[gemini2k]

So yesterday on one of our DH trails (the one rocky one Arron Gwin is on in Tipping Point for those in the know) Despite running my michi tire at 35 psi, I managed to dent my mtx rim so badly, it buckled the side wall and 'ruptured' it as well, to the point where it basically split the sidewall below the bead in 2 pieces. It was only my second week on that rim too :'(. I'll post a pic tomorrow.

Anyways, I've found myself riding harder and faster lately, and riding faster and rockier trails as well. As a big guy at 215 or so with gear this turns out to be a problem. So what rims are you hack's running? My guess is I need something like an MTX, but with a shorter sidewall and lower profile. Maybe something like a WTB dual duty, but thicker walls. Thoughts? I'm only looking for opinions from those who have broken all the rest. Not from people who ride jumps, not from people who ride "slow technical" trails. Fast and rocky, what can take it. I don't wanna be "that guy" who's always breaking rims from now on.


Edit:
Update, added pics in the post below

 

[buckoW]

One of the strongest rims I have run is the Syncros 32. I run lighter stuff now but those are my backup wheels and don't seem to want to die. I go through a lot of wheels from all the big rim makers in the summer and the Syncros are the only ones who don't want to die. The only problem I can see with them is the weight but if you are running the MTX then that should be comparable.

 

[gemini2k]

One of the strongest rims I have run is the Syncros 32. I run lighter stuff now but those are my backup wheels and don't seem to want to die. I go through a lot of wheels from all the big rim makers in the summer and the Syncros are the only ones who don't want to die. The only problem I can see with them is the weight but if you are running the MTX then that should be comparable.

Ya not TOO concerned about weight, would like to keep it under ~750g if possible.

 

[BMCarter]

I think a 729 would be a soild choice.

I flatted on Tunnel within the first 5 feet of the rocks. Rode it down the whole way flat at full speed trying to see how hard I could smash it on rocks (I was in a real bad mood that day), the wheel is still going strong over a year later.

I have 721's for race duty, and the trusty 729's for everyday use.

 

[buckoW]

I test a lot of OEM parts for Scott and have had time on lots of different rims. I am currently on the new generation DT Swiss rims (EX 500 and 600) with the different alloy and inner shape as well as the new Syncros 32 which I don't think is out yet. It is lighter than the old one and if it is as strong then I might have found my ideal rim. It is 550 grams for a 32mm wide rim. That is perfect for me if it holds up although I am secretly hoping the new EX 500 is going to work as well. I could never get the old DT 5.1 to last more than a couple rides and the new one is much easier to get tires on as well as it seems to be a slightly harder alu. Time will tell.

 

[jamesdc]

I'm running a 729 up front and a mag 30 in back. The mag 30 is heavy and loud rear rim but I just got tired of destroying 729's, I am a hack though. The big bonus of the mag 30 is being able to finish baldy runs with a flat.

 

[dhmike]

i run outlaws with no problems .

 

[blackohio]

i ran 823's without problems there and run them here out east now.

 

[DirtyMike]

im running Transition revolutions, I beat the **** out of them. I am 250, run 30 PSI. two years on them, no flat spots, trued once. I also hand build all my own wheels, so I ordered them up as hubs and hoops.

My Brother has outlaws on his ride, rode those bitches with a flat 12 miles to get back to the truck no dents. a full mile of that was rock garden central, no need for truing, no dents or flats spots after. They really did hold up to truly being abused.

 

[The Breaker Man]

I have had good luck with 823's. Take longer to lace up, but worth it.

 

[gemini2k]

I was tempted to try some of the mavic alternatives, after a long boycott of them (price, grrrrr). But it seems like the rim profile is really wide, which makes me hesitant. Leaning towards dual dutys since a lot of my hack-plow buddies are having good luck with them. Thanks for the input so far.

 

[RMboy]

Mavic 823! Had them for 3 years nearly and they have taken everything rocky alps to drops and jumps. You cant fault them really

 

[Chaingangster]

Eight two three for teh win!! Been rockin the same pair since 05! Granted, I'm just short of 170lbs, but I've been very impressed nevertheless.

 

[cmoney]

Spend the extra and get the WTB laserdisc FR or DH I rode the FR for two years and just replaced them with new FR's they are light 570 grams and very strong if you are really tough on wheels get the DH model.

 

[gemini2k]

Spend the extra and get the WTB laserdisc FR or DH I rode the FR for two years and just replaced them with new FR's they are light 570 grams and very strong if you are really tough on wheels get the DH model.

It's not cost i'm THAT worried about. I would jump for the laser disc DH but they're a bit wider than I'd like. I also heard they are more likely to dent than the dual duty's. Thoughts?
I was running singletracks before. Those seemed difficult to stay true for me. It was probably a subpar build on them though. By thend of 6-7 months they were more square than circular. Maybe I should try them again with a better build? but again, they're a wider profile. Thoughts on that?

 

[rider151]

Little guy here at 160lbs. Ride the same type stuff and would avoid WTB's like the plague. Destroyed front and rear WTB's and just switched to I9's and couldn't be happier. Aside from those everyone elses recommendations are spot on. Had great luck with 729's and 823's as well.

 

[JRogers]

Might be an obvious question, but why the concern about the rim being too wide? I could understand if it were 1999 and we were talking Doublewides or something, but most of the stuff now is pretty reasonable.

The Dual Duty seems like a bit of a strange choice, given that it's lighter than a 721. They seem pretty solid, but I'd be concerned if you have a habit of breaking things. Ran an MTX on the front for a bit and it didn't seem to hold up quite as well as I thought it might. Went out of true a bit and I put a few small and two huge dents in the sidewall. Mag30s didn't ever dent or go out of true, but they were super heavy- overkill unless you really will destroy everything else.

