New Wheel(s) - Need your advice please

hairy_boy

Hi,

Really need some advice.

The spokes on my rear wheel on my Giant Terrago hardtail have come loose for a 2nd time (had them trued the 1st time last year at my local bike shop).

I have had the bike 5 years or so and these are the standard wheels so not done too bad but thinking its time to treat myself to a new rear wheel and possibly a new wheelset while I am at it.

The rear axle is 145mm total width (more like 135mm width measuring to the outside of the cone nuts if that makes sense) and I am running a 9spd cassette, standard quick release, 6 bolt disc rotors and 26" x 2.1" tyres. The current rims are I think 21mm wide.

My riding is varied but not rough, mainly reclaimed railway tracks, the odd trip to Dalby/Sherwood pines and once a year do a coast to coast type ride with panniers on the back ! My weight is nearly 15 stone though so need something durable enough.

Tight budget (as my riding and the bike doesn't really justify a big spend on wheels) so I am thinking of spending up to £120 ish for the rear wheel or up to £200 ish for the wheelset if possible.

Would quite like a quiteish hub - not too keen on a loud click while I freewheel.

Quite like the idea of a Mavic rim on an XT hub (happy with cones and bearings type axles) but am completely bamboozled by Mavic rim models/numbers, custom built wheels 'vs' factory wheelsets, whether to look at Superstars wheelsets etc,etc so would really appreciate some advice from others who know their stuff in the wheel department.

hairy_boy

Forgot to mention, not bothered about going tubeless tyres, and front wheel is standard quick release and 6 bolt rotors also.

Looking at Merlin, they have this wheelset:
http://www.merlincycles.com/bike-shop/wheels/mountain-bike-wheels/sale-wheels/pair-xt-disc-hubs-15mm-front-ztr-355-rims.html
not sure if this Stans rim would suit my weight and would be good with tubes and if I end up with a 15mm front hub can I get a quick release adapter ? My front forks are Rockshox Toras, standard quick release.

estampida

135mm hub, shimano free hub.....

http://superstar.tibolts.co.uk/index.php?cPath=40

or take your pick

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Sear ... 6,750,1054

but a little more spent on wheels and nice tyres will liven up the bike no probs

hairy_boy

Thanks estampida,

still bamboozled by Mavic model numbers:

XC717 - XC master
XM719 - Burly trail rim
EN521 - Tough enduro rim

so for my riding and my weight (nearly 15st) which would suit ?

estampida

its all about rim width

23mm - 28mm is all round riding size range, and depends on how hard you ride

less is xc, but they might run wider, more is fr/dh

I am very hard on wheels and forks (c/w warranty claims), the hard tail has 31mm sun rims on hope, overkill for most people

leaflite

I would go for stans rims over mavic as they will be lighter, wider and just as strong. My choice would be the superstar stans superdeal(£220) if you can live with the slightly noisy freehub. If not, try and hunt for a set of arch/arch ex/flow on xt hubs. The xt build is about £220 on crc if you go for the cheapest spokes and nipples.

Mccraque

I'd go for some Stans Crests on Superstar Hubs @ £220 as well. Myself and a mate have some and they're holding up well and both run tubeless. Mine are on a HT but he's battered his around Wales and they are still nice and tight.

I've run the Shimano XT wheels on shimano hubs for the last 3 years. Bit of a ballache servicing them...but not particularly difficult. But mine have a habit of working loose from time to time when hammered. Get dirt in, pit them, and they run like shyte....

hairy_boy

Thanks for the advice guys.

The Stans rims are pushing my budget too far and nowhere seems to have the Arch disc rims (in black) in-stock (looked at Merlin and Chain Reaction). Don't want a noisy, clicky freewheel so think that rules out Superstars Stans wheelsets.

Pricing up XT hubs, black spokes and Stans ZTR Arch Rims (in white as its all they have) on Chain Reaction looks like £255.

I can get XT hubs, Mavic XM719 rims with black spokes for £202 from Merlin so think thats what I am going to go for as thats right at the top of my budget anyway.

Unless I can find XT hubs with Stans Arch rims for somwhere closer to £200 from a reputable wheel building retailer ?

supersonic

XT 6 bolts weigh a ton. Solid, but heavy. And the 15mm cannot be converted.

