FFWD Wheels USA

Ongoing Reliability Issues with FFWD Ryot 44

It seems like I might be the only one having consistently bad experiences with these wheels, but I still want to share my honest review. I’ve been using the FFWD Ryot 44 wheels for about two years now, and unfortunately, they’ve let me down multiple times, often when I needed them the most. To start, after just one week of use, the rim delaminated, causing bulging spots in the rim. This was very surprising given the premium price point, I simply didn’t expect this level of quality issue. Secondly, the tubeless rim tape failed while the tire was inflated at a normal pressure (around 4.5 bar). I’ve used the same pressure on other wheels without ever encountering a problem, so this raised further concerns. The most persistent issue, however, has been with the spokes. Every year, a spoke on the non-drive side of the rear wheel breaks. The spoke distribution, fewer spokes on the non-drive side compared to the drive side, seems to create higher stress on that side. At this point, it feels like a potential design flaw, as the failures keep recurring. Most recently, a spoke snapped during a regular uphill ride, without any unusual load or impact. To make matters worse, I suspect this may have even caused some damage to my frame, which is extremely frustrating. It’s also possible that earlier tubeless sealant leakage (due to the rim tape failure) affected the spoke nipples over time, but I can’t say that for certain. To be fair, the customer service from FFWD has been good. However, the repeated mechanical issues with the rear wheel overshadow that positive experience. Overall, based on my experience, I wouldn’t purchase FFWD wheels again, especially considering that I’ve used several other brands without encountering these kinds of problems.

Truong TrieuGermany · 4 reviews · Experienced 2025-10-30 · Posted 2025-12-07

My experience with FFWD Wheels USA was…

My experience with FFWD Wheels USA was excellent, The wheels arrived on time, were high-quality, and improved my bike's performance noticeably. It's a reliable choice for serious cyclists for top-notch components.

Finally got the bike built and I love the wheels

I took a bit of a chance when ordering this wheelset. I'm fussy about ratchet noise when coasting and I sold the last bike because the sound was too irritating. I put the money toward a new R5 and the FFWD wheelset. Yes, they are louder than my old 36 tooth DT Swiss but that's an unfair comparison. Second, I'm a light rider and crosswinds down some of the gaps here in Vermont push me around. There's no way to know how the wheel will handle gusts except to try them. I played it safe, bought the Raw 33, built them with 32 mm 5000 S tubeless and they're great.

Jason StallardUnited States · 2 reviews · Verified · Experienced 2025-01-23 · Posted 2025-11-25

5 sets so far and the brand I trust and…

5 sets so far and the brand I trust and prefer. Don’t even entertain others

The website is intuitive and easy to…

The website is intuitive and easy to use. From start to finish, the communication was clear and prompt, and my order shipped quickly. Overall, an excellent experience.

Drift Control 240 EXP

After testing a few comparable sets using the same tires and pressures, the new Drift Control 240 EXP's are as advertised. If you are looking for a wheel that provides comfort and durability, then look no further. Plus you can expect excellent customer service!

Haven’t used the wheels yet but the…

Haven’t used the wheels yet but the process was great. The cap in the shipping box was a nice touch. That I’ve used!

Received my set of F4r FCC wheels

Received my set of F4r FCC wheels 3 days after placing my order. Great set of wheels for my older rim brake Titanium bike. Perfectly round and true out of the box. I'm realizing a 2-3 tenths of MPH increase on my typical 2 hour zone 2 ride versus my prior 35mm deep carbon rims. Continuing with tubes for now until I exhaust my remaining stock of Vittoria Corsa clincher tires. Can wait to go tubeless. It has been 3 weeks and I could not be happier with my purchase. Thanks Fast Forward team. My purchase couldn't have been any easier and Jay was very helpful with a few questions I had prior to my purchase.

Very easy ordering process

Very easy ordering process, GREAT customer service.

Could not be happier

Free hat and wheel bag were a super nice touch. Arrived a day earlier than expected. Absolutely beautiful wheels with very tasteful logos. You can tell these folks are super focused on the details in the manufacturing process. First ride on them was so great. Honestly it felt like a completely different bike coming from my aluminum OEM wheels.

Great wheels

Great wheels, fast shipping, free swag... who wouldn't consider this a 5-star company?!?

Fantastic service- they answered every…

Fantastic service- they answered every email and answered every question- absolutely superb

Fast response

Website is very easy to navigate

Website is very easy to navigate. Had to call to verify shipping options and customer service was excellent!! Items delivered on time and package was prepared very well.

They check all the boxes and deliver.

I had a few questions and emailed ffwdusa.com and "Pam" got back to me really promptly and answered everything. They were out of stock of the RYOT44 at the time I was looking. Then a few days later I checked the website and a new stock had arrived so I didn't hesitate to order. They arrived roughly 3 shipping days after I placed the order. Personally I don't want to order something similar at a discount, directly from the country of manufacturing origin from a generic vendor because that cuts out the middleman which in this case is also the innovator and I believe that entity deserves recognition for their value-add. I also got the wheels a few days after I ordered them and could be confident I'd be dealing with someone in or near my time zone if I have any issues going forward. The wheels themselves are as advertised: deep, wide, very light and it was basically a breeze to mount tubeless GP5000 S TR onto them. If you're new to tubeless mounting like I was and if you don't have a blast pump or something similar, I strongly suggest you get one to make tire bead mounting a breeze.

Product is great.

Product is great. Packaging was great. Communication was great. Delivery was prompt. there's a good chance I will purchase again.

FFWD RYOT 44

My pre and post purchase questions were answered promptly, and the FFWD rep's replies were very informative. Shipping was very quick, sooner than expected! Installed the new wheels and am very pleased with aesthetics, performance, quality, and overall customer service. Thank you FFWD.

Easy ordering

Easy ordering. Delivered when promised.

Questions were answered very promptly

Questions were answered very promptly. Shipping was amazingly fast. The wheels look and feel great. I can’t wait to get out and ride on them.

Great wheels and customer service from FFWD and Radial Sports.

I purchased a Drift wheelset with DT 240 hubs in February. I called Radial Sports with a few questions and the customer service was great, had my wheels within a few days, great company. The Drifts are a fantastic wheelset, well built and ride nice. Excellent bead retention, I like them a lot. And the padded wheel bag is a nice touch. I liked the Drifts so much I just purchased the revised Ryot 33 with DT 240s for my Aspero as an all road bike set up, another nice wheelset from FFWD. The Ryots are a great match with 35mm G One Speeds on backroads. Reasonably light and no issues setting up tubeless on either set. The Ryots also came in a padded wheel bag, nice buying experience all around. Highly recommended.