My Meta 55 Letter in WMB this month....

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May 23, 2012, 09:09:19 PM

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[Rich1978]

ok so I may be putting myself up for a kicking here but anyhow...

Did anyone see the email I wrote to WMB about their Meta UK 7/10 review (page 50), suggesting that the score was a bit crap for such a great bike and was based only on stem length and weight.  Having now switched stem lengths I wanted some advice on some lighter wheels.

Anyway they pretty much shot me down in flames suggesting that, I think, that I'd written myself into a corner!!!

My point was that I was attempting to rectify what they thought was the bikes weak points (stem length and weight) and that next I wanted to look at the wheels.....I cant help thinking they didnt get this!

Anyway....they suggestted Specialized Roval Traversee but frankly if I'd wanted Specialized I would have bought a Stumpmjumper or a Pitch!

AND...they still say its a slow climber which is rubbish!!!!!!!!!!

rant over, unless anyones got any suggestions for a lighter wheel set the the current XT / Sun Ringle 27 set up.....or just some rims ?

:-)

[RAFChris]

Hope do some awesome wheels : http://www.hopetech.com/database/HOPE%20HOOPS%20MTB%20A4.pdf

It's a shame they shot you down.. but then mags like to think their word is law so they don't like being challenged!

[doml]

Forgetting what WMB say about the Bike, they have suggested a good wheelset. Roval were a small company that have been building good wheels for sometime, specialized bought them but as far as I know have pretty much left them alone to do their thing.

The traversee wheels are excellent and relatively cheap compared to say DT swiss.

[Rich1978]

yeha I know, but I'm hung up on branding......I dont want spesh hubs!!! sad but there you go...

[doml]

Traversee has a very subtle paint scheme compared to say a mavic. Plus you could always get them covered in mud and not worry about it

[Rich1978]

lol - yes that sounds about right - will check them out.

[Toasty]

yeha I know, but I'm hung up on branding......I dont want spesh hubs!!! sad but there you go...

Lucky they're made by DT Swiss, along with the Super Comp triple butted spokes then. If you want similar quality you could always get some Stans Arch (slightly narrower than Traversee, Flows would be wider), DT 240 hubs with Super Comp spokes, just riding along can build you that lot up for £630. I can't promise you'll get the warranty or build quality you'd get from the Roval factory though.

 Alternately you could swallow your pride and get Traversees for £350.

The Hopes are a bit burlier, I'm using Flows on Pro IIs myself, 1900g though, 300g heavier than the Traversees. It depends what you're after, you mentioned climbing performance so they've suggested an AM wheelset which would excel at climbing.

What was your basis of comparison for the bike being a good climber as well? It's not bad, I get tons of traction which is nice, it's quite hefty though Heavier than Orange 5s, SC Blurs, Yeti 575s, Cannondale Rizes, Lapierre Zesty etc.

[iain1775]

Interesting topic this one!

Rich I saw the letter, I agree with you they didnt really address your points (but then they never do, the mags are ALWAYS right!) - hence me only buying Singletrack now WMB and MBR are too up themselves and inconsistant - they will review a bike depending on which company gave them the blingiest freebies that year or threw the most extravagent launch party. often you find them saying totally differnet things about the same bike two months down the line and they will slate one bike for having a too long stem but then in same issue on a rival bike forgive it the same issue as it is easily and cheaply changed??
Yes they pointed out some valid points on the Meta - it is a bit porky but if only they were consistant in their comments across all bikes 'reviewed'
Also agree with your thoughts on the Roval wheels, I posted a similar dilema earlier this year (and some on here responded similar and shot me down in flames) but end result was I didnt really want Specialised parts
The Roval wheels for example are basically a DT Swiss hub rebranded Roval and carbon copy of Stans rims (ended up in a legal case in US over patent infringements). I dont like the way Spesh steamroller over anything!
Yes its quality stuff, yes its cheaper but I value my individuality - thats why I have 2 Commies instead of a Spesh, Trek, Giant or any other 10 a penny on the trails bike

I agree totally with Toasty and I ended up getting a similar wheelset to what he suggested DT Swiss 240 hubs, Stans Olympic rims and Sapim CXRay aero bladed spokes - slightly lighter than the Traversee (similar to the Controle). My mate has the Rovals and they do look very similar, if you took the stickers off all the parts you wouldnt tell the difference with the rims at all
I picked them up 2nd hand from ebay with tubeless tyres for £350 but they were originally built by JRA as Toasty and so far have been brilliant and are still true and tight. I think new they would have been about £600
The service at Just Riding Along seems good too and the website is well set up - they have some good deals on pre-built wheels and a Q&A section to de-mystify tubeless set up etc. Check it out as you can build your own wheel there from loads of choices of hubs and rims etc and should be able to put something together for a similar price and weight to the Rovals

[bong69uk]

How bout checking out Superstar?? they have some awsome wheel sets at cheap prices, and they dont make any wheels or products themselves,they simply buy products such as dt swiss wheelsets in HUGE batch orders ,slap on a sticker with their name on em,they at no point claim to manufacture the product they make it clear the way they do it but wont tell u exactly what brand the certain wheelset is that u are buying,but if u are good u should be able to recognise em    and punt them on at a great discount to joe blogs,i was speaking to the Rep/owner at fort bill,nice guy and good stuff.

