Terry, thanks for your kind words. Thanks also for taking the time to call.
Amy and I sincerely feel that it’s a privilege to serve this community of fellow unicyclists. After reading the comments on this forum regarding one of our products, we felt the need to set the record straight. We’ve made an effort today to reach other folks who posted comments of concern here, so that we can resolve any issues. Our goal is to exceed our customers’ expectations with quality products and superior service. Naturally, some of our past errors have made us wince, but we always try to ensure that the buyer is happy with the resolution.
We developed the Airfoil rim about 5 years ago because many of us riders wanted a stronger wheel for our Coker unicycles. Sidewalks surround our community in suburban Atlanta. On my daily ride I would routinely hit curbs head-on, which sometimes caused the standard steel rim to go out of true. That caused the brake pad to rub on one side. I would true the tire on the spot, but it was an ongoing problem.
Though our first Airfoil rim solved that problem and became a huge hit, we received many complaints that it was too big. We installed one on Lars Clausen’s Coker unicycle when he rode through Georgia during his ride-across-America trip (some 6,000 miles). At some point the tube blew out and he had a difficult time getting the tire back on. That’s not the kind of problem we want during a distance ride.
The second batch was just a bit smaller. So was the third batch. We received a sample rim before the third batch was produced. We tested it on a Wheel TA tire for several days before we approved it. At that time, we had sold out of Coker tires and the Coker warehouse ran out. It was out of stock for months. The first batch of Coker tires to arrive after that was a bit too large for the Airfoil rim. Once we discovered this, we posted the information on the product listing in our online catalog. There was no reason to hide this information.
Many of you no doubt remember the long period when Coker ran out of unicycles, tires and tubes. We had to find an alternate source for 36-inch tires, and the Wheel TA is proving to be a very good tire. But the specialty 36 x 2.125 tubes we found were very disappointing. They became the standard on all 36-inch models, and soon after we began shipping them, we began receiving notices—by phone and email—that there was a problem. We estimate that about 20 of those tubes either lost the valve stem or erupted through weak sidewall rubber. We were fortunate that Coker did finally receive a shipment of tubes, and we began sending them to our customers who had received the defective tube. Since then, the number of incidents fell off dramatically.
It appears that some have associated the tube failure with the Airfoil rim. We’ve sold about 60 rims from this latest batch, and we’ve received mostly positive feedback. Terry notified us of this thread on Monday; Amy and I were up late that night reading all the comments. If there is a problem beyond the defective tubes, we’re not aware of it. We’ve not had to replace any Airfoil rims from this batch. If we ship one and it fails, we will replace it. If any of you are having a problem, we urge you to contact us. Though there’s a specified warranty on most of our products, most of our customers know that we are very flexible when it comes to resolving issues.
I ride about 5 miles per day on a Nimbus 36-inch Deluxe model, with the latest Airfoil rim, that Amy gave me for Christmas. The Wheel TA tire is rated to 32 psi, but I’ve been riding mine at 25 psi. I confirmed that with a tire gauge. I inflated it to 40 on Tuesday morning, and it’s holding.
When we install the Wheel TA tire on an Airfoil rim, we make sure the bead is properly seated. Sometimes, after we inflate the tube, we see that the bead is higher on one side that the other. We deflate the tube, reseat the bead, and inflate again. Anyone who has worked in a bike shop knows this process. A blowout isn’t exactly a pleasant experience.
We are continuously developing new products, and we agree with those on this forum who suggest maintaining standards. We have made that commitment; our product line will adhere to standards set by the International Organization of Standards (ISO).
We are grateful for your continued support. Please continue to send your constructive comments to us at helpdesk@unicycle.com. We read, and respond to, every one. If you’re not satisfied with our response, please call Amy or me at 1-800-Unicycle (1-800-864-2925).
:D:p
