I’ve just received a brand new DT Swiss XRC 1501 wheelset from an authorized dealer and I’m wondering if I should return them or request a warranty replacement?
These are the issues:
On the outer surface of the rims, there are two visible marks (scuffs, scratches).
On the inside of the rim flanges, there are quite a few rough sections. I am not sure if these are structural defects, but they definitely don’t look good.
On the inside of the rim flanges, there are also some vertical lines, which protrude and can be felt when I move my finger along. Are these from the carbon manufacturing molds? Are they normal and acceptable? Some actually feel quite sharp, so I am a bit worried that they might damage/cut the tyre beads.
The drain holes (especially on the rear wheel rim) are not drilled properly, so the hole is almost entirely blocked by some carbon leftover material from the inside.
Finally, the tubeless tape was improperly installed in the factory: the tape is not centered at all. On one side, the tape does not even extend all the way to the edge of the rim bed, but on the other side the tape extends even vertically up on the rim flange/wall. It looks like a a very shoddy taping job (I could do better even though I’m not a pro mechanic)
I definitely would. These are expensive wheels and you are IMHO entitled to have high expectations when it comes to quality. Even if some of these defects were purely cosmetic, I’d still want them replaced. (Would you accept a brand-new car that came with dings and scratches from the factory?)
Agree with the others. That is not a first quality wheelset. That is especially true considering that being a well known respected brand. The scratches and blemishes are bad enough but any sharp protrusions or edges in the rim bed area would be a big problem if running a tube. Unacceptable.
That is how I run all my wheels but there can always be a puncture that sealant won’t seal and the need to throw in a tube to get home is a very real possibility. Over many years of tubeless I’ve had to do that a handful of times
To me this looks like shop wear or just bad QC. They are supposed to be new in box? It does all look cosmetic though. If you have a sharp edge inside a rim, you can just sand it smooth with some high grit sandpaper.
I bet that if you get a replacement set, it will probably look similar.
The only thing that might bother me is the tape job if it’s bad enough to cause issues down the line. I hate re-taping rims and rim tape isn’t free. It doesn’t look terrible in the pic, but it doesn’t look like a great tape job either. The rest all looks minor and cosmetic to me. Not saying it should be that way when new, but that kind of stuff doesn’t bug me when I know I’ll do worse to them once I start using them.
If you don’t like what you see, tell them and see what they’ll do for you. If a discount makes you happy, I’d push for that. If you want perfect wheels, I’d just ask for a refund rather than exchange because another set of the same model is likely to have at least some of the same issues.
Not shop wear, the wheels were 100% new, in factory sealed plastic bags inside the original manufacturer’s box. The shop is a reputable online shop (i.e. they don’t operate a store, only a warehouse, where they get the wheels straight from the manufacturer).
Sanding the rim should not be expected from a customer (nor should be retaping). I love the brand, have multiple DT Swiss wheelsets (never a problem in 10+ years), though none of those have carbon rims. This is really disappointing to me
. Paying a premium to get this is just insane.