[Smacks-]

Ok, so I'm in the market for a new wheelset. Needs to be 20mm (no brake mounts preferred) front and 135mm SS rear.

So far I've been looking at NS, Hope and Profile's offerings. NS and hope are more affordable, so I've been looking at them moreso than the Profile, as the super expensive Profile bits are a bit of a pipe dream at the moment.

I'll most likely be buying as a complete wheelset, with the same rims, spokes, nipples, etc. and I have $650 to spend.

NS Roller Simple + Coaster Pro SS laced to Rhyno Lites: $410

Hope Pro 2 + Hope Pro 2 SS laced to Rhyno Lites: $474

Profile MTB SS rear + 20mm front: $523 for the hubset only :O

I'm also after a pair of Identiti 1420 forks, so that I can run either rigids or a 20mm suspension fork and remain able to run the same wheel for both forks. Anyone ridden them? Have them? Have experience with them?

Also, thoughts on the wheelset? Anyone got any reasons why I should get the NS hubs over the Hopes, and vice versa?

These prices are quoted from CRC, with the Profile numbers are direct from the Profile site, all in Australian dollars. If you know of somewhere I can get a similar/same wheelset for cheaper, please let me know!

 

[Stoked]

Australia gets killed buying profile stuff. maybe that's why colony frames are so expensive in the states. paybacks a bitch.

 

[grom-dom]

profiles are worth it. i got my wheels for under $650, with dt spokes and odyssey 7ka's. look used.

 

[quickneonrt]

Hard to beat Profiles. Did you look at Atomlab? They do custom builds with their hubs and rims. Personally I have always had a good experience with their rims. They also make a ss 135mm rear hub.

 

[eaterofdog]

I'm ordering some 24 wheels soon and getting the DMR Revolver hubs, they have the 20mm front and 135 ss rear.

 

[JGill]

I was going to run a set of Profiles but found a front Hope for $46 so I'm running a Profile ss and a 20mm Hope up front. Saved quite a bit of cash in doing so...

 

[DirtBag]

I am a Profile fan tried and true. I have 4 bikes and 3 of them have full sets of Profiles on them. One MTB 8-speed cassette set, one MTB SS set and one BMX set. All of them Ti cassette or drivers. If I didn't have new DT Swiss hubs on my 4th bike, they would also be Profiles.

Yes they are $$ but in my opinion they just last no matter how you beat on them. I have had zero issues with them. Simple maintenance once or 2x a year with 3-in-1 oil. Pawl system is flawless. They look great and have a great finish. Plus they have awesome mounting hardware.

I buy hubs once and forget about them. They last forever.

 

[Smacks-]

Haha, I should've figured the amount of responses I'd get for Profile on a North American forum. Like was mentioned earlier in the thread, Profile prices here are pretty exorbitant. I mean, the hubset would cost me more, without postage, than the NS or Hope wheelset would altogether, posted

I know the Profiles would trump NSs or Hopes quality-wise, but I just can't justify spending that much more on hubs when I could get a top-shelf wheelset for like a hundred dollars less. I mentioned them to see if anyone would persuade me that it'd be worth my money.

I'm leaning towards the NS hubs, basically because I've got my heart set on a brake-mount-less front end, but I might go NS front, Hope rear to save a bit of weight. Thoughts? Other recommendations?

 

[quickneonrt]

I personally do not like NS stuff, I have seen and heard of more NS frames breaking. I would go Hope then since I know they make a quality hub or a Hadley rear hub. The front isn't as crucial.
Why Rhyno-lites? At least Rhyno-lite XL's but I would go with Arrow or Atomlab rims.

 

[Smacks-]

Sorry, I've been meaning Rhyno Lite XLs.

So you'd recommend a Hope over the NS? That seems to be the consensus, so I think I might go for the Hope on the rear and an NS on the front.