Singlespeed & Fixed Gear - velocity comes through (re: my broken aerohead rim)

regulars may recall that i made a post a few weeks back about damaging my velocity aerohead rim in a crash.

in that thread, john black, the president of velocity USA, posted and generously offered to build me a new wheelset around my hubs, using the velocity rims of my choice, at no cost.

i'd just like to update you all and let you know that i received the wheelset today, silver velocity fusion rims with non-machined sidewalls. they're absolutely beautiful, and demonstrates that velocity is a stand-up company with great customer service, so buy their products with confidence!

let me be the first to say... pics?

whoa.. that rules

.......forum group hug?

ns helluva deal and damn that rox and "lucky" ........all I get from a wreck is patches of shiney new skin......

wait a minute... velocity will replace a rim if i crash it?!?

Boots - Check the product warranty for the real answer. I think John was just being a heck of a guy in this case.

I think the point here is that John stood up for his company in the midst of what could have been a pretty negative thread. I have seen it a few times in here before and it has ended up chasing off some manufacturers and the like: don't ask for handouts (replacing a crashed rim). That is the best way to drive industry people away from these forums. We all love to kid around, but I think we all prefer to discuss more than pie and stash pockets in here. If we keep putting our hands out like the schwag-grubbers at Interbike, we can look only at ourselves when Don Walker doesn't pop in to discuss welds or Ellie/Roland to answer bag questions (if they ever dared enter in here). Just a reminder.

Yeah, I remember the original thread. I think John replacing the rims had to do with Brunning's original post implying a failure on Velocity's part for his rims breaking in an accident. John was doing damage control, and being exceptionally great about it. Even if they don't replace crashed rims normally, the whole thing proved what a great company Velocity is, and that they actually care about the community. Way to go velocity.

<hides non-velocity rims>

i sure wish i had thought to blame velocity publicly when i tacoed my aerohead by rear-ending a stopped towncar the first time i rode brakeless

(i'm not being snarky. i really do wish i had thought of that. would have saved me the $160 rip-off MA3 surly wheel i had to snatch up immediately at habitat to make monstertrack 6 on time)

It never ceases to amaze me how many industry people are actually on here.

It never ceases to amaze me how many industry people are actually on here.

It really does but it's also such a great thing.

It really does but it's also such a great thing.

no doubt. got a question on a product? no problem. you get a straight from the source answer.

for the record, i never stated, insinuated or otherwise that the rims caused me to crash or anything - i was hit by a car door and the manner in which i went down would have bent any rim.

the point of that post was simply to show the somewhat dramatic manner that the rim broke apart and to state my experiences with those rims.

people post broken stuff on this site all the time - how many bent frames have i seen on here? cracked carbon stuff? stripped suzue basic hubs? lots and lots.

i would never have asked or expected velocity (or any company) to replace a product which i had damaged in a crash, so it was absolutely above and beyond the call of duty for john to make that offer. while i wouldn't expect free wheels to be handed out again, it goes to illustrate that this is a company which is in touch with their customer base, and that adds value to a product, in my opinion.

Sweet, so now I can trust that even if my Deep Vs fail miserably, I'll have some swell guys to lean back on.

I'm still amazed by how that was ever conceived as a problem of the velocity rim. Applying large amounts of force perpendicular to the wheel is going to break pretty much every wheel imagineable, espcially if the weld is at the right place in relation to the ground.

It never ceases to amaze me how many industry people are actually on here.

I wonder if this is more of a SS/Fix thing, or just a bikeForums thing? Are there a bunch of industry people in the road or recumbent forums?

I'm still amazed by how that was ever conceived as a problem of the velocity rim. Applying large amounts of force perpendicular to the wheel is going to break pretty much every wheel imagineable, espcially if the weld is at the right place in relation to the ground.

I agree but bad publicity is bad publicity and I'm very impressed to see the company backup a product even if the failure was not the company's fault. Just tells you that if an actual failure occured that they would stand behind thier pruduct %110. Props to velocity!

If Doug at Velocity built your wheel (and I'm pretty sure he did), then you're in good shape. That man is a wheelbuilding machine.

Ben, glad you got the wheels and I'm glad you like em'. I should have taken a picture before they shipped. They look darn spiff if I say so myself.

Fixfiend & absntr - We're always watching. At least I am. I hardly speak up because I truly enjoy reading the conversations and I usually end up opening a can of worms.
It doesn't surprise me that so many industry folk congregate here, it a small industry and this is a great place to get together. To give you an idea of just how small this industry is, I once heard that the hot dog industry(just hotdogs) is bigger than the entire bicycle industry. I don't know if it is true or not, but I tend to believe it.

Cynikal - Bad or good, it's all publicity. We landed on our feet.

White Lobster - Nope, it wasn't Doug. We have two other full time wheel building aces and they each built one.

Thanks again everyone, I look forward to my next visit.

John