29er wheels

[hilo]

I was looking around, spoke to Greg at TWE as well (he sounded like a good guy). I looked some more--think I will hold off on TWE for the time being, as I had heard good things about the Shimano XT 29er wheels. Tubeless ready (no strip required) afaik.

I am picking some up from My Mountain today. $699 -- I could get them cheaper overseas (not so easy to source) but rather that local businesses get some money off of me, and easier to deal with warranty issues.

For the record, I am 6'6" and a bit, 106kg. I currently am riding my Hi Fi Pro on the stock Bontrager Rhythm Elites. Word on the street is that a decent, strong but light set of hoops will make a big difference to the feel of the Hi Fi. Given the constantly changing weather in Melbourne, I am sick of changing tyres all the time as well--a good argument to explain to the missus what the hell this new set of wheels is doing in the back of the car today.

Note that the Fulcrum 29er Red Metal XLR is going for approx $800 from the UK with free shipping.

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/p/cycle/7/Fulcrum_Red_Metal_29er_XLR_Mtb_Wheelset/5360046596/

I just thought that it's not too different weight-wise from Shimano, and after looking at the Fulcrum site they mention if one is over 82kg one has to look carefully for cracks etc.--made me think that they don't care too much about us big fellas.

- Hilo

 

[Jubas]

Let us know how you go. I'd be interested to see if they're actually at 1850gms. What's the weight of your current wheelset?

I'm still leaning towards TWE, but am going to wait a bit for cashflow - xmas is on its way!

 

[tomacropod]

I was looking around, spoke to Greg at TWE as well (he sounded like a good guy). I looked some more--think I will hold off on TWE for the time being, as I had heard good things about the Shimano XT 29er wheels. Tubeless ready (no strip required) afaik.

I am picking some up from My Mountain today. $699 -- I could get them cheaper overseas (not so easy to source) but rather that local businesses get some money off of me, and easier to deal with warranty issues.

For the record, I am 6'6" and a bit, 106kg. I currently am riding my Hi Fi Pro on the stock Bontrager Rhythm Elites. Word on the street is that a decent, strong but light set of hoops will make a big difference to the feel of the Hi Fi. Given the constantly changing weather in Melbourne, I am sick of changing tyres all the time as well--a good argument to explain to the missus what the hell this new set of wheels is doing in the back of the car today.

Note that the Fulcrum 29er Red Metal XLR is going for approx $800 from the UK with free shipping.

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/p/cycle/7/Fulcrum_Red_Metal_29er_XLR_Mtb_Wheelset/5360046596/

I just thought that it's not too different weight-wise from Shimano, and after looking at the Fulcrum site they mention if one is over 82kg one has to look carefully for cracks etc.--made me think that they don't care too much about us big fellas.

- Hilo

UST and tubeless are not the same thing - beware. Standard tyres mounted on UST wheels, running tubeless, can be unreliable and dangerous.

- Joel

 

[hilo]

UST and tubeless are not the same thing - beware. Standard tyres mounted on UST wheels, running tubeless, can be unreliable and dangerous.

- Joel

I am caution personified. No only looking to use standards with tubes or tubeless ready tyres.

The wheels look good--picked them up yesterday. The wheels have that Shimano centrelock thing for the discs or whatever it is called. I managed to get the rear disc with the centrelock setup and the 195mm front with 6 bolt + adaptor.

I weighed them with skewers on a normal scale (the kind you use to weigh yourself, so even though digital not sure what the error is). It came out to about 2000g with the skewers, no discs.

Weather is super crappy in Melbourne but hope to try them tomorrow.

HiLo

 

[tomacropod]

I am caution personified. No only looking to use standards with tubes or tubeless ready tyres.

The wheels look good--picked them up yesterday. The wheels have that Shimano centrelock thing for the discs or whatever it is called. I managed to get the rear disc with the centrelock setup and the 195mm front with 6 bolt + adaptor.

I weighed them with skewers on a normal scale (the kind you use to weigh yourself, so even though digital not sure what the error is). It came out to about 2000g with the skewers, no discs.

