Which wheels

divingmoose

Hi guys,
Upgrading the wheels on the bike and wondered what peoples thoughts are for around the £350 mark. Have been told hope do some nice ones for that price bracket. What's your thoughts on what to go for?
Thanks

Chunkers1980

For what use?

rockmonkeysc

What bike and what sort of riding?

divingmoose

Sorry guys it's a kona hei hei 26" and xc riding

coulddobetter

Hope pro 2 stans crest . Put them on my xc bike and love them .

felix.london

I'd be getting Superstar's Tesla with CX-Rays on Stan's Crest's myself. Fast, light, tough and bang on the money...

http://superstar.tibolts.co.uk/product_info.php?cPath=40&products_id=601

njee20

Loads of people selling 26" XC wheels (although you may be a bit late to that party), I'd be looking second hand for something nice.

If you want new then Light bicycle complete wheels don't come out much more, I'd have those over Hope/Stan's.

Levi_501

Hope Pro 2 SP with Mavic rims would my choice.

njee20

I'd get neither straight pull spokes or Mavic rims, whatever you buy.

Levi_501

SP all the way

Mavic??? Why not?

Chunkers1980

Why?

And better options out there.

rockmonkeysc

As light xc rims I wouldn't buy Mavic but for harder riding they are great because they use a harder alloy than most so don't dent as easily.

njee20

Mavic don't do a light XC rim! They do an average narrow one at best.

Straight pull makes replacing spokes a faff, assuming you can track them down, whilst offering no real world benefits.

Ferrals

I've been pondering this too. Stans crest rims seem to get universally good reviews and it seems they are stronger than their xc ranking suggests. One thing I've been puzzling is hope seem to get the lion share of aftermarket hubs but while reliable and serviceable some reviews suggest they are heavy and the free hub engagement isn't great? What other hub options are worth considering at a similar level?

njee20

The free hub engagement is a lot better on the latest versions. Similar price I'd look at DT350, Novatec and Superstar.

I think Hope hubs are actually quite over rated.

Levi_501

One of the attractions (IMHO) is that they are so easy to service and can accept all manner of different axles.

So when you bought your wheels your bike had a QR front and back; then you upgraded the forks to 15mm, later in the year a new frame meant you were 142mm at the rear, with a few quid and you can still use your wheels.

Although changing fitments has become more common, IIRC, Hope were one of the first to bring it to the masses.

SP spokes are much easier to replace.

Chunkers1980

Just 'cos they were first doesn't mean they remain the best.

If you have exactly the same SP spoke then they are marinally easier to fit, even really close then j-benders win as that's a universal interface.

rockmonkeysc

I would avoid avoid Superstar Switch Evo hubs. The bearing sealing is crap and the freehubs crack regularly, I have got through four freehubs in 18 months.

njee20

SP spokes are much easier to replace.

Until they start rotating as you tension them and you have to hold them still. More an issue for building to be fair, they're far more of a ballache to build with.

chrisrobs

RockmonkeySC wrote:

I would avoid avoid Superstar Switch Evo hubs. The bearing sealing is crap and the freehubs crack regularly, I have got through four freehubs in 18 months.

Ive gone through the same amount in roughly the same time. I wouldnt buy superstars again.

poah

divingmoose wrote:

Hi guys,
Upgrading the wheels on the bike and wondered what peoples thoughts are for around the £350 mark. Have been told hope do some nice ones for that price bracket. What's your thoughts on what to go for?
Thanks

mavic cross trails - UST rim, smart looking, axle swapablity, about 1650g, not as loud as hope's, not simple to change spoke if you broke one

hope hoops crest rims - tubless ready, pretty light (under 1600g for 26), axle swaps fairly simple to do, spokes easy to replace, they are noisy and

hope hoops arch ex rim - stronger than crest with small weight penalty (about 1650g a set)

CRC have a set of Easton havens on offer at the mo - axle swaps, pretty strong wheels, light weight (~1650g) but spares are a pain in the arse to get if you need anything done.

superstar are pretty good on price but hubs have been shown to have iffy build quality, wheel builds can be iffy depending on who you talk to and there are some shocking warranty refusals however there are also good reports of customer service.


if I was getting wheels again (I have crosstrails) I'd probably go with hope hoops with arch ex rims

felix.london

Never had a problem with Superstar hubs or builds and the ones I linked to are lot lighter than all the ones you mention above.

No brainer for me.

supersonic

How much do you weigh? Do you want lighter wheels, stronger, stiffer, or a combo?

poah

felix.london wrote:

Never had a problem with Superstar hubs or builds and the ones I linked to are lot lighter than all the ones you mention above.

No brainer for me.

is 30-40g considered a lot these days?

felix.london

POAH wrote:

felix.london wrote:

Never had a problem with Superstar hubs or builds and the ones I linked to are lot lighter than all the ones you mention above.

No brainer for me.

is 30-40g considered a lot these days?

No but 75-125g is a significant weight saving if you ask me

poah

felix.london wrote:

POAH wrote:

felix.london wrote:

Never had a problem with Superstar hubs or builds and the ones I linked to are lot lighter than all the ones you mention above.

No brainer for me.

is 30-40g considered a lot these days?

No but 75-125g is a significant weight saving if you ask me

even 75g over two wheels isn't much and not likely to be felt and the hopes are only £314 from merlin and have a much better build and customer service reputation. That's a no brainer to me

divingmoose

I am 90kg and ride xc stuff bit of combo light ish and strong