I just talked with Amy at UDC, and told her about the recent threads concerning the “x” airfoils, and that several people were complaining about the tire “blowing off” at psi’s as low as 35! Well I told Amy that I would want to run 50 psi in mine for use primarily on smooth roads.
She immediately told me that these new (smaller) airfoil rims are fine, and that she hasn’t heard of any tires coming off at even 50psi, which she also said every airfoil rim is tested at 50 psi before it’s shipped, and that they [UDC] haven’t had any problems running that psi. So now I’m confused and not sure what to do.
I really would much rather have the airfoil vs. the steel rim, but now I’m finding it very difficult to make an informed decision, as their seems to be so many conflicting reports on this issue.
Isn’t the tire already “set” at UDC, or whoever installs it? Again, Amy tells me that they pre-inspect ALL x airfoils and test them at 50psi before it ships out.
I don’t know, and ofc I’m dealing with UDC UK, but I’ve had to remove my tyre many times since then, so each time afterwards I have to wokr for 30 misn or so wokring the tyre in to place as best i can.
My airfoil rim came with the tire attached and inflated to 30PSI. It blew off after 5 miles of riding at 35PSI. I know for a fact that my X airfoil could never hold a tire at 50PSI for an extended period of time (nonetheless be able to ride on it at that pressure). I’ve glued it on with the solution I use to glue tubular tires to road bikes even for inflating it to 32PSI now because right after it blew off at 35PSI I reinstalled everything at 32PSI and only got another 6 miles before disaster AGAIN. Needless to say, I don’t trust my airfoil any further than I could throw it (bad example considering they probably fly better than they hold my tire). Anyway, it seems to hold my tire at 32PSI with the tubular tire glue holding the tire on with the help of the bead itself, but I’ll just stay at 32 until I get a better rim if one is ever made >.<
Call me dumb, but if it won’t hold the tyre on at all without glue, why aren’t you warrantying it? I know unicycle.com are lovely and all that, but surely if anything is not what it’s sold as, a rim that doesn’t hold a tyre on is that for sure. Some of these wrong sized rims will at least hold a tyre.
Terry, the steel rim is fine for 50psi, I run it all the time, I’d stick with that until a right sized rim comes out. If Amy hasn’t heard about the tyres blowing off that’s a bit weird, do they not use the internet at all? On that linked thread it says they also said the tyres will usally blow off the rim over 45psi, but who knows.
to answer that question, I called them about it after the second time it came apart at the proper pressure. Tim mentioned that the warranty period is 30 days on unicycles and parts (I’d owned the cycle for about 3 months by that point). I’m sure I could have pushed for it if I really tried. When I continued asking why it happened I was told that the tire bead was damaged on the first blow out and that was why it continued to blow out (my LBS inspected the tire for me and the bead was fine). The overall shadyness of the X airfoil issue just made me want to go make it work by myself. It’s been fine ever since I glued it.
I think that the issue isn’t unicycle.com not knowing about the blowouts. They have to. They simply are trying to keep issues isolated and not blame the only people they have to make the rims. If they get on the bad side of that manufacturer they have no one else to make rims for our 36ers.
To me that seems like pure BULLS##T! It’s like they’re being held “hostage” by the rim maker and if they complain about it NOT FITTING properly, that they might stop supplying them? GOOD! What is it, a monoploy? If a product is defective, FIX THE PROBLEM! Also, if anyone gets hurt because of the tire blowing off, you should be able to SUE!!! What, you’ve never heard of a recall? Why shluld I spend $700 on my “dream” coker, if I have to worry (contantly) about my tire blowing off while I’m doing 12 mph? Geezzeus!
I’ve had my Nimbus 36 since just before christmas w/o any problems. The tire is still “as set” by UDC and I’ve run it at a variety of pressures. That being said, I’m a very sedate rider. No drops, no curbs, no gaps, just road riding.
I like the feel of the uni with the light wheel but I’d sure like to have more flexibility in tire choices. If I had it to do over again I’d probably go with the steel rim, standard spokes and save a few bucks until the people that make the airfoil rim get their $#!t together and figure out how to make it the right size (I mean c’mon. How hard can it be?). Then I’d spring for a really great wheel.
Unfortunately the answer is yes to almost all your rhetorical questions. I understand the rim manafacturers said, “well it’s these or nothing”. I don’t know if they are willing to make another batch once the current batch have been sold. The fact is simply no-one sells the product you want to buy, and no-one is obliged to, it’s tough but it’s the way it is right now, eventually someone will produce a correct fitting 36" rim again (well qu-ax already have). No-one’s forcing you to buy an airfoil rim.
So very true; It’s just all the conflicting stories. One person says there’s “no problem at higher psi”, and then else has a horror story of their tire blowing off at 32psi.
Again, it’s just sems impossible to make an informed decision. I can easily just settle for the steel rim, run either tire and 50 psi and not a worry.
But the fact remains I still wouldn’t have the ideal, which is an airfoil…a good one that is. So I guess UDC will have to wait for my $700 at least 'till I decide what to do.
I am one of those waiting in the wings until this is dealt with. Selling an out of spec product is just not acceptable for my needs as I run at 50lbs as well.
Too bad this problem exists because now there’s a sizeable group of coker-ers in my area, so unless I continue to borrow John’s 29er, (I wouldn’t want to keep doing that and impose) or Kevin’s spare coker (less likely as a regular weekly rider in the group because he lives rather far away), I’ll be out of the group, for the most part, but at least still riding lots of MUni!:(
Hey, maybe I could just put some 89mm on my muni and I should be able to keep up! (Not likely!)
Yeah unfortunately I think these things are a little random, mine blew off when i wasn’t riding it. I’ve ridden hard with the tyre at higher pressure since with no problems. I decided to get an airfoil despite the problems but if it happened too frequently I would switch back to the steel rim hanging in the shed. Maybe I should have experimented more with the TA at higher pressure on the steel rim to see how much better it felt before rebuilding the wheel. I ride with a guy who runs 60 psi in a coker tyre and his is certainly easier to hold speed on, and more manouverable.
Aaah, I’m used to the UK, where we have a law that says basically everything is sold with a warranty that it is good for the purpose it’s sold for. Oh, plus unicycle.com uk supports their products. I don’t think I’ve ever heard of anything coming with only a 30 day warranty, except things from second hand shops? Certainly not something costing that much money.
I understand there are hassles with the rims, but it does sound like unicycle.com in the US are being well dodgy about it by saying that there are no problems. I’m glad unicycle.com UK are a bit more ethical. Maybe that’s just a difference in the way people do business in the US?
Right now though, the old steel rim, will maybe make you go .1mph slower than an airfoil would. Might as well stick with that.
Oh no it’s an ‘old’ airfoil, he’s had it probaly five years. I pointed out to him that he could probably sell the rim for loads atm as he doesn’t use it much and he’s considering it.
