823s with normal 2 ply DH tires is the way to go. Maxxis UST tires don't have the best sidewalls, and if you ride anything rocky you'll shred single plys. All it takes is a floor pump and a little stans. Couldn't be easier.
Rims for DH wheelset
- Thread starter nybike1971
- Start date
i destroy rims way faster/more often on the west coast than the east coast....at least on the east coast some of the rocks are shaley and move a bit...pretty much everything out here is sharp and immovable....
Have you ridden at diablo?
from my experience, alex rims are pretty much the best in the weight - wide - price range of the lot. I've ridden a bunch and have never bent or broken one to the point it is unrideable (I tend to break rims pretty easily, ride a bunch of rocks and don't go easy on them by any means). Thats my 2 c
Biggest issues with single ply isnt so much durability IMO, sure if you had them all season you would obviously shred them but since most tires dont last more than 2 weeks anyway, they would get worn out well before you destroy them.
Biggest problem is the way they ride... especially cornering.Single plys will fold on you like pancake if you are a tad aggressive when cornering...Go DH, no need for UST, get some Stans and well, personally I would get a compressor if you dont already have one...Floor pumps are ok but far from ideal, especially if you change tires every couple of weeks.
I use a tube to seat the tire first, then take it out ( leaving one side of the tire seated ) 2 scoops of Stans for good measure and POP...you 're ready to rock...
Single plys are ok for dh.... but they work best ghetto and you use stans to pour around the sides as well instead of soapy water. It glues the tire to the rim strip and allows alot lower pressure without rolling or burping. Haven't burped since usiong this method or rolled a tire. I did try soap and rolled a tire on a g;out ended up on the wall ride with a tire hanging from rear stay and riding on rim..... scary for sure.....
Single plys work for alot of stuff but for heavy rocks go dh casings and ust tires suck......
Single plys work for alot of stuff but for heavy rocks go dh casings and ust tires suck......
EAST KOAST ROX. I'm gonna come get some of these magical rocks this winter so I can build a real downhill track, since apparently NJ/NY is the only place to get them. 
Diablo killed my 751s
Is it some special edition east coast gnaarzzz 721? Rockproof certified? Can you even legaly buy them outside of the east coast
Imho 721 are not for ppl who tend to ride lazy
I dont ride lazy. 721s just could handle an east coast beat downIs it some special edition east coast gnaarzzz 721? Rockproof certified? Can you even legaly buy them outside of the east coast
Imho 721 are not for ppl who tend to ride lazy
You can tell him that yellow and pink don't go well together
or that the manufacturer of his "just released" bike is making an "all new" version to be released later this season.You can tell him that yellow and pink don't go well together
823s for the win.
I've found
823s ARE NOT HEAVIER than 721s once set up. Not any amount worth mentioning.
Maxxis UST tyres ARE NOT HEAVIER than standard Maxxis.Same, not any amount worth mentioning.
729s make for a stronger wheel than 721s, but 721s resist denting better(due to the vertical side walls). 823 are better than both, in both regards.
Wider rims give a square tyre profile, so the tyre will have less feel when it wants to let go.
823s for the win.
This is my personal findings from years of riding, and watching GNARlier riders trashing rims.
823s also resist pinch flats better due to thicker side wall lips.
I'm not sure what rear hubs are the go now days but.
I'm enjoying my I9(steel spokes), but curious on what else is out there, as I'd like a 150mm so I can try my bike without floater.
ProIIs have been great front hubs for me for years. About to try Tune front, lighter, by a gnats dick than the Hope.
I've found
823s ARE NOT HEAVIER than 721s once set up. Not any amount worth mentioning.
Maxxis UST tyres ARE NOT HEAVIER than standard Maxxis.Same, not any amount worth mentioning.
729s make for a stronger wheel than 721s, but 721s resist denting better(due to the vertical side walls). 823 are better than both, in both regards.
Wider rims give a square tyre profile, so the tyre will have less feel when it wants to let go.
823s for the win.
This is my personal findings from years of riding, and watching GNARlier riders trashing rims.
823s also resist pinch flats better due to thicker side wall lips.
I'm not sure what rear hubs are the go now days but.
I'm enjoying my I9(steel spokes), but curious on what else is out there, as I'd like a 150mm so I can try my bike without floater.
ProIIs have been great front hubs for me for years. About to try Tune front, lighter, by a gnats dick than the Hope.
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Love 823s but there is a significant difference... A schwalbe tube (light weight) Cut down is 53g (stans 68g) and Id run stans in either.
(721 w/ strip) 630g vs (823) 721g so combined just shy 1/2 lb...
So a pretty good savings BUT not as hefty as a 823 by a long shot.... I ran 823s for a while and they took a serious beating and remained looking good aside of dents and smack gouges... The 721s are spared no ease from me because they are lighter and so far so good... Looking pretty tattered but still holding after 2 months... If they make it 6 months and take a beating Ill run em if not then 823s (TRIED AND TRUE).
Not knocking you or the 823s at all... Thats a bomb proof set up especially for the weight.......................
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Cheers BC. I'd never found any great eveidence to suggest this. But happy to take your word for it, as I'm guessing you weighed them. I do however run less stans in my 823 set ups. And found 721s burp on the rear to easy for DH. and probably do dent easier and puncture the tyre if bottomed on easier.Love 823s but there is a significant difference... A schwalbe tube (light weight) Cut down is 53g (stans 68g) and Id run stans in either.
(721 w/ strip) 630g vs (823) 721g so combined just shy 1/2 lb...
So a pretty good savings BUT not as hefty as a 823 by a long shot.... I ran 823s for a while and they took a serious beating and remained looking good aside of dents and smack gouges... The 721s are spared no ease from me because they are lighter and so far so good... Looking pretty tattered but still holding after 2 months... If they make it 6 months and take a beating Ill run em if not then 823s (TRIED AND TRUE).
Not knocking you or the 823s at all... Thats a bomb proof set up especially for the weight.......................
Dang, now I'm wondering if I should build up a 721 I have on my new Tune 20mm hub(just for the front). Same spoke length for 823 and 721 isn't it?
I think it is I remember Rob was saying something about the ERD....
Yeah I weighed them and I always run 2 scoops of stans I have a tendancy to gash tires on any rim LOL... It was worse with tubed set ups...
I havent had a issue with burping the rear even on G-outs but I did hammer the hell out of the rear 721 1st ride... Held up and still kicking so Im pretty impressed.. If it makes it 6 months Ill lace another if not the like you suggested which is a great idea a 721 front and 823 rear....
~500g, 21mm internal width. They're now called the EX500 or something IIRC.
Probably. The one I still have on the front is going on 3 years old, but was on my trail bike for 2 of those 3. It's got maybe half a dozen small dings, but I'd emphasize that they're all small. None even close to being bad enough to matter, even for running ghetto tubeless, which is one of the strengths of them- they're the easiest rim I've ever run tubeless outside of USTs, and that includes several sets of Stan's rims. I ran them front and rear on my DH bike for a bit, but blew up the rear one in spectacular fashion casing a road gap on my second ride on it- I wouldn't read too much into that though, it was a bad, bad case, I doubt there's a rim in existence that would have come out unscathed. I did manage to ride it the rest of the day though.Cheers
Do they ding easier than 721s?