Weather is super crappy in Melbourne but hope to try them tomorrow.

HiLo

Excellent to hear. Hot tip on UST 29ers - Maxxis Crossmark UST 29 * 2.1", around a month away from Australian shops. They ones that pre-ordered them in the day between the announcement and the entire shipment being pre-sold, anyway...

- Joel

 

[bear the bear]

Sun-Ringle Black Flag Pro?

Opinions? From doing some research they are Stans crest rims, and S-R's own hubs with wheelsmith spokes.

RRP is $899

Anyone ridden them?

 

[tomacropod]

Sun-Ringle Black Flag Pro?

Opinions? From doing some research they are Stans crest rims, and S-R's own hubs with wheelsmith spokes.

RRP is $899

Anyone ridden them?

Keen to try them but haven't got hold of any yet - I imagine the rim will be a bit heavier-duty than a Crest, but it uses the same BST tubeless bead system as the Stans so should be nice and versatile. Sun Ringle hubs have had problems in the past but these ones look like a new design - similar to the Easton Haven hubs?

- Joel

 

[charltons]

Single speed converter or SS specific?

Hypothetically- If you were to build a set of wheels from scratch - apart from aesthetics -why would you not build on a cassette style hub with spacers rather than build a dedicated SS hub?

A cassette hub would give you the option of throwing a cassette on at a later date without having to buy another wheel? Are SS dedicated hubs better?

 

[Stevob]

Hypothetically- If you were to build a set of wheels from scratch - apart from aesthetics -why would you not build on a cassette style hub with spacers rather than build a dedicated SS hub?

A cassette hub would give you the option of throwing a cassette on at a later date without having to buy another wheel? Are SS dedicated hubs better?

It totally depends on where you see yourself by the end of the serviceable life of the hub, really. If you want to keep gears as an option, no question, go cassette style. Personally, I can't get my head around gears any more, being SS only for about 4 or 5 years now. My next wheelset will most likely be SS dedicated and have a screw-on freewheel. Sure, it's more work to change a ratio, but I'm pretty set in my gearing now, and any changes I want to make can be done via the front chainring, for a small cost (or benefit) of rollover clearance.

SS dedicated hubs probably aren't much better. There are those who say they can build a stronger wheel due to less dish, but cassette hub wheelsets aren't really folding left, right and centre into tacos every day now, are they? The other factor against SS dedicated hubs is that you're pretty much stuck with a given chainline. Shortened cassette style hubs are probably the best of both worlds in this respect.

 

[krisko]

I would reccomend against American Classic wheels on a hardtail. The rims are soft I recently bought a set to replace my Stans wheels (bad move) my 2 year old 355's where bullet proof and never flat spotted on my hardtail.

4 weeks on the American Classic and i discovered 2 flat spots from taking bad lines through rocks or square hits/ step ups at speed. Im not impressed and luckily my circumstances meant I updated to a dually were the rims have faired alot better.

The aussie dollar is very strong ATM why not capitalise on some Stans 355 rims, double butted spokes and decent hubs. You could have some landed for $600

 

[Petero]

I would reccomend against American Classic wheels on a hardtail. The rims are soft I recently bought a set to replace my Stans wheels (bad move) my 2 year old 355's where bullet proof and never flat spotted on my hardtail.

4 weeks on the American Classic and i discovered 2 flat spots from taking bad lines through rocks or square hits/ step ups at speed. Im not impressed and luckily my circumstances meant I updated to a dually were the rims have faired alot better.

The aussie dollar is very strong ATM why not capitalise on some Stans 355 rims, double butted spokes and decent hubs. You could have some landed for $600

How much do you weigh krisko? I have been looking at the Stans wheels and was leaning more towards the arch as a stronger option... I am 90kg ish kitted up and my riding style is rather unrefined...

Also, has anyone had any experience using the stans hubs? Or should I just spend the extra and go for hope/american classic??

 

[Jubas]

How much do you weigh krisko? I have been looking at the Stans wheels and was leaning more towards the arch as a stronger option... I am 90kg ish kitted up and my riding style is rather unrefined...

