AmClassic tubeless 29 vs hope/mavic 29

Thorjensen

Gday chaps

I'm planning my upcomming 29er project and i've come to the wheelset question.

I'm pretty hooked on the AmClassic's with their 1600g and £450-499 pricetag plus a max rider weight at 107kg.

But i'm also pretty stoked on the Hope pro2 evo straight pull and Mavic XM719 , comming in at aprox 1850g plus a max rider weight on 115kg.

I'm a 105kg rider but weight is going down

I dont take major drops, and i'm a xc kinda guy running technical tracks both up- downhill.

Any advice or personal try outs are welcome

Regards

ride_whenever

Why no stans option?

Personally I'd be having stans crest or maybe flow rims depending on your tyre preference on the hubs of your choice. Hopes are nice but the superstar hubs offer better value for money.

Bikerinthesand

Try the Fulcrum Red Metal 29 XL MTB Wheelset. Very robust, on sale at Wiggle £450 ish UST / Tubeless ready and QR/15mm convertable.

Rode the Cape Epic and lots of other stuff on them and never a problem.

They look cool also

allthegearnoidea

ive got the AM classic 26" tubeless wheels, have bene running them for 2yearsnow and hav to say they are Fantastic, i'm 100kg and have a generally Heavy riding style, the wheels are abslutey Great, not had to touch them since fitting in any way, i dont take majr drops on them but the odd foot high bump to flat etc. they have been faultless, back up through eurobike is brilliant too ifyou shoul need it, the only thing i woud say is Whilst bloomin pretty, the am classic valves are Weak! have had 3 split on me when out on the trails, lock pump on and you hear the chink noise! otherwise, spot on,
very light,Super fast rolling, solid wheelst, and maintenence is Super simple, 2 locking nuts on one side of the axel and thats it, 19mm rings a bell??

why no stans?? not everyone wats to run the same wheels! if we did we'd all be on specalized with Stans rims, hope hubs and Schwalbe tyres! also you need the tubeless kit for them,iirc they dont come ready ot the box??

nferrar

We wouldn't be on Spesh because they're not the best option in the price range, Stan's are You need to use tape with Stan's not the full kit (although Gorilla tape works as well).

Thorjensen

Thx for the quick replys...

Stans's Crest did I have an eye out for but the max rider weight is 85-90kg i believe. Don't wanna go down the maxed out weight limit road again. Then there is the Flow but that's more heavy than the mavic's.

Good to hear the info on the AC's

Thought about the Fulcrum aswell but then again, when a similar priced wheelset offers lower weight and same max weight I started thinking...

How about that straight pull combo??

Thor

supersonic

I like AC wheels - don't think you'll find a better combo of qualities for that mony - strength, weight and reliability.

cycleclinic

I have been running Hope XC pro hubs for years. These have superceeded by Hope Pro2's now. I have no intension of changing them as they have not failed me yet. The onlt thing wrong with them is the springs and pawls flying everywhere when it time to pull the freehub off to replace bearings. They really are very good hubs. I use them with Mavic rim (721's). All of DT Swiss's 29er rims have a weight limti of 100kg so they won't be the best choice.

The 29er mavic rims is the TN719 not the XM719. The latter is a 26" rim.

The only other hubs that are as durable as Hope's would be DT Swiss's offering 240's, 350's or 440's (350's or 440's would be best though) or Shimano XT or XTR. I prefer Shimano's offering personally. Goldec is another option.

Straight pull hubs are not necessary if your j-bend spoked wheels are built properly in the first place. Straight pull spokes are expensive when they go and many of these factory wheelset after a few year are difficult to repair/service as parts are no longer available. You will not have that problem with hope hubs and J-bend spokes will be arround for ever. .

If you want light think XTR hubs (or DT 240) and the Mavic TN719 rims and Sapim D light spokes.

supersonic

I wouldn't call Pro2 particularly durable. The XC was a better hub.

Vinnyc19

I run AC 29 tubeless and they are brilliant, tried stans flow but preferred the AC wheel set, this years AC's are a neutral colour too so not so much in your face

Thorjensen

Regarding j-bends. I've rode Bontrager wheels with j-bends the last 6,5years and only one broke spoke in that time.

A fellow danish rider just pointed my attention to www.actionsports.de where I can get the following custom 29er wheelset at the same price as AmClassic.

DT Swiss 240s 6bolts
Arch EX
DT Swiss comp spokes ( think revo will be to flimsy)
Prolock nipples

Wheelset weight aprox 1680g
€550

Ah haaa a new player in the wheelset game.

Regards

cycleclinic

I don't how I forgot about this rim The Veloity P35. Seriously wide at 35mm and not light but it is one sturdy rim. If I was 100kg and riding trails I would use these rims on Hope, DT Swiss 240 ot XT/XTR hubs.

leaflite

Im also running 26inch American Classic mtb wheels and love them. (bought used from Vinnyc19 in fact. That he bought another set in 29inch says it all really) They are very light, the hubs are awesome and I havent had any issues with them going out of true etc despite them being on a 140mm travel hardtail.