Wheels for dh/fr??

iiJonnyii
iiJonnyii Posts: 76
edited January 2008 in MTB buying advice
Right, i have a custom spesh big hit III 07, at the moment all is good but my birthday is coming up and i have a bit of money left from xmas. The wheels that are on my bike atm are rigida taurus db? i've certanly never heard of them. The hubs are shimano deore rear, scott components front (the wheels were taken from a scott nitrous).Both wheels are a bit dented and all that but overall ok.
I was wondering if i got some new ones would it make much of a difference weight-wise? i want a light bike that can take the rough stuff. I've been looking at halo SAS and Freedoms, and merlin are doing an offer on hope pro hubs with mavic XM719 rims. I'd have around the 200 mark to play about with..So please could someone give me their thoughts!
cheers.
Specialized Big hit (custom build, nearly done!)

Comments

  • Splasher
    Splasher Posts: 1,528
    Hope ProIIs and XM719s would be shedloads lighter but are not Freeride or Downhill wheels. XM719 is a heavy XC or All Mountain rim. It would be fine for light freeride - say 5 foot drops landed well, but no good for anything bigger and would an unusual wheelset on a Big Hit.

    ProIIs in EX721s would be a much safer bet (£209 from Chain Reaction)
    "Internet Forums - an amazing world where outright falsehoods become cyber-facts with a few witty key taps and a carefully placed emoticon."
  • iiJonnyii
    iiJonnyii Posts: 76
    what about the halos?
    Specialized Big hit (custom build, nearly done!)
  • Sir HC
    Sir HC Posts: 20,148
    The SAS's are almost 200g heavier per rim than the Mavic EX721's.

    Make sure you get the wheels built by a good wheelbuilder.
    Intense Socom
    Inbred
  • Splasher
    Splasher Posts: 1,528
    As Sir HC says, the Halos are strong but heavy. There's a reason 721s have become a bit of a cult.
    "Internet Forums - an amazing world where outright falsehoods become cyber-facts with a few witty key taps and a carefully placed emoticon."
  • iiJonnyii
    iiJonnyii Posts: 76
    yes thats why i was looking this deals on merlin cycles as they are very good wheel builders (or so im told). http://www.merlincycles.co.uk/?fn=product&productId=465&categoryId=99
    But i've seen this deal on crc, http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Kits.aspx?ModelID=7599 Which you can switch the rim type etc. So i would be able to get the pro 2 hubs and ex721 and spokes for about 30 quid more than that.
    Would the pro 2 hubs and EX721 be strong enough?
    Thanks for the replys!
    Specialized Big hit (custom build, nearly done!)
  • martin_brown
    martin_brown Posts: 52
    How about the Halo freedom wheels? lighter than the sas versions but still strong for lfreeride work,maybe not for downhill though not sure....
  • Sir HC
    Sir HC Posts: 20,148
    iiJonnyii wrote:
    Would the pro 2 hubs and EX721 be strong enough?

    Plenty strong enough.

    Merlins do very good wheel builds, as do Stif Cycles
    Intense Socom
    Inbred
  • iiJonnyii
    iiJonnyii Posts: 76
    Just been looking, are the ex721s v brake? and the ex729s disc? this could be my eyes though.. rough night last night! both the wheels could be built up for around the £230 mark.. i think. thanks for the replys!
    Specialized Big hit (custom build, nearly done!)
  • Splasher
    Splasher Posts: 1,528
    721s have a braking surface but are fine for building into disc hubs. Here's what the Mavic website says:

    995015_0.gif
    This is the robust and hard wearing rim preferred by the planet’s best downhillers and freedriders. The benchmark for all Extreme Mtb purposes, now with the matching aesthetics.