I'd get these:

http://www.merlincycles.com/bike-shop/w ... lizer.html

And with the change some nice centerlock rotors. Excellent wheels, I have some myself.

leaflite

Hairy Boy wrote:

Thanks for the advice guys.

The Stans rims are pushing my budget too far and nowhere seems to have the Arch disc rims (in black) in-stock (looked at Merlin and Chain Reaction). Don't want a noisy, clicky freewheel so think that rules out Superstars Stans wheelsets.

Pricing up XT hubs, black spokes and Stans ZTR Arch Rims (in white as its all they have) on Chain Reaction looks like £255.

I can get XT hubs, Mavic XM719 rims with black spokes for £202 from Merlin so think thats what I am going to go for as thats right at the top of my budget anyway.

Unless I can find XT hubs with Stans Arch rims for somwhere closer to £200 from a reputable wheel building retailer ?

If you cant find the arch, why not go for a crest or flow rim?
Flows are about the same weight as 719s(once the nipple inserts are included) and are wider and stronger.
Crests are significantly lighter and may be strong enough for your needs.

Chunkers1980

supersonic wrote:

XT 6 bolts weigh a ton. Solid, but heavy. And the 15mm cannot be converted.

I'd get these:

http://www.merlincycles.com/bike-shop/w ... lizer.html

And with the change some nice centerlock rotors. Excellent wheels, I have some myself.

What spokes do your wheels actually have? Seen you say they have aci db ones, but the discription says just silver?

hairy_boy

supersonic wrote:

XT 6 bolts weigh a ton. Solid, but heavy. And the 15mm cannot be converted.

Thanks Supersonic,

Are the base Deore 6 bolt hubs any/much lighter than the XT ones - they are an option with Merlin and would save a few quid ?

supersonic

The spokes on mine are indeed ACI double butted.

Deore 6 bolt hubs are about the same weight. XT M756 hubs are pretty old now. The 495 rear hubs are even lighter, but centrlock will require either adaptors or new rotors that can add more weight back in.

Chunkers1980

That doesn't make much sense. ACI on Merlin are about 85p each. 64 x .85 = 55 quid in spokes alone.... Might have to invest, but I hate SIlver spokes.

leaflite

supersonic wrote:

The spokes on mine are indeed ACI double butted.

Deore 6 bolt hubs are about the same weight. XT M756 hubs are pretty old now. The 495 rear hubs are even lighter, but centrlock will require either adaptors or new rotors that can add more weight back in.

Why not get centrelock XTm788 hubs? Same price as the 6 bolt near enough

Chunkers1980

Because they don't come with the cracking deal?

leaflite

Chunkers1980 wrote:

Because they don't come with the cracking deal?

I was talking about a build from CRC.

Should work out at about £220 with flow rims

supersonic

3x the price of the 495 and EQ25 mind - nice wheels though.

jt_intheuk

supersonic wrote:

XT 6 bolts weigh a ton. Solid, but heavy. And the 15mm cannot be converted.

I'd get these:

http://www.merlincycles.com/bike-shop/w ... lizer.html

And with the change some nice centerlock rotors. Excellent wheels, I have some myself.

Any chance of posting a couple of pictures of the Sun Equalizer wheel?
Might get some myself, just would like to see how they look?

supersonic

Here is the rim I had on photobucket:

jt_intheuk

Thank you for the pics.

hairy_boy

Supersonic,

thanks for posting pics of your rims - they look nice, what width are they ?

Thanks

supersonic

25 external, 18 internal. (mm)

hairy_boy

Thanks Super, emailed Merlin about the width of the Sun Equaliser rims on the sale wheels and got this response:

'As far as I'm aware they have a 27mm out bead width and a 25mm inner.
Hope this helps.'

Anyway, have gone for the deore 6 bolt hubs, XM719 rims with black spokes - just over £160 all in.

They should be fine for my riding - shame I couldn't stretch to Stans Arch rims really but they would have been nearly another ton and can't justify that at the moment. Looking forward to my new wheels arriving all the same !

Thanks for all your advice guys, as always its been very informed and appreciated.

JMcP92

Take a look at CRC, they've got 50% off some great wheels at the moment

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Sear ... 6,750,1054