HopliteGrad

Hi,
I'm pondering getting a set of wheels for winter use, loading them up with studded tires and so forth. Cost is an issue. I found some $27 Weinmann 700x35, Front, Q/R, Silver Alloy Wheels from some online store. Are $27 wheels safe to ride on? I don't care how much they weigh. I just want a cheap spare set of wheels. Good idea, bad idea? Has anyone here had experience with the low end components?
Thanks!
Hop

Amani576

While Weinmann stuff isn't exactly high-quality, it works. What I'd be most concerned about is the quality of the hubs, spokes, and nipples used. And even if it all is "ok", I'd have the hubs checked and the whole wheel(s) trued and checked for proper tension. Either do it yourself or have it done at a shop. And, don't do a serious ride on them at first. Do a long enough ride to feel comfortable on them, but, not long enough that you may be stranded if you can't fix if something messes up.
GR

ItsJustMe

I can't imagine how they would "kill you". Worst case, you start to break spokes, and the thing goes out of true. Maybe things can go more wrong than that, but I doubt it.

HopliteGrad

I was mostly thinking that they might be X-Mart quality, and have catastrophic failures like you read about- people getting hurt when their crappy components disintegrate under them.

BCRider

I've ridden for years on a basic $25 front wheel I got on sale. Regular price $40. I think I may have retensioned a few spokes in that time but other than cleaning and relubing the hub a couple of times it's been a real champ. It's a basic Sansin hub and some low end but still box section rim. Box section because I may be cheap but I DO have standards....

There's lots of decent quality and cheap wheelsets on Ebay. What about one of those sets? The prices are up closer to $100 for the set but for a few extra bucks you get some pretty decent stuff. It's not a big reach from $30 each to $100 for a set.

delman

They combined cost of the wheels is probably more than the whole cheap bikes that are having the problems ($50 for some at wally world). I would think as long as you don't do anything crazy with them they should be ok. I have one on the rear and sure it is not the best but it makes do. I have only had it for a week so sorry I haven't really tested it.

jgedwa

I am not proud of it, but I have used those wheels before. The bearing races are not great and will wear quickly. One had non-stainless spokes (they sure looked stainless when I bought them. Too shiny to be galvanized. Not sure what they were) that started to rust pretty quickly. In short, they are poor quality.

But then, sometimes cheap is just the ticket. They did work. One good thing about heavy rims is that (properly tensioned) they stay true.

jim

HopliteGrad

OK, I will try to find a nicer wheelset on ebay and post it here for comparison. Thanks for all the help so far!

unterhausen

I think the main problem you might see is broken spokes, followed by rims with fatigue problems. The cheap wheels I bought for my mountain bike look like they might have that problem in 10 years of normal riding.

nmanhipot

I was going to say you'll spend $27 on quality spokes for one wheel. If you commute to work 1-3 miles in dry weather and store your bike indoors at both stops, by all means, give them a try. For that price, though, I guess you could just keep replacing them every six months or so. Of course, my last wheelset retails for $400, so I'm a bit more concerned about quality than you are about your budget, which I respect, of course. I have a long-ish commute of about 20 miles each way and I'm tired of wheel failures.

I imagine the spokes are zinc plated which will not last unlest they're kept dry or dried after riding. I've ridden two sets of discount wheels thinking they were just off-brand imitations of name-brand quality sets and ended up breaking a spoke every other week for two months before I demanded my money back. I'd rather ride a 35-pound vintage Schwinn than some of this new low-quality super-cheap stuff.

Unless you're deep in debt, I'd save up for a good set of hand-built wheels that will last you years or perhaps a decade.

jimmy_jazz

I've been riding a $40 front wheel for years with no problems until I crashed it.

Even then it only went slightly out of true, and I had it checked over just to be safe.

Banzai

You get what you pay for.

Consider the intricacies of the bicycle wheel, and then consider what shortcuts must have been taken to produce a wheel that costs as much as a very cheap dinner date at a budget restaurant.

The wheels won't kill you, but don't have any illusions about what you're buying.

ZombieButcher

I just got rid of a Weinman rear wheel that was absolute crap for me. Had it about 3 months and kept breaking spokes every week on it. I am also 210 lbs so that plays a factor. I say spend the money on a decent set of Mavics.

Bill Kapaun

How much do you weigh?

wils0nic

how are the old weinman USA wheels? I've got a set of 26' on my bike now, haven't had an issue with them aside from needing a true badly. Which is alright given their age (10 yrs).

HopliteGrad

I am 150 on a light hybrid + pannier for my commute. It's not a particularly rough ride at all.