[Toasty]

I agree totally with Toasty and I ended up getting a similar wheelset to what he suggested DT Swiss 240 hubs, Stans Olympic rims and Sapim CXRay aero bladed spokes - slightly lighter than the Traversee (similar to the Controle). My mate has the Rovals and they do look very similar, if you took the stickers off all the parts you wouldnt tell the difference with the rims at all
I picked them up 2nd hand from ebay with tubeless tyres for £350 but they were originally built by JRA as Toasty and so far have been brilliant and are still true and tight. I think new they would have been about £600

How many spokes is that just out of interest? I'm still pondering something light for my hardtail. The lighter Rovals (Controle) apparently flex a bit as they're only 28 revolution spokes, the Traversee's are tougher but have a really wide rim. I'm after something like you had built up I think

[Rich1978]

Interesting topic this one!

Rich I saw the letter, I agree with you they didnt really address your points (but then they never do, the mags are ALWAYS right!) - hence me only buying Singletrack now WMB and MBR are too up themselves and inconsistant - they will review a bike depending on which company gave them the blingiest freebies that year or threw the most extravagent launch party. often you find them saying totally differnet things about the same bike two months down the line and they will slate one bike for having a too long stem but then in same issue on a rival bike forgive it the same issue as it is easily and cheaply changed??
Yes they pointed out some valid points on the Meta - it is a bit porky but if only they were consistant in their comments across all bikes 'reviewed'
Also agree with your thoughts on the Roval wheels, I posted a similar dilema earlier this year (and some on here responded similar and shot me down in flames) but end result was I didnt really want Specialised parts
The Roval wheels for example are basically a DT Swiss hub rebranded Roval and carbon copy of Stans rims (ended up in a legal case in US over patent infringements). I dont like the way Spesh steamroller over anything!
Yes its quality stuff, yes its cheaper but I value my individuality - thats why I have 2 Commies instead of a Spesh, Trek, Giant or any other 10 a penny on the trails bike

I agree totally with Toasty and I ended up getting a similar wheelset to what he suggested DT Swiss 240 hubs, Stans Olympic rims and Sapim CXRay aero bladed spokes - slightly lighter than the Traversee (similar to the Controle). My mate has the Rovals and they do look very similar, if you took the stickers off all the parts you wouldnt tell the difference with the rims at all
I picked them up 2nd hand from ebay with tubeless tyres for £350 but they were originally built by JRA as Toasty and so far have been brilliant and are still true and tight. I think new they would have been about £600
The service at Just Riding Along seems good too and the website is well set up - they have some good deals on pre-built wheels and a Q&A section to de-mystify tubeless set up etc. Check it out as you can build your own wheel there from loads of choices of hubs and rims etc and should be able to put something together for a similar price and weight to the Rovals

Yeah I agree about the inconsistency in the press, I dont know much about the industry workings but could easily see how decisions are swayed. I'm also majorly fed up with large bike shop chains charging top end prices on parts you can pick up on the net signigicantly cheaper but thats another story!

 I haven't read Singletrack...thats the online one right ?

Anyway, magazine gripe aside, that seems like quite a good site so I'll take a look - be nice to get some bling wheels!

Oh and cheers all for not shooting me down in flames!   

 

[iain1775]

How many spokes is that just out of interest? I'm still pondering something light for my hardtail. The lighter Rovals (Controle) apparently flex a bit as they're only 28 revolution spokes, the Traversee's are tougher but have a really wide rim. I'm after something like you had built up I think

32 spokes, the Sapim cxrays build into a really stiff wheel - alot of downhillers use them apparently. Not easy to work with compared to DT spokes and more expensive though
(edit to my original post - my wheels wernt originally from JRA, they were built in Germany and imported, just checked with the bloke I bought them off)

I havent noticed any real flex, probbaly stiffer than the Mavic Crossrides they replaced

Rich - Singletrackworld is the online site for the magazine but the mag comes out 10 times a year as well, it doesnt dwell on reviewing things quite so much as the others

[robertpb]

One of my main objections a few months ago was a test of the Meta 5.5 which sung it's praises then gave 4 out of 5 stars, this was posted on Bikeradar.

Another contention is calling the Meta 5.5 heavy and then harping on about how light the Lapiere was in WMB, only to find by weighing my bike and finding out the weight of the Lapiere the difference about 225 grams.

[Tomm]

...And when basically the whole MTB press decided that the 2008 meta was rubbish compared to the 07 because of a 0.5º head angle change.  Mags can bollocks   

[Toasty]

Another contention is calling the Meta 5.5 heavy and then harping on about how light the Lapiere was in WMB, only to find by weighing my bike and finding out the weight of the Lapiere the difference about 225 grams.

True, the Lapierre also cheats a bit on the wheel front. I certainly wouldn't use my XT wheelset on my Meta, 24 thin spoked wheels on an AM bike? It's the bendiest wheel I've ever owned and that's on my light racey bike. That combined with inapprotiate but light Race King tyres. Think I'd rather have a sensible spec from the start.

Not really the best example, the Meta frame is heavy compared to most AM frames though.