Just a heads up – recently bought two components from Superstar, Aluminium bash guard for my hard tail and a due chain device for the bouncer. Wish I hadn’t bothered and saved my cash. Firstly the duo is a bit of SH!T looks like something my 12 year old knocked out in a tech class when he hadn’t been paying attention. I cant really comment on the bash guard as they managed to send a chainring instead. Don’t get me wrong they where both gold so I can see how they managed to get confused!

Currently they are still refusing to send out the correct components with a customer service attitude along the lines of ‘We are short staffed so deal with it’. Thought I might fit the chain ring for an extra bit of bling, but on closer inspection its going no where near my bike. The finish is pants, I’ve seen less burrs on a burry thing, looks like it would shred your chain in a matter of minutes.

All components being sent back for full refund…….you have been warned.

Their brake pads are awesome though and sooooo cheap

…..you have been warned.

OMG 😯

What’s so wrong with the Duo? Looks sensible enough, in pictures, design isn’t really much different from other guides

Never had a problem with them. always great value and good quality and i have bought loads from them over the years. They are busy at the moment i suspect given some of the offers they have just done and it being holiday season. But when you pay as little as you do for SS products surely expecting a massive customer care call centre is a little unrealistic. They will no doubt resolve your issue, just not as quickly as some of the more expensive manufacturers. Alternatively you could buy from your LBS and not have any of these issues.

Been a good while since we had a decent anti-SS rant on here hahaha!!

So are you saying that if you return the incorrectly supplied products they won’t send out replacements, or that you want them to send out replacements first in the hope you return the others?

Is this the chain device you bought? http://www.superstarcomponents.com/en/duo-dual-ring-guide.htm

If so, I can tell you for a fact that having been running the 1x version of it for a good while (and the Slider guide before it on my old bike), it’s very good. Not fragile like an e13.

What’s so wrong with the Duo? Looks sensible enough, in pictures, design isn’t really much different from other guides

Its half the price of any other Duo chain device, but quality is expected to be the same???? 🙄

When items are cheap there is a reason for it…

Just be glad you didn’t actually try and use them.

I wore out 2 of their BB’s in 2 months, one in under 3 rides.

Apparently I installed them incorrectly (no rocks were involved).

you’re fitting gold parts and you want us to take you seriously? 😯

I wore out 2 of their BB’s in 2 months, one in under 3 rides.

Actually yes i did buy aa BB from them once…Absolute pony. It was also Gold. Perhaps its a colour thing

I’ve got loads of SS kit on my bike and not really had a problem, had few problems with the old freehub design but sent mine back got the new version within a week.

Customer service and delivery has always been spot on, even just email replies are helpful and prompt.

I love the whole “you have been warned”, company must be crap then cheers for the heads up!

Never had a problem with them. always great value and good quality and i have bought loads from them over the years.

^ this for me

They are, by some considerable margin, the worst company (bike or otherwise) that I have had the mispleasure of dealing with, peddling poor quality dross with horrendous customer service when it goes wrong, and perfectly happy to accuse you of lying about how their substandard products came to break.

For your own sakes avoid them.

I have one of their HT2 BBs – it’s purple not gold though – I bought it because it was purple and expected to have to replace the bearings after two rides like several others had reported.

It’s still fine 4 or 5 years later now…

I’m pretty sure that most HT2 bearings wear out fast because people preload them (eg use the cap beyond just removing play).

I’ve had no issue with them though I know other have. All the SSC parts I have (and I have a fair few) seem to work well, particularly given the price.

When items are cheap there is a reason for it…

Cut out the middle man, don’t spend lots on advertising and keep overheads low?

(I realise that customer service may be one of those overheads)

Ordered a 16 tooth sprocket, 12 hours later got an email saying they’d run out would I like a 15, 17 or refund, I said 15, 2 days later I get a 15, 16 & 17 and a note saying they’d found one & I didn’t need to return any of the others.

Used them for loads of stuff since, never had a problem

But they send free Haribo with their orders… for this reason I will continue to buy their MUCH CHEAPER parts on the understanding that packaging and finish may not be quite upto showroom standards.

You get what you pay for to a degree I’ve tried their products – pads are ok, custom wheel builds weren’t bad however chain device was a bendy horrible useless thing.

Won’t be putting any more cash their way due to behaviour the owner.

Also, being busy isn’t an excuse for piss-poor customer service.

Weeeellll… we’ve bought two sets of their Pavé 28 wheels from them and now I’m a lot wiser about buying cheap stuff. The wheels were excellent value at £195 a pair and when I lent a set “blind” to my cycling buddy to try he was blown away by the stiffness and light weight and bought them off me straight away.

However you know what they say: you can have cheap, light and strong but only two of those at any time. These wheels are cheap and light but they aren’t very strong – in fact they have a warning not to inflate the tyre over 100 psi, presumably because the metal is thin and light and a worn braking surface could collapse. My buddy had to get his front wheel straightened and my son has needed new rims to both the front and the rear after relatively minor bumps, which I think my Ksyrium SLs would have shrugged off. Their crash rebuild service is quick and efficient for £30 and last week we got the rear wheel back, completely rebuilt and perfectly true with the old hub but new spokes and rim, the spokes we sent back were a bit manky where his chain had gouged them so I was interested to see what they would do.

