I need some new rims to build onto my Hope hubs. The wheels need to be strong enough to be mainly used for DH, but also need to be light enough for AM duties too.

I am currently using Sun Singletracks which have provided sterling service but, as my friendly mechanic who trued them before I went to Whistler said, “you may want to think about getting some new rims soon, I have done the best I can”.

Any suggestions?

i guess standard question relates to budget, then for me it was about how much you abuse current rims.

I was in a similar situation to you recently, did want to fork out a load for fancy wheels (yet) on a AM/DH oriented bike, and ended up taking a punt on Superstar DH tech wheels for 169 quid. Seem OK, mate has another pair and they have done the mega-avalanche and otehr alpine stuff this year OK.

Really fancy a pair of crossmax SXs myself, but I’ll wait.

HTH a bit Kev

i use mavic rims
321 i think but im probs wrong!

IMG-20110311-00050 by ukbikeskills, on Flickr

Have a look at mavic en521 rims if you want