Espresso 43mm Wheels

Don't make me slap your bum!

well that review helped me because i'm picking up a set of these espresso wheels next sunday!! and im 13st so will probs get them checked by a bike shop before using them!!

I have been riding a pair of Espresso wheels for a couple of weeks now. Giving them back tomorrow.
First impressions were good. The paint was good quality, apart from inside the rim where it was a bit patchy, they spun true and looked decent.
Weight wise, the front felt very slightly heavier than my Omega Mach 1 on formula hub and the rear felt very slightly heavier than my H+Son on formula hub, but not enough difference to notice when on the bike.
The rear came with a sprocket and a freehub, both 16 tooth. I didn't use either, because I ride fixed on 18 tooth. So I can't really comment on them but they looked alright.
I tensioned up some of the spokes to make them even all round, but I understand Mr. Caramel Cycles is getting someone to hand tension his wheels before selling them now. I rode through lots of pot holes, off and up curbs etc. and they have stayed in true pretty well. Only the front has moved about 1 mm around one of the spokes but that's probably because I didn't tension it well enough.
I did notice some of the nipples seemed very slightly different sizes, not really enough to cause a problem, my spoke key still fit them all, but I guess it comes with the price.
After 2 weeks of riding they hardly look touched apart from a bit of grease from my chain. The paint hasn't scratched at all. I can't comment on the braking surface as I don't use them.
The Quando hubs feel a bit grindy if you hold the wheel in your hand and spin it, but it wasn't noticeable on the bike and they didn't feel like they got any worse over the 2 weeks.
Overall I am very impressed, for under £100 for a new set of wheels, they are the business. They look good on my bike, and that's what really matters. I'm not a massive fan of the Espresso Logo but that's just being picky. O yeah, and the logo is directly opposite the valve hole so you can find it easily, nice touch. If I was building up a bike on a budget and wanted deep section wheels these would be my first choice.

(The reason the front wheel isn't on my bike in the photo's is because I got a puncture on it today, sucks.)
Front

Rear


Hub

Probably worth making sure that the puncture wasn't cause by the rims.

Probably worth making sure that the puncture wasn't cause by the rims.

Maybe I should have made it clear, it was definitely caused by the tyre having a big hole in it.

I would have thought that was the case all along. Some people just believe that cheap equals poor, and its clearly not always true.

Update:

I've reluctantly begun using these wheels in the winter, and have had no problems. I'd planned on using them mostly during reasonable weather, but they've proved hardier than expected, so I've been using the rear on my Capo practically every day.

Criticisms? None really. For the price, its excellent. I worried most about how much water, slush.and snow would get into the rim via the over-large valve-hole, but its not been a problem......so far. All in all its been smooth running, though obviously weighty on the way up Loampit Vale.

just ordered a set - will report ;-)

Don't forget to get it checked by a mechanic to make sure if the wheel is tensioned properly.

Don't forget to get it checked by a mechanic to make sure if the wheel is tensioned properly.

imho, every wheelset should be tensioned and checked when it's new... so that's nothing special. but thanks anyway, I'll do that.

parcel arrived today. i was kinda surprised about the shipping time, as i'm living in austria and not the uk. and there was a weekend in between.

but let's take a look at the shipment. really properly packed. the pictures shown online from the package are real and it gives you a good feeling when thinking about rude postal workers.

in the package there was the orderd stuff: wheelset, saddle, crank, handlebars and bartape. the smaller parts were additionally packed in a smaller box inside the big one, everything secure enough wrapped for shipment.

up to now, no negative points to mention - except the missing invoice. as i didn't buy used goods, an invoice would have been nice.

i also took some pictures i will post later (don't have a cable for the cam right now)

i will continue to report as soon as i mount the wheels etc.

cheers!

oh and what i forgot: the look and feel is very good so far. everything kooks clean, nice and solid. sorry for doubleposting, but i'm obviously too dumb to find the edit button...

the edit button is under your comment on the right.

http://i56.tinypic.com/2hq4f9s.png

?!

ah okay, it has something to do with the antispam thing http://www.lfgss.com/thread9350.html - sorry!

you made five post insofar, give it time.

I love the look of deep rims like this and (i am gonna get flamed for this) like some of the colours as well. As the wheels offer no noticeable benefit to performance, are they are purely aesthetic?

Do you think they make your bike more attractive to tea leaves?

