I might be looking at getting some high end light but strong wheels (part of an insurance replacement).

So what do people suggest, and why?

I was thinking of CrossMax’s SLR, Cranks Bros Cobalt or ….?

SLR are light, but not what I’d call strong. A mate of mine trashed the front in a relatively low-speed tumble first time out.

not idea then, the wheels would be for my GF’s bike, and she never breaks anything (touch wood), so they don’t have to be too strong.

What do people think of the Roval wheels?

I have two pairs of crank brothers Iodine, and seem pleanty strong enough, and stiff enough, the cobolt wheels should be equally good.

You could also look at i9 wheels on stans crest rims, I have i9s on stans arch rims and they are about 1550 grams, so pleanty light enough.

DT Swiss 1750 doodahs seem to be very strong and light (they do lighter but no idea how strong those are). Only issue could be with the front hub – if you are running a very stiff fork and very large disc then expect the disc-side bearing to need replacing sooner rather than later…I think the larger rotor and stiffer fork is meaning more braking force is stressing the bearing and it’s wearing quicker.

This is from an observational level only and has no scientific or engineering background…

If I could afford them I’d have them as they are very good.

The for will be a 15mm Fox, 100 or 120. So not massive

All these factory wheels are going to be heavier and (considerably) more expensive than a decent handbuilt one.

For example-

Crank Bros Cobalt- £700, 1541g/pr

Stans 355 with DT Swiss 240s from Just Riding Along- £550, 1400g/pr

Or Stans 355 on Pro3 £385 – 1,473gr/pr

American Classic – 1500g or so for £400.

Slight thread hijack,

My rear DT Swiss 4.2D rim is pretty battered, ist there a tougher but not much heavier alternative? Mavic 719 perhaps, Stans Flow?

Cheers

my stans 355 rim has taken loads and is still true.

Although a lot of this is to how the wheel was built and how you ride.

As its an insurance replacement, its got to be a factory wheel. Nuts I know.

but you can get ztr rims / hope hoops as a factory wheel?

my stans 355 rim has taken loads and is still true.

Although a lot of this is to how the wheel was built and how you ride.

True but all my wheel sets are built by merlin on Hope hubs the Mavic 717s seem to be staying straight and ding free, the DT swiss is a bit trashed

American Classic – 1500g or so for £400.

+1

New look this year too, white ones are almost OK looking?

http://www.amclassic.com/en/products/mtbwheels/mtb26disc.php

This

Hope Hoops Stans 355 on Pro3

Another definite endorsement of handbuilt wheels – they’ll be more durable (and, should it come to it, more fix-able) than factory wheels.

Hopes and ZTR/355s seem very popular. Don’t skimp on spokes – they define the strength and durability of the wheel. I use Sapim Race stainless steel double butted for most of mine, Force for the g’narly stuff and Laser or CX-Ray for specialist stuff. CX-Rays are truly excellent but at £3 a spoke, they flippin’ ought to be.

Give me a shout at pete at ratracecycles dot com if you want a quote…

: P

I’ve got Stans crest rims on AM classic hubs (from JRA). I subscribed to the theory that the big flanges on the hubs means that you get a stringer wheel. Only had them 6 months but they are still true as a true thing on national true day (I’ve never been a wheel killer though). And they are really light. <1400g, £503.

AM Classics aren’t known for longevity, the hub bearings aren’t the best in the 225/130 hubs.

If it had to be factory wheels I’d really struggle, very few are particularly light. Roval Control SLs are light, but not the toughest.

Can you not argue that a wheel bought from a shop as a whole (such as the pre-built options from JRA) are ‘factory’ wheels?

Hope PRO3 XC6 with STANS 355 or crest rims

go for the xc6 rather than xc3 then you’re not tied to the 3 bolt rotor

and they come supplied with a 15mm conversion for your fox 15s

how much do the XC6’s weigh?

Ultimatly depends on your rotors but I believe if you use Hope floating rotors with Ti bolts they come in at the same weight as the XC3 with the 3bolt rotor on

I’ve got a set of mavic st’s going for £300, 1600g used but in good nick. 15mm front ust wheels

Hope floating rotors aren’t the lightest, I’d go for Ashima or sommat, then they’ll be lighter, with none of the proprietary rotorness.

guys help me out – where is that site that has a product drop downs including hope and stans so that you can get the total weight of a custom wheel???????

Cannot find the site again.

I’ve been very pleased with the strength/weight of my Roval Traversees, but if you’re not going to give them a really hard time the Controlles are also pretty strong – although the carbon hub on the SLs is a bit troublesome I’m told. The EL version is very reliable though (essentially DT240 hubs), and look quite pretty too. Removable axle caps mean you can go with whatever standard you like.