Custom Wheelset Advice Needed Please.........

gurus5000

Hello Everyone,

I just needed a reason to buy the following wheelset; Hope Pro 2 Hubs, Mavic 717 Rims with DT Spokes. The reason I am writing this is I have a Marin Eldridge Grade with a very basic wheelset on it; Mavic XM117 with Deore Hubs.

I wanted to know the benefits I will get if I upgrade to the above wheelset?

Sorry for the quite strange question.

Thanks in advance.

elPedro666

Your bike will accelerate faster, jump higher, climb further, change line quicker & easier, brake sharper, feel more alive & look sweeter.

That enough? Get them built by a master though - it's far more important than the components. I'm guessing you're looking at Merlin? Always get good reviews & their prices are usually pretty close to unbeatable.

gurus5000

Cheers for that and yeah I am looking at Merlin for the wheels have you got some?

anjs

Plus you will get a lovely loud clicky free hub

gurus5000

Yeah that is the reason I am going for the pro 2 hubs. Does anyone recommend any other parts its for an xc bike?

Thanks

elPedro666

Not a fan of the loud clicky hub personally - prefer a stealthy bike - so I went for American Classic hubs. Wish I'd had Hope & got used to the noise though! My ancient Superlight is still utterly perfect after years & years of the worst possible muddy, gravelly abuse. Literally perfect, amazing.

Had some Merlins a few years back and they were great, no complaints at all. DT Revolution spokes & alloy nipples, Mavic 230 rims (the ones they withdraw for being too light!), really stupidly light but they took some proper abuse!

They seem like a 'proper' bike shop too, so that's always good to know.

elPedro666

I'm just thinking - is there any better place in the world to ask the question "Can you justify spending lots of cash on shiny new *insert whatever you like here*, preferably justifying it in a quasi-scientific/engineeringy sort of way, please?".

Form an orderly queue...

Northwind

I've got a similiar build, 717s on XT hubs with the standard (ACI?) db spokes from Merlin... Very pleased, as well as being reasonably light they've proved pretty tough as well for reasonably priced XC wheels. I do sometimes wish I'd gone with 719 though, for a wee bit more strength and a bit more volume- 717s can go up to 2.3 but they end up a bit pinched, so you don't get the same cushion.

Oh, I decided on the XT hubs since the Hopes didn't really seem to offer that much advantage for the extra spend, but ymmv of course.

DC01

I run XM719s on Hope pro 2s. cannot fault them at all. Strong, light and stayed true after a few hits and p*ss poor landings. would highy reccommend. Mine also from Merlins. 1st class price and service.

The Big Cheese

On an elridge grade ( I have a Indian fire trail) I would go for shimano XTR M975 hubs on DT swiss 4.2ds... you have to by DT swiss centrelock adapters for the hubs in order to run 6-bolt disks, but the adapters weigh less than the 6 bolts. and the XTR hubs are SWEET!

I have the wheelset and it's superb, tight, light and stiff

The Spiderman

Check out these first:http://www.wheelpro.co.uk/

elPedro666

Shimano hubs are great if you don't mind the extra weight & servicing - Hope will outlast them ten times over though, so well worth it if you put the (wet) miles in.

supersonic

XTR are lighter than hope though - and IMHO the freehub is a lot better!

Tim.s

I had a very similar build not so long ago although I sought out the older Hope XC rear hub, its a lot quieter.

One tip for the Hope Pro2 fronts, water can get behind the cups (worse on QR) and quickly muller a set of bearings. Its worth taking the wheel off and removing the cups to let them dry after a wet ride. A generous smear of grease on the o-rings helps too.

supersonic

Upgrading to stainless bearings helps too. Should be standard really give the price of the hub.

gurus5000

Thanks for all your replies that seems to have made the decision a ot easier. I just wanted to know if people recommended what I was looking at and also thought it would be a worthwhile purchase.

ride_whenever

how do the xtr and xt freehubs compare?

My hulking brute of a flatmate destroyed his xt freehub fairly recently, it was wildly swapping between completely free (ie no drive at all) and fixed which caused much hilarity all round. I'm wondering if it is just a bad one or if the hope he has just bought will be stronger?

The Big Cheese

Ive been riding my XTR for well over a year and they are still running great, and Im 14 stone.... I have Hope Pro II on my quake which I love, they feel more sturdy, but they are on a 39lb bike.... I would never put them on my Marin IFT, love my XTRs too much and they are nice and light (oh and look better too) 8)

supersonic

XTR uses a titanium main body, stainless bearings and better sealing (and a faster pickup I believe).

I think the newer XT take some of these principles, and have the fast pickup too (certainly faster than Pro 2).

The Pro 2 body is user servicable ie the pawls, bearings and springs are easily replaced. SHimano isn't designed to be user servicable, but then again the whole rear XT hub is the same price as a Pro 2 freehub body.

Steve_b77

How about a set of Mavic Cross Trails? The new ones are loverly looking wheels.

I've just put a set of crossrdies on my HT, they're very nice, feel really good and are light, just over 1800g's when weighed on shop scales.

Chaz.Harding

Go for a Chris King custom build.

Or better yet, Industry 9!! Oh yeah..!

Seriously though, I can't comment on my Pro II hubs (don't get me started) but they are bloody loud!

Your not gonna be a stealth biker... The Shimano hubs are pretty standered quality. Not much to write home about, but they last for aaaaaaages and aaaaaaaages. Minimal servicing too.

projectsome

I just replaced my bontrager select disc complete wheelset with mavic 717's with shimano hubs (not sure which hubs as I bought the wheels secondhand)

I almost killed myself going down this hill. I didn't realise I was going faster.


my advice would be "GET THEM!!!!"

elPedro666

supersonic wrote:

XTR are lighter than hope though - and IMHO the freehub is a lot better!

Feel a bit silly now - I just don't generally consider XTr as it's not in the right price bracket... :oops: