My preferences for wheels in order of my preference and why...
1
Custom Cruiser, made by Bourbon Hackworth. $55.00 plus shipping
http://www.cccruiser.com/Ordering.html
The quality of materials is of the highest grade for wheels.
The turn around time from placing order to receiving the wheel is fast, usually shipped out with in one day of your order, unless she tells you otherwise.
Every order is customized to your gliders and your gliders needs, regarding colony size, width of track, bounce option and color choices.
It's the quietest wheel I have.
Customer service is impeccable
She stands behind her product.
If you order one from her tell her Carla sent you, please
2
Raptor wheels made by David Watkins
http://www.mygliderwheelsandmore.com/
The quality is pretty good
Turn around time from placing an order to receiving wheel can vary from kind of quick to your waiting for months depending on how he's feeling and how backed up his orders are. My last one took 3 or 4 months to receive.
Customer service, He doesn't respond quickly about inquiries regarding your order if he does at all.
the wheels do last a long time, if you don't mind waiting a long time to get them.
he makes a junior raptor for traveling or smaller cages.
I like that he helps legitimate rescues and gives people the option to buy a wheel at discounted rates for legitimate rescues.
He does offer trim trax for his wheels but it is extra.
3
Fast Track http://www.spinzoneglobal.com/
This wheels uses a diamond mesh for the track I'm not to crazy about, but it's a pretty smooth spinning wheel.
Mine came to me used and has held up pretty well since I've had it. I don't dislike it really but I don't love it either.
They do have more color options than the other wheel vendors however, the lids they are using to get those colors are of lesser quality and some have had major cracks and breaks because of inferior quality.
I haven't dealt with this company personally, but I've heard their customer service is lacking.
fast track wheel is one step higher than the stealth ONLY because I have all three of the wheels in my first 3 I don't have a stealth wheel.
4
Stealth wheels http://www.atticworx.com/
I've never heard of anything negative about the stealth wheels, other than customer service wasn't so great.
I do know that they are currently working on a brand new design that looks very promising. However, it's not available to the public yet.
The Silent Runner...... I'm not a fan of, it was supposed to be a safer wheel than the wodent wheel and this is the first incident I've heard of one causing an injury. I would be interested in seeing some pics of the malfunctioned wheel.
Usually if bearings seize up on a wheel it's because the bearings got wet. Did you put the wheel in a sink of water to soak or get the back assembly wet somehow ?
tail and foot amputations are not death sentences for gliders. I'd be interested in hearing the entire story. I'm not doubting that the initial injuries happened because of the wheel, but these are not injuries that they can't recover from with proper medical attention and after care.
At any rate I'm sorry for your loss and that you and your baby experienced this
The woodent wheel..... again I'm really not a fan of it. However, the pics of the tangled glider was ONE isolated freak incident. If cleaned properly, and IF the safe shield from the manufacturer is put over the center axle it can be SAFER than the original woodent wheel. I'm NOT saying it's deemed SAFE by any means but it is safer. Like wearing a safety belt in a car, there is still a risk you will be injured but the risk is reduced some.
The new woodent wheels come with the shield already installed if yours doesn't have one go to the manufacturers site and get one they are only like a buck.
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Silent Runner Wheel. Yes or No?
