PCW - Marty Crotty

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calicyclist
Posts: 91
Joined: Fri Dec 02, 2022 5:54 am

by calicyclist

This is a strange post but I have some emotions at this point and not sure how to feel and think this community likely has more advice and thoughts than anywhere else I can feel online. I will explain current state and context and just would like any perspective at this time to help me move forward.

1) I am planning to purchase a purchase a new Argonaut bike. I have been planning this bike since this past July as a replacement to my Pinarello Dogma F10 with all custom parts. The bike was to be delivered next week. But I was hit by an asshole lady driving her Tesla Model Y a few weeks ago so timing doesn't really matter. I have required full AC joint shoulder reconstruction and I will not be able to ride any bike outside until April at the very earliest. None of this matters to my post but just providing context where my head is at right now that it is making me hate life and try to manage rebuilding back mentally right now.

2) I have spent way too much time picking out every individual component that I found to be the absolute best for this bike. I have also reached out to every individual OEM to discuss customization to determine what was possible. One of these custom places was obviously wheels. Princeton Carbonworks used to have an entire section on their site called "bespokeCarbonPrinceton" where they advertised all of their customization and what got me thinking maybe they'd want to make a custom version for me.

3) I reached out to Princeton in November of 2022 and specifically had multiple conversatiions with Marty Crotty (their CFO and cofounder) about building wheels for my custom bike. Initially Marty expressed some reservations about making custom graphics and I empathized with him, said if this isnt't possible fine, but also if it is with money just said please explain to me your custom options. I showed him a very slightly changed version of their normal graphic graphic and Marty acted like I was moving to the moon. But after talking to him on the phone and walking him through it he seemed okay with the plan for an extra $400 custom upcharge.

4) So I have been waiting since November based on the info from Princeton PCW. I have read many reports about the wheels which have convinced me these are the best wheels for deep wheels.

5) Less than a month ago, Marty told Argonaut that the customization is going on and my wheels will be ready, but that the customization will cost an extra $400 (total $800). I thought this was pretty silly but at this point I have been so set emotionally on these wheels I just felt internally whatever. Let's get the damn bike.

5) This morning Argonaut followed up with Marty to ask where the wheels he promised back in November where (I think this is important that Marty didn't reach out with this info even within the previous few weeks) Marty stated "We cannot do the design xxx was after, our guys say that we're not going go off brand."

I am really frustrated by this company at this point. I am really confused how they can just give a big FU to a potential customer this way. I called Marty today and discovered he doesn't even have the personal time to call me back. Seriously? 3 months of lies and can't admit it directly? I can't even imagine how this company deals with crash replacement which they claim to deal with on base "per claim." I have zero confidence in them at all after this. I don't want to give them any money. But I have become emotionally attached to the Wake 6560 for my bike after reading dozens of reviews with people claiming how great they are.

Does this community here have a recommendation for a Wake 6560 alternative with similar performance? How about a place that is open to custom graphics?

Also, open to hear from anyone who has dealt with Princeton and has a RECENT positive experience. Since I am seriously questioning the robustness of their company. I have never experienced in my life a company having such a hard time with me spending over $4k and being so weird about it.

EDIT: Fixing my drunken grammar mistakes
Last edited by calicyclist on Sat Feb 25, 2023 6:44 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Argonaut RM3 | Pivot Trail 429

by Weenie


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Konsi
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by Konsi

I had a good experience with crash replacement by Princeton in autumn. Ran over a nail on a bike path, which destroyed the sidewall of the rim, send Marty an email on a Sunday afternoon, he replied the same night – I got a new rim, they relaced the wheel for me, just had to pay the shipping to the US.

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Konsi
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by Konsi

Maybe as further information, this week was probably the worst ever week to call them. They had the hearings in the patent case that SRAM had brought against them, so that could have potentially destroyed PCW. The verdict came out late on Friday – SRAM lost, PCW won.

Flasher
Posts: 258
Joined: Fri Mar 27, 2009 8:10 pm

by Flasher

Buy the wheels, and get a graphics house to knock you up some custom graphics for $100, move on.

Campyforever
Posts: 106
Joined: Sun Nov 06, 2022 1:32 pm

by Campyforever

Flasher's got it right....

Hey Porsche, can you put my graphics on your car?

hannawald
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Location: Czech Republic

by hannawald

I don't know what made you to buy Argonaut but it probably was not only its performace but some combination of performance and bespoke/individual approach, uniqueness...in this sense it makes no sense buying from a company that let you down. So many nice wheelsets these days... Enve receives great reviews for example. I can't imagine Princeton makes you any faster. Lightweights would look beautiful but harsh and outdated. Light Bicycles will do custom graphics for you, they make wavy wheels, you can have them with carbon spokes but image is simply not there...so Enve with custom decals is probably your best bet.

