What to do!

Was all set to order some new reserve wheels for delivery in Feb 22 ish, then had a reality check and £2k+ on wheels is a little daft – although may still look at them at some point.

Instead, went with DT EX511 on 240 EXP 54t ratchet hubs from Fitwheels.

Had somewhat of a mare sorting the delivery out but they turned up this morning – except they have fitted XM481 rims not the EX511 I asked for.

Aside from the problems I’m going to have sorting this out, has anybody got any views on the XM481s – in particular for a large 100Kg+ rider? At the moment the bike and me is 130Kg, so not light.

For some context I have 511 rims on Hope Pro 4 at the moment on the bike (Ripmo) and they have been fine and true since day one. Also have pro 4 hubs on ARC40 rims (2.8″ tyres) on my hardtail and they too have been great for over 2 years.

The intention was to fit the new wheels on the Ripmo and use the surplus to give a 29/27.5+ option for the hardtail.

Riding is trail centre reds in the main with Peaks, Yorkshire moors, North Wales occasionally. Wheels on the ground for the main and I don’t mash into rocks but wheels get a hard time mainly due to weight.

Think I know the answer but wanted thoughts before I go through the pain of sorting them out.

Just send them back and get them built with the rims you wanted

Also before you send them back make sure the EXP freehub isn’t one of the batches that could have premature wear

https://www.dtswiss.com/en/ratchet-exp-maintenance-notice

I think you are 10kg over the system weight for those rims. Send back and get a rebuild with the rims you want.

Just to complicate things I’m pretty sure my “system” weight is a good bit over 130 kg these days and haven’t had any issues with the XM481 rims I built up onto some DT swiss 350 hubs a couple of years back (with 28 straight pull spokes). At one point I though I’d manged to pick up a bit of a wobble but that turned out the just be the tyre which had shifted on the rim a bit when riding.

Having said that if I’d asked for the wheels to be built up with EX511 rims then I wouldn’t be accepting them shipping out wheels with the wrong rims on them unless they were willing to refund me the cost of the two missing EX511 rims.

The answer is email them with a copy of your original order, photos of what you received and whatever documentation was in the box and see what they do.

You’re right, it will be a ‘mare returning them to Poland, so see what they can do first.

Thanks for the replies.

If it was a UK seller I’d for sure be asking them to sort the problem out. Should probably do the same with Poland, as it is their mistake and ultimately not my problem if they get lost in a world of paperwork and VAT implications going back and forth.

Fitwheels have admitted the mistake but are confident I will be happy with the wheels so have recommended just using them. I’ve posed them a further question about covering my costs if they then fold or get damaged too easily although equally I understand this is asking for yet more trouble should it happen.

A bit daft but ultimately I’m looking for reasons to keep the things – I did see one of your posts on another thread @bigginge and these are also in the cat 4 – same as the 130Kg rated EX511, hence the questions.

Also checked the serial number and these are not affected with the previous QC ratchet issue.

How much did you pay (all in) out of interest.

I’m looking for a set of 29″ wheels with a quality hub and 30mm internal rims – and all in the bike, I and all my gear am <100kg.

@intheborders I negotiated with Lucasz via email prior to buying so would rather not say the exact price but, it was quite a bit under 800 euros including shipping.

The 56t ratchet kit was 90 euros so take that off if not needed. Don’t really know why I asked for it tbh, as 34 is plenty good enough really.

Probably be fine if your riding’s not too aggressive.

Get the 511s if you ride hard though.

Patience, it’s no easy when you’re desperate to get out, but get ’em changed.

I would give them a go, you’re over the recommended weight but it sounds like you’re not what would be classed as an aggressive rider so could be an easy weight saving. Given your previous record with wheels it also suggests you’re not hard on parts and the wheels you have received are very very good.

Voice of reason @Nobeerinthefridge

My wife just walked past and said exactly the same, so it is what I will do.
I’ve asked Fitwheels to arrange a collection, it will no doubt now get interesting.

I feel for them a bit as mistakes do happen and this will be a costly one for them to sort out but it isn’t at all of my doing. As such, (although I do) I shouldn’t have any reason to feel a bit awkward asking them to sort it out.

I have XM481s on DT hubs (56t) from them and they’ve been spot on for a year, not missed a beat.
They will probably be more than enough, but there will always be that niggle in the back of your mind…

Last resort if you don’t get any joy back from Fitwheels would be to take the decals off and pretend the mistake never happened!

I feel for them a bit as mistakes do happen and this will be a costly one for them to sort out but it isn’t at all of my doing. As such, (although I do) I shouldn’t have any reason to feel a bit awkward asking them to sort it out.

