Hope Hoops Pro 3 SP XC6

[Wraslin Pete]

Hey guys I'm considering another set of wheels for a couple of bikes. Hope Hoops Pro 3 SP XC6. These are leading the charge at the moment based on weight and price.

My only concern is the spoke count. 24 spokes as opposed to 28/32. I only weigh in at 70kg so am well below the hope weight limit of 85kg (weight limit? yikes...). I ride softly as I can't afford to get hurt or broken anymore. Hope say via email that I'd have no problems with reliability or strength. But who trusts them!?

The alternative - at 200grams heavier is the Pro 2 w/ No tubes 355. 32 spokes no weight limits and good customer feedback via bike radar mtbr etc.

I suppose the question is - am I likely to break these wheels with light trail duty and the odd get off? Happy to maintain correctly but don't want to be caught in the lurch with a busted unrepairable wheel.

All details listed here...

http://www.hopetech.com/database/HOPE HOOPS MTB A4.pdf

 

[spongebob]

hi PD
You looking at an on-line purchase ? [ CRC / Wiggle etc ].
I don't think strength/quality would be an issue.
I reckon major problem is the specific hope rotors [ weird ass 3 bolt in this case ]/straight pull spokes/etc . If you bust anything I dunno if you can gets parts. I recently emailed CRC / Wiggle about this wheelset & they don't supply actual parts or rotors. Hope don't sell directly. Not sure if any Aus importer could back it up either.
I went with the pro2. Cheap parts easy to get & good ole J spokes.

 

[fairy1]

I have always been a tubby bitch and I ran Rolf wheels a few years back which were 20 spokes fr and 24 spokes r and I had no dramas at all. They are now in the shed waiting for a pub bike to be built up, if I had a decent local they would be in use now.

 

[Wraslin Pete]

XC6 have standard 6 bolt rotor bolt up.

The part thing is concerning, but wheels come with spare spokes.

CRC yes...

 

[spongebob]

Oops - yeh right about the rotors. I think when I was looking at the 'AM' sets with Stans flow rims the only options were 4 bolt. Spokes can't be tooooo hard to get right? Other slightly disappointing thing with the Pro3 rear was no improvement in the engagement, and no axle conversion kits were available which I needed. The conversions for rear are different to Pro2.

 

[paggnr]

Hey guys I'm considering another set of wheels for a couple of bikes. Hope Hoops Pro 3 SP XC6. These are leading the charge at the moment based on weight and price.

My only concern is the spoke count. 24 spokes as opposed to 28/32. I only weigh in at 70kg so am well below the hope weight limit of 85kg (weight limit? yikes...). I ride softly as I can't afford to get hurt or broken anymore. Hope say via email that I'd have no problems with reliability or strength. But who trusts them!?

The alternative - at 200grams heavier is the Pro 2 w/ No tubes 355. 32 spokes no weight limits and good customer feedback via bike radar mtbr etc.

I suppose the question is - am I likely to break these wheels with light trail duty and the odd get off? Happy to maintain correctly but don't want to be caught in the lurch with a busted unrepairable wheel.

All details listed here...

http://www.hopetech.com/database/HOPE HOOPS MTB A4.pdf

How about DT240s with 355 rims - light and tough

 

[splunk]

pd_mcleod,

Did you end up getting the hope hoops. I am in the exact same boat - 70kg looking for a light wheelset at an excellent price point.

Just curious on a report if you have the time.

Cheers.

 

[splunk]

Just an FYI - After a year of indicision, I finally got a set of hope xc6 wheelsets with the 24h crest rims and 6 bolt hubs from CRC.

When i got them home, first thing i did was weigh them - 1436g for the pair with rim tape. Not bad...

Freewheel has the usual Hope loud click (which i like).

Did come with qr adapter or 15mm out of the box. But no qr skewers, yellow rim tape or valves for tubeless opperation.

Will ride them this weekend and let you know how they go.

 

[MTB Wanabe]

I recently replaced a 24 hole crest rim on a set of these for a mate. The hardest thing is getting the rim. Stans only supplies 24 hole rims to OEM/factorys such as Hope to produce wheels. It did take my friend quite a while to find someone to get the rim for him from Hope and it wasn't easy.

The reason why I had to replace the rim in the first place is because the rim cracked out of the spoke holes. His weight hovers around the 82kg mark so it is around the maximum recommended weight and the wheels were only about 12mths old if that and he does a lot of endurance racing.

So my opinion is they are really nice wheels but if you need to replace a rim then be prepared to be waiting for awhile for a replacement. My advice is to go for a 32 hole configuration wheel so you at least get the option of a readily available rim and the weight penalty is quite low. If you are light then you should be able to get them built up with Revolution spokes anyway and they would come in at a weight pretty close to the 24 hole variants.

Anything 24 hole mtb requires the wheel to be sent back to the factory for repair and in the end it will probably cost almost as much as a replacement wheel. Just ask anyone who has damaged a Mavic factory wheel how much it is to replace a rim, eg around $250 to replace a Ksyrium elite rim was the price quoted for a friend and a 8 week turn around which at that stage you could get a new wheel for $350 so not worth it.

 

[SummitFever]

... the rim cracked out of the spoke holes...

Low spoke count wheels like XTR, Mavics, Fulcrums etc. have lots of meat at the spoke holes and larger diameter nipples. Crests are non-eyeletted and their spoke holes are the weak link in the chain. In 32h they are great, 28h maybe for a front, but 24h seems like an unnecessary option. Weight savings are minimal, but plenty of downsides as MTB Wanabe has pointed out. 1436g for a 24h set of wheels is not particularly light.

 

[Buggergrips]

i got a set as race wheels. very nice, but I only really run them at events. I got a lightish set of trail wheels for training, but when I put them on, the xc3's really stand out in terms of acceleration and speed

I've done about 2000k on them so far, and trued the rear once.

 

[splunk]

Update: mounted tyres tubeless without any issues. They were schwalbe rocket Ron non-ust and a nobby nic ust used tyres from my old wheelset. They both mounted easily with a track pump and a sealant - not soap required. Installed with notubes yellow rim tape.

I then went to put my cassette back on, but my trusty tool for the lock ring did not have enough clearance. So had to tighten it by hand. Bugger.

A quick test and they were true. A little pinging as the tension settled in the spokes.

 

[splunk]

Took the wheels through a very muddy Wombat run on the weekend and had no problems.

They felt stiff enough and can definately feel the difference in weight from my old wheelset (overall 800gs shaved over my old setup which was dt swiss 370 and mavic 317s). I felt more agile cornering and hills were easier with less rolling weight.

The loug freewheel had a bit of drag, but maybe needs to be worn in. Will wait and see.

Will also have to wait and see on the durability...