Warning, don't buy ONYX hubs

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Warning, don't buy ONYX hubs
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flag badkar
O+
Posted: Jun 16, 2017 at 8:07 Quote
I just wanted to warn people about ONYX hubs. I bought a pair 6 months ago, the rear one broke down completely after ONLY 400 km. Bearings were completely worn out and the clutch had drag issues.
I got in contact with Onyx telling them I was very keen on getting back on my bike and that I got a bike vacation coming up in 5 weeks. I specifically told them I wanted this solved ASAP.

Long story short: It's still not here. I'm missing out on my bike vacation since they specifically told me I didn't have to worry or organize a new wheel. My friends left yesterday without me.

Steps:
1. They were stalling with shipping. It took them 1 week to realise I had to send the package and they could not use their own service. I have to pay myself which is ok to some extent but when you buy such an expensive product that breaks down within 400km I would expect more from them.

2. Package got stuck in Sweden for 1 week, not Onyx fault.

3. Onyx receives it the third week and confirms that bearings and clutch is broken.

4. Onyx is supposed to send it two days later. I even got confirmation that it was on it's way.

5. The vacation is getting close. I start contacting them. No answer.

6. Been contacting them for 1 week until I get the first answer. (The answer comes one day after I was supposed to leave for vacation)

7. Onyx says the wheel has been laying around for 1,5 week in their shop for no reason, but is sent 2 days ago.

8. It's still not here

9. I'll be missing out on 6-7 weeks of biking and my hard earned vacation will be spent without biking

10. I'll never buy an Onyx hub again and don't know what to do with the wheels now since they have been treating me so badly.

And to the last point:
They found the fault with the clutch but they don't know why the bearings broke down. So if there is an alignment problem with the hub and the bearings break down just as fast again, 400km. I will have to send them in again for repair around July (expected time to reach 400km). Will it take another 6-7 weeks? Will I have to pay for transport again?

I don't trust them any more and you should think about this before you buy a pair. That's all i'm saying.

*I'll update this post if they will resolve this in a way I'm pleased with*
flag johan90
Posted: Jun 16, 2017 at 14:26 Quote
badkar wrote:
I just wanted to warn people about ONYX hubs. I bought a pair 6 months ago, the rear one broke down completely after ONLY 400 km. Bearings were completely worn out and the clutch had drag issues.
I got in contact with Onyx telling them I was very keen on getting back on my bike and that I got a bike vacation coming up in 5 weeks. I specifically told them I wanted this solved ASAP.

Long story short: It's still not here. I'm missing out on my bike vacation since they specifically told me I didn't have to worry or organize a new wheel. My friends left yesterday without me.

Steps:
1. They were stalling with shipping. It took them 1 week to realise I had to send the package and they could not use their own service. I have to pay myself which is ok to some extent but when you buy such an expensive product that breaks down within 400km I would expect more from them.

2. Package got stuck in Sweden for 1 week, not Onyx fault.

3. Onyx receives it the third week and confirms that bearings and clutch is broken.

4. Onyx is supposed to send it two days later. I even got confirmation that it was on it's way.

5. The vacation is getting close. I start contacting them. No answer.

6. Been contacting them for 1 week until I get the first answer. (The answer comes one day after I was supposed to leave for vacation)

7. Onyx says the wheel has been laying around for 1,5 week in their shop for no reason, but is sent 2 days ago.

8. It's still not here

9. I'll be missing out on 6-7 weeks of biking and my hard earned vacation will be spent without biking

10. I'll never buy an Onyx hub again and don't know what to do with the wheels now since they have been treating me so badly.

And to the last point:
They found the fault with the clutch but they don't know why the bearings broke down. So if there is an alignment problem with the hub and the bearings break down just as fast again, 400km. I will have to send them in again for repair around July (expected time to reach 400km). Will it take another 6-7 weeks? Will I have to pay for transport again?

I don't trust them any more and you should think about this before you buy a pair. That's all i'm saying.

*I'll update this post if they will resolve this in a way I'm pleased with*


New guyWink This misstake is something you only do once, trust a company to sort out a problem with a deadline. Never ever let something like a nice vacation/trip be in the hands of a bike company. Just bite the bullet and sort the problem on your own asap (if you really can wait sure do that) by buying a new wheel etc. Better yet plan ahead and keep parts that you can double use on different bikes if you have more than one.

Its a lot cheaper to just buy a new wheel directly and actually go on holiday and sort the problem in peace and quite in the back while you can still ride. Sure keep complaining you cant ride etc. Sell the part if it really feels like a subpar product when/if it gets sorted. Assume you're on your own until shown otherwise. Sucks but that has been my experience the last decade of this industry.

I've personally had it with shit like this ruinning bike trips, just last summer my brand new Vivid Air collapsed a hundred meters from my car when I arrived at the bike park. I thought I wont ride to much dh this summer so it should be ok to go air. Big f*ckin no. Newest frame from CRC "no we cant sell a spare hanger". This is ugly backside of active riding, shit breaks and firms are so so at customer service. Especially if you're like me located in Sweden and far from any sort of "bike" related area. When I bike bummed for two summers I had two dh bikes built up, one main ride with better spec and the second with good enough spec. Best idea I've had in my life, never worried about "what if this break" I could just park it and pick up the next. And if I somehow were to bust both that I couldnt cross wrench parts to make one work I had my trail bike.


Moral of the story, if you need to ride, plan ahead of problems and make sure you can sort them in a time space that you are ok with. Biking cost money and keeping a spare (cheap) wheelset is cheap compared to being left home while your buddys go biking!
flag cmcrawfo
Posted: Jun 16, 2017 at 14:42 Quote
^^^ Pretty much sums things up.

