De Ja Vu - my buckling rim....

Andy B

£130 for a rim, spokes & build, that's bloody expensive!

sirlylos

Andy_B wrote:

£130 for a rim, spokes & build, that's bloody expensive!

Dam right it is, feeling quite bitter about the whole affair.

supersonic

A new wheel can be had for much less than that.

sirlylos

I'm not that knowledgeable when it comes to rims so I just wanted it fixed so I could go back out again this weekend. I suppose it's not too late to phone up my bike shop and tell them not to bother with the rim.

I've been looking about and this looks decent for the cash:

Atomlab Pimp Rim

But then I'm not sure about what spokes I need and how I actually build the thing....

nicklouse

that rim is fine if you are dirt jumping or downhilling but is not really suitable for the Epic.

Too heavy.

sirlylos

Can a rim be too heavy for a bike though? What would the implications be? Can you recommend a strong rim that'll be good for the Epic?

Wishing I'd never bought this bloody epic now :roll:

ride_whenever

from a UST wheel/tyre roundup big rubber on light rims works better than the other way round.

Something like a 721 or a stans flow.

tompug

sirlylos wrote:

Can a rim be too heavy for a bike though? What would the implications be? Can you recommend a strong rim that'll be good for the Epic?

Wishing I'd never bought this bloody epic now :roll:

First thing I would do is try and see if the rim that in bent is fixable, as I'm sure you could sell them or use them as XC only rims.

As for a brand new wheelset I would recommend Merlin cycles custom wheels, they are best for the price/workmanship ratio. Lots of folk on here have used them before.
Merlin cycles wheels

I would use mavic rims as there range is easy to understand, have a wide selection and an industry leader.
Mavic MTB rims


The combination I personally would recommend is :
S/S double butted spokes
721/729 mavic rims
XT/SLX/Hope pro 2 hubs (all are good)

That wheelset should be pretty solid for anything an epic could take, if not overkill.

With regards to the bike, you may well have to sell it to get something more suited to an extreme riding style if thats what you enjoy.
Always ask on here for advice on your next purchase if your unsure, as bikes shops will say anything to shift a bike.

sirlylos

Do I need the Hubs tompug? I thought I could use my existing ones...

As for the bike situation. From speaking to the LBS guy last night he seemed to think the Epic would be able to cope with the tracks a Dalby, so after speaking to him my plan was to get this new rim built up (the old one is a complete right-off, you seen the pics at the start?) and then put on some Maxxis highrollers and go with that.

Ideally I would like something like the Marin Rocky Ridge but I haven't got the cash at the moment, wonder if there will be that much difference and also how much I'll get in return for the Epic.

supersonic

Buying a whole new wheel is often cheaper than having the old one rebuilt.

You old rim is not salvageable - it is truly dead!

I agree with nick, you do not need DH rims on a XC race bike - maybe a Mavic 719, but properly built.

If you need DH rims then you really do need a stronger bike I feel.

lock1981

sir lylos...

they were dt swiss rims, but they came on the bike. specialised stumpjumper i think!

they might be 420's not sure but there standard, either way they bent and snapped on the weld! and arent covered by the warrenty


sorry i couldnt be any help

lock1981

that was riding the chute in guisborough!

sirlylos

Thanks lock1981, there the same as I had on mine - clearly sh*te rims and also not on the warranty!

I'm hoping the new ones are gonna put up with some abuse, they're stans rims.

Stumpy Ade

The exact same thing happened to me twice.

It's without doubt the rims, those dt rims are pony, they only have 28 spokes in order to show a weight saving. I have bitten the bullet and changed the front wheel to a mavic that has 32 spokes. I have had no problem since.

Don't beat your self up abouit it but painful though it may be chande the front wheel, mine too cost about £120 but I did get a new, improved quick release spindle as well. Cheaper than a new bike though.


NB I could be wrong about the exact nr of spokes I'm going from memory.

Northwind

Stumpy Ade wrote:

It's without doubt the rims, those dt rims are pony, they only have 28 spokes in order to show a weight saving. I have bitten the bullet and changed the front wheel to a mavic that has 32 spokes. I have had no problem since.

My Traversees have 24 in the front THere's a lot more to wheel strength than spokes.

Stumpy Ade

Fair comment.

I for one wont be going back to dt's though. My 2 spills were very minor and both totalled my wheel.

sirlylos

Well I'm finally going to get shot of the Epic - I just don't feel confident on it and I want a decent hardtail. I reckon I'll get about £800 for it.

I want a robust beast that I can throw down hills and also climb easily - tall order I know but I was looking at the Giant Talon 0and it looks like it might just do the job.

Any other advice or shall I just go for it?

stu8975

Your Epic is a better bike. Although not designed for what you want to do on it (from reading through the thread), I doubt the giant would stand up to your riding either in standard form. It has a decent frame to upgrade but the components are still xc/enduro orientated. IMO you need something with 120mm + travel for your sort of riding.

JamesBrckmn

Get an orange crush, a hardtail with 140mm of travel, it's £1000

sirlylos

mmm the orange is too much, there;s the G3 which is in my price range but only rocks 100mm travel.

Any other options around the £800 mark?

stu8975

I think you will need to spend more if you want a hard hitting trail bike (new + decent). you might be able to build something half decent..456 frame, 318 u-turns, deore drivetrain/brakes, prob have £200 left over for decent strong wheels + finishing kit.

jadamson

or second hand?

bobcheese

Have a look at the genisis core range. Not bad value and the 30 comes with u turn toras up to 130mm

mrfmilo

GT Agressor? (Elite?)

delcol

pace rc 305..
santacruz chameleon
cove stiffie .
to name a few.

bails87

mrfmilo wrote:

GT Agressor? (Elite?)

Good call

mrfmilo

http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/stor ... l&istBid=t

Great frame, great forks, great brakes, great mechs/shifters, good cranks - great bike