Icon Ultra or Alexrims R380

gaffmaster

Not wanting to start an off topic chat in Bargain Alerts, this was posted earlier:

samshipee wrote: »

www dot superstarcomponents dot com/en/clearance-icon-ultra-11speed-wheelsets-2024.htm

£99 Decent wheels for the price if the colours suit, even if they're just for the winter bike.

So does anyone have any experience of these Icon Ultra wheels? Are they any use compared to say Aksiums?

I also noticed in the same clearance, Alexrims R380 wheelset for £149.
That seems like good value for a set of 1420g wheels. Anyone any experience of these wheels? Would they be in the same ballpark as Zondas?

My current two wheelsets are entry level Campagnolo Khamsins and Mavic Aksiums. Would either of these wheelsets be a marked improvement or should i save me monies?!!

Cheers

Borderfox

I have a set of the pave 28's with the icon ultra hubs and find them fantastic, hard wearing wheels with everything the autumn and winter has thrown at them and still running as true from new.

harringtonp

If you care to read through the email train below you may find it insightful. I'd suggest reading bottom up.

Basically I was going to go for the bargains and pulled the wheels out for another look (they were stored away for the winter after no more than a handful of uses) and discovered the front wheel was rough

==================

Hello Paul
Bearings are classed as a wear and tear items and not covered under our two year warranty unless there is a manufacturing fault with the bearings. We will of course determine if there is a fault with the bearings when inspect them for service.

Yours,
David
Superstar Customer Service

Superstar Components LTD
www.superstarcomponents.com

contact@superstarcomponents.co.uk

0845 475 8338

Superstar Components Ltd
Unit 9
Lincoln enterprise park
Newark Road
Lincoln
LN5 9EJ
Great Britain

From:
Sent: 10 February 2016 19:41


To: contact@superstarcomponents.com <kayako@superstarcomponents.com>
Subject: Re: Icon Ultra Hub Maintenance

Hi David,

Does the wheel guarantee not include this ?

Regards Paul.

On Wed, Feb 10, 2016 at 3:11 PM, contact@superstarcomponents.com <kayako@superstarcomponents.com> wrote:
Hello Paul
We can service your wheels for you, the cost this this will depend on which of bearings need replacing, I have included a breakdown of the costs below. These bearings are the same quality SKF bearings supplied in the wheels.

2 x 609 £13 per bearing
1 x 6902 £14 per bearing
1x 6802 £14 per bearing
Freehub £29.99 bearing

We will of course let you know the overall cost before we undertake any work.

Yours,
David
Superstar Customer Service

Superstar Components LTD
www.superstarcomponents.com

contact@superstarcomponents.co.uk

0845 475 8338

Superstar Components Ltd
Unit 9
Lincoln enterprise park
Newark Road
Lincoln
LN5 9EJ
Great Britain

From:
Sent: 09 February 2016 16:47

To: contact@superstarcomponents.com <kayako@superstarcomponents.com>
Subject: Re: Icon Ultra Hub Maintenance

Hi,

Still have not been able to get the bearings out. I've tapped the axle quite hard with a rubber mallet in a similar way to that shown in the video for the rear wheel but it is not budging.

This doesn't quite sound like what you described below, if you mean applying a right angle force to the center tube and trying to get the bearing out this way, this also does not work. If this is the procedure you mean a video could be helpful.

I removed the rubber seals to have a look and one side had no grease in it. I added grease in and replace the cap but the bearing still is rough.

I bought the wheel last September and only used it a couple of times before storing it away. What can you do for me under the guaranteee scheme ? If I send the wheel back can you do the repair ?

Thanks Paul.


On Thu, Jan 28, 2016 at 11:44 AM, contact@superstarcomponents.com <kayako@superstarcomponents.com> wrote:
Hello, the front bearings can be gently drifted out. First push the centre tube to one side, you can then drift the bearing out from the opposite side. Once one side is out you can remove the centre tube and gently drift the remaining bearing out.

