Having destroyed my AC Race 29s in about 5 months I’m looking for a stronger but still lightish replacement wheelset…..I’ve looked at AC AM’s …any experience of em?? ……..or any ideas of other good options?

Decent review here. Personally I have Stans Flow ex on mine.

http://www.cyclistno1.co.uk/gear/components/wheels/american-classic-all-mountain-29-tubeless.htm

Get your AC hubs rebuilt with Flows or Light Bicycle 35mm carbon rims?

My 35mm hookless Light Bicycle rims are built on 32h Pro 2 Evo hubs, weigh 1700g and have held up to some pretty serious abuse.

What sort of riding are you doing?

IOM is a big mix of XC moorland, quite rocky descents (which I’m now riding faster apparently) and rooty rocky forest trails. Oh and a couple recently built Enduro tracks which are quite steep and technical.

Another vote here for re-using the hubs and getting some LB carbon rims. If you are not too heavy you could use the 23mm inner width ones and they should be the same weight as your current wheels, but less dent prone.

If you are getting a lot of rim to rock contact from running low psi or you are heavy then hookless ones should be a bit stronger and less likely to crack if you do bottom them out.

I’ve just picked up a secondhand set of Crossmax STs and took them down Sticks Pass and Helvellyn quite fast yesterday.

I’m very impressed, they’re a great combination of weight, stiffness, fast engagement and easy tubelessability.

AC AM’s ordered from LBS….they showed me the Race 29’s and sure enough, big bulges around at least 4 spokes and loads of dings……cheers Bregante and all…..I’ve got Race 29’s on the Carbine and they’re dinged but no spoke hole bumps……might go down the LB rims route for them as soon as the start to fail….many thanks again