[kidwoo]

I asked one person here a while back what he thought of his on his trail bike. I've been pretty blown away by the grade wheels on my dh ride. The expected dings but no pinches or flats other than a violent tear that wasn't rim dependent.

Are the trail rims similar? Seems like the old dt swiss approach, soft rim, finish the run without a flat approach. I want a set of wheels to pound on without the spine resonance of the carbon wheels I have. The weights are good and the spoke design builds a good stiffy.

Any thoughts?

 

[SuboptimusPrime]

Been beating on a couple sets of enduro rims for 4 and 1.5 years (26 and 27.5, respectively). These are the 26mm width versions. They've been stellar. The rear of the older 26r has a few dents but still holds a tubeless rim fine. I don't think they are as soft as truly soft rims like some of the old school DT Swiss but they manage to take a beating and keep going nonetheless. I feel like they build up quite stiff laterally compared to other aluminum rim based wheels I've ridden (using the i9 alu spokes). I have no carbon rim experience at all.

No direct experience with the 30mm newer enduro rims but I've not heard any complaints from the handful of buddies I know running them.

A buddy with the trail 24.5 rims has taco'd his wheel a few times and put some pretty significant dings/wobbles into his rims while riding with me. He and I are both ~200 pounds, doing a mix of regular trails, Pisgah, jumps, etc. If it were me I'd stick to the enduros over the trails if you plan to beat on them and/or keep them long term.

 

[Jm_]

Well...there's this

http://forums.mtbr.com/wheels-tires/i9-rims-wtf-1045146.html

 

[kidwoo]

What happens to weak ass wagon hoops doesn't really tell me anything. Especially from someone who says he's never seen a cracked weld on a seam on welded rims.

Thanks subprime. Those 26mm strong sized ones are exactly what I'm looking at.

 

[SuboptimusPrime]

Thanks subprime. Those 26mm strong sized ones are exactly what I'm looking at.

Come to think of it, I bet they will quit making those before long. I should stock up.

 

[Carraig042]

I too have the 26mm internal width enduro wheels and I have never regretted them. They stay true, sound good, and are just all around great. All other wheels I rode are not liked as much as these.

Brett

 

[HAB]

I have no experience with the I9s, but am very impressed with the DT 471 for an enduro strength metal rim.

 

[Mr Lahey]

I have the 32 spoke 245 wheels and have been very impressed. I ride a mix of very fast bermed jump trails and sharp rock trails that are big bike shuttle worthy. Aside from the recommended break in tune up they have not required a spoke wrench in 1,500 miles- also dent free.

I have ridden the low spoke count version and they are also surprisingly stiff. That being said if you corner hard you will like the 32 spoke better.

The big win is how well they roll for a wheel with such high engagement.

 

[kidwoo]

I have no experience with the I9s, but am very impressed with the DT 471 for an enduro strength metal rim.

Pinch flats on tubeless?

 

[HAB]

Pinch flats on tubeless?

Tubeless. They're definitely not as soft as the DTs of old. IDK if they'd be as good with pinch flats. I've got them on my hardtail, so the rear really takes a beating, but they're holding up great. Seat tires really well too.

 

[kidwoo]

I'm perplexed on what to think about that. Given you'll hit things hard on a hardtail because there's no suspension but you're definitely not going to be hitting things as fast which is what usually causes the problems.

I'm pretty sold on the i9 system though. They've always been stiffer than a similar weight steel spoked wheel and they finally got their shit figured out with loosening spokes.

The problem is those fucking enves I have. I've gotten used to pretty much never getting pinch flats any more.

The last aluminum rim I had on my trail bike, I flatted first run at like 35 psi on a 2.3 tire.

 

[HAB]

My experience is that the hardtail is way harder on wheels and tires. You're definitely not going as fast, but that added sharpness to each hit for not having any suspension to damp it more than makes up for that. I broke an Enve rear, decided that I was over the harshness of the carbon wheels with no suspension anyway, tried the 25mm WTB Frequency because I got them cheap, and turned the rear into a stop sign in about 10 minutes. Been on the DTs for 6 months and they're still mint.