Yours,
David
Superstar Customer Service

Superstar Components LTD
www.superstarcomponents.com

contact@superstarcomponents.co.uk

0845 475 8338

Superstar Components Ltd
Unit 9
Lincoln enterprise park
Newark Road
Lincoln
LN5 9EJ
Great Britain

From:
Sent: 27 January 2016 16:59
To: contact@superstarcomponents.com <kayako@superstarcomponents.com>
Subject: Re: Icon Ultra Hub Maintenance

Hi David,

It is the front wheel where the problem is. See attached photo. Can the bearings be removed on it ? If I hit the axle hard with a mallet should they come out as in the rear wheel video you attached ? I tried tapping gently but there was no movement in it so I presumed that was not the way to go.

Regards Paul.

On Wed, Jan 27, 2016 at 3:44 PM, contact@superstarcomponents.com <kayako@superstarcomponents.com> wrote:
Hello Paul, I have included a video which shows how to service the Icon Ultra hubs. The bearings you will need are.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kpjSclC0STQ

2x 609 (front hub) 13 per
Hub body 1x 6902 14
1x 6802 14

Freehub

Yours,
David
Superstar Customer Service

Superstar Components LTD
www.superstarcomponents.com

contact@superstarcomponents.co.uk

0845 475 8338

Superstar Components Ltd
Unit 9
Lincoln enterprise park
Newark Road
Lincoln
LN5 9EJ
Great Britain

---

Original Message

---

From:
Sent: 27 January 2016 15:20
To: contact@superstarcomponents.com
Subject: Icon Ultra Hub Maintenance

New message from Paul
IP: 127.0.0.1

Hi,

Bought Elite 24 Ultra 11Speed Wheelset 20/24 from you Sep 1st, 2015 and the Icon Ultra Hub bearings are rough even though it has hardly being used. I have the caps off and am looking to see can I service it myself. Are there any manuals anywhere on how to get the bearings out ? I have a photo which I can forward by email once I get a reply from you.

Thanks Paul.

gaffmaster

harringtonp wrote: »

If you care to read through the email train below you may find it insightful. I'd suggest reading bottom up.

Basically I was going to go for the bargains and pulled the wheels out for another look (they were stored away for the winter after no more than a handful of uses) and discovered the front wheel was rough

Hmmm - seems like your bearings were faulty. Doesn't seem like enough wear and tear does it?

harringtonp

gaffmaster wrote: »

Hmmm - seems like your bearings were faulty. Doesn't seem like enough wear and tear does it?

No, they had so little use. And as you can read one bearing didn't seem to have any grease in it or it somehow got washed out. Didn't notice the problem when I received the wheels so I'm not sure whether or not it was there from the beginning. It is a pity as the wheels are potentially great value and I would liked to have a good problem free run with them.

And it would have been nice if superstar just said send back the wheels and they would replace bearings for free.

billyhead

So is the consensus that these wheels on sale are not worth the risk. I am in the market for a set of wheels around the same price as I dont think the factory wheels that came with my last bike will see out the year and I need a back up plan.

Borderfox

billyhead wrote: »

So is the consensus that these wheels on sale are not worth the risk. I am in the market for a set of wheels around the same price as I dont think the factory wheels that came with my last bike will see out the year and I need a back up plan.

One good review and one bad doesnt make a consensus, the pave 28 were reviewed long term on road cc if I remember rightly.

Sounds like a dodgy skf bearing, it happens in my industry and they are cheap as chips to replace

billyhead

Borderfox wrote: »

One good review and one bad doesnt make a consensus, the pave 28 were reviewed long term on road cc if I remember rightly.

Sounds like a dodgy skf bearing, it happens in my industry and they are cheap as chips to replace

Thanks. As a matter of interest how long have you had your wheels and have you used them all year round without any problems?

harringtonp

gaffmaster wrote: »

Hmmm - seems like your bearings were faulty. Doesn't seem like enough wear and tear does it?

Brought the wheel to my local bike mechanic and watched him tap out the axle without too much difficulty. He used a mallet just like me and look like he tapped less hard. I've no idea why it came straight out for him and wouldn't budge for me.

Anyway he quickly discovered the bearing I greased was fine, the problem was it was too tight in the hub whose design he reckoned wasn't great. He tapped them back in but not as tight as before and the wheel now runs smooth. Easy fix when you know how and have a bit of the Midas touch.

I do wonder what the story would have been if I posted it back to Superstar components...