Superstar Wheels

peter413

Not really sure where to put this so I'll put it here.

Anyway, I bought some AM Superstar wheels on the basis that they got good reviews, they could apparently handle DH racing and everything else Superstar I have had has been great.

Not the case with these, first ride I did a secret that was red grade (Zoom or Bust), the Green Route, some of the Blue (Electric Blue and Good Game) and The Essentials at the FR at Glentress. So nothing big or that hard so should be well within the capabilities of these wheels. Not so, the rear needed trued twice that day and the front once.

Then yesterday was ride two, I stepped the jumping up a little bit in FR but, again, they aren't that big (biggest was dropping off the box which is probably about 3 foot) so should be well within the capabilities of these wheels. Unfortunately not, the rear needed trued slightly at lunch (I had done Electric Blue and Falla Brae as well) and then I met up with a mate so we went back to the FR where I did the Box and some of the bigger jumps (had only done The Essentials before) and then back down Electric Blue and Good Game. Now the back wheel was VERY out of true, the tyre was nearly hitting the frame. Unfortunately, The Hub were very busy now (time to get all the hire bikes back) so I had to leave it with them and I can't get back there until Saturday which has left me bike less until then. Don't think I'm holding that against The Hub though, I love those guys and I'm surprised its the first time they have had to turn me away.

Anyway, the real problem now, I'm thinking these wheels are not fit for purpose so would normally get my money back on them but I'm off on holiday to Ae on Saturday with a few mates and if I sent them back that would mean I would have no bike to ride since my last wheels are completely trashed and unusable so that means I have to use the Superstar's. Now, I will probably end up trashing them because I want to try the DH a bit while there so where do I stand with this. If I completely trash them, can I still get my money back on them or because I have knowingly used something too weak, will they refuse.

Also, the build was very bad to begin with but that was sorted out the first true, pro-lock was also put in all the nipples and don't think it was the mechanic doesn't know how to do wheels, quite the opposite, he knows probably everything there is to know about them.

Please advise what I should do and very sorry for the big essay but I feel it all had to be said and feel free to look up videos of the tracks I did to show how mild they are

cooldad

If you are unhappy speak to Superstar first.

peter413

I was hoping they would see this thread but I shall send them an email

j_l

Call superstar, I would also try to find the other SS threads on here that they have replyed to so you can PM them

paul.skibum

Your problem is you have AM rims which work for DH but they dont work for FR. I think SS can argue you aren't using them for their listed purpose.

peter413

I have sent an email.

And there is nowhere that states the Freeride park is Freeride grade. It is orange grade which is also the same as DH. I know the name is freeride but that doesn't mean anything TBH

joshtp

thats poor. contact them direct... when ever iv used them they have been great!

peter413

I've sent a PM with a link to this thread and I have contacted them through email directly.

Just awaiting the reply now

j_l

AM = All Mountain I read XC, DH and FR, including Slopestyle

But all this category stuff is bollox, FR, DH, AM, XC, pah, it always used to be Mountain Biking end of.

For components, Light, Med and Heavy use, perhaps :?


I dunno :roll:

psymon

Pro 2s with DT5.2s FTW. Dont look flashy but sound mint.
One of the best £250 ive ever spent.

peter413

J L wrote:

AM = All Mountain I read XC, DH and FR, including Slopestyle

But all this category stuff is bollox, FR, DH, AM, XC, pah, it always used to be Mountain Biking end of.

For components, Light, Med and Heavy use, perhaps :?


I dunno :roll:

WHAT?!

I know AM means all mountain. Superstar market them as being light enough for all mountain riding but tough enough for DH RACING

Where you read slopestyle I don't know and you read FR PARK as in some smallish jumps, no where near real freeride

peter413

psymon wrote:

Pro 2s with DT5.2s FTW. Dont look flashy but sound mint.
One of the best £250 ive ever spent.

I would have had Hopes if I could have afforded them :roll:

psymon

i thought the superstars were of similar price.

how much?

peter413

Standard price is 160 but with my colour option it was 180. Worst 180 I have ever spent :evil:

j_l

peter413 wrote:

J L wrote:

AM = All Mountain I read XC, DH and FR, including Slopestyle

But all this category stuff is bollox, FR, DH, AM, XC, pah, it always used to be Mountain Biking end of.

For components, Light, Med and Heavy use, perhaps :?


I dunno :roll:

WHAT?!

I know AM means all mountain. Superstar market them as being light enough for all mountain riding but tough enough for DH RACING

Where you read slopestyle I don't know and you read FR PARK as in some smallish jumps, no where near real freeride

I was joking :roll:


If I bought some AM wheels I would expect them to take AM use / abuse , including FR and DH 8)

IanTrcp

peter413 wrote:

I've sent a PM with a link to this thread and I have contacted them through email directly.

Just awaiting the reply now

Do you think that the choices you have made regarding communication (sequencing, media etc.) might influence the way they respond to you?

andyrm

IanTrcp wrote:

peter413 wrote:

I've sent a PM with a link to this thread and I have contacted them through email directly.

Just awaiting the reply now

Do you think that the choices you have made regarding communication (sequencing, media etc.) might influence the way they respond to you?

