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Easton Havoc Wheels?

Optimax150

Monkey
Aug 1, 2008
208
0
Japan
Opinions on the Easton's Havoc DH, 2011. The 28 spokes has me worried about the strength and reliability. The trails I ride are not that gnarly. There is just a occasional rock garden. I take it fairly smooth but once in a while get knocked off line and nail a rock.
 

p-spec

Turbo Monkey
May 2, 2004
1,278
1
quebec
I'm not considering them ( I need new wheels ) simply because everything is proprietary to their own system ( same reason I wont do deemax ) ( or I9 )

I like having a good broad rage of options ( hubs spokes wheels )
 

bullcrew

3 Dude Approved
I'm not considering them ( I need new wheels ) simply because everything is proprietary to their own system ( same reason I wont do deemax ) ( or I9 )

I like having a good broad rage of options ( hubs spokes wheels )
Lol that's both of my whelsets.
Agread with p-spec that the proprietary thing is a pia. I'm OK with the i9s if I smoke a hoop theres several to choose from within the erd, if i toast a spoke I have a few if i have a major failure I'm screwed.
Deemax same thing hoops are expensise and spokes aren't common at mom and pop shops.

I would opt for a non proprietary wheelset if you have only 1. Hadley, king, i9 j bend hubs, something like that or even outlaw.
 

Optimax150

Monkey
Aug 1, 2008
208
0
Japan
What's so different with this proprietary wheelset from other non-proprietary wheelsets? Also how does this wheelset hold up? 28 spoke vs 32 spoke.
 

yd35

Monkey
Oct 28, 2008
741
61
NY
Havocs use straight pull spokes which can tensioned much more than the more common j-bend spoke. This higher tension leads to a stronger wheel, hence allowing you to use less spokes and still make a wheel comparable to the traditional 32 spoker. I have no experience with Easton wheels but I do have a set of Cane Creek wheels which use straight pulls. It also has 28 spokes, and I can attest that it is just as strong as a 32 spoke wheel. I can also tell you that it is harder to find shops that carry straight pull spokes and that know how to work on these kinds of wheels. Another thing to consider is that a lot of these straight pull wheels (my Cane Creek wheels included, and I believe the Havocs as well) have funky hub and rim interfaces which may make it impossible to re-lace the wheel with a different rim or hub.

If you found a great deal on the Havocs, I'd say go for it. They're probably plenty strong and though it'll be more difficult to get them serviced, it's by no means impossible. Otherwise, you're better off getting wheels with normal spokes and non-proprietary rims and hubs.
 
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Optimax150

Monkey
Aug 1, 2008
208
0
Japan
Somebody was telling me about straight pulled built wheels. I just didn't know the benefit. That explains why it's 28 spoke and not 32. Thanks for the info. I think I can get away with a little softer rim. Im think about getting these. My hub went out on my outlaws, not bad for over 3yrs abuse. The price of the outlaws really jumped up. The havoc's are cheaper.
 
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slyfink

Turbo Monkey
Sep 16, 2008
9,741
5,537
Ottawa, Canada
Havocs use straight pull spokes which can tensioned much more than the more common j-bend spoke. This higher tension leads to a stronger wheel, hence allowing you to use less spokes and still make a wheel comparable to the traditional 32 spoker. I have no experience with Easton wheels but I do have a set of Cane Creek wheels which use straight pulls. It also has 28 spokes, and I can attest that it is just as strong as a 32 spoke wheel. I can also tell you that it is harder to find shops that carry straight pull spokes and that know how to work on these kinds of wheels. Another thing to consider is that a lot of these straight pull wheels (my Cane Creek wheels included, and I believe the Havocs as well) have funky hub and rim interfaces which may make it impossible to re-lace the wheel with a different rim or hub.

If you found a great deal on the Havocs, I'd say go for it. They're probably plenty strong and though it'll be more difficult to get them serviced, it's by no means impossible. Otherwise, you're better off getting wheels with normal spokes and non-proprietary rims and hubs.
Somebody was telling me about straight pulled built wheels. I just didn't know the benefit. That explains why it's 28 spoke and not 32. Thanks for the info. I think I can get away with a little softer rim. Im think about getting these. My hub went out on my outlaws, not bad for over 3yrs abuse. The price of the outlaws really jumped up. The havoc's are cheaper.
the flip-side of those straight pull spokes having higher tension is that if you bust a spoke (say a stick gets caught in your spoke or you slip and fall off a bridge funny), the higher tension of the spokes will have a tendency to pull the wheel out of true more. Having busted a spoke here and there before, this is a significant issue for me. Though it may not be for you.
 

jrewing

Monkey
Aug 22, 2010
399
282
Maydena Oz
They're ace. Stay true for ever. strong, lasted a whole season...fronts still perfect...back has a flat spot cause i slipped a pedal and rode the seat casing into the sharp rock edge of the lander, and really the small flat spot i got was minor considering how heavy the hit was.

Got mine for a steal. Theyre now my practice wheels. I built a tubeless set of 823/hopes to save weight. That is the downfall of the wheels- they are a little heavy but thats the trade off of strength.
only wish they were tubeless.
 

Uncle Cliffy

Turbo Monkey
Jan 28, 2008
4,490
42
Southern Oregon
They're ace. Stay true for ever. strong, lasted a whole season...fronts still perfect...back has a flat spot cause i slipped a pedal and rode the seat casing into the sharp rock edge of the lander, and really the small flat spot i got was minor considering how heavy the hit was.

Got mine for a steal. Theyre now my practice wheels. I built a tubeless set of 823/hopes to save weight. That is the downfall of the wheels- they are a little heavy but thats the trade off of strength.
only wish they were tubeless.
Hold up. You're saying the Havocs are heavier than your Hope/823 wheels? Easton claims a 135mm set weighs 1750 grams...
 

norbar

KESSLER PROBLEM. Just cause
Jun 7, 2007
11,499
1,719
Warsaw :/
Hold up. You're saying the Havocs are heavier than your Hope/823 wheels? Easton claims a 135mm set weighs 1750 grams...
2012s not 2011s which were heavier. I think he also talks about havoc dhs. They pop up on chainlove once a while.
 

Optimax150

Monkey
Aug 1, 2008
208
0
Japan
I ordered the 2011 set. Ordered the wheelset and a few hours later they are shipped out already. I don't mind the weight right now. I know if I lose a race it's because of me and not the weight of the wheel.
 

jrewing

Monkey
Aug 22, 2010
399
282
Maydena Oz
Hold up. You're saying the Havocs are heavier than your Hope/823 wheels? Easton claims a 135mm set weighs 1750 grams...

the Havoc DH are heavier than the Havoc plus arent tubeless. The new ones are tubeless tho

I would of went for the 2012 havoc 150mm but they dont seem available yet. On th 20/135mm the front wheels has 24 spokes only. eek
 

AutoPilotOff

Chimp
Jan 4, 2010
41
0
The 2011 DH's are around 2400 grams. Most of that is at the hubs so they pedal really good for the over all weight. Ive had mine for about 6 months and they are holding up really well. For the closeout price (under $300) they cant be beat.