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Spynergy wheelset


Stuart M's picture

By Stuart M - Posted on 25 June 2007

NB: Originally posted elsewhere on the Global Riders Network and appears via syndication.

Does anyone out there have any experiance with or knowledge of this wheelset. http://www.torpedo7.com.au/products/SPWHWNNXY

MTBR has only good reviews but would like to here from someone locally tat has them.

Cheers

Stuart

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Rob's picture

I'm sold on UST now and as these aren't compatible...

They look a bit bling (although not sure I like white spokes/black rims) and the hubs look a bit spindly (or it could just be the picture).

MTBR is normally quiet reliable (if there are enough reviews). You could always order them and have a look - but then you have to pay shipping back to Melbourne (isn't that where their returns is?) if you don't like 'em.

ar_junkie's picture

If Torpedo could supply it with a 20mm axle.
I would prefer to use them for training and leave the SL's for racing... Mate of mine in SA (the country) has them on his AR bike and reckons they are close to being indestructible...
As Rob said, if they were UST compatible them they would be the real package!
If you don't like white spokes, you could always get them from the states and have them in red or blue or yellow... =;o)

Stuart M's picture

or white spokes for that matter. A couple of us had a good laugh at some schmuck in Canberra that pulled up at Stromlo in his black 1 series BMW, pulled out his kermit green MTB and then his wheelset with white spokes. What cracked us up the most was after about 30mins of standing around he then took the bike down onto the bitumen crit circuit. All that said, now that you mention blue spokes they would compliment the Kona beautifully.

alchemist's picture

A quote often attributed to Paul Rowney - "Friends dont let friends ride Spinergy"

Stuart M's picture

I haven't seen a bad review for these. Did young mr Rowney go on to explain why?

alchemist's picture

Nope, although he may have been referring to earlier models which by most accounts were dogs.

At the price T7 are offering them they seem a pretty good deal. I don't know how you would go getting bits replaced if you needed to replace a spoke.

petulance's picture

a handbuilt wheelset using non-proprietary components would be "just as good" (better!) and easier to maintain/repair. And it shouldn't be more than what T7 is charging for the Spinergy wheelset.

I'm thinking of XT/DT Swiss hubs laced to Mavic x17/Dt Swiss rims (where x = 1, 3, 7, eight).

Rob's picture

Yeah, Petulance... I'm with you there. Nothing worse than a great product that can't be fixed/upgraded due to proprietary parts.

Stuart - buy your own bits and lace them yourself. That way you can get the blue spokes - oh dear Eye-wink

Stuart M's picture

What hope have I got lacing a wheel.

alchemist's picture

I just built myself a set of 'cross wheels (Velocity Dyads, Surly Hubs & Sapim Race spokes). I was surprised how easy it was, lacing the wheel was very relaxing, truing and tensioning was a bit more nerve wracking.

petulance's picture

and nothing less than 32 spokes in front and 36 on the rear.

Stuart M's picture

wheel building.

I am after a set of lite, ie less than 1700gm per pair including skewers, wheels for the Kona, pure xc riding. The prob is they need to be strong enough to last a 106kg rider that rides with the smoothness of, well, a 106kg rider. See pics in Sparrow Hill gallery if you don't know what I mean. I expect the next set to bounce back from this sort of thing as well as these Mavic / Shimano ones did. http://nobmob.com/node/2023 It is most unlikely they would ever be "jump" as most of you that have ridden with me would already know.

So what componentry should I be going for?

Speak up now or forever hold your tongue when I show up with a set of Spinergy wheels that by all accounts are almost bomb proof, remember also that this price includes, skewers, rim tape, truing tools and delivery is only $9

alchemist's picture

Its a pitty you weren't looking a month ago - Phantom had Mavic 819d rims on Shimano XT Hubs for <$500 (Still might be worth giving the Phantom a call). This is the sort of level I'd be looking for. They wont beat the Spinergys on weight (I'm guessing they'll be around 1.8kg) or on intial purchase price (but as soon as you have to replace a broken spoke...)

Stuart M's picture

had weighed a set at 1890gm. Not enough of a weight saving for me to justify even the $500 outlay.

Thanks anyway.

alchemist's picture

You could save weight on the wheelset by going to a non UST rim like the XC 717, or something more comparable to the Spinergy rim (which is described as an "ultralight") like one of the Stans rims, lighter spokes and Al nipples. The weight would come down and you'd still have a wheel that any bike shop in the country could fix (even Flynny's Sticking out tongue).

petulance's picture

Mavic 317 rims laced to XT hubs from Phantom.

I really, really, don't need a new set of wheels ...

Ian's picture

I tried speccing out a set of new wheels for my MTB; the only requirement was < 1800g weight. I weigh about 67kg.

