[6thElement]

Considering a new build if I can find a frame and parts to put it together and I'm struggling what to go for on wheels.

Current ancient 27.5 trail bike has Nox Teocalli 26mm internal carbon rims laced with cx-rays to I9 Torch. I think I built them in 2015 and despite the odd broken spoke and then I did bust the rear DS flange last year, they've been great wheels (probably cost ~$1500, ouch)

A set of carbon rims (WAO or Nox), cx-rays on Hydra hubs looks like they would cost ~$1750-1900, double-ouch. Or I could just go for Flow Mk3's on Hydra's and be out the door for $875+taxes.

A grand extra doesn't sound appealing at the moment. Are there other rims worth considering?

 

[Nick]

if you want crabonz for for less dollarz, LB is still a good buy.
Their US warehouse has OptionZ.
I'm unloading my old wheels to Mike, those LB rims have all the miles on them and are still bombproof.

New Dentist budget? WeAreOne.

 

[boostindoubles]

Do the Revels cause Murika!

 

[Westy]

When I got my first set of carbon wheels I went from 25mm wide aluminum to 27mm wide carbon. I thought the difference in handling was amazing.

After I unloaded that bike, my used Ibis came with their fancy carbon wheels. When I built up my hardtail I just went with a set of I-9 1/1 Enduro S wheels at 30mm wide. I honestly can't tell the difference between the aluminum and carbon rims at the wider widths. Of course there are many other variables that could be blurring the difference other than just material type, but I doubt I would spend the money on carbon wheels again. YMMV

 

[Adventurous]

Nothing but good things to say about my Light Bicycles stuff. Well, other than how long they took to get here from China.

That said, I've never had any issues with quality alloy rims. If that's what's in the budget, you'll hardly be sacrificing any perceivable performance gain eschewing carbon.

 

[canadmos]

Save the $1000 and take one extra trip this year.

 

[Jm_]

Considering a new build if I can find a frame and parts to put it together and I'm struggling what to go for on wheels.

Current ancient 27.5 trail bike has Nox Teocalli 26mm internal carbon rims laced with cx-rays to I9 Torch. I think I built them in 2015 and despite the odd broken spoke and then I did bust the rear DS flange last year, they've been great wheels (probably cost ~$1500, ouch)

A set of carbon rims (WAO or Nox), cx-rays on Hydra hubs looks like they would cost ~$1750-1900, double-ouch. Or I could just go for Flow Mk3's on Hydra's and be out the door for $875+taxes.

A grand extra doesn't sound appealing at the moment. Are there other rims worth considering?

Great wheels despite the hub shell failing? Well hell, we can definitely work with these standards.


Nextie and LB are great rims, lace to DT swiss.

 

[6thElement]

*New wheelz would need to be 29" hoops and the difficult part is the frame wants a sooper booster + rear hub, so no LB.

@Jm_ I'd prefer the hub shell hadn't failed, but after 6 years and nominally ~200000ft of rocky descending every year, I wasn't pissed at them and I9 hooked me up with a replacement shell.

 

[Sandwich]

Are you open to open moulds? I've had my XM carbon speeds for like 6 years and built them myself. Since @CrabJoe StretchPants says I don't know to bicycle, then surely they have folded at this point and I am dead.

Xiamen Carbon Speed Sport Goods Co.,Ltd

www.xmcarbonspeed.com

There's potential to save yourself like $600 here- I think I paid less than 400. You can pick your width and depth and whatever else you need.

 

[CrabJoe StretchPants]

 

[Nick]

*New wheelz would need to be 29" hoops and the difficult part is the frame wants a sooper booster + rear hub, so no LB.

just select the 29r options. DT240s 32 3x are still pricey, but meet your specs.

 

[Katz]

Re: Stan's Flow Mk3

I laced a "weight-weenie" radially-compliant front wheel about a year ago as an experiment, using a 28-spoke Flow Mk3, expecting to revert back to the old trusty 32-spoke DT FR560 within a couple months. Despite me bumping the front wheel against various objects at every gapping opportunity I can find, the rim has fared remarkably well. Disclaimer: I run 26 psi in a trail casing tire, and I tend to ride rear-heavy. I seem to have to re-tension/true the wheel every 3~4 months, but that may have more to do with its spoke count. Still using this wheel.