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wheelsONfire
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by wheelsONfire

Bikes:

Ax Lightness Vial EVO Race (2019.01.03)
Open *UP* (2016.04.14)
Paduano Racing Fidia (kind of shelved)


Ex bike; Vial EVO D, Vial EVO Ultra, Scott Foil, Paduano ti bike.

MilesG813
Posts: 142
Joined: Thu May 19, 2022 7:17 pm

by MilesG813

I love my 6560s and had a great experience with PCW and Marty in the last 3 months. I hope you get it worked out. That said I think I would go with Lightweight Obermeyer Evos or DT Swiss ARC 1100 62s if not PCW, depending on if you favored slight stiffness or aerodynamic advantage.
2022 Specialized S-Works SL7 I Ultegra R8170 I Princeton Carbonworks 6560
2012 Cannondale CAAD 10 I 105 R5700 I Zipp 404s

CustomMetal
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by CustomMetal

Also what about black inc 5? Super unique and would match a Argonaut well
Allegra- Steel Lugs TBC
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Bertha- TT 9.8kg
Perdita- Ti Turbo bike 8kg
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All weights with pedals,cages & garmin mount

calicyclist
Posts: 91
Joined: Fri Dec 02, 2022 5:54 am

by calicyclist

Flasher wrote:
Sat Feb 25, 2023 10:59 am
Buy the wheels, and get a graphics house to knock you up some custom graphics for $100, move on.
Any suggestions on such a "graphics house?"
Argonaut RM3 | Pivot Trail 429

calicyclist
Posts: 91
Joined: Fri Dec 02, 2022 5:54 am

by calicyclist

Campyforever wrote:
Sat Feb 25, 2023 12:36 pm
Hey Porsche, can you put my graphics on your car?
Thank you for reminding me of the one other experience in my life I had that was maybe equally as weird. I had a deposit down on a Porsche Taycan and the local dealership didn't even contact me to tell me the car was finally orderable for weeks after they started taking orders from non-deposit customers. When they finally did they were all weird about it to the point I ended up buying BMW M8 instead. Hey Porsche can you take my $150k? No thanks we're good. So weird.
Argonaut RM3 | Pivot Trail 429

calicyclist
Posts: 91
Joined: Fri Dec 02, 2022 5:54 am

by calicyclist

Konsi wrote:
Sat Feb 25, 2023 9:57 am
Maybe as further information, this week was probably the worst ever week to call them. They had the hearings in the patent case that SRAM had brought against them, so that could have potentially destroyed PCW. The verdict came out late on Friday – SRAM lost, PCW won.
This is interesting information and provides a very good reason why he may have not returned my call.
Argonaut RM3 | Pivot Trail 429

calicyclist
Posts: 91
Joined: Fri Dec 02, 2022 5:54 am

by calicyclist

CustomMetal wrote:
Sat Feb 25, 2023 3:54 pm
Also what about black inc 5? Super unique and would match a Argonaut well
These actually do look nice and quite unique. Not really as deep as I'd like. They claim to offer similar aero performance to deeper wheels. Do you believe that?

I do like the bladed designs better. They look like car wheels. I wonder a little how this impacts performance/longevity, etc.

What do you think about Corima wheels? These look really nice as well although I really don't like the bright white logos at all.
Last edited by calicyclist on Sat Feb 25, 2023 10:54 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Argonaut RM3 | Pivot Trail 429

FactoryMatt
Posts: 1014
Joined: Tue Apr 14, 2015 4:35 am

by FactoryMatt

why did they take all their "white papers" and marketing off their website? Now, its just a bunch of social proofing and name drops and cosmetic stuff for the chi chi crowd. i miss the aero nerd angle.

hannawald
Posts: 1706
Joined: Sat Dec 17, 2016 7:28 pm
Location: Czech Republic

by hannawald

calicyclist wrote:
Sat Feb 25, 2023 9:05 pm
CustomMetal wrote:
Sat Feb 25, 2023 3:54 pm
Also what about black inc 5? Super unique and would match a Argonaut well
These actually do look nice and quite unique. Not really as deep as I'd like. They claim to offer similar aero performance to deeper wheels. Do you believe that?

I do like the bladed designs better. They look like car wheels. I wonder a little how thing impacts performance/longevity, etc.

What do you think about Corima wheels? These look really nice as well although I really don't like the bright white logos at all.
You can buy Corima wheels with decals in many colors from the manufacturer.
Cadex wheels have also great reviews and measured stiffness.

by Weenie


Visit starbike.com Online Retailer for HighEnd cycling components
Great Prices ✓    Broad Selection ✓    Worldwide Delivery ✓

www.starbike.com



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