I am not super hard on wheels, but from my experience and in what I've seen, Mavics are the best. They are expensive, but they will last. 729 and 823 are both really solid. Mavic tubeless rims seem freakishly strong to me. I have an 819 (xc version) that is probably 5 years old or so. Maybe I've trued it once. Hit drops, cased jumps, raced DS, did some lighter DHing on it without any problems.

 

[Kanye West]

I've been running the Dual Duty's on both my bikes for the last 3 years. I was skeptical at first too thinking "that's a wimpy XC rim". I don't know how the hell they've held up. I have tagged the ever living sh*t out of them. I used to dent and hairline fracture 729's/721's left and right and got sick of it. Whatever ceramic they use seems to get little cracks a lot, particularly around the eyelets.

Being lighter is a nice side benefit I guess, though I don't even notice it with a dual ply tire on there. The LaserDisc and the WTB hubs are pretty forgettable though.


Oh.......and they're cheap.

 

[Dox]

I ran MTX29 all season in bromont. I'm weight 160lbs and run 35 psi. They held up great laced with dt revolution the front wheel is like new but the rear got 2 bad dent (when i flatted). The ally look soft but if you run decent pressure and dont flat often they can take a beating. I'm not the softest guy on rims. But if you killed your regular mtx it might not be for you.

 

[cmoney]

The Laserdisc FR do not dent plenty of days at Whistler and Mount Washington lots of hard riding and I weigh around 220lbs I can't see myself running anything else.Gave up on Mavic destroyed lots of 729's they crack dent and blow up I will never buy another Mavic rim.

 

[gemini2k]

Here's the pics so you guys can see what kind of Hack I am. A tad bit sucky and blurry and over exposed (I was in a rush). I'll see if I can get better ones. I drew a red line over the entire length of the crack. There are 2 sharp edges there

 

[gemini2k]

Maybe I'll try the laser disc DH then if you say they aren't that soft. I might try the dual duty's first. GARRRRR. Why can't they just make a rim with the profile of the dual duty's, out of the same alloy, with 20-30% thicker walls!

 

[gemini2k]

Might be an obvious question, but why the concern about the rim being too wide? I could understand if it were 1999 and we were talking Doublewides or something, but most of the stuff now is pretty reasonable.

The Dual Duty seems like a bit of a strange choice, given that it's lighter than a 721. They seem pretty solid, but I'd be concerned if you have a habit of breaking things.

I'm not too concerned about things being out of true/going out of true. I'm not doing/casing jumps like i used to, plus I can deal with a slightly out of true wheelh. What I CANNOT deal with are cracked and severely dented sidewalls, which is why I'm obsessively concerned about rim width/tire profile etc. I might be crazy/not know what I'm talking about, thus, why I'm open to suggestions.

I would love to go with the mavics, but nearly EVERYONE I've talked to who run them and ride them hard has complained about cracking them every which way.

 

[DirtyMike]

As far as width goes, 30ishmm is pretty standard for DH and freeride use. Outlaws are there, the revolutions are there, the single tracks are there.

You mentioned the Singletrack, a good build makes all the difference on those wheels. 823's have been mentioned, yeah, they are tough, but I have seen mroe than a few cracked at the retainers so I undertsand why you would be hesitant for those.


Dont let the 30mm width be your deciding factor, its pretty standard now.

 

[RayB]

Honestly, if you're as fat of a hack as you say you are.......

Pony up the dough and get an 823. Then, find yourself a GREAT wheelbuilder and pay him accordingly.

 

[Kanye West]

He's not really fat, just hairy. And a hack.

 

[Jeremy R]

I had a lot those same dents when I ran the MTX rim.
So soft. The only good thing was that you could normally bend them back.

Anyway, I have been on the Alex Supra D rims for a couple of years now, and they have been great for me. They are lower profile and more rounded than the MTX rim, and they will knock out of true before denting. I think they are 32mm wide and weigh like 580 grams or so.

 

[JRogers]

Here's the pics so you guys can see what kind of Hack I am. A tad bit sucky and blurry and over exposed (I was in a rush). I'll see if I can get better ones. I drew a red line over the entire length of the crack. There are 2 sharp edges there

I feel your pain....

 

[gemini2k]

He's not really fat, just hairy. And a hack.

Wurd, just tall thin and hairy. I've got some more ideas for your late birthday present btw.

 

[huntandride]

If your still looking at the dual dutys i would look else where. They are plenty strong for but pretty narrow. If your running 2.5-2.7 tires they may get too round.

 

[freeridefool]

I was super happy with my atomlab dhr's. I rode them for two years and never even dented them. I run super low pressures and they were strong as all get out. They are now on my friends bike, as I had a big hit with 26/24 and they stayed with the bike. I never even tightened a spoke on them.

 

[gemini2k]

I feel your pain....

Can we be soul mates?

Also, update: Going with the dual duty's and grabbing an intense mag 30 to build up if it breaks quickly.

 

[gemini2k]

If your still looking at the dual dutys i would look else where. They are plenty strong for but pretty narrow. If your running 2.5-2.7 tires they may get too round.

Nah, this is for the rear that I'm concerned. Haven't had problems in the front with denting. Only running narrow 2.5's or smaller.

 

[Kanye West]

If your still looking at the dual dutys i would look else where. They are plenty strong for but pretty narrow. If your running 2.5-2.7 tires they may get too round.

They have a great tire profile with DH tires on them I think.