With that said, I'd hesitate to use the rim for rear. Lots of dinged Flow Mk3s in my area ridden by riders of varying skill levels, our terrain is about as rim unfriendly as CO terrain.

That's all I got to contribute.

 

[boostindoubles]

I have heard good things about Atomik rims, if Murika $$$$ tastes funny. You should guinea pig some for us and lace em up to Hadley cause fuck yea!

Don't look back!

 

[6thElement]

just select the 29r options. DT240s 32 3x are still pricey, but meet your specs.

LB doesn't have super boost+ 157 hubs.

Browsing emptybeer and I saw BTLOS mentioned, similar to @Sandwich 's supply they're Chinese and a lot cheaper than the common names, but again no SB+ hub listed on their configurator.

 

[Sandwich]

View attachment 158460

 

[Nick]

LB doesn't have super boost+ 157 hubs.

Browsing emptybeer and I saw BTLOS mentioned, similar to @Sandwich 's supply they're Chinese and a lot cheaper than the common names, but again no SB+ hub listed on their configurator.

aren't these teh superboostorz?

 

[6thElement]

aren't these teh superboostorz?
View attachment 158462

Sorry, I was on the global site and it didn't have the sooperboosterpluses on the 240's or the Hydras, North American store does.

 

[englertracing]

I9 hubs are overhyped bs
Bearing preload? Not adjustable.
Sealing in torches? Bad
Driver drag? Torch meh, hydra high af like they are straight face lying about it being reduced, it's pretty unbelievable.

Maybe save money on hubs that work better....
Or if your gonna drop that coin check out p321.

For rad aluminum hoops
My picks are
Dt xm521(35mm trail rim)
Or hx581(35mm e bike rim)
Or xm481 (30mm trail rim)
Or ex511 (30mm enduro rim)

I've just done some back to back rides with 30mm vs 36mm internal reynolds carbon wheels on my trail bike.

After spending 2 years on the 35 I tried the 30
@ the same 28psi and 2.5 dd case the 30mm rides rougher through chatter (was not expecting this), and gets more rim strikes. The whole reason I wanted to try was I felt like I was leaning off the cornering knobs in some places with the 2.5 on the 36mm rim... and the 28mm does hang on a little better in some mid speed high lean sweepers, but I also tore a hole in my bead/sidewall riding a section I've ridden hundreds of times the same way.

So I'm thinking I might actually switch my dh bike from ex511 30mm to hx581 35mm just for fun.

 

[englertracing]

Considering a new build if I can find a frame and parts to put it together and I'm struggling what to go for on wheels.

Current ancient 27.5 trail bike has Nox Teocalli 26mm internal carbon rims laced with cx-rays to I9 Torch. I think I built them in 2015 and despite the odd broken spoke and then I did bust the rear DS flange last year, they've been great wheels (probably cost ~$1500, ouch)

A set of carbon rims (WAO or Nox), cx-rays on Hydra hubs looks like they would cost ~$1750-1900, double-ouch. Or I could just go for Flow Mk3's on Hydra's and be out the door for $875+taxes.

A grand extra doesn't sound appealing at the moment. Are there other rims worth considering?

I've seen more bent stans than any other rim
10/10 would not bang.

Check out nobl tr38

Slightly wider internal front rims.
Narrower rear because of thicker beads.
It's nice to see they took the effort to make a dedicated front and rear rim.

 

[6thElement]

Anyone running DT Swiss XM 481 rims?

 

[boostindoubles]

Anyone running DT Swiss XM 481 rims?

I have that on both my trail bikes in the front and the 560 in the rear. It's a great front wheel for me but at 200lbs and a smashy smashy riding style I run beefier in the rear. If your lighter and not jumping and smashing your bike into stuff, it would be great f/r.

 

[jstuhlman]

Anyone running DT Swiss XM 481 rims?

not those, but i've been running 471s very happily for years; before that ex500s. always on hopes, which have also been all good. and i'm crappy at maintaining bikes and a hack at riding them. have thought about carbon but don't really see a weight benefit and don't see a reason to switch.