It’s part of doing business. In reality when dealing with such expensive items and long distance posting then you would have to have a 4 eyes check on every order that leaves the factory. If you don’t then this is what happens and there is no getting round sucking it up.

I have the XM481s on my Starling Murmur, had planned on the 511s but on Joe’s recommendation went with the 481 and a cushcore. I am 15 stones and ride mainly off piste trails and still like new after 18 months of use. Purchased via Ryan builds wheels.

XM481s are solid rims for the sort of riding you describe, however there’ll always be that niggle in the back of your mind. I’d get em swapped no matter the hassle.

Cheers again.

They will accept a return but no more stock until the end of October so it will be a refund.
Not too bad really as I’d be back to square one.

As the margins they work on are no doubt so tight I doubt they will go for the other option I’ve requested – which is a partial refund to cover the cost of one EX511 rim as tbh I’m only likely to destroy the rear if anything.

It’s a shame in some ways that they didn’t totally screw the order up and send me some 21mm internal rims that wouldn’t fit the bill at all. Now the more I read about the XM481, including those kind enough to reply here, suggest they will likely be ok.

As said I’m not intentionally hard on wheels and certainly don’t ride into square edges. Haven’t got what I ordered no, but I didn’t read up too much on rims this time – having already used the EX511 to great effect.

Thinking back, the only rim I’ve ever folded was a 26″ Stans Crest on my 2007 Superlight. I was around 100KG back then and I folded the front nearly 90 degrees in a crash. Replaced both rims with Arch EX, which lasted years until I went to bigger wheels.

I Really think you’ll be fine, I have a friend with 481’s who rides pretty hard on them (plenty of jumps and rocky black runs) and hasn’t had to even touch them with a spoke key, you could even add an insert in the rear for extra protection and probably still be a bit lighter than a pair of 511’s

Second time of writing this…

I had a set of xm481 wheels built up c.6 years ago to go on a Nicolai G13. They have been used almost constantly through various bikes ending up on a Turbo Levo. I’ve hammered them, they’ve been to the alps a few times, molini once, bike park Wales numerous times and I’ve cased a lot of jumps, two particularly memorably. The first was hard enough that I could feel the whole rear end of the Nicolai and the wheel flex laterally whilst the second very loudly bottomed out the levo with a 700lb spring on the ohlins shock. Both jumps c.15 foot gap, so not huge by any stretch, but reasonable. I’m 100kg base weight so riding gear, shoes etc on top. The rear has only recently just given up with a small crack on a spike hole but I’ll be replacing it with another xm481. If you’re worried then stick a rimpact or cushcore in there but I reckon you’ll be absolutely fine.

Was all set to order some new reserve wheels for delivery in Feb 22 ish, then had a reality check and £2k+ on wheels is a little daft – although may still look at them at some point.

You know the answer……!

DrP

Haha, I’ve seen your post DrP 😎😉

Hey Adam, I have the exact same wheels on my Mojo4 (also from Fitwheels). Sure I’m a bit lighter than you but they seem really strong and well built. Is there no option to get different rims and just rebuild them? I guess the problem is no one has stock of EX511s?

I actually decided NOT to go with carbon wheels as we’ve had ‘issues’ in the past.

Hi Alex, hope you’re keeping well 😊
It seems no one has stock of anything 29″ wheel related, especially the EX511 rim.

I’ve waited a while to get these since I paid for them and am now on the verge of getting them on the bike. Lukasz @ Fitwheels has been good with his responses to this problem and he is happy that they are strong and built well enough to cope with my riding.

The only thing is he has not responded to my last ‘offer’ to keep them, which probably landed with him at about 4.30 so on a Friday he was probably closing up for the weekend.

I’ll give it until Monday to see what he says before making my mind up finally although it is looking like I will most likely be happy sticking with them performance wise, it’s just not what I ordered etc.

I’d run those, negotiate a partial refund based on the costs fitwheels would incur putting it right and not think about it again.

That said, I did elect to buy some ex511’s for my mini-DH bike even though I have 481’s ready to go on the parts shelf.

A 120+kg riding buddy here ran a used set of 481’s bought after of season from a local shredder who threw plenty of miles at them, then managed to get 2 more years of year round riding out of them before chasing loose/breaking spokes on the rear. He’s big, heavy and not particularly graceful and the wheels were great. He has broken a nobl tr36 with CC in half a season since then so by reasoning the 481 is better than Nobl 😉

Cheers, just had another look and they are also 28h straight pull, so likely very similar to what bigginge runs strength wise.

