What light XC wheels?? custom or factory??

noodlesuk15 · June 2012

Hi all,

Basically I'v got a stumpy expert carbon which came with a DT swiss 370 rear hub which has finally bit the dust. The rims are in fairly bad condition now so I have decided its time for a new wheel or two! Only problem is my ignorance, so I would appreciate a bit of advice.

Basically I have got around £600 to spend. Iv read a lot of reviews and based on my weight (160 lb) and riding fairly aggressive xc iv come up with a few choices. (feel free to tell me I'm completely wrong and suggest something different)

Factory wheels.
Crank brothers cobalt 3 - £590 - 1540g - look pretty nice in blue
Easton XC90 - around £580 - 1560g

Custom option; Hope pro 2 evo, No tubes ZTR crest rim, dt swiss comp spokes - £410 (chain reaction cycles) - somewhere around the 1500 - 1600g mark

Im swaying towards the custom option due to the cost. Are the other wheels £200 better?

Are chain reaction cycles a good place to get custom wheels built?

Lastly whats the difference between the pro 2 evo and the pro 2 evo saint??

Many thanks,

Dale

bomberesque · June 2012

cobalts aren't really as light as claimed (shock horror) I have a pair on my SS. they're nice wheels but don't expect miracles on the scales (mine are more like 1650 iirc). That said, you can get them cheaper than 600 quid if you shop around. I got mine for about 350 I think.

for 410 the hopes sound like a good option. They'll be as light, they're cheaper, the hubs have a good rep (CB don't, whether justified or not) and you get normal spokes that can be easily replaced in the event of a prang. CB spokes are charged at a reasonable amount last I looked (about 6 quid a pair) but hopes are totally industry standard spokes that you could buy from any bike shop. you do have to put up with the "swarm of bees" freewheel noise on the hope hubs, but the CBs are not quieter, while the Eastons (probably, if it's the same freewheel as the XCones) should be

njee20 · June 2012

DT240s on Alpines with Revolutions. 1350g or thereabouts and still cheaper than Cobalts.

Or... A2Z hubs on Alpines, very slightly lighter, and cheaper than Hopes. Questionable reliability, although mine are perfect.

Wobbit · June 2012

Custom built hope builds for 300quid...

http://www.moonglu.com/shop/hopepro2evo ... nscrest-2/

warpcow · June 2012

What Njee20 said, if you're serious about functional lightweight rather than looks.

Pro2 Evo Saint is just a Pro2 Evo with a Saint axle. You probably don't want one.

bomberesque · June 2012

njee20 wrote:

DT240s on Alpines with Revolutions. 1350g or thereabouts and still cheaper than Cobalts.

CRC price is 700 quid for that build

still ... NICE wheels

njee20 · June 2012

Don't get them from CRC then...

€510 with Revolutions, Alpines/Crests and alu nips (save weight at expense of durability, your call...). Some mental deals on there!

leaflite · June 2012

American classics!

The standard mtb 26 ones weigh 1480g and cost £460
The race ones weigh 1321g and cost £600

The hubs are a work of art, very light and reliable. This allows them to use a stronger, heavier rim and spokes for the same total weight, making a stiffer, stronger wheel for the weight. I love my mtb26s, and one or two others on here have them and feel the same

The Spiderman · June 2012

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/New-Specialized-Roval-Control-EL-Mountain-Bike-Wheel-set-/200777965106?pt=UK_sportsleisure_cycling_bikeparts_SR&hash=item2ebf4c9e32

I recently bought a similar still boxed set of Control ALs for £160 on ebay myself.Great wheels,nice hubs and very easy to set up tubeless.Mine were around 1650g already taped and with valves,but the EL version is lighter.Worth a punt I reckon.

noodlesuk15 · June 2012

Thanks for all the information everyone. Looks like the cobalts are a definite no as your just paying extra for the bling. I think the specialised set on eBay are defiantly worth a shot if they go reasonably cheap. The DT swiss 240s etc at £700 are just a bit to expensive for me but look like very nice wheels. If the specialised set doesn't go cheapish then I think the hope pro2 evo's at £300 from Moonglu are just to cheap to turn down.

Thanks again everyone,

Dale

supersonic · June 2012

1610g though, while light for the money, is not too bad, but are lighter options such as:

http://superstar.tibolts.co.uk/product_ ... cts_id=497

Are for £80 less, but 40g heavier:

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

Or, if you are ok with QR front and want to spend more:

http://superstar.tibolts.co.uk/product_ ... cts_id=499

1290g.

njee20 · June 2012

The DT swiss 240s etc at £700 are just a bit to expensive for me but look like very nice wheels

Did you look at my link? Other bike shops exist.

I had some Roval Controle SLs, they were ok, but no better. I'd choose 240s on Crests/Alpines instead.

bomberesque · June 2012

for what it's worth I agree with njee20

Actionsports are a good company and that price (500 euros ish) is pretty excellent for what you're getting. CRC normally offer pretty good benchmark pricing (which is why I used them) but in this case Actionsports have them knocked into a cocked hat. SS's superstar suggestion is an interesting one too, I've never used their wheels but they are very competitively priced and if you squint you can even convince yourself you're "buying british"

thinking about ordering a pair of those 240s for myself, as it happens

njee20 · June 2012

Actionsports are excellent. Got my Revolution spokes from them for my last build, significantly cheaper than UK trade prices, and they gave me 3 spares of each of the 3 lengths I ordered FOC.

Heard good things about their wheebuilds. Even the basic 240 wheelset for €349 is mental frankly, you pay far more than that for the hubs over here!

The Spiderman · June 2012

noodlesuk15 wrote:

Thanks for all the information everyone. Looks like the cobalts are a definite no as your just paying extra for the bling. I think the specialised set on eBay are defiantly worth a shot if they go reasonably cheap. The DT swiss 240s etc at £700 are just a bit to expensive for me but look like very nice wheels. If the specialised set doesn't go cheapish then I think the hope pro2 evo's at £300 from Moonglu are just to cheap to turn down.

Thanks again everyone,

Dale

As mentioned my pre owned but brand new still boxed set were £160 but I was very lucky.I`ve seen used ELs go for not much more than £200.If you can get them for around that,and sellers feedback is good then its a no brainer.If I hadn`t have got them at such a good price I would have gone for Pro 2 Evos with Crests.

The Spiderman · June 2012

njee20 wrote:

Actionsports are excellent. Got my Revolution spokes from them for my last build, significantly cheaper than UK trade prices, and they gave me 3 spares of each of the 3 lengths I ordered FOC.

Heard good things about their wheebuilds. Even the basic 240 wheelset for €349 is mental frankly, you pay far more than that for the hubs over here!

*Goes off to check them out*

Damn you Njee,you`ll be causing unneccesary expediture!

njee20 · June 2012

Always worth checking the German sites, they're often far cheaper than any of the UK ones!

The Spiderman · June 2012

njee20 wrote:

Always worth checking the German sites, they're often far cheaper than any of the UK ones!

More so since March with the exchange rate against the euro improving,though the pound has softened a little in the last month.

I`d forgotten about actionsports.

German sites seem to be particularly good on Shimano components and tyres in particular.

njee20 · June 2012

Yep, and wheel components it seems!

There are odd anomalies though - rims are expensive, although built wheels are cheap. Couldn't find Podiums for less than €110 each, whilst they can be had for £70ish over here!

What light XC wheels?? custom or factory??

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