I don’t know much about Superstar but I suspect it’s just a couple of blokes with a laptop and a unit importing cheap stuff and winging it. If I’m right, no harm to them as they fulfil a role and my buddy and my son have each had over a year of good enjoyable riding out of their cheap wheels. Eventually both will buy expensive wheels but these are fine until they get worn out.

I have superstar hubs, chainring, grips, rear cog, grips, saddle and rear qr, my dad also has their stem, all of it faultless so far! Never had a problem with customer service and the delivery is quick and usually free. Genuinely one of my favourite company’s, its like Hope only cheaper!

I don’t know much about Superstar but I susect it’s just a couple of blokes with a laptop and a unit importing cheap stuff and winging it.

I follow them on facebook (good for offers)and they are ramping up their own production of kit like pedals.
I’ve genuinely not had an issue with anything i’ve bought from them. Have a set of MTB wheels which are going really nicely after over a year of use. They seem spot on for adaptors, brake pads, bars etc.
I’ve never quite understood why people slate smaller suppliers with small customer services depts. or where a cheap item hasn’t worked out as well.
My uberbike headset is not exactly performing as well as i’d like, but it cost me £25. I will replace it with hope at some point but won’t start a thread about it.

its like Hope only cheaper!

No, no they’re not.

Counter view.

Ran two sets of their wheels for years with zero problems.

Used their chain guide for years with zero problems.

Used their brake pads for years with only one problem. Pads for XO 4 pot brakes didnt fit the caliper. Refunded with no problems. Apart from that the pads have been great.

Used their grips for years with zero problems.

Used their tubeless tape and valves for years with zero problems.

Used their tools for years with zero problems.

Never had a problem with them and happy to buy stuff from them again.

I’ve had wheelsets, stems, cogs, brake pads, chain devices, tubeless stuff and one BB. Of all that lot, only the BB died early, but no earlier than shimano and acros BB’s. So no complaints from me. Decent quality stuff for the price with a fast delivery.

kerley – Member

When items are cheap there is a reason for it…

SS can be rubbish, fact… but quite a lot of what they sell, is sold by other companies with more expensive stickers attached. It’s funny how people convince themselves they’re getting value- I’ve seen folks buying the £140 Nukeproof pedals that are identical to the £90 Superstar ones saying “they’re different inside” just because they MUST be, because they’re 50% more expensive…

The rebrander problem is always that just because product X was good, sometimes the only connection to product Y is the logo, so there’s no assurance of quality or otherwise. It’s only the buying decision and the customer service that are the same and, well, hmm.

I don’t know much about Superstar but I suspect it’s just a couple of blokes with a laptop and a unit importing cheap stuff and winging it.

Ten years ago maybe. Not now though.

Now they’re three people 😆

(I know…)

Ah so this is the new fruit astro turf account then

Like HOPE only cheaper chuckles

When they say they are actually manufacturing, do they mean they’ve rented a factory and equipment and are actually making stuff like Hope do? because that’s a massive business risk. More likely they’re getting stuff made to their own design by a contract manufacturer, of which there are many in the Far East.

here you go…
http://www.superstarcomponents.com/en/shop/mountain/uk-made-gear/

They’re definitely doing UK manufacturing… Check it out:

http://www.superstarcomponents.com/en/about-us/

Obviously still a lot of rebranding too.

The Nano pedals are going to be uk made as well.

I’ve always had great service and products from superstar. Just this week fitted a direct mount chai guide that’s spot on and was just 20 notes in my choice of colours. Always quick delivery and with haribo.

My switch ego hubs on pacenti tl28s have been brilliant and were a bargain.

globalti – Member
When they say they are actually manufacturing, do they mean they’ve rented a factory and equipment and are actually making stuff like Hope do? because that’s a massive business risk. More likely they’re getting stuff made to their own design by a contract manufacturer, of which there are many in the Far East.

For some new stuff they’re doing it themselves in-house. A risk for sure, but there’s probably always going to be a demand for low-price anodised bike bits. Suppose it’s a safe bet starting with pedals given the popularity of their other ones.

I have one of their HT2 BBs – it’s purple not gold though – I bought it because it was purple and expected to have to replace the bearings after two rides like several others had reported.

It’s still fine 4 or 5 years later now…

I’m pretty sure that most HT2 bearings wear out fast because people preload them (eg use the cap beyond just removing play).

I didn’t even get 5 years from a Chris King BB, although in it’s defence it died while trying to extract a stuck XTR crank but was bone dry inside so probably wasn’t going to last another winter. How many miles do you do? It wasn’t an installation fault, all other brands I’ve tried have been fine or at least inline with expectations and other peoples experience.

It’s a moot point these days anyway, XTR BB’s from Germany are cheaper and last ~2 years / 3000miles, nothings going to touch that for value.

I don’t do huge mileage so I’m not going to claim that it’s been hammered for all that time but it’s certainly been used in lots of horrible conditions rides and it’s been on three or four bikes in that time. Put it this way, it’s lastest longer than the XT ones I used previously.

It’ll die next ride now of course 🙂

You like gold ‘bling’….your argument is invalid.