Wheel replacement please help :-)

mclaren1986

Hi fellow MTBers, I need the help of a more experienced cyclist.

I lost my front wheel at the car park where I bike. The spec is as follow

Rims:
Bontrager AT-850 32-hole double-walled
Front Hub:
Shimano M525
Rear Hub:
Front Tyre:
Bontrager XR1 Expert, 26×2.2″

Please could someone advise on what would be a good replacement, don't mind it not matching my back one but would rather have similiar or upgrade if exact match isn't available.

I can buy the rim and the hub for £32 and £10, how much would it cost to be built and other than spokes are there any other parts I need to think about

The Rookie

Budget on £30-40 for a build including the spokes cost.

That said it's just a regular QR XC front wheel so almost anything will suite. A pair for peanuts
http://www.merlincycles.com/shimano-deo ... 54304.html

You did better than a mate at work, he left both wheels behind!

cooldad

Plenty of bike shops (and Ebay) have Deore hubs laced to ok rims for £50 or less.

mclaren1986

Thanks Rookie,that's helpful. I also left my brain in the car park. I did 2 laps without a rest so was pretty light headed when was packing away.

Thanks Cooldad it's nice to have a couple of options to look into so really appreciate you both replying.

It's annoying, I did it before when I had a hybrid bike. I wouldn't be so annoyed with myself if it was the first time I dun it!

rockmonkeysc

Deore wheels are excellent for the money. Shimano hubs are unfashionable but I like their durability, low friction and they have servicable bearings.

swod1

RockmonkeySC wrote:

Deore wheels are excellent for the money. Shimano hubs are unfashionable but I like their durability, low friction and they have servicable bearings.

Yep, the rear wheel on my hard tail bike has a xt hub and it's taken some abuse compared to the stock wheel it replaced that didn't last long.

Pay the extra and get an slx or xt hub.

Also you'll want to decide whether 6 bolt or centre lock disc rotor mount with the newer shimano hubs.

rockmonkeysc

My road bike has the R500 hubs which are a road version of the Deore hub. They have done around 15k miles in all weathers with only minimal maintenance and no new bearings. I have just replaced the freehub but at £17 for 15k miles I'm not complaining.

The Rookie

I picked up a 475 hubbed wheel from a recycling centre, bearings were very loose and one cone had a small amount of pitting, rebuilt it with no new parts and I've just pensioned it off after 5000miles as the spokes are all shot, bearings have got no worse in all that time.

mclaren1986

Hi Rock/Rookie/Swod/Cooldad/

My wheel was handed in so I'm sticking with the deore for now. I go round the sherwood pines red route in nottingham so they get a reasonable battering and haven't given me any problems yet so I see no reason to upgrade. It probably helps that I only weigh 65kg. When they do need replacing will probably go for the XT though!

Thanks for your help

The Rookie

Sherwood pines is not a battering, that's regular XC, I've seen a guy do it with a kid on a seat on the rack!

rockmonkeysc

If you think Sheerwood gives your wheels a battering then you need to get out and ride some proper trails, that's very tame for a red trail.

mclaren1986

I'm pretty new to biking TBH so pines has been good to get me started because it's relatively close. Now I've got some basic skills I'll be trying a few more this year. Cannock chase and Dalby on my list but being from Lincoln they're not the kind of places I can commute to after work unlike pines.

Have you guys got any recommendations for trails to try that are a step up from pines but not going to a huge leap?
My fitness is ok as I do 3 loops with no breaks if I have all day.

JodyP

mclaren1986 wrote:

Have you guys got any recommendations for trails to try that are a step up from pines but not going to a huge leap?
My fitness is ok as I do 3 loops with no breaks if I have all day.

Peak District

Antm81

I'm from Doncaster, so I know your issues, used Pines a lot and is enjoyable but it all has to be flat out.

I've been further away to places like Lee Quarry, which is a whole different ball game, but your looking at a day trip to do it.

Gisburn is an option too, similar sort of distance away from me as Dalby so should be similar for you. I've done Dalby red, some bits are like pines, some of it is fire road and then there's some more technical sections too, it's pretty long for a trail centre though.

I've not ridden in the peaks yet but only because I feel it's the sort of place I'd be better off riding with somebody else who's got more knowledge of the area to get the best out of it.

I tend to just have a blast round the local woods now if I'm short on time, then have some trips out further away.

rockmonkeysc

If you want to try somewhere more interesting forget Cannock.
Afan is worth a trip, Y Wal and Whites Level are good and Blade is excellent. Forest of Dean is surprisingly good but probably not worth the drive for you. Grizedale is good and for a big day you can link it in to a loop out to Walna Scar. If you really want some fun, the blue and red trails are excellent fun with enough to keep your attention and if you like big jumps (30+ foot gaps and tables) then the black trails are great fun, just make sure you book an uplift.

mclaren1986

My friend does a few woods round doncaster. Will definitely be trying dalby thanks Antm81.

Hi Rockmonkey the 30+ft gaps are probably a bit much for me at the moment, only been doing it a few months :-)