Are Stan's Grail wheels really that bad?
12-15-17, 07:58 PM
#1
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Are Stan's Grail wheels really that bad?
I'm building a rando bike, and Performance has Stan's Grail Disc wheelsets for outrageously cheap. I have $200 of points to blow, so I could pick up this set for $200 net.
Seems like a cheap set of reasonably durable, tubeless-capable wheels that aren't TOO heavy, but as soon as I mentioned them to some coworkers, I stared hearing horror stories about tires blowing off the rims, etc.
Clearly, they won't perform like $1200 HED Ardennes set, but I won't be running obscene pressures tubeless, and I'll probably be running tubed 28s most of the time. Are these acceptable for centuries and doubles?
Thanks!
Seems like a cheap set of reasonably durable, tubeless-capable wheels that aren't TOO heavy, but as soon as I mentioned them to some coworkers, I stared hearing horror stories about tires blowing off the rims, etc.
Clearly, they won't perform like $1200 HED Ardennes set, but I won't be running obscene pressures tubeless, and I'll probably be running tubed 28s most of the time. Are these acceptable for centuries and doubles?
Thanks!
12-15-17, 08:39 PM
#2
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If those are the same wheels that came with my Grade (I'm pretty sure they are) I was constantly popping spokes. The shop replaced them under warranty, the new one did the same thing. I've never had this problem with any other wheel.
12-15-17, 10:54 PM
#3
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Thank you! That's exactly the kind of real-world feedback I was looking for. An extra $200-$300 should get me a worthier set of wheels. Popping spokes 400k into a 600k would be lame.
12-15-17, 11:43 PM
#4
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Stan's Grail wheels came with my Lynskey. I put a little over 600 miles on them in the last month until I built my own new wheels earlier this week. I've got no complaints about the Grail wheels whatsoever, other than I weigh over 50 lbs more than their published weight limit. No popped spokes, still true, rode well, etc. I'm a heavy rider at 282 lbs this morning, and my Grail wheels were 32 spokes both front and rear. They did fine, and probably would keep doing fine for a very long time to come.
12-18-17, 12:46 PM
#5
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I wound up getting a set of Mavic Ksyrium Elite Discs. After 20% off the closeout price at Performance, some loyalty points I had on hand, and a commuter benefit reimbursement from work, they cost me $143 for the set (including some 25mm tires I might as well burn through. I can't imagine I won't at least get my money's worth. 
12-18-17, 12:48 PM
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A very large proportion of cross racers use the grail without any problems and they are very hard on wheels. My stans alphas have not been an issue either.
12-18-17, 01:38 PM
#7
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Mine have been great so far. They are on my Grade with DT240s hubs and I've abused them for the short time I've had the bike. No complaints.
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