Looking at some new road focused wheels for both my all road and gravel bike. Have run Zipp Wheels, Reserve, and Roval in the past and honestly can recommend all three. However, as I am shopping for new I can’t help but notice the Zipp and Reserve lifetime warranty. I race and travel a fair amount and am a bigger rider so can be tough on equipment. Given most major wheel brands are generally on par with one another is there a reason I shouldn’t opt for Zipp/Reserve and their lifetime warranty? Some add’l context - I found the Roval Rapides on sale but noticed the 2yr warranty. I would pay a few dollars more for Reserves to have the lifetime warranty piece of mind…I think.
Anyway - how import is warranty to you when choosing a new wheel set and specifically has anyone had issues or thoughts on Rovals two year warranty vs Zipp/Reserves lifetime?
I have a gravel bike currently being built and going with a lifetime warranty for wheels seemed like the right choice when there were wheels available in the price range I was looking at that offered the warranty.
The shop building the bike deals with a lot of Enve, Zipp, Reserve, amongst other top tier brands, so they weren’t leading me to any particular brand, but spoke most highly of Reserve. After discussion and research, I landed on the Reserve 40/44 GR after narrowing down to that and the Zipp 303. Ultimately the Reserve has a 27mm internal width, DT Swiss hubs, hooked design, external nipples, no weight limits, and a full lifetime warranty, including crash replacement.
Reserve doesn’t have the name recognition of some of the more known brands, but I’ve seen nothing but solid reviews and feedback.
I’ve been riding road for 40+ years and have never needed to warranty a wheel for a manufacturer defect. Wheels always died an early death from a crash or other non-crash mishap. Once I wore through the brake tracks of a rim and it cracked. The rest of my wheel fleet just got old, outdated and are still hanging in the garage.
So, IMO warranty doesn’t rank that high for me. If a defect doesn’t show up in the first year or two, it will likely never show up.
A lifetime warranty is a big advantage, especially if you’re tough on your wheels or race often. Zipp and Reserve give you peace of mind, covering more than just defects. If you’re choosing between Roval’s 2-year warranty or spending a little extra for a lifetime warranty, the lifetime option is better for long-term use.
Lifetime warranty is great, when you need it. But what if some parts were durable enough on a not lifetime warranty wheel compared to a less durable part on a lifetime warranty wheel? Meaning if something breaks, cool you get a new one but have to deal with getting a replacement vs hey my wheel doesnt break.
Im my experience, DT hubs are bomb proof and im guessing thats what the roval has…. I hear zipp hubs are less than bomb proof. I dont know what reserve has.
Might be worth double checking that Roval warranty - their website says they have a lifetime warranty for “normal use”, and a 2 year no fault crash replacement policy. May be some regional variation on that though, I’m in the UK. Also worth mentioning that if you do damage a frame or wheels in a crash then manufacturers are generally very good at sorting you out with a heavily discounted crash replacement.
And yes, these days there are so many brands offering lifetime warranty that I don’t think I would buy a new wheelset without it. I’m pretty tough on my wheels (80kg, high mileage, rough roads), good peace of mind to have.
I was thinking about it and I’ve never actually broken a wheel in a crash - 40 years of cycling - 7 years of road racing - a thousand group rides.
I simple wore out some rim brake rims after 3 or 4 years. I had a wall hanger come loose on one side, causing the bike to swing down and dent the rim. Disc brake rims no longer wear out so I’ve had one mishap in a lifetime of cycling.
Unless you are Geraint Thomas, I don’t think it’s worth it to buy the “insurance” that comes with the spendy wheels. AFAICT, Zipp is the only one left with a lifetime crash warranty but I’d never ride hookless myself. Roval is 2 years. Enve is for three years and then is prorated plus they say you have to pay labor, parts, and shipping. Reserve’s warranty is vague and says you will pay labor and a “reduced charge”.
I can’t think of anything I bought because it had a warranty. Have I used them, sure. But wheels would not even register to me as something I cared if they had a warranty or not.
Reserve’s warranty is pretty clear. They offer a repair or replacement on any damage from riding/crashing.
Their reduced charge is due to damage while not riding. They give the examples of backing over your wheel with your car or forgetting to thread the axle in on a roof rack.
Considering everything the Reserve offers (from a feature perspective) I’m not sure that there’s other similar wheel offerings that have similar features, a good brand name support, but are considerably cheaper without a warranty?
I would accept a two year warranty if that’s how long I wanted my wheels to last. I don’t, so would never buy wheels with less than a five year warranty.
I’ve had wheels with manufacturer’s defects which showed up in year three. No warranty would have = US$2,500 replacement cost.