# Finally EA 90 SLX and SL Spoke Problem Resolved Forever



## Har

What a huge boost of confidence going out today on an 80 mile group mile on my brand spanking new Mavic Ksyrium SL's. On my way out the door i walked right past the unopened Easton wheel box delivered to me yesterday which contained my 6th EA 90 rebuild in it!

From my review:
4 broken spokes in 14 months and sent back to Easton for complete rebuilds each time. Front, rear, it didn't ' matter. They broke on both wheels. After the 4th time and Easton gave me the standard send the wheel back, I said enough is enough and sent back both wheels. Easton came through, they downgraded me to a new set of SL's not SLX's. At that point i took what they sent. I figured maybe with the extra spoke count i would be better off. Didn't happen. 5 months into the new set, the SL's broke a rear spoke. Shipped back to Easton, this was my 6th return, 5 on the SLX's and one on the SL's that i recently got directly from Easton as a replacement. Just confirmed last Friday the SL rear wheel was rebuilt and being shipped. To take care of the confidence i needed now that the SL rear wheel is on its way back i was at the bike shop the next day and left with my Cervelo and a new set of Mavic Ksyrium SL's. That's the confidence i needed. I refused to let myself put an Easton wheel set back on my bike. I was as patient as someone could be with these wheels, at times going 4 -6 weeks if not longer while i waited for a rebuild and having to use 10 year old trusty Cane Creek Volos as a backup. The shop and the group i ride with, believe me just based on my experience and being with me on group rides for all these broken spokes think these whels are junk and now so do I.


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## Har

*Easton Spoke Problem fix right here*

read my post


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## johntrek5

That is exactly what happened with me. My horror stories with my EA90SLX's are well documented on this forum. They even sent me the cheaper but more "reliable" SL's as well, only to have a spoke blow with about 300 miles! I feel totally ripped off by Easton. I am put over 5,000 miles on my Mavic's the remainder of last year, and have an additional 2,000 trouble free miles on them!


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## Har

*trek5*

good to hear you, yeah man it was crazy and the thing is with all the fixes and even worse when they sent the SL's which no way rode lke the SLX's i always dreamed of the perfect running pair of SLX's for the couple of uninterupted months that they did work I loved how they rode and spun up. Man i didnt even cover all that happen when they approved the step down to SL's guess what sowed up my door a week later. ONE yes ONE EA 90 AERO. Unreal. They couldnt even get the order right.

I was told 3 yearsago to get the Mavics and I had Elite's on an older bike. Anyway all behind me now and loving the new Mav's, a little bit of a stiffer wheel but i am very pleased!


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## Feltrider05

I broke 3 spokes in less than a year and went back to performance and got my money back. easton ea90 slx are junk......


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## CleavesF

You guys realize Easton doesn't make the spokes right?

Sapim CX-Rays had a huge recall.


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## Feltrider05

That doesn't explain the hub issues though.


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## Har

*Sapim CX-Rays had a huge recall joke*

This excuse has run its course, they are stil using the same recall spokes from 2008, i dont think so. I bought a set of wheels from Easton, their name and logo are all over the wheels, if i have a problem with the Easton wheels I dont contact Sapim i contact Easton. Who what or how Easton source there parts out is on Easton.


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## Andrew L

I think it's very important to differentiate if the Easton wheels were purchased from Performance bike. From all of the posts I have read it seems the majority of broken spokes were on the Performance special editions for $599.


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## CleavesF

All I know is I've been riding my SLX for what? 5 years now with no issues. No spoke issues, no hub issues. Several thousand miles on them. Then again I weight 140 lbs... so... I am SLX?

FYI, I did not buy the Performance Bike version.


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## Andrew L

CleavesF said:


> All I know is I've been riding my SLX for what? 5 years now with no issues. No spoke issues, no hub issues. Several thousand miles on them. Then again I weight 140 lbs... so... I am SLX?
> 
> FYI, I did not buy the Performance Bike version.


I weigh 170 and have had the same experience with them as you, zero issues. I also did not buy the Performance Bike edition.


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## scottzj

I didnt buy mine from them or at least I dont think so, as I got them from my LBS. However, they DID send them back after the 3rd time of broken spokes. The only thing I have to do with easton is riding with their EA50 wheels on my training bike. They seem to be ok with no problems other than bearings.


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## natedg200202

Easton wheel quality and design has fallen a long way since they first acquired Velomax.


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## tammynken

*Easton EA90 LTD Road Wheelset -- Performance Exclusive*

I'm looking at these from Performance...reg $899 on sale for $599...I know they are not SLX or SL's but seem to be somewhat similar...Now you guys are starting to scare me..I am looking to upgrade from the stock Alex ALX200's my Roubaix ACR 3.0 came with. Performance is having their "Triple Points Special" this weekend, so $180 in Rebates would be nice, but I don't want to make the wrong move as I am fairly new to road biking and don't know all the brands that well. Any quick input would be much appreciated!!!

Ken


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## scottzj

Ken, 
The EA's seem to be fairly ok wheel compared to the carbon brothers. There are many posts in this area regarding the Easton wheels and the issues that seem to happen to a good deal of them. I bought a set of the cheap EA50 and they have been not bad. However, the bearings didnt last very long at all. I started to get "slop" in them within 2-3k miles. I still have them, but they dont see many miles, as they are on my training bike.


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## Feltrider05

The EA90 LTD are the same spec as the EA 90 SLX. They just re-stickered them. I wouldn't waste your money on those.


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## Har

*Attn: tammynken*

from the original poster, save yourself the headaches and agony, stay away from the EA SL's, SLX's whether Performance or not.

These wheels are junk. 

Starting to scare you as you said, be very scared!


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## Andrew L

Like I said earlier, I have 1700 miles on my non performance editions of the SLX and have had zero issues with them. I guess I got lucky...based on everyone else's issues I would stay away but I enjoy mine. I would go with Rol's if I did it all over again.


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## johntrek5

Mine were not Performance versions. I bought mine from a LBS, and dealt with Eason direct on the issues, and Easton directly when they down graded me to the SL's that were "more reliable" that ended up blowing apart ASAP. It is a free country, and honestly, I would not be talking about this if it really did not happen, or if it was just a one time deal. It was actually a nightmare! If anyone wants to buy them go ahead. Just do not say that you were not warned.


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## nOOky

I sold my Performance Bike version a few weeks ago. Luckily I was able to get almost what I paid for them, less the repairs I had the LBS do.
They only weighed 100 grams less a pair then my original Ksyrium SL's which were purchased back in 2000! Those wheels are still going strong and are my everyday wheels. I'll probably not buy Easton wheels again, but go custom built.


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