Looking for a lightweight 29er XC wheelset, but not looking to spend big (i.e. carbon) bucks. Needs to be QR at both ends, and tubeless compatible (don’t mind having to add rim tape/valves if necessary).

Looking at the Hope Hoops Pro2 Evo 29er wheelsets on wiggle, using the Stans ZTR Crest EX to give a claimed total weight of ~1730g. I like the flexibility, back up and parts availability of Hope stuff. The std set is £328, with the SP (straight pull?) version £364. I know nothing about wheel builds, can someone tell me what the advantage is with the straight pull hub?

Is there anything significantly better out there around this price? Priority is being lightweight, with an eye on durability and after sales support and flexibility if I want to change forks/frame.

Straight pull hubs are harder to work with, harder to get spares for and a general pain. They are nominally stronger, but in reality there’s sod all difference.

Arch EX is an odd choice on a lightweight wheel, it’s quite a burly rim. Crest would be more appropriate.

A2Z hubs are cheap and light, build on Crests with Revolutions would work out cheaper than the Hopes and c1450g. You do compromise on the flexibility though – the hubs can’t be converted. Hope get you that, but aren’t light. DT240 would be out of budget. Check out ActionSports, they do builds on their own “Funworks” hubs which often come out quite light, I believe they’re just Novatec hubs or similar.

Thanks for advice njee, appreciate it. Didn’t mention Arch EX though, would be on Crest (see above).

Sorry, I saw “EX”, and my brain read “Arch EX”, the Crest EX doesn’t exist, it’s just the “Crest”.

Ah, okay. Wiggle have them listed as Crest EX btw.

Fair enough, they’re wrong 😉

Wouldn’t be the first time!

I’ve a pair of Superstar hubs on Bor rims, not the lightest ones but they have been great.

EDIT:link deleted, they where 26″

26″ only sadly.

Edit: as you’ve now edited!

The Actionsports wheelsets look good, and light for the money, but not sure about aftersales etc…..

Actionsports also do their own “Atmosphere SL” rims which are very similar to Crests (tubeless ready, within 15g weight and a mm or so difference in the dimensions). Full wheelsets are around 50€ cheaper compared to Crest wheelsets.

But my limited German-googling hasn’t found much in the way of reviews or feedback for these. Anyone got any info?

Parts are all available through them, plus they’re just generic hubs – not seen a pair, but suspect they’re Novatec, like many SS hubs for example. I nearly bought a pair, only found a few reports, no one had any issues. Some of their special offers are good. They often have good deals on wheels with DT hubs too.

Superstar do some good prices on lightweight wheels.

Hope Hoops on Crest are the obvious choice. I had some and they cracked on a few of the spoke holes but I was running them at hihger pressures for commuting so I suspect this was the reason.

It depends on how you want to trade off lightweight for hub interchangeability and what not.

I’d not say Hope/Crest are light. A decent, dependable, versatile wheelset for sure, but not particularly light. I had some 26″ ones and they were 1585g, which I think is slightly lighter than claimed.

Hi Have Hope Hoops on crests but they are blown away by my LightBicycle wheels which weren’t that much more expensive and are both lighter and stiffer. Well worth stretching to if you can

Okay, maybe getting too specific here, but what’s lighter in that price range, that can be purchased from a UK based supplier (which gives me hassle free support if needed).

Check Winstanleys for Hope Hoop prices. I purchased a pair (29er with Arch rims) a couple of weeks ago for £290ish.

Okay, maybe getting too specific here, but what’s lighter in that price range, that can be purchased from a UK based supplier (which gives me hassle free support if needed).

Lighter than what, Hope? They’re probably the best bet to tick all of those boxes.

Superstar Switch Ultra and Ultra Lite hubs are about 80g lighter than Hope, all other parts being equal, UK based, but bricks and mortar establishment to use.

Yep, lighter than Hope pro2 with crests.

They might not be light in absolute XC race terms, but for the money can I go lighter (bearing in mind the very specific extra criteria above)!

As I said, Superstar are lighter, and UK based, but it depends if you want to walk into a shop and buy them off the shelf?

If so then I think you’ll struggle.

Cheers. I’ll take a look at Superstar too.

I’d recommend this guy, really please with my 29er Stans Crest/Novatech wheels especially for the price.
http://www.spokesmanwheels.co.uk/index.html

Thanks Starrman. These are impressively light:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Stans-ZTR-Crest-26-29er-lightweight-XC-mountain-bike-wheels-/160944080510?pt=UK_sportsleisure_cycling_bikeparts_SR&hash=item257903c67e

But what I gain in reduced weight, I loose in hub compatibility (for future proofing). Hmm…..

