Hi All

I need a set of cheapish 26″ wheels for my commuter, and Merlin can do some basic handbuilts for about £100, so fit the bill. But are they any good? They were always fine BITD but it’s years since I’ve used them…

Cheers.

[sales pitch]
I could do you a pair of wheels with XT hubs with 719 rims for £70 posted?

All good nick with near new bearings and freehub.
[/sales pitch]

I had 2 handbuilt wheels off them last year, flawless wheels & customer service. Don’t forget quidco.

I’ve had a few wheels off them in the past, always been perfect and stay true & round. But haven’t bought owt from them since a poor customer service experience a couple of years ago.

my limited experience has not been so great, usually build my own wheels, but bought a cheap pair from merlin once & they went out of true pretty quick

Ive always had great service from merlin, once my xt shifters went missing in the post, they replaced without question.

Had some white rimmed deore wheels from them a couple of years back, completely bombproof they stayed true throughout all the punishment i gave them.

Currently im testing there customer service again, an order arrived today but 1 item is missing from the order, awaiting response.

I had a pair of downhill wheels built up from them years ago, and they still havent needed any attention at all.

I’m using some now. Were about £70 or something, on sale about a year ago. And they replaced another set I got from them maybe 3 years ago. Only reason I changed was because I moved from rim to disc brakes. They’ve been excellent, but although they’ve seen a lot of miles, it’s mostly road and light off-road.

Superstar have some wheels in horrible colours for a ton. AM but fine for a commuter, if you can handle the colour.

I bought a hope on mavic front wheel 13 years ago I can quite happily say it is still running true without the need for any truing and is still going strong now.

Has 2 pairs over the years. Faultless. Nice company.

Excellent in my experience.

They sent a mate one, slightly out of true- not too bad, but not right. He phoned up to complain, they said “Perfectly normal”, he said “No it’s not”, they said “We’re legendary wheelbuilders, anyone who says otherwise doesn’t know what they’re talking about” and more or less hung up.

The wheel’s been fine mind but kind of beside the point.

Had a DH wheel built “hand built” by them a few years back, Pro II/721, lasted one Scottish DH run where at the bottom all the spokes on one side had come completely loose. This caused the wheel to collapse so took to quality local builder who rebuilt it properly and I am still using it.

Never a problem with the wheels I’ve had off them going back to when they first opened. I’d get a Merlin hand built over a factory one every time.