Light-Bicycle Company AM (wide) carbon rims

Crayfish
Crayfish Posts: 225
edited October 2015 in MTB buying advice
Anyone tried these rims yet?
http://www.light-bicycle.com/carbon-mountain-bike/carbon-mountain-bike-rim
No distributor in the UK, so need to order from China using Paypal. Probable customs duty to pay on entry into UK.
Read some reasonable reviews from guys in the US.
Another question would be how would I get a reputable wheel builder here in the UK to build them up with the hubs I want? I'm thinking shipping hassles (no wheel builders near me) etc...

Any experiences out there?
http://www.youtube.com/user/stumpy25lbs
Choose a ****ing big television. Choose washing machines, cars, compact disc players, and electrical tin can openers. Choose a bike. Choose some singletrack. Choose your future. Choose Life. (Irv Welsh)

Comments

  • lawman
    lawman Posts: 6,868
    There's a huge thread on MTBR about them, seem pretty mixed tbh, mostly sucessful but a few sets have exploded or cracked. Was looking at these myself and they do seem good, look very very similar to the rims used in Specialized's new carbon wheels, but I'm not sure.

    Bike-discount.de did have Haven Carbon wheels, they might still have them for a little over a grand in stealthy black, and they do a free upgrade to hopefully solve any hub issues.
  • BloggingFit
    BloggingFit Posts: 919
    I have a couple of sets from Lightbicycle with the first getting towards 18 months old now and had no issues. They have refined their manufacturing process since the first generation releases and these represent very good quality for the money.

    I have another prototype set from ACE (YISHUN) which are a similar set up and a little cheaper but still seem as good and have been running around 10 months.

    A good none Chinese option is Derby based in the US which are meant to be the dogs but a bit more expensive.
    Bird Aeris : Trek Remedy 9.9 29er : Trek Procaliber 9.8 SL
  • margo100
    margo100 Posts: 2
    carbon cycle is very popular with students!!as to me ,I do love it !but money is the most problem to me ,so where can buy a cheap one?
  • margo100
    margo100 Posts: 2
    carbon cycle is very popular with students!!as to me ,I do love it !but money is the most problem to me ,so where can buy a cheap one?
  • mattyfez
    mattyfez Posts: 638
    I've got a set, AM 27mm internal width.
    Very pleased with them, got them built with Hope hubs by LB as a complete wheelset.

    Expect to get hit with import and handling charges.. You might get away with it but don't count on it, I think customs have wised up with grey import bike parts.. LB declared the value at £200 (may have been $200 USD) can't recall) I got hit with about 50 quid in customs charges. It's a risk though as if they 'go missing' in the post you'll be out of pocket quite a bit, although LB provide the tracking number (they ship via EMS), and once it hits the UK, you get a parcel force tracking number.

    I found my email chats with them very helpful, they asked my weight and riding style, and took thier advice on 32 spoke AM wheels. Pleasure to deal with to be honest.

    My tyres were an absolute bastard to fit though, folding ron and ralph, toe straps and a small vial of fairy liquid are now an essential part of my puncture repair kit! My old narrow rims, the tyres could be put on by hand, and easily removed with plastic levers.

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