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  • All-Mountain Wheels – help please.
  • ddmonkey
    Full Member

    I am thinking of trying to get a lighter wheel set up for my Spec. Enduro. Currently it has Stans Flow rims on Hope Pro II hubs, with tubes and Maxxis Ardent 2.4 Exo Tyres.

    I love the tyres, so not keen to change them but I have wondered if going to some Mavic Crossmax wheels and possibly ghetto tubeless would make a significant difference to the overall weight?

    I need the set up to withstand regular Alps use but make XC rides a bit more zippy if possible.

    Would Mavic Crossmax ST’s be up to the job or would the extra rim width of some SLX’s be better? Any other alternatives in a similar price bracket?

    ThePinkster
    Full Member

    don’t know about the wheels but in my experience going tubeless (especially ghetto style) doesn’t seem to save much weight.

    Reduces punctures and improves grip, yes, but weight, no.

    ddmonkey
    Full Member

    OK thanks that is good to know. Seems like a phaf if its not going to make a lot of difference.

    chakaping
    Free Member

    Crossmax are UST, no ghettoing required.

    SXs are only marginally lighter than pro2/Flows.

    STs are noticeably lighter, rim width is fine, but obviously not so bombproof.

    Northwind
    Full Member

    ST is a good tough rim but fairly narrow, will pinch those 2.4s a little but not too bad.

    You could just tubelessize your current set o’course. My Advantage Exos went on tubeless very well on Flows. Didn’t like them that much but that’s just personal taste. Will save about 100g an end compared to the lightest tubes you’re likely to be using, probably more.

    stevied
    Free Member

    I went tubeless on my Hope Pro3 AM4’s with Flows. Running Maxxis 2.35″ Minion single ply 60a front, ADvantage 2.35″ rear. Neither are UST tyres and I used Stans Yellow tape, valve and splooge. I might loose about 1-2 psi a week and have done a uplift/rocky riding on them without a flat..

    I’ve cut out the inner tube but added some splooge juice so, maybe, 150g/wheel saved?

    ddmonkey
    Full Member

    So if I were to get some SX’s would the current tyres work as tubeless with them? Could be a good all-round option. Keen to stick to wider rims if possible.

    Northwind
    Full Member

    Probably will. But will cost you hundreds of pounds to save not that much weight.

    Ecky-Thump
    Free Member

    I’ve found all Maxxis tyres work well tubeless on Flows with just the yellow tape and some Stans gunk. That goes for single ply, UST & dual ply.

    Why not try that first? You might be pleasantly surprised.

    Hob-Nob
    Free Member

    Waste of money to save ~200g.

    Get a set of DT Swiss 240S hubs second hand either on their own or on a wheelset you can junk the rims & spokes on.

    Get a set of the Light Bicycle carbon AM rims, they come in at 360g each. Build them with some DT SuperComps & brass nipples & you should have wheelset around ~1450g.

    Better hubs than the Mavic’s, normal spokes if you pop one, less money & a bucket load lighter.

    jairaj
    Full Member

    I’ve been using Maxxis tyres with Stans rims for years with no issues what so ever. Ignitor with a Crest rim.

    TBH your current setup is about as light as you can go while staying strong for a sensible amount of money.

    If you want to go lighter take a look at the Stans Arch EX rim. Its lighter than the Flow but also weaker.

    Or you need to look at lighter hubs DT swiss 350 or more fancy spokes and or alu nipples.

    chakaping
    Free Member

    So if I were to get some SX’s would the current tyres work as tubeless with them?

    It was a struggle (due to the big volume probabbly), but I did recently get an Ardent Exo 2.4 to go up on an SX with a track pump. And it survived the Hamsterley Gravity Enduro.

    But I used to use Maxxis Exo tyres on Flows with the stans rimstips and they were fine. The SXs would not be noticeably lighter – but would be way stiffer and pickup quicker.

    ddmonkey
    Full Member

    So seems like the most cost effective thing to do is to go tubeless on the current set up perhaps… hmm! Thanks all.

    Northwind
    Full Member

    Absolutely- it’ll cost you buttons tbh, all you should need is yellow tape, 2 valves, and some sealant. You can even bodge it with (decent) electric tape and valves off an old tube. Actually inflating the tyres can be the hard part but then that’ll be true on the Mavics too (once you’ve taped a Flow it’s functionally identical to UST)

    tor5
    Free Member

    this could be nonsense, but I’ve heard that running tubless removes friction between tyre and tube, so decreasing rolling resistance, as well as any weight saving. Will try and dig out a supporting link when I have time…

    justme
    Free Member

    Sx’s are light, fast and nicer
    ST,s are a bit lighter, a bit faster (ie very fast)and poss a bit nicer
    Both do tubeless fine
    You will notice the difference
    Hope that helps
    G

    lornholio
    Free Member

    Ghetto tubeless saved me 270g per wheel (Flows with Minion EXOs vs DH tubes). Go for it.

    juan
    Free Member

    Build them with some DT SuperComps & brass nipples

    Did you read the title? It mentioned AM… Not mincing around a field.
    Best bet spoke wise for AM are Comp or AEL if you’re rich.