Was going to suggest exactly this. Very rare that a misplaced “name and shame” attempt works, especially when the conventional channels of supplier feedback (phoning or emailing the supplier) haven’t been exhausted and a reasonable response timeframe allowed.

peter413

IanTrcp wrote:

peter413 wrote:

I've sent a PM with a link to this thread and I have contacted them through email directly.

Just awaiting the reply now

Do you think that the choices you have made regarding communication (sequencing, media etc.) might influence the way they respond to you?

What are you getting at?

t0pc4t

that going public in this way rather than giving them a call or an email first is unlikely to endear you to them.

If they're as decent as people say it's not likely to affect the way they deal with you however given that this could be the result of a simple manufacturing issue it was a heavy handed way of pursuing your complaint.

Did you really need to make this post to be told 'email or call the people that supplied the wheels?'

Northwind

I kinda agree with that, I'd have gone through SS first and waited fr a response before mentoning it elsewhere. Fair play though, Superstar are a bit rubbish at responding to emails etc, they're just very busy- not just complaints btw, sometimes getting info on products for a sale is hard, which is why I reckon it's not just them being unhelpful, they just can't respond as fast as they'd like. But, they're usually good at picking things up off forums.

But those wheels are obviously not right. And they do have a decent rep, a couple of the pentlands riders have the XC ones and they do fine. I wouldn't have even got the Hub to sort them, I'd have sent them straight back at the first issue tbh, since now there's more people involved they could say "Oh, it's the rebuild that's the problem".

Oh, if you do the standard DH course, what's it called again, the Shredder? It's about as hard on your bike as spooky, it's a big fuss over nothing. The actual Ae downhill is a bit harsher though!

peter413

It's the actual Downhill we're thinking of trying

I kinda wanted to know where I stand before I contacted Superstar directly which is why I didn't first

And I just assumed it was the wheels bedding in and thats what The Hub thought as well but I would hope they don't say that since in total they have been trued 5 times

rudedog

You definately should have contacted SS first, the good thing is that you haven't bad mouthed SS in anyway so hopefully they wont' get the hump!

You could always hire a bike for Ae if you need to send the wheels back.

peter413

Don't have the money to hire a bike.

And I most certainly wouldn't bad mouth SS off, I have had many things from them and have been happy with them all. I just wanted to know where I stand legally (I know what I would like but I don't know if I'm entitled to it) before contacting them but since everyone said contact them, I thought I should

IanTrcp

Northwind wrote:

I wouldn't have even got the Hub to sort them, I'd have sent them straight back at the first issue tbh, since now there's more people involved they could say "Oh, it's the rebuild that's the problem".

That's probably what I'd say if I were them given that you didn't provide the opportunity for this to be sorted out "conventionally". Could be an expensive lesson learnt in a public place!

peter413

Hang on, are you telling me you would refuse to help me because I tried to fix something with the help of a professional who knows what they are doing

Wheels go out of true, components need to bed in, I assumed it was just a case of getting them trued up and it would be fine which it normally is, just either there is a fault with this rim or it is not fit for purpose, either way I will be getting it replaced or my money back

El Capitano

peter413 wrote:

I assumed

And that was your biggest mistake. Should have spoken to SS first and asked if it would invalidate any warranty/claim if you had the wheels trued by someone else.

peter413

How the hell could I have spoken to them when I was halfway up Glentress

I KNOW that riding on an untrue rim can damage it so I got it "sorted" out before it cause terminal damage

BorisSpencer

You've put yourself in a very weak position, especially as you've pointed SS to this thread where you've stated your intention of riding the wheels again on Saturday, possibly to destruction, having questioned their fitness for purpose.

cooldad

peter413 wrote:

How the hell could I have spoken to them when I was halfway up Glentress

I KNOW that riding on an untrue rim can damage it so I got it "sorted" out before it cause terminal damage

Not quite - you carried on and on:

peter413 wrote:

the rear needed trued twice that day and the front once...Then yesterday the rear needed trued slightly at lunch... went back to the FR where I did the Box and some of the bigger jumps... Now the back wheel was VERY out of true, the tyre was nearly hitting the frame.

peter413

Because it was either that or stop riding

El Capitano

peter413 wrote:

How the hell could I have spoken to them when I was halfway up Glentress

peter413 wrote:

Not the case with these, first ride I did a secret that was red grade (Zoom or Bust), the Green Route, some of the Blue (Electric Blue and Good Game) and The Essentials at the FR at Glentress.

A bit of advice, always test new kit out before going on a hard ride - in this case a day's riding at a Trail Centre. Especially something as crucial as a new set of wheels. I'd have ridden them around locally for a week or so to make sure they'd bedded in properly, or to highlight any issues.

peter413 wrote:

I KNOW that riding on an untrue rim can damage it so I got it "sorted" out before it cause terminal damage

Now, as others have already indicated, if SS wanted to be pedantic here, they could quite rightly say that any damage caused to the wheel was due to whoever "sorted" it, not doing a proper job and decline any warranty claim. Not saying they will, but its a scenario that you should be aware of.