 

[jonKranked]

We Are One.

canadian.

reasonably priced for carbon.

lifetime no questions asked rim replacement warranty.

available stock with I9 - 101 or hydra. but they'll build you a wheel with basically any hub you want.

one cool thing about their layup process is that they come out of the molds basically finished. no sanding or anything. just spoke drilling and decals.

 

[CrabJoe StretchPants]

Another vote for LB rims. I have two sets on my XC bike and trail bike, and I can't believe how well the rims and wheel build have held up on the trail bike. My size, terrain I ride and no tire inserts is a tough combo, and they're as sound as the day I bought them, aside from lots of scratches.

I have the new Recon Pro version on the enduro bike, but don't have enough miles on them to have a strong opinion. I can only see them being better though. To my understanding, it's the same no post-production processing like Jon just mentioned the WAO uses.

All three sets are on Hope Pro 4 hubs, which are cheap and always worked well.

 

[jonKranked]

Another vote for LB rims. I have two sets on my XC bike and trail bike, and I can't believe how well the rims and wheel build have held up on the trail bike. My size, terrain I ride and no tire inserts is a tough combo, and they're as sound as the day I bought them, aside from lots of scratches.

I have the new Recon Pro version on the enduro bike, but don't have enough miles on them to have a strong opinion. I can only see them being better though. To my understanding, it's the same no post-production processing like Jon just mentioned the WAO uses.

All three sets are on Hope Pro 4 hubs, which are cheap and always worked well.

What's the warranty?

 

[CrabJoe StretchPants]

What's the warranty?

5yrs on the rims I believe. There was a $50 add on (per rim) for lifetime IIRC, but I figured the first 5 years would be when something happened, if it did.

 

[6thElement]

If I were to suddenly feel very flush (and all of this is dependent upon being able to get a frame) I can get the NOBL TR37's with my preferred brass nips built locally for the same price as the LB AM930's with alloy nips.

 

[jonKranked]

5yrs on the rims I believe. There was a $50 add on (per rim) for lifetime IIRC, but I figured the first 5 years would be when something happened, if it did.

View attachment 158528

Looked it up on their website. LB won't warranty crash failures. WR1 will.

 

[jonKranked]

Some interesting conditions on the LB warranty...

 

[jonKranked]

WR1 warranty. The part that cuts off states that anything not covered by the full warranty will be a 50% off replacement. The 50% discount also applies to second hand owners.

 

[Nick]

My current plastic wheels are we are one, pricey but I'd buy then again

 

[Bikael Molton]

I have an XM481 in front, and am liking it. I went with a stronger rim for the rear. I'm not super heavy, and generally don't destroy front wheels.

 

[6thElement]

My current plastic wheels are we are one, pricey but I'd buy then again

Should have asked you yesterday, what hubs are they rolling on?

 

[6thElement]

I have an XM481 in front, and am liking it. I went with a stronger rim for the rear. I'm not super heavy, and generally don't destroy front wheels.

Which rim have you got laced to the back, EX511?

 

[Bikael Molton]

EX471, as I'm not sold on 30mm rear rims.

Which rim have you got laced to the back, EX511?

 

[Jm_]

This reminds me of all the people on mtbr that crash their bikes and complain about how the manufacturer wont send them a free frame.

 

[Nick]

Should have asked you yesterday, what hubs are they rolling on?

Kings

 

[CrabJoe StretchPants]

This reminds me of all the people on mtbr that crash their bikes and complain about how the manufacturer wont send them a free frame.

Agreed. The We Are One warranty is great no doubt, and I hope people enjoy it while it lasts, because it doesn't seem like a sustainable model. Much like REI doing away with the lifetime return policy from people trying to return 27yo boots with ripped soles, etc.

To me a warranty should really only cover mfg/quality issues. If you can get more out of it, great, but I would never expect to get a replacement due to normal wear and tear, of which crashing is part of. But I can't argue with people going that route if it's an option, obviously, and kudos to We Are One for offering it.

 

[englertracing]

EX471, as I'm not sold on 30mm rear rims.

You should try a 30 and a 35....

 

[englertracing]

If I were to suddenly feel very flush (and all of this is dependent upon being able to get a frame) I can get the NOBL TR37's with my preferred brass nips built locally for the same price as the LB AM930's with alloy nips.

Check the tr38