    weight
    Ø 26": 590 grams


    .
    "Internet Forums - an amazing world where outright falsehoods become cyber-facts with a few witty key taps and a carefully placed emoticon."
  • iiJonnyii
    iiJonnyii Posts: 76
    Theres only a quid difference with the hope pro II 's and either ex721 and ex729 built by stif.. so which one would you choose?
    Specialized Big hit (custom build, nearly done!)
  • Splasher
    Splasher Posts: 1,528
    Well I'd probably go for 721s because they're 590g compared with 675g for the 729s but only you can decide where you want to be in the weight/strength continuim.
    "Internet Forums - an amazing world where outright falsehoods become cyber-facts with a few witty key taps and a carefully placed emoticon."
  • iiJonnyii
    iiJonnyii Posts: 76
    right yeah, if i get some its gonna be the hope proII hubs (gold :P) wi mavic 721 rims built by stif.
    How long normally do you have to wait for a wheel build? what about spokes and stuff?
    thanks a lot!!!!
    Specialized Big hit (custom build, nearly done!)
  • Splasher
    Splasher Posts: 1,528
    Anything from 1 week to 3 depending on how busy they are and whether the combo you buy is one they build up for stock.

    Spokes, you have to decide on plain gauge or double butted (thick-thin-thick) and silver or black. Silver plain gauge is usually cheapest and black DB the most expensive. With Pro2s and 721 rims it would be a shame not to pay the extra few quid for DB spokes.
    "Internet Forums - an amazing world where outright falsehoods become cyber-facts with a few witty key taps and a carefully placed emoticon."
  • iiJonnyii
    iiJonnyii Posts: 76
    Is it like a lot extra or just like a fiver a wheel? thanks
    Specialized Big hit (custom build, nearly done!)
  • Splasher
    Splasher Posts: 1,528
    About a fiver a wheel usually. Shouldn't break the bank if you're looking to spend £200 :D
    "Internet Forums - an amazing world where outright falsehoods become cyber-facts with a few witty key taps and a carefully placed emoticon."
  • iiJonnyii
    iiJonnyii Posts: 76
    yeah, so should hopefully be gettin em soonish.. just gotta persuade me dad haha
    Specialized Big hit (custom build, nearly done!)
  • iiJonnyii
    iiJonnyii Posts: 76
    sorry to bring this back up again.. A friend suggested the mavic 2008 deetraks currently these are 240 from chain reaction They are 1210g and apparently decent for downhill and freeride? what are your thoughts on these?http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=12840
    Or would it be best to stick with the hope pro 2 hubs and mavic 721 combo?
    Thanks for your help!!
    Specialized Big hit (custom build, nearly done!)
  • Splasher
    Splasher Posts: 1,528
    They're not 1210g a pair, that's one wheel!

    With Mavic wheels you can pop a spoke out of the hub on a hard landing. The pros that use Mavic wheels have been getting them modified with R-clips to retain the spokes when the tension comes off during a landing.
    "Internet Forums - an amazing world where outright falsehoods become cyber-facts with a few witty key taps and a carefully placed emoticon."
  • iiJonnyii
    iiJonnyii Posts: 76
    so thats a no then :P?
    Specialized Big hit (custom build, nearly done!)
  • Splasher
    Splasher Posts: 1,528
    I always try to steer clear of telling folk what to do and just advise what I would do and if I were looking for a relatively lightweight, bombproof wheelset for DH and FR, I'd get 36 spoke ProIIs laced into EX721s with DT Comp spokes. They'd be stronger, lighter, cheaper and more serviceable.
    "Internet Forums - an amazing world where outright falsehoods become cyber-facts with a few witty key taps and a carefully placed emoticon."
  • ianpinder
    ianpinder Posts: 266
    I would get the hope pro2 on mavic 721s with db spokes, i wouldn't get gold hubs tho........
    Cycling the Tour D'Afrique in 2012

    www.tda2012.com
  • iiJonnyii
    iiJonnyii Posts: 76
    Why not :P
    Well i checked on the merlin site and i can get the pro2s on 721 with DT d/b spokes for around 240, and the same on the stif site. Which is better? im tempted merlin as i live quite near and have heard they make very very good wheels, but, buildtime might be longer i don't know.
    Anyone bought wheels from either company before?
    Sorry for all the questions i wanna get the right ones!!
    thanks a lot!
    Specialized Big hit (custom build, nearly done!)

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