I’ve just bought a 2010 Anthem x4 in the sales an although i’m very pleased with it the heavy wheels just gotta go, any recommendations? I’m looking at either Crossmax ST (cheap on Merlins) or Hope Pro2/Crest or XC717 for fast trail centre use, cheers.

Go Hope, they just work and you’ve the ability to use pretty much all axle options – future proof.

Is it just me that views wheels as disposable?

Whats the point in ‘futureproofing’ your hubs when in all likelyhood the forks will outlast the rims.

Is it just me that views wheels as disposable?

Whats the point in ‘futureproofing’ your hubs when in all likelyhood the forks will outlast the rims.

Yes, good wheels, especially hubs, should as long as a pair of forks if not longer. Fork technology moves on quickly, whereas wheel technology, save for incorporating disc brakes, has not changed a great deal in the last 10 years.

b r mentions axle options which are the only significant area of change afaik.

If you’re going Hope Hoops there’s no reason to settle for Mavic, the Stans options are a superb bargain. Pro 2s with Crests seem a perfect complement for an Anthem X to me, fast and light but tougher and more capable than anyone believes they will be.

thisisnotaspoon – Member

“Whats the point in ‘futureproofing’ your hubs when in all likelyhood the forks will outlast the rims.”

Also about futureproofing against changes of bike I think. Being able to swap my Traversees and Hope Hoops between my bikes is very nice frinstance.

Hope Hoops on Crests fo sho, stonking value.

Hope hoops with Crest or 355’s if you can still get them

I’ve got some new DT 4.20 rims (on cheep shimano hubs), they cost £150 less than the same on hope hubs! After 300 miles the rear one already has a rock strike/dent in it after hiting a tree stump mid way through pumping out of a berm.

My ‘all mountain’ wheels (hope XC with en321 rims and a ‘spare’ joytech* 20mm on en321), the spokes have reached the end of their usefull life and the rim has the structural integrity of cheese after 2 years of use/abuse!

*mock if you will, but it uses much bigger bearings than the hope bulb so should oultlast it, and the whole wheel cost less than a hope hub!

Expensive hubs seem to be like buying a people carrier at the age of 17 as your first car and justifying it based on one day having kids, the fact the car will be dead and burried/recycled long before then misses people completely?