Even when I worked in a shop, getting a formal warranty resolution was almost always a process.

If you are fortunate enough to have an LBS, this is the time shops truly shine. Most reputable shops will give good customers used loaner parts (if they have them available) , or just straight up swap the part with you in the store and then they will take on the warranty process.


as unfortunate as your experience is with this company, you will likely experience it again with another brand if you stick with MTB long enough.
flag johan90
Posted: Jun 16, 2017 at 22:46 Quote
cmcrawfo wrote:
^^^ Pretty much sums things up.

Even when I worked in a shop, getting a formal warranty resolution was almost always a process.

If you are fortunate enough to have an LBS, this is the time shops truly shine. Most reputable shops will give good customers used loaner parts (if they have them available) , or just straight up swap the part with you in the store and then they will take on the warranty process.


as unfortunate as your experience is with this company, you will likely experience it again with another brand if you stick with MTB long enough.


Yep at work I try to just swap parts asap first time customers come back with a problem by either things we have in stock or can easily replace on a floor bike. Fast turnover on repairs/warranties is the best business practice to get lifetime customers. When my V10 broke and I got fed up with the dealer here in sweden I contacted Joe at SC directly got parts a week after. Will be hard to not get a V10 next time around.
flag markg1150
Posted: Jun 17, 2017 at 2:44 Quote
i can count on one hand the bikes/parts ect that arrived as told/advertised ect on time. the whole industry is full of c@#p added to bad delivery companys. Its always best assume and plan for the worst. anything else is just a bonus.

sad to hear im saving up for a onyx hub myself.
flag TwoWheelMike
O+
Posted: Jun 17, 2017 at 8:05 Quote
I ran into a situation where a customer wanted his bike for a weekend ride, but ended up needing a new crank. Since he wanted to buy an upgrade instead of one of the cheap basic ones I had in stock, I let him borrow the crank off one of my bikes.
flag badkar
O+
Posted: Jun 28, 2017 at 9:34 Quote
Update:
Wheel is finally here. Freehub runs worse then ever. Bearings are still way to crunchy to be new. The problem with not being able to pull out the freehub is solved.
I don't think they change the bearings as they said they should.
Freehub might just need to break in. Will see.

I can still not recommend ONYX hubs.
flag sdken
Posted: Jun 29, 2017 at 22:49 Quote
Dang, always wanted to try onyx, sucks to here what you're going through though. Another tip I'd suggest is to keep your travel bike bomb proof with parts that LBS normally have.... I use dt350 hubs and j-bend spokes for that reason...incase I break something before a trip or on a trip, chances are a shop nearby may have something to make it work.
flag TheGnarlyCenturion
Posted: Sep 2, 2017 at 3:40 Quote
Any update?
Was just about to pull the trigger - but ride only in Scottish mud, and cant find any 'proper' reviews - so seeing your post has got me worried!
flag CALEBTNORMAN
Posted: Sep 5, 2017 at 22:55 Quote
I live about 40 minutes away from the Onyx hub headquarters in Utah, and although I have yet to purchase their stuff or actually meet the owners in person, I have only heard positive reviews/comments from friends and fellow riders I know who run their hubs here in the state. It's a couple of local guys here that run the company, and this is certainly the first I've heard of their customer service falling short of quality.

The same goes for their hubs, from what I've been told by my friends who own them. Many of them have gone through a few wheels and years of rough riding, before the hubs slowly begin to wear out, well beyond what any other product might last. After hearing so much positive feedback from other users, I admit that I would love to one day invest in one of their setups to try it out myself.

In summary, it sounds like the thread founder's case was simply one of those rare ones where a company didn't quite get it right. Hopefully this is helpful to all those who had questions about the company/product or where doubting the Onyx hub's quality.
flag Wqvk
O+
Posted: Sep 22, 2018 at 4:26 Quote
I’m experiencing the same issue and only put 3 rides on these hubs (9.8 miles, 25.4 miles, and 40 miles rides). Hope they solve my issues.
flag vitality
Posted: Sep 22, 2018 at 5:24 Quote
own 3 sets of them: fat, boost and no retard standard.
For 3 year not a single problem, riding around year in all weather conditions.
Only one question
You afford onyx hubs, but you can afford an spare wheelset??
Really??

Btw Founder of onyx Jim Gerhardt sometimes answering on questions on mtbr

http://forums.mtbr.com/wheels-tires/onyx-racing-hubs-sprag-clutch-vs-other-types-engagement-970959.html
flag vitality
Posted: Sep 22, 2018 at 5:31 Quote
TheGnarlyCenturion wrote:
Any update?
Was just about to pull the trigger - but ride only in Scottish mud, and cant find any 'proper' reviews - so seeing your post has got me worried!

Ah famous English winter, in some places it called as summer, just summer.


Servicing my hubs once year, newer seen inside any crap or water damage.
Hub sealed by labyrinth seal.
Simply set and forget, just remember right bearings preload.
Hybrid ceramic bearings are pricy. However, can be easily replaced by widely available enduro bearings.
flag lifted-d
Posted: Sep 22, 2018 at 5:38 Quote
badkar wrote:
Update:
Wheel is finally here. Freehub runs worse then ever. Bearings are still way to crunchy to be new. The problem with not being able to pull out the freehub is solved.
I don't think they change the bearings as they said they should.
Freehub might just need to break in. Will see.

I can still not recommend ONYX hubs.

sell it and buy DT swiss star drive hub. never fail again (with basic maintenance) use stock drive rings not the 56 tooth ones.
flag markg1150
Posted: Sep 22, 2018 at 10:38 Quote
New shimano xtr. Hallelujah half the price no expensive fancy grease and no weight penalty. Can't wait, Il have a fire sale on all my hope hubs
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