this whelset. It is
> not a fluke. The design is flawed. Similar Products Used: Cosmic Elite, Bontrager Race Lite,
> Mavic Ksyrium (The best wheels ever made!)
 
"Chris Dorn" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> I have a set, rode them all last year, they are great, I love them. I did true them when I first
> got them, but it was easily done and I have not had to mess with them for 300+ miles. By the way,
> I weigh 220#'s Chris
>

You rode them all last year and they have 300+ miles? I got a set of wheels last week and I have
more miles on them than that -- and the jury's still out. It's a relatively conventional set of what
I'll call "fast training wheels" and I can't seem to keep the rear wheel in true.

Bob C.
 
oveto wrote:
> I really would like to purchase a pair of the spinergy Tilium carbon wheels with the PBO spokes.
> However, I can't seem to find a kind word about them. For example this is what is in
> roadbikereview.com. Has anyone had a positive experience with these wheels?
-snip owners carping about lousy wheels, typical to Spinergy products-

You cannot find an owner of these wheels who is satisfied with them. Riders who own them go out of
their way to describe how awful they are. Yet you want to own a set.

Why not a handbuilt set of wheels designed for you? Lighter, cheaper, more durable.

OTOH, what aspect of the Spinergy appealed to you?

ps Do you own a Trabant?
--
Andrew Muzi www.yellowjersey.org Open every day since 1 April, 1971
 
Reasons why I want to buy the Tiliums.

1. I always wanted to ride carbon wheels to see what they are like for a while
2. Spinergy is made in the USA and I want to support USA made products
3. The wheels look really cool and would look really nice on my carbon fiber white USPS Trek
4. I have a lugged steel Romulus and would like to completely carbon out my other bike for the
heck of it
5. They are light
6. I have seen lots of Tilium marketing advertisements so my I assume my subconcious is programmed
to want them.


"A Muzi" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:[email protected]...
> oveto wrote:
> > I really would like to purchase a pair of the spinergy Tilium carbon
wheels
> > with the PBO spokes. However, I can't seem to find a kind word about
them.
> > For example this is what is in roadbikereview.com. Has anyone had a
positive
> > experience with these wheels?
> -snip owners carping about lousy wheels, typical to Spinergy products-
>
> You cannot find an owner of these wheels who is satisfied with them. Riders who own them go out of
> their way to describe how awful they are. Yet you want to own a set.
>
> Why not a handbuilt set of wheels designed for you? Lighter, cheaper, more durable.
>
> OTOH, what aspect of the Spinergy appealed to you?
>
> ps Do you own a Trabant?
> --
> Andrew Muzi www.yellowjersey.org Open every day since 1 April, 1971
 
In article <%5a_b.382620$na.573163@attbi_s04>, oveto <[email protected]> wrote:
>Reasons why I want to buy the Tiliums.
>
>1. I always wanted to ride carbon wheels to see what they are like for a while

There are a lot of carbon wheel choices, why not get some that are well liked by people
who own them?

>2. Spinergy is made in the USA and I want to support USA made products

Even if low quality? No way.

>3. The wheels look really cool and would look really nice on my carbon fiber white USPS Trek

Ditto for other carbon wheels if that's your thing.

>4. I have a lugged steel Romulus and would like to completely carbon out my other bike for the
> heck of it

There are a lot of worse ways to spend the money!

>5. They are light

No they aren't! They are heavy compared to other high end carbon wheels. They are heavy even
compared to racing wheels with aluminum rims. 1680g is not a light wheelset relative to what's out
there. You could easily make a conventional wheelset at that weight.

>6. I have seen lots of Tilium marketing advertisements so my I assume my subconcious is programmed
> to want them.

Consider this - on sites like roadbikereview.com, people generally tend to endorse everything they
buy with a positive review, because otherwise they were fools for buying the **** in the first
place. So when I see positive reviews on roadbikereview.com, I generally ignore them as unreliable,
people congratulating themselves on their purchases. Negative reviews however fall in a few
categories - (a) true statements, (b) people griping about problems that were their own damn fault,
and (c) people with an axe to grind. I try to read the reviews with that in mind, it's often not
that hard to figure out which category they're in.

--Paul
 
"Paul Southworth" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> In article <%5a_b.382620$na.573163@attbi_s04>, oveto <[email protected]>
wrote:
> >Reasons why I want to buy the Tiliums.
> >
> >1. I always wanted to ride carbon wheels to see what they are like for a while
>
> There are a lot of carbon wheel choices, why not get some that are well liked by people who
> own them?

Mmmm.... 404s!

>
> >2. Spinergy is made in the USA and I want to support USA made products
>
> Even if low quality? No way.
>
> >3. The wheels look really cool and would look really nice on my carbon
fiber
> >white USPS Trek
>
> Ditto for other carbon wheels if that's your thing.
>
> >4. I have a lugged steel Romulus and would like to completely carbon out
my
> >other bike for the heck of it
>
> There are a lot of worse ways to spend the money!
>
> >5. They are light
>
> No they aren't! They are heavy compared to other high end carbon wheels. They are heavy even
> compared to racing wheels with aluminum rims. 1680g is not a light wheelset relative to what's out
> there. You could easily make a conventional wheelset at that weight.
>
> >6. I have seen lots of Tilium marketing advertisements so my I assume my subconcious is
> > programmed to want them.
>
> Consider this - on sites like roadbikereview.com, people generally tend to endorse everything they
> buy with a positive review, because otherwise they were fools for buying the **** in the first
> place. So when I see positive reviews on roadbikereview.com, I generally ignore them as
> unreliable, people congratulating themselves on their purchases. Negative reviews however fall in
> a few categories - (a) true statements, (b) people griping about problems that were their own damn
> fault, and (c) people with an axe to grind. I try to read the reviews with that in mind, it's
> often not that hard to figure out which category they're in.
>
> --Paul
 
"oveto" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:%5a_b.382620$na.573163@attbi_s04...
> Reasons why I want to buy the Tiliums.
>
> 1. I always wanted to ride carbon wheels to see what they are like for a while
> 2. Spinergy is made in the USA and I want to support USA made products
>SNIP>

I think that you might be disappointed if you ever need service for your Spinergy wheels. I got
sucked into a few sets of Spinergy SPOX wheels. They were fine for about a year and then I started
breaking spokes. It took the Spinergy folks over six weeks to get the ship the parts. Subsequent
issues have had similar results.

Bob
 

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