[spacoli]

I need some help or info on some rims. I'm planning on building these up myself and they will be my first wheels build. I have purchased all the wheel building tools needed (Park TS-2, Park tension meter and Park dishing tool).

My back ground info is..... my weight 175 geared up, ride a 5.5 inch+ FS bike and ride general trail riding with rocks and roots with some faster DH thrown in. My wheels are always build with Super comp spokes, rims Velocity VXC (stans tubeless), DT 5.1 (other bike (DT tubeless)) and X317 (ghetto tubeless). I usually run 2.1 tires on this bike, but I might want to go to a 2.35 Nevegal on the like on my other bike. The VXC and DT 5.1 were built by professional builders, the X317 was an OEM wheel. I never had any problem with DT 5.1 it has not moved, the VXC was pretty much the same other than very minor truing, the X317 has been good although I have not looked at in in a truing stand, but visually it's good.

I don't seem to be very hard on my wheels although I feels I ride pretty hard and don't shy away from the rocks and fast DH runs.

I would like to build a lightest set of wheels and would like to go with the Arch rim to save some weight.

So my question is...... Is the Arch rim suitable for my, weight, bike, riding style and needs or should I go with the Flow? I guess what worries me the most is no eyelets and the low spoke tension compared to other rims.

Or should I just forget about the ZRT rims and go with a tried and true XM 719.

What ever rim I decide on it will be laced with Super comp spokes and converted to tubeless one way or another.

Thanks

 

[Banshee Rider]

I'd opt for the Arch personally. I use for the Flows for proper AM riding (defined as descents that would overwhelm an XC bike but are virtually inaccessable or worthwhile on a freeride or downhill bike) and 355s for XC. You and I are of similar weight, and I tend to be demanding on my wheels due to a background in racing downhill. If I were in your shoes, I would opt for the Arch. Their rims in general seal up effortlessly and hold a bead phenominally.

 

[spacoli]

Hey , thanks for your input. Man this a tough decision. I just don't know which way to go.

I just scored a used CK ISO rear hub off eBay for $225. and have a front Pro 2 order at my LBS.

Reasoning says yes the Arch will be fine, but sometimes when riding lighter weight wheels I hold back a little bit on the DH because I'm worried about wheels damage. Plus I'm not sure how a Arch will handle a 2.35 Nevegal if I want to run one.

Thank again

 

[Banshee Rider]

You suffer from the same train of thought alot of xc riders do IMO. Buying based on worst-case-scenerio leaves you with unnecessary bulk to carry around on the 90% of riding you'll actually encounter. I think you'll be suprised what a well-built wheel will take. The flow is a respectable 470g and a fine AM rim, but there is a large number of downhill racers who use that rim for abuse far beyond its intended design. The fact of the matter is that I have dented and rendered my flows useless before they were ever "outridden." With the Arch using the same construction as the flow, you can rest assured that the same rule will apply; You'll accidently square-edge a rock and dent your rim before it fails, which isn't the rims fault, but rider error and is not all that common. It'll happen to both, it's just a matter of whether you want to have carried around an extra 100g's in your wheels the entire time leading up to it Personally, with the arch simply being a 50g lighter version of the flow, the choice is clearcut.