Superstar components MTB wheels.

[tjdixon911]

Just wondering if anyone has any experience of these, good or bad?

Thinking of getting a set of the switch Ultra Hubs built up with some tubeless rims (not sure whether the rims will be own brand or others yet, but £200-250 seems to get a fairly decent Wheelset)

I have heard there may also be a discount code for Easter coming along soon so maybe cheaper still...

[Steamer]

I have been wondering the exact same thing so will be keen to see any input.

I've read a few reviews about them needing a re-true when new occasionally, but thats hardly a hardship considering the price.

I did also see a youtube video of the switch hubs and they sounded like they have a nice quality click to them.

[Pablo16v]

I don’t have any personal experience of their wheels but one of the guys I ride with bought a carbon wheelset during a sale last year (not sure which hubs though) and as far as I’m aware he hasn’t had any problems. He’s a fast rider too, hammering every trail, so they’ve suffered a fair bit of abuse. As with any factory wheelset I’d double check the spoke tension before fitting them, just to be on the safe side.

[dogbucket]

I have been running a set 26" wheels using Switch hubs on some of their own brand AM ally rims for a couple of years and they have been completely fine.

[paulmon]

I have them on my 29er and 26er mounted to Stans rims. I bought both sets when they had the 25% off. They were delivered promptly and the wheels are true and despite what you might read they haven't exploded yet.

[W00DY]

I've got a set of Pacenti rims built onto Switch hubs by them. They are light and well made and they've survived Alpine riding and racing the Megavalanche and despite picking up a few dents and needing some truing, they have never let me down.

[gazza285]

Aren't Superstar hubs rebranded Novatec ones? With a suitable mark up as well? Might be cheaper to get Novatec hubs instead.

[Chicken Chaser]

I've been toying for months over buying a set of their road rims.

[Eddh]

I have a set of their MTB wheels, only ridden them a few times but they seem good so far.

[Herman Toothrot]

gazza285 said:

Aren't Superstar hubs rebranded Novatec ones? With a suitable mark up as well? Might be cheaper to get Novatec hubs instead.

Novatec are cheap OEM producers, the wheels that came on my Commencal Meta ,V4 were Novatec (branded Ride Alpha), flexi horrid things, I managed to get the front to mount up tubeless the rear just wouldn't - supposedly TR as well, I ran them for two weeks before deciding they were spoiling the bike with the lateral flex. I eBayed them for £100 a pair and was please to see the back of them, the hope pro 2 / Easton ARC setup that replaced them is in another league as are the hope enduros on my other bike. If Superstar is Novatec don't waste your money on the branded item just go start to eBay for Novatec and pay 1/3 of the price, they sure as hell are not worth more.

Edited by Herman Toothrot on Tuesday 22 March 23:35

[anonymous-user]

Conversely, I've got some Novatec hubs on my h/t, I had a custom extra strong wheelset made by DCR Wheels, they've been bullet proof.

I'm sure they were about £30 each, cheap as chips, my wheelset has tandem spokes as well for extra strength.

So that muddies the water a little, are they good or crap?!

[Herman Toothrot]

Main warrantee complaint for Meta V4's people talk about on Pinkbike are seizing rear hubs, Novatec hubs. I didn't experience this as I sold mine on when they were basically new.

[gazza285]

Novatec do make more than one style and price point of hub, I should imagine the cheap ones are cheap for a reason, while the better quality ones are more robust.

[samj2014]

Steamer said:

I have been wondering the exact same thing so will be keen to see any input.

I've read a few reviews about them needing a re-true when new occasionally, but thats hardly a hardship considering the price.

I did also see a youtube video of the switch hubs and they sounded like they have a nice quality click to them.

All wheels need trueing occasionally, superstar are no different.

The superstar wheels are annoyingly good for the price, I had some of their DH595 ones for years - heavy but very solid.

[james0]

I use their wheels on both my road bike and on my hard tail. The hubs have been fine, I destroyed the rear rim when my tyre split at high speed (Rim Dinger BPW). Not the wheels fault and it stayed true but heavily dented, sent it back to Superstar and payed a small amount for a new rim and spokes.
I picked up a set in a sale to use as spares for my Aeris, have yet to use them but they were one third the price of the Hope hoops on it and look good quality.

[W00DY]

20% off everything with code Easter20


Might have to pick up a couple of bits.