Also, has anyone had any experience using the stans hubs? Or should I just spend the extra and go for hope/american classic??

I'm 90kgs kitted up and have been investigating wheel options - Arch, by all accounts seem to be the rim of choice. I think we just go over the 'limits' of Crests. Am still researching however..

 

[bear the bear]

American Classic

How much do you weigh krisko? I have been looking at the Stans wheels and was leaning more towards the arch as a stronger option... I am 90kg ish kitted up and my riding style is rather unrefined...

Also, has anyone had any experience using the stans hubs? Or should I just spend the extra and go for hope/american classic??

The last pair of AC hubs I had, I removed from my wheels placed them on the garage floor and hit them repeatedly with a hammer, then put them in the bin where they belong. They are sh!t, and I don't care what anyone says.

I had a rear fail, after supposedly being fixed, I ended up taking a header into the pavement at 55kph out of a corner in a race after the freehub failed.......took out 4 other riders and lost a good yard of skin as well.

 

[jdog73]

The last pair of AC hubs I had, I removed from my wheels placed them on the garage floor and hit them repeatedly with a hammer, then put them in the bin where they belong. They are sh!t, and I don't care what anyone says.

I had a rear fail, after supposedly being fixed, I ended up taking a header into the pavement at 55kph out of a corner in a race after the freehub failed.......took out 4 other riders and lost a good yard of skin as well.

Nasty. Sounds like they sucked. Has anyone used the Crank Bros new 29er Wheels? They look good, but the 26" version have had some bad reviews.

 

[aaron01]

The aussie dollar is very strong ATM why not capitalise on some Stans 355 rims, double butted spokes and decent hubs. You could have some landed for $600

Where would 1 go to look at this $600 wheelset?,

 

[rone]

I got a set of Spinergy Xyclone 29er wheels off Ebay about 6 months ago. 6 months later they're still true despite being ridden regularly in rocky terrain. I'm 90kg. Despite the potential spares availability issue in Australia they are top wheels. Shit skewers, though.

 

[C Dunlop]

I had a rear fail, after supposedly being fixed, I ended up taking a header into the pavement at 55kph out of a corner in a race after the freehub failed.......took out 4 other riders and lost a good yard of skin as well.

From what I saw, that estzer chick busted her freehub at stromlo. Granted, she falls under the category of 'beast of a rider', but she's also a skinny chick.

Where would 1 go to look at this $600 wheelset?,

Local. Bike. Shop. XT hubs and stans rims should built up to about $600-700 if you get a bit knocked off retail for buying the whole lot from them. If not, be a modern consumer and get some parts of the internetty, and get the LBS to put them together.

or
These guys (who are all out of stock)
http://www.definitivecycles.com.au/!!062010/Define Handbuilt Wheelsets.htm

or
TWE has an excellent reputation for excellent wheels in the Sydney area. I'm sure he has access to Australia post.

But if the hubs you want are 'decent' rather than 'bling blang' $600-700 should be do-able by most non-spanner LBSs. Probably.

 

[aaron01]

Looks as if I'm going down the route of xt hubs laced to Stans crest rims weight will be near enough to 1700g and cost well under $700. Makes me a happy rider

 

[auskonrad]

Looks as if I'm going down the route of xt hubs laced to Stans crest rims weight will be near enough to 1700g and cost well under $700. Makes me a happy rider

I got Hope Pro II hubs, new cassette, Stans 355 29er rims (32h) all from Wiggle and then built by the local bike shop... added all the costs together the other night... was $650ish.

+1 to that method for cost savings (but if you are unsure of parts etc - its a bit like feeling around in the dark).

 

[bear the bear]

OK so I'm look around for a set of race wheels but am struggling to work out what is considered light, average, "and needs to see Jenny Craig".
From my reading, I have gathered that the stock wheels that are on my Giant are at the heavy end (I'm not sure of the actual weight for the '11 wheels). And AC are circa 1600gms and at the lighter end. Can anyone provide a bit more insight?