And if i did get coloured rims does that make me a hipster?

mounted the wheels on my bike yesterday.

what i can say is, that they run really nice and turn 100% round. the axial run-out is approx. 1mm. i did not retension the wheel, as the spokes were tensioned enough for me. however, i will retension them after some time.

i found 2 scratches on the wheels, really small ones i didn't notice on the first time. however, they are really minor and honestly not noticable if you don't search for them.

current conclusion is: imho, you get good value for the money you pay. i still can't find a negative point where i'd say: this is complete bullshit.

hopefully i can finish the bike next week in order to give some drive impressions

cheers!

ps.: espressowheels offered me to send the invoice via email, even though i didn't ask for it. it seems, as if they are watching this thread ;-)

Although I don't own a pair, I know a mechanic who was given a 40 odd of these to tune. His opinion was that they we're pretty inconsistent and nasty to keep in shape.

Just his two cents.

I like them. They are round and have nice colours.

That will be £125 (my regular daily freelance fee). Email on my profile.

So whose opinion should I trust, the man who was given a pair for free, or a mechanic who was paid to fix 40 brand new wheels before they had even been used?

Clearly I must side with the genius of GA2G on this matter.

Don't make this personal James. Typically, it just makes you seem so petty. In a little while, lynx will turn up to side with you, and give me a neg rep. James you really need better knights in shining armour.

Thankfully you did not make any of the previous thread at all personal, and none of the petty attacks below were written by you:

you can be accurately called a liar, as opposed to a pathetic liar.
Maybe your meds have got you all confused. James would not be allowed this vindictive bahaviour, without having to face lawyers.
James takes adavantage of friendships to go this far. What was said about Foffa (in the beginning) was true, and the change has been noted by all (.......except James). Espresso is a huge departure from Caramel.
Mechanical_vandal, until today, I had pegged you as an very independent thinking man.
Clearly, my ability to read people needs much improvement.
Whats baffling to me, is how the hell did James gain this many acolytes? Does he give people his vast sums of money to back his point of view? Seriously, how does he do it? Sane people are flocking to his side, to join the not-so-sane chief choirister; honestly, the internet makes no sense at all.
Earth to Ed, come in Ed? Really? No Ed, if I had noticed Varno wheels with some slack, or On-One wheels with some slack, I would have done the same.
Espresso has done nothing wrong. And yet James and his acolytes are dragging its name down, for the sake of fun.
The man..is just an idiot prancer...a cretin with minimal knowledge of people...
You're right though lynx, but if you don't know any of the background*, why don't you just go offer to save someone from impending peril instead....or something.
lynx, you are exactly what everyone on this forum says you are.....but I won't go into that

i'd really love to talk about the wheels and other products from espressowheels. please discuss your antagonism via pm.

moreover i'd like to get more firsthand impressions instead of "a friend of a friend of a friend" opinions. i also don't care about the past but about the products i buy today.

i also bought the crank, saddle, the handlebars and the bartape.

mounted the handlebars on another bike yesterday and rode it. the black handlebars feel good but left a bit black paint on my hands (after riding them for the whole day). might be, that this is linked to the really warm weather which made me sweat .

the bartape will be mounted on my polo bike, as well as the wheelset and the crank. will continue to report.

i also want to stress, that i paid the full price, including the 27gbp shipping to austria.

i also bought the crank, saddle, the handlebars and the bartape.

But why?

i'd really love to talk about the wheels and other products from espressowheels. please discuss your antagonism via pm.

moreover i'd like to get more firsthand impressions instead of "a friend of a friend of a friend" opinions. i also don't care about the past but about the products i buy today.

i also bought the crank, saddle, the handlebars and the bartape.

mounted the handlebars on another bike yesterday and rode it. the black handlebars feel good but left a bit black paint on my hands (after riding them for the whole day). might be, that this is linked to the really warm weather which made me sweat .

the bartape will be mounted on my polo bike, as well as the wheelset and the crank. will continue to report.

i also want to stress, that i paid the full price, including the 27gbp shipping to austria.

was it paint or anodize that came off the bars? why the fuck am i even bothering to ask, this should not happen, they are clearly shit.

so is GA2G a friend of yours? or why would you take his opinion over the account of the mechanic who has worked on 40 of the wheels?

the wheels must come in a pretty appalling state if they need to be worked on before use. many other companies can supply factory built wheels that are fine to ride.

or for a little bit more you could have a lovely set of wheels handbuilt by Varno

http://www.lfgss.com/thread49556.html