May 24, 2019

Pinkbike Review: Spank's Foam-Filled Spike 350 Vibrocore™ Wheelset

PB : The 350s stood up to some serious abuse, lasting longer than any other aluminum rim that one particular test rider has ever used.

"Spank's Spike 350 Vibrocore wheels proved to be more reliable than other alloy wheels that we've had on the same bike being ridden down the same trails, and that's enough for me to say that there are some benefits to these foam-filled hoops, especially given that the 40-gram penalty is pretty minimal." - Mike Levy

Here is an excerpt from the review by Mike Levy from Pinkbike. To read the full article click here.

"We're a fickle bunch these days, with news of so-and-so's fresh carbon rim not causing the hubbub it once did. We get it; it's light and black and carbon and expensive and probably not worth the price when you really think about it. And when it comes to aluminum rims... I've got a freshly painted wall that I need to watch dry, thank you very much.

But Spank Industries - who've always shunned carbon fiber - are doing some genuinely interesting things with their aluminum rims, especially the part where they fill them with green foam that hardens up. More interesting than you thought, right? Yeah, these aren't your run of the mill alloy hoops.

The green foam is the Vibrocore™ in Spank's Spike 350 Vibrocore wheelset and the claim is that it's there to help with vibration damping. The $699 USD, 2,078-gram wheelset is made for everything from trail riding to downhill use, and you can get 'em in both 27.5'' and 29'' sizes."