Full details are,
240 EXP hubs with 54t ratchet,
28H straight pull 3 cross
DT Competition 2.0-1.8-2.0 spokes
DT Swiss Alu Squorx nipples.

Oh, I’m so undecided. 🤷‍♂️🤦‍♂️🤣

They’re not what you ordered.
They’re not what you want.
You’re clearly not happy & it will probably always niggle you.
Send them back.

If the wheel builder has problems sourcing the rim you want then they should’ve made that very clear prior to shipping wheels you didn’t order.

The resolution is?

Not 100% solved yet but, looking like a free EX511 rim for the rear and a small refund to cover a final tweak to a rebuild. I’d be happy swapping rims over but would leave the tensioning to somebody who knows what there doing.

Seems to be a good solution as although heavy, I don’t think I’m too hard on wheels and saves the pain of sending them back.

Just hope the rims are the same depth so they can use the same spokes. Will check that in a bit.

From some of the messages above and other inter web searches, I believe they should then be good to go.

so he has ex511 rims… why not fit as per order?

I’d just ride as is and “if” you need a new rim you have a EX511 to fit.

ERD is the same on both rims.

Cheers sillyoldman.

Bruneep – the problem originated as fitwheels made a relatively easy to make error and fitted the xm481 instead of the ex511 I ordered.

I was all set to just send them back for a refund but after this latest offer I’m happy enough to keep them and change the rear.

A bit of a faff of course but as I do want some new wheels and stocks everywhere is non existent I’m prepared to work with fitwheels to resolve it.

If you’re getting to keep them and getting a new ex511 rim you could just try running them for a bit to see how you get on. If you do kill one of the rims then you have a spare to hand you can fit but if you make it through six months of riding in them then you’ve got a £70 (no idea how much these would go for just now, or in 6 months time but I could imagine it would be more than this) rim to stick up on eBay?

The guys I ride with who are bit “jumpy” all have XM481 rims and never have any grief with them.

As a final to this, I am getting a free EX 511 rim and two DT tubeless valves.

It’s clear from others (here mainly) recommendations and the comments by Lukasz that the 481 front and 511 rear will be more than good enough. 🙂

Will have a think about running them as is and having the 511 rim there if needed but, it seems almost daft if I wasn’t really wanting to risk the wheels before. A free rim shouldn’t be the incentive to ride them if I thought they might be too light duty previously. £90 ish against potential injury doesn’t compute.

Happy crash free days hopefully, which ever way I go. (If it’s OTB I’ll try get a video 🤣)

3 months on and I’ll post my real final update to the situation.

I put the wheels as is on my bike, rode them once on a 7 mile easy ride around Cannock.

They worked as intended – no shock there really but, as was pointed out to me many times above and by my good lady wife – I continued to have a niggle about their suitability for my heffernous.

To stop this stupidity I moved a few wheels around.

Original Pro 4 / EX511 back onto this bike, with new lighter less aggressive tyres. Swapped from 2.5″ DHF / Aggressor to 2.4″ Dissector / Rekon. Nett effect is 150 g heavier and less draggy.

The bike I’d put these on is my rigid Whippet for winter duties and local rides. This was then fitted with older 27.5″ 40mm plus rims and tyres and it rides a lot more plush for a little weight gain.

So all in all I’m happy again and hopefully the new owner of the 240/481 wheels is too. (sold them on, didn’t want to post this until they were gone so as not to appear a bit spammy)

No doubt about it, they are great wheels, built well and will probably have been great for me.
But – when your head is set against them from the moment they are lifted from the box, it is foolish to try convince yourself otherwise.

Lesson learnt at a cost of more than a few quid !

TBH if you’ve had no trouble with the ARCs which i believe are the WTB scrapers by another name then IMO you’re unlikely to have any bother with the 481s.

I quite agree Del. The main reason they’re gone is purely because my irrational thoughts wouldn’t let me keep riding without worrying slightly.

Can’t really have indecisiveness like this mid ride as it could cause an off through lack of attention.

As the ERD was the same you could’ve swapped the rims over and got someone to show you how to build the wheels.

It’s easy, I’ve talked several people through their first wheel build and they’ve all gone on to build more themselves.

Then you’d have new wheels and a new skill. 👍

Hi Namastebuzz. Yep I know, and I can build wheels so it wouldn’t have been a problem mechanically.

The main point I am failing to make is that sometimes you have to go with your gut initial feelings as nothing else will convince you otherwise 😉

I should have just sent them back!