    Hob-Nob
    Free Member

    Did you read the title? It mentioned AM… Not mincing around a field.
    Best bet spoke wise for AM are Comp or AEL if you’re rich.

    The DH wheelset I built with SuperComps are still going strong, as are the handmedown wheels on my Mrs’s bike (240’s on Flow’s with SuperComps), which I raced 2 Megavalanche’s, 2 Super Enduro’s, a whole season of Gravity Enduro’s & various DH races on my little bike with no issues.

    But I guess that’s like mincing round a field 🙄

    juan
    Free Member

    But I guess that’s like mincing round a field

    Well how well do yo do?
    I can ride super comp without breaking them but I can ride them and brake them too. Plus the AEL are much lighter

    Hob-Nob
    Free Member

    Well, i’m no stranger to the podium…

    They are a light spoke for sure, but they are pretty tough, that being said i’m not particulary harsh on wheels. Tghey should be plenty tough enough for an AM build if done well.

    dan45a
    Free Member

    ddmonkey – I’ve just swapped my flow/pro2 wheels for crossmax st’s on my enduro, will be testing them out tomorrow.

    I had the st’s on my yeti asr5 before and they are quick and strong, especially compared to the crest rims they replaced.

    Will let you know how they feel…

    juan
    Free Member

    Tghey should

    They are use to build almost all enduro wheelset for specialized bike, most of them end up breaking, not all of them but most of them. Not man made for sure but still they are better choices depending on what you want your wheels to do. But again I ride 5.1 who are supposed to crumble if you look at them. I have yet to break mine.
    Or the OP could simply buy an XM1550 tricon.

    ddmonkey
    Full Member

    Cheers Dan – be good to hear how you go.

    Northwind
    Full Member

    For whatever it’s worth, I’ve broken a fair few supercomps in both of my sets of Traversees, but it does take a pounding to do it and it can’t be helped by the low spoke count. Could be better, but not bad at all.

    I chose Comps for my Flows just for a little extra peace of mind, now sitting happilly in my 224 after a couple of years in the Hemlock doing allsorts. Spokes are doing fine, bust a rim though at the endurance downhill by riding about 7 laps with a half-flat tyre 😳

    ddmonkey
    Full Member

    Just weighed one of the inner tubes I’m using – 258 grams. So should be able to save at least 150g rotational mass doing this per wheel. Any particularly good vids online that I should take a look at to see how its done?

    dan45a
    Free Member

    Ddmonkey – just got back from 1st ride on enduro with the crossmax st’s, they are noticablaby quicker and faster rolling than the flow/pro2’s, pedalling up felt easier as did rolling on flatter sections.

    But.. I did notice the grip difference due to the tyre profile being narrower. Not a big difference but non the less not quite as good. St’s feel just as stiff as the flows, so no noticeable difference with tracking-holding a line.

    So suppose it all depends on what riding you plan to cover with them. I’ll be keeping the crossmax st’s on for trail centre bashing and long Xc rides and putting the flows on for uplift days and alps trips.

    For gravity enduro racing…. I think I’ll use the st’s.

    Hope this helps.

    GaryLake
    Free Member

    I think you’re better off sticking – but if you must get new wheels, get the American Classic All Mountains over the Mavics. Wider rim, stiffer and the same weight. Very good tubeless system too…

    messiah
    Free Member

    I rebuilt my trashed Hope/Flow Hoops with the Light-Bicycle Wider Carbon rims and DT Revolution spokes & Alloy Nipples. Dropped the weight from 1900g to 1494g (12x135mm x 20mm)… I’ve been running them for a few months and they feel great so far. I’m pretty hard on kit hence trashing the Flow rims but so far these rims with Bonty rim strips and Conti Rubber Queens/Baron’s have impressed me. Quicker to accelerate and they feel just as stiff as the Hoops. One reason I decided to rebuild the wheels rather than replace them was that rather than go for some proprietry 24 spoke design with this set up I still have 32 spokes so if I lose one or two in a ride the wheel won’t ping itself to a taco… I’ll get to finish the day/ride and replace the normal spoke without having to send the wheel to XXXXXXX to get it fixed. The alloy nipples worry me a bit but in for a penny in for a pound… If they all start breaking I’ll replace them but from previous experience with Revs and alloy nipples during my XC racing days (early nineties 😳 ) they will last a couple of years before fatigue causes problems (IMHO, YEMV etc etc).

    EDIT. The carbon rims are really impressive and very easy to build up as they are very stiff compared to a lightweight alloy rim. If I lose a spoke or two I expect the rims will stay straight enough to complete the ride.

    jairaj
    Full Member

    and how much do those carbon rims cost?

    messiah
    Free Member

    Good question jairaj – $150USD each + postage + import duty = about £250 for two. I needed new rims and spokes anyway and flow rims are £80 each so cost to change-up for me was just over £100. Cheaper than buying Crossmax or other light pimpy wheels for me in my circumstances 😛

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