It's really hard to get a set of MTB wheels under 1800g without sacrificing durability and costing a *lot*. The hubs were tremendously expensive; you're looking at $400+ per wheel for lightweight DT Swiss parts.

You save a bit of weight by going non-UST, but I think I'd prefer the durability.

I had a good hard look at the Spinergy wheels as well but decided that my $600 could be better spent elsewhere. I still haven't straightened out my handlebars after the stack at Stromlo!

Stuart M's picture

If and when you finally come across a set that fit that bill, I was actually looking sub 1700gm, then please let me know, remember that I am heavier than you though. For the moment I think I might let this go, been an expensive couple of months for upgrades as it is and at the end of the day T7's normal price is only $60 more, less than 10% and still cheaper than I have managed to find elsewhere.

For upgrades based soley on weight I set myself a target of $1 per gram, will stretch this out to $2 if it is also a technical upgrade as was the case with the Reba's. Other wise I wait till I break things, which actually happens quite often, then approach with a different attitude. I'll deduct the cost of the same product from the cost of the lighter version, maybe I'm just kidding myself but it seems more affordable and justifiable that way. Interested in others thoughts on this one.

BTW if you are running tubed tyres and want to save some weight then use lighter tubes. I'm currently running tubes that are only 100gm, about 120 lighter than the old ones and this offsets the heavier weight of the Larsen LUST tyres Flynny was talking about in the Tubless tyre thread.

Thanks for the input.

ar_junkie's picture
Carlgroover's picture

I got rid of 6kgs off myself and starting beating people in club races I hadn't beaten before,
saved myself a fortune at the same time.
Also I own American classics they light as and have never buckled under my 85kg I only use them for racing though but I still would have done 1500-2000km on them.
John

petulance's picture

what were the components you were thinking of? I remember looking at DT Swiss hubs last year (the 240?) and found them to be pretty expensive. Their rims were about the same price as Mavics.

How can you save weight by going non-UST? Are UST rims heavier?

Btw, I'm only a few kilos lighter than you but you are taller than me. I have always thought I was a bit underweight.

Ian's picture

I came up with a few different setups for the wheels, but one that might be suitable for Stuart to modify is this:

--- Front
395g Mavic 717 rim
30g rim tape
185g 32x DT Comp spokes
14g 32x alu nipples
195g DT Swiss 340 Disc Front Hub

--- Rear
395g Mavic 717 rim
30g rim tape
185g 32x DT Comp spokes
14g 32x alu nipples
343g DT Swiss 340 Disc Rear Hub

This gives a total weight of 1786g, which is under my target of 1800g. Most of the parts are pretty standard and well-proven with the exception of the hubs which are rather expensive. They are pretty lightweight and ought to be quite durable. I've specifically avoided the DT 240s as their sealing isn't up to the standard I expect for an MTB wheel. If you can put up with regular regreases and rebuilds they'll save you some weight.

You could squeeze this under 1700g by going for bladed spokes (USD$5.10 per spoke!) which will give you a total weight of 1694g. This is pretty impressive for any set of wheels (road or MTB) that isn't in stupid-light (non-durable) territory.

The rim might be a little lightweight for Stuart, however. It's pretty much the lightest MTB rim you can buy. I also know nothing about the durability of the bladed spokes, and given the price I'd be reticent to recommend them.

So if you wanted the absolute lightest set of wheels possible, you could go for:
24 spokes
240s hubs
bladed spokes

but don't come crying to me when it tacos after you hit a rock on an angle!

There are cheaper and better weight savings to be had - such as switching to a V brake on the rear.

As for the UST-vs-non-UST weight argument, UST wheels need sealant (well, not really, but it helps), the rims weigh more and the tires weigh more. Tubed tires have tubes and rim tape. It's not a big difference, but in my mind the UST option does weigh a fraction more.

1ozarch's picture

Hi,
I have had two sets over 5 years, one now sold the other is used on the lefty fork, primarily for XC /endurance, these new models work excellently, rear hub rachet makes sweet sound.
You can make the tubeless with Stans NT.
Only broke one spoke when I ran into garbage truck in Neutral bay and had a spoke ordered from Spinergy in California ordered/delivered wihin 7 days, just don't lose the special spoke truing key.
They work !!

alchemist's picture

I've had no problems with my 240s,

If you wanted light (& sticking with DT Hubs) you'd be going for the new DT190 hubs & Stans Olympic Rims (~360g). That will get you under 1.4kg for the wheel set (and still with 32 spokes)

Matt's picture

I've had a great experience with the 240's too, light, very tough, and I'm not overly kind to my wheels... They've even been dunked in salt water with no effect whatsoever!

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