NukeProof Generator or Superstar Evo

Alex Thirkill
Alex Thirkill Posts: 48
edited December 2012 in MTB buying advice
Want to upgrade my wheels on my Blue Pig, as now have wide Hans Dampfs and the rear hub is going.

I am a heavy and clumsy rider so they will take a proper pranging. AND I hate noisy Hope Hubs [Yes I know they are very good]

I'm thinking either a NukeProof generator, or Superstar Switch Evo hubs and Mavic EX721s.

What to people think, can anyone suggest anything better for under 300 quid?

I'd really like a pair of American Classics, but recession, innit.

Cheers,

Alex
Hit \'em hard hit \'em fast

Comments

  • The Northern Monkey
    The Northern Monkey Posts: 19,174
    Hope hubs are crap... you aren't missing out.

    Superstar wheels are superb. And some good deals at the moment.

    http://superstar.tibolts.co.uk/product_ ... cts_id=496

    Flows would be nice.
    Santa Cruz Butcher
  • rockmonkeysc
    rockmonkeysc Posts: 14,774
    I have both those wheels. Unless you are using the bike for downhill I would go for Mavic EX719's rather than 721's, they are lighter and more than strong enough for some heavy duty trail/AM use, I have a set on my On-One 456SS and I have even used them for a couple DH races and they were fine, even though I'm 16 stone.
    The Nukeproof Generators are also very good and the hubs are better than Superstar switch evo hubs but the rims are a bitch to get tyres on & off. They are also a downhill wheel and pretty heavy duty, not sure but I think Nukeproof do an all mountain version. If the weight of the Nukeproof wheelset is similar to the EX719, I would go for the Nukeproof, just for the better hubs really.
    The Superstar Hubs are ok but bearings don't last long and I have killed a freehub but Superstar do an excellent quality build and they come with a free pack of Haribo!
    Flow's are ok but heavier than the EX719 (and no stronger) and unless you want tubeless they aren't worth the extra cash.
    Transition Patrol - viewtopic.php?f=10017&t=13070235
  • The Northern Monkey
    The Northern Monkey Posts: 19,174
    Not sure how you treat your wheels, but my superstar switch evo hubs are on the original bearings and freehub after almost a year....
    Taken a beating but kept them maintained and clean.
    Bearings are just about starting to show signs that they need replacing.
    Santa Cruz Butcher
  • rockmonkeysc
    rockmonkeysc Posts: 14,774
    The Northern Monkey wrote:
    Not sure how you treat your wheels, but my superstar switch evo hubs are on the original bearings and freehub after almost a year....

    I think they can vary in quality. I know a couple people who have got through a few sets of bearings and others who have had them last for ages. Not really anything you can do to maintain sealed bearings.
    Transition Patrol - viewtopic.php?f=10017&t=13070235
  • The Northern Monkey
    The Northern Monkey Posts: 19,174
    I think just keeping them clean is key, but yeah, I wasn't expecting them to last this long put it that way :lol:
    Santa Cruz Butcher
  • Alex Thirkill
    Alex Thirkill Posts: 48
    50 / 50 thus far...
    Hit \'em hard hit \'em fast
  • lawman
    lawman Posts: 6,868
    I'd disagree with the flows being no stronger than 719's a mate completely totalled his at cannock on a pretty small fall, and another set of flows have stood up to a years DH abuse and numerous crashes, bought guys weigh about the same too, 15/16 stone. My switch hubs have been faultless in the year I've had them, so I'd take the flows and switch evo's, and personally I'd take stans rims over mavic any day of the week.
  • rockmonkeysc
    rockmonkeysc Posts: 14,774
    I have seen too many trashed flows. My XM719's have taken a proper battering including a couple DH races on my hardtail.
    Flow's are sold as a DH rim so should be as strong as EX721's but are far from it and they are a fair amount heavier than XM719's.
    After commenting that Superstar hub bearings didn't last too well for me I have just noticed that my Nukeproof front hub bearings are pretty rough after only 6 months so go for the cheaper Superstars.
    Transition Patrol - viewtopic.php?f=10017&t=13070235
  • lawman
    lawman Posts: 6,868
    RockmonkeySC wrote:
    I have seen too many trashed flows. My XM719's have taken a proper battering including a couple DH races on my hardtail.
    Flow's are sold as a DH rim so should be as strong as EX721's but are far from it and they are a fair amount heavier than XM719's.
    After commenting that Superstar hub bearings didn't last too well for me I have just noticed that my Nukeproof front hub bearings are pretty rough after only 6 months so go for the cheaper Superstars.

    They're 10g lighter, but are far narrower internally so would be pretty poor for supporting larger volume tyres. An awful lot of people use flows for good reason, so anything that goes wrong will appear more so than the Mavics, which are also pretty rare for good reason. I'll be sticking to stans having used mavic and Dt in the past.
  • supersonic
    supersonic Posts: 82,708
    Mavic rare?! I'd have thought they sold way more than Stans!
    GT ZASKAR CARBON TEAM

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  • lawman
    lawman Posts: 6,868
    supersonic wrote:
    Mavic rare?! I'd have thought they sold way more than Stans!

    More I meant 719's than anything, I've certainly not seen any fitted to an off the shelf bike recently, but at the more budget/mid range end of the market they are common. Mavic seem to take low/mid range when it comes to rims only these days, anything more expensive comes with their full build wheels.
  • Northwind
    Northwind Posts: 14,675
    Flows are stronger than 719s in my experience- at least, I destroyed a pair of Merlin 719s on a trailbike (cracks around the eyelets). The Flows that replaced them lasted longer on the same bike (and getting ridden harder as I got faster) then got moved to my downhill bike and are still going strong.

    The 719s were very resistant to denting though and I think people mistake that for strength sometimes. (It's harder to dent a 717 than a 729, which is stronger?).
    Uncompromising extremist
  • Alex Thirkill
    Alex Thirkill Posts: 48
    Hmmmn, I think I'd want wider rims than 719s to it is probably 721s or non-mavic.

    Alex
    Hit \'em hard hit \'em fast
  • rockmonkeysc
    rockmonkeysc Posts: 14,774
    EX721's are absolutely bombproof. You certainly won't break them. My 721's are holding up better than my Nukeproof Generators.
    Transition Patrol - viewtopic.php?f=10017&t=13070235
  • Alex Thirkill
    Alex Thirkill Posts: 48
    Good to hear Rockmonkey - nice to have a real comparison.

    I'm tending towards the superstars - but does anyone have another suggestion?

    What bearings do you use for Switch Evo hubs?

    Alex
    Hit \'em hard hit \'em fast
  • rockmonkeysc
    rockmonkeysc Posts: 14,774
    I forget exactely which ones they are but I get them from RS Components for a few pounds each
    Transition Patrol - viewtopic.php?f=10017&t=13070235
  • jairaj
    jairaj Posts: 3,009
    I can't really comment on your rim choice. but I can recommend Superstar as a wheel builder. The builds are good and strong. They offer free lifetime wheel truing for the original owner and have a crash replacement policy to get bac on trails for a reasonable cost.

    I can't remember the exact bearing numbers. But they are quite common and easily available types.

    I sent them a set of wheels to be rebuilt as I heavily dented the rear. Posted on Tueday and I had them back on Thursday morning. :-)

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