Looking at a new set of wheels for the XC/trail hardtail been using 4.2/Hope Hoops without any dramas last year, Stans 355 seems a little lighter so I'm tempted.

Must be able to cope with the odd weekend to afan when the full/suss is out of action and the very occassional 1-2 foot drop.

I'm 13stone. Any advice? Are 355's more fragile than 4.2s?

Is anything more fragile than 4.2's? Apart from the Roval Traversee's that I was fool enough to buy that is.

Mavic all the way for me from now on. Never failed me.

I've had pro 3/355s on my Orange 5 I'm 15stone at the moment and apart from a bit of flex they've never budged, still true and I don't treat them kindly!

Same as cooper – I'm 15 stone and haven't knocked mine out of true yet. Go for it!

Hope Hoops with 355s are great wheels, tough and light…got some Hope Hoops with Flows but they are still boxed up as I never done anything that I've thought the 355s wouldn't cope with.

I've got Hope Hoops 355s and i'm find them really flexy, though i'm sure they'll cope with the riding you've mentioned.

I like them. Ride them on my 140mm Full Susser and haven't had any problems.

Horatio: which build do you have, 24 or 32 spokes?

Does anyone know if Hope have plans to swap to the 355 replacement, the Crest. I'll get around to emailing them eventually!

on a pro2 or a pro3 hub? i'm quite tempted by the weight weenie 24 spoke hope SP XC-3 with the light weight rotors!

I emailed Hope to ask that very question. They said they had no plans to change it, so I can only pressume they have plenty of 355 rims left.

Emailed Hope and they swapping to the Crest around mid summer !

i'll give them a call tomorrow, i'd rather hold out for the crest than have a 355 with the v brake surface on it 😉

i have the crest but i suspect the 355 are stronger, might want to email stans or someone to see what they think, i've not actually seen the inside of a 355 but the crest walls are thin. excellent so far though

You can spec 355's without the v-brake surface