 

[Gary]

The last aluminum rim I had on my trail bike, I flatted first run at like 35 psi on a 2.3 tire.

Try 40

 

[kidwoo]

Try 40

always do

 

[Jm_]

The answer is always lower pressure.

 

[dump]

2.3 tire? What is this, dirt jumping?

 

[jonKranked]

2.3 tire? What is this, dirt jumping?

You poor thing, you drank the Kool aid and now anything that's smaller than 3" is weird.

 

[AngryMetalsmith]

I've got a pair of torch trails on my Spitty. Being my first set of tubeless wheels I was running too low pressure and put a sizable dent in the rear to the point it won't hold air and have been running it with a tube. I9 customer service said, after seeing the pics, that I "must have hit something really freakin hard".

I likes the rawks and the rear rim hasn't dented anywhere else.

Would definitely bang again.

 

[jstuhlman]

dunno . . . my ex500s, which obviously have an unfashionably narrow internal width, sometimes burp the tire when i smack it hard and if i've been lazy and not monitoring pressures and things get a touch low . . . but in general and when i keep an eye on the pressure and it's around 28psi, dang have they held in there with 2.3/2.4 hr2's out back. not sure about the i9 rims, and the newer hubs seem OK, but the older i9 hubs did not have a good reputation for durability/servicing ease.

 

[SuboptimusPrime]

Agree with HAB about rear wheels of a HT taking the worst beating. I put more dings in my rear wheel in one season on the HT than in 3 on my spitfire. Did a shitload more riding on the spitty in that time as well.

 

[Sandwich]

You poor thing, you drank the Kool aid and now anything that's smaller than 3" is weird.

I think @dump is as retrogrouch as @Gary, just without the brashness of her majesty's grace. dump is canadian, and therefore forced to be quiet and respectful, despite his universal healthcare and non-insane president.

 

[dump]

You poor thing, you drank the Kool aid and now anything that's smaller than 3" is weird.

I'm not that guy. Trends come and go... I'm still riding 2.5" maxxis... still running great.

2.3 just seems a bit narrow when going really fast and bashing into things is on your menu.

 

[canadmos]

I'm not that guy. Trends come and go... I'm still riding 2.5" maxxis... still running great.

2.3 just seems a bit narrow when going really fast and bashing into things is on your menu.

My 2.3 Maxxis DHR II's (27.5) on the trail bike don't look much smaller than the 2.5 Maxxis DHF's on the DH bike (26").

 

[dump]

My 2.3 Maxxis DHR II's (27.5) on the trail bike don't look much smaller than the 2.5 Maxxis DHF's on the DH bike (26").

We're talking strong-size wheels, remember? Also, whoever decides what width numbers to put on the side of maxxis tires needs a bonk upside the head.

 

[wiscodh]

Pinch flats on tubeless?

I get pinch flats all the time on the 471 30ish psi but I haven't destroyed A rim in a long time.

Lots a boots in my tires now cause I'm cheap

 

[profro]

I have seriously abused i9 rims over the years. I prefer the older style that is more boxy versus the newer, more rounded style. I have dented the bead area pretty bad and still holds a tubeless tire fine. However I am worried that you think a rim will keep you from getting a "pinch" flat. I assume that when you say this, you are refering to cutting a tubeless tire due to the rim "pinching" the side wall to the point that it cuts the tire? I have done this on every rim I have ever used. Right now I am running a mix of i9 enduro rims and stans flow rims and both have cut Maxxis EXO tires (on numerous occasions). But is that the rim, the tire, or my hack ass?

This is the vintage I am running. Have stocked up because I don't think they have offered these in years.

 

[jonKranked]

I'm not that guy. Trends come and go... I'm still riding 2.5" maxxis... still running great.

2.3 just seems a bit narrow when going really fast and bashing into things is on your menu.

right. 2.5" maxxis are more like a 2.3". so if that's what you're bench marking on, then yes, a 2.3" (which is more like a 2.1") is a bit narrow.

 

[kidwoo]

However I am worried that you think a rim will keep you from getting a "pinch" flat.

That's exactly what I'm saying because it's true. You should try the newer grade wheels if when/you kill those old triangle ones. Those older ones cut into tires more like the old mavic rims. The new ones don't. Plus lighter.

 

[profro]

Is grade a model or style?

I am currently running the latest gen of Stans Flow in 30mm and I still cut EXO tires.

 

[kidwoo]

Is grade a model or style?

I am currently running the latest gen of Stans Flow in 30mm and I still cut EXO tires.

Grade is their new dh rim. Wider, lighter, a little softer sidewall. Like I said, no flats with those, which is saying something considering the number of dings I put in the first season. Just hoping the endurpo rims are similar.


But hey with flow rims and maxxis tires, you're just lucky the tire's even staying on the rim!

 

[maxyedor]

My i9 Trails have been flawless for the last couple years and unknown number of miles, but maybe 18-20 rear tires worth of trail riding. I'm admittedly not hard on rims, but these have been better than anything else I've ridden (I have not ridden any fancy-pants carbon hoops to compare to). Mine are hammered from rocks, but not dented, just gouged and scratched to shit, and I've bonked the rim on lots of rocks due to my laissez-fair approach to tire inflation. Will 100% by buying another boost-a-cated set when the lizard people force me to do so.

A friend of a friend did destroy his rim by over-inflating a tire, but I put that down to user error, 110PSI is way, way too much, explosions happened, Stans sealant was everywhere, it was an expensive fuck-up, don't do that.

 

[jonKranked]

A friend of a friend did destroy his rim by over-inflating a tire, but I put that down to user error, 110PSI is way, way too much, explosions happened, Stans sealant was everywhere, it was an expensive fuck-up, don't do that.

please tell me this was a road tire. if not, your friend should cease mountain biking IMMEDIATELY.

 

[maxyedor]

please tell me this was a road tire. if not, your friend should cease mountain biking IMMEDIATELY.

Nope, Specialized Ground Control, and shop air supply at an automotive shop. He's not very smart, but thinks he's a great mechanic because he owns a lot of tools. We don't invite him to rides anymore, for this and many other reasons.

 

[kidwoo]

That actually split the rim?

That's awesome!

 

[FlipSide]

Nope, Specialized Ground Control, and shop air supply at an automotive shop. He's not very smart, but thinks he's a great mechanic because he owns a lot of tools. We don't invite him to rides anymore, for this and many other reasons.

You should invite him over again to ride and wrench on bikes. Just get these GoPros running and make sure you film everything...

 

[jackalope]

You should invite him over again to ride and wrench on bikes. Just get these GoPros running and make sure you film everything...

From a safe distance of course.

Can't add anything to what Subopt already stated, other than you could get the enduro rims and put crabon weave stickers on them to help with...well, pretty much everything.

 

[Mr Lahey]

Nope, Specialized Ground Control, and shop air supply at an automotive shop. He's not very smart, but thinks he's a great mechanic because he owns a lot of tools. We don't invite him to rides anymore, for this and many other reasons.

Send him back to that air compressor with a fat bike wheel and tire. I've seen those take down an entire peg board of tools and merchandise.

 

[maxyedor]

That actually split the rim?

That's awesome!

Yep, split rim bent a couple spokes and the tire had a giant tumor when he tried to re-install it on the re-laced wheel. Looked to be right at the weld, which makes some sense as it's the weakest part of the rim. According to another guy who we no longer "remember" to text about group rides, when he was a shop wrench they used to blow up a wheel like that once or twice a month he said he exploded a bunch of different brands, so it doesn't seem like an I9 problem, but clearly a rampant idiot problem.

 

[sundaydoug]

I've got a set of 27.5" Enduro 305 wheels and they've been solid. They've only got about 9 months worth of riding on them, but I've got a few solid bike park days and the rear wheel is still straight as an arrow. No dings or flat-spots either, super impressed.

 

[slimshady]

please tell me this was a road tire. if not, your friend should cease mountain biking IMMEDIATELY.

KILL LIST.