so i need some 650b rims for my XC MTB,

i am a mavic fan, always have been but i feel quite limited by their options

when i tick the appropriate boxes with just the basics of size/drilling and type of riding they only give me one option:-

http://www.mavic.com/rims/mtb#/27%2C5%22%2F650b/1-1_filter+/32/2-1_filter+/cross-country/4-0_filter

the XM419, which is fine in itself as a rim, i run them on my Orange 5 but i’d ideally like something a little lighter as previously i have run XC717 rims (in 26″) which are going on for 100g lighter per rim, i’m not a lightweight freak but at the same time i have run those rims for years at that lighter weight and never had any issues so to go to an “all mountain” rim seems overkill on the hard tail.

so what suggestions do you have? i will say i’m not a fan of Stans (lack of eyelets) or DT (alloy too soft for my liking)

thoughts? 🙂

hmm any thoughts on these?

http://www.halowheels.com/products/part/RMHAVB2K

Why don’t you like the lack of eyelets? I’ve only seen one set that have pulled through the rim, and that was due to massive tension.

Indeed, Stans rims have very similar tension specs to eyeletted rims.

I’d recommend scaring yourself even further and going hookless and carbon eyeletless rims from a Chinese company 🙂

From Stans web site “Single eyeleted rims serve primarily as a means to reduce the lubrication needed between the spoke nipple and rim interface for automated wheel building equipment. In the case of a hand built wheel where each nipple can be properly lubricated, single eyelets don’t present much of a benefit and actually require larger holes in the rim structure.”

my primary reason for not liking stans rims due to lack of eyelets is that having built them for other people over the last few years they seem to bend more easily than mavic, the quoted weight difference between mavic and stans seems to be down to the eyelets adding weight so mavic being slightly heavier for equivalent rims but in my mind being stronger for it. quoting from stans website doesn’t really change my mind as they would give a counter reason against eyelets, i’m not saying they are rubbish just that i’d prefer a rim with eyelets, hence the possible suggestion of the Halo rim above, it’s lighter than the mavic rim, has eyelets, has anybody got them or used them?

regarding the chinese carbon stuff, seen several of those rims die, not to mention being a pig to true up and get to tension only to have to do it all over again once you have the tyre up to pressure.

I’ve had Vapours on my 29er and found them to be strong and reasonably lightweight. What about Hope Tech XC rims? Eyeleted and lightweight (think they 395gms for 27.5)

well as much as i like Hope i don’t think i can use their rims in this case as i’m using Royce hubs and i think the Hope rims are only available with their wheels sets.

the problem i have is that i’m trying to use my Royce hubs (the racing gold version hence not wanted to give them up!) which are 9mm QR only on the front, no option for 15mm maxle so in this case rebuilding using my current hubs on new rims is the way to go.

i just would have thought that mavic would have just done an xc717 in 650b by now, it’s like they are ignoring the normal XC rider in favour of the current flavour of the month which is “enduro” or “all mountain” which is basically xc but a supposedly more hard core version, which for this use for me is unnecessary.

nice to hear something positive about the vapours though, they seem to be the front runner for me

Why not carbons?

In the spirit of recommend what you have.. How about some American Classic 101s? 21mm internal, same weight as a Stans crest but a bit stiffer.

just checked out the american classics, hadn’t considered them, but agin the eyelet issue, they look nice though.

regarding carbon, no, definitely not, the frame is steel, i think they’d look terrible but also i just don’t like carbon rims.

bloody mavic, bloody bike trade changing stuff!! the buggers

Your local hope dealer can order rims for you. I just rebuilt a wheelset using the enduro version. Where are you based?

If you can get over your eyelet issues, check out the Easton ARC 24. 75g lighter and 5mm wider than the Mavic you’re looking at.

Mavic haven’t changed the XC717 for more than 10 years, hardly a surprise they’ve not rushed out a 650b version. They have zero interest in the rim only market.

You’re gonna struggle for recommendations with such an antiquated spec. Eyelets achieve little. Mavic rims crack more readily than Stan’s. The only thing that comes to mind is the Pacenti CL25. I’d still have Stan’s. I’d also have Stan’s over Halo.

The only alu rims I would look at nowadays would be the new DT ones. X392, M442 & E512. In terms of value they are streets ahead of the rest, strong, light(ish) and good to convert to tubeless. DT stopped using cheese for the manufacture of these ones too, which is nice. They are the same rims as on the new Spline 2 wheelsets, which we’ve found to stand plenty of abuse.

like they are ignoring the normal XC rider in favour of the current flavour of the month which is “enduro” or “all mountain” which is basically xc

Well, no, no it’s not. Enduro is catering for Downhill trails, but needing the ride uphill not just push.

As Njee said, you’re limiting your options for no real reason apart from prejudice. Loads of people run Stan’s rim and love them with zero issues, the same for carbon rims.

Magic XC717s are soft, narrow and very old technology.

i suppose it is limiting my options, but i prefer a rim with an eyelet, is that so prejudicial? is that so weird? it’s a preference.

having worked in the bike trade over the years and built many wheels my preference has always been mavic rims when hand building wheels, the observation i have is that they are simply better than other rims (in my opinion) they have always been the market leader, when customers have previously asked for something different i had built it for them but having seen light riders bend stand rims and dt rims ding seemingly easily where that rider has come in and said “this wouldn’t have happened on my old wheels” which were mavic it has made me stick with mavic over the years,

for example my old Patriot that i use in Wales and Morzine is running xc717 rims, an xc rim, they are beat up but are 6 years old including nothing but abusive riding and are still straight and round all be it a little scratched up.

so is looking for something that has the same properties that I’m used to so weird? a new version of a rim i like? mavic only offer me an enduro rim which adds 25% more weight than the previous option, so looking for a design that ticks my boxes of sensible weight and with eyelets, ooohh how shocking of me! 😆

hence asking for options and opinions within the requirements, i know some of you like stans and dt etc but i don’t.

i’ll get my coat and order a taxi.

😉

DT XM401s are really nice. No eyelets, but supplied with nipples and washers for perfect alignment. Go tubeless easily. Great weight and strength, and decent internal width.

mavic en421 or en423. An alternative on non eyelet rims is to use nipple washers if you prefer more load spreading.

WTB KOM i25 from CRC ?

jonnyboy666 – Member

they have always been the market leader

Perhaps they have been but most of their standalones are ancient designs now or minor evolutions, and some of the new ones like the 821 are pretty flaky. So they question you have to ask yourself is, how many years did they lead the market by?

I’ve been very impressed by WTB, the Frequency i25 rim I had hit way above its weight and the Stryker xc wheelset I now have likewise- I don’t know if you can get that exact rim as a standalone but it’s way more dent resistant than it should be at the weight.

I’m a fan of Mavic 423 rims. They’re definitely wide enough, competitively lightweight and strong.

I’m a fan of Mavic 423 rims. They’re definitely wide enough, competitively lightweight and strong.

None of that is true, by the way. Mavic’s range of standalone rims is a bit of a joke at the moment. I know you have fond memories of 521s (or even 121s) but that was 1998 and this is 2015.

However, it’s what you wanted to hear so I’m putting it here so you can feel vindicated and buy the rims you wanted to buy before you opened your web browser, and the rest of us can get on with our lives.