Lightweight, UK and cheap are not happy bedfellows.

Easiest and cheapest are Hoops

Next easiest and cheapest is Hoops made to order from eg Moonglu with alloy nipples.

Then you can go to specifying dpokes at which point they’re no longer Hoops and you have to go to JRA or Clee etc and they cost more though you can use your own used hubs with JRA.

Superstar and hassle free support have never been seen in the same post before!!

But what I gain in reduced weight, I loose in hub compatibility (for future proofing). Hmm…..

That implies to me you can still convert the Novatecs.

Certainly not a bad weight!

It’s not total weight you should be looking at though is it. the weight of the rim has a much greater effect on the ride. Look for rim weight. Hope hubs are excellent – you’ll find horror stories, but for the weight + outstanding back up + flexibility = I don’t think you’ll find competition at that price.
The tricky balance for me is tyre weight and practicality. Much more weight to be saved on tyres than rims, but really light tyres tend to get ripped (on rocky trails). Crest rims aren’t very stiff (good or bad thing??)
Buy the Pro2/Crests and then fret about tyres.

Both are relevant. Depends how much you subscribe to the ‘rotating weight makes most difference’ thing.

Pro 2s are over rated IMO. They’re not light, they’re not exceptionally reliable, they’re not that cheap. Good compatibility as long as you have the latest variant I’ll concede!

That implies to me you can still convert the Novatecs.

Huh? Want implies they can be converted?

The text on the eBay link, saying you can specific 15mm or 20mm through axle. A quick Google suggests the D711/712 can’t be though.

Hope’s own XC wheelset is a similar weight and price, but a bit stiffer and eyeletted rims (if that’s important to you)

The Pacenti rims currently cheap on On One are more than worth a consider. IMO they’re better than Stan’s rims, certainly build into a nicer wheel. The CL25’s are the XC race rim, the TL28’s are almost as light and a useful bit wider and stiffer to be fair.

Hub wise, there’s plenty of lightweight options out there, depends on your budget. Look at the likes of Tune/BOR/DT Swiss for very light yet still robust. Hope Pro2’s are a decent hub, just they’re not all that light, still not heavy mind.

As for the spokes, wouldn’t go to DT Rev’s myself on a 29er, they’re just a bit twangy IMO. Almost as light and a bit stiffer are the DT Supercomp’s which make a better MTB wheel.

Revs on my 29er wheels (combined with carbon rims admittedly), definitely not twangy. Plenty of folk advocate CX-Rays, which are virtually identical, and yet Revs are somehow inadequate.

Tune/BOR/DT Swiss aren’t gonna build into sub £300 wheels, and I’d contest Tune being a beacon of reliability anyway, mine were shit!

More to do with the carbon rims being very stiff I suspect njee. Every wheel I’ve found built with Rev’s or CX Rays has been noticeably flexier than one built with Comps or even Supercomps.

It was a general comment rather than specifically aimed at you mboy – plenty of people see CX-Rays/Aerolites as the ideal spoke, but Revs as being too flexy. Personally I’d use Revs on alu rims anyway if I was after a lightweight build.

I realised that don’t worry mate. Depends on your physique/skill/finesse as to what you can get away with when you’re looking at lighter ally rims (carbon rims are generally so inherently stiff that the spoke is far less important anyway). I fall into the just about heavy enough, skilled enough but lazy, and not exceptionally finessed category… Meaning I notice a flexier wheel build more so than the next person may.

Thanks Starrman. These are impressively light:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Stans-ZTR-Crest-26-29er-lightweight-XC-mountain-bike-wheels-/160944080510?pt=UK_sportsleisure_cycling_bikeparts_SR&hash=item257903c67e

But what I gain in reduced weight, I loose in hub compatibility (for future proofing). Hmm…..

I contacted these guys and they confirmed that the hubs are interchangeable between QR and 15mm and 12mm. Makes them much more attractive…

I have had a pair of amercian Classic tubeless now for a year I have raced XC on them and been up and down some big mountains without any problems 1600g so pretty light.they do a lighter set but I would leave them alone as it’s the same wheel with a super light rim which is prone to denting.hope this helps

Arch Crest on DT Swiss 350’s was worried the crest rims would to xc light weight specific however Dartmoot anx Exmoor anx Quantocks all done no issues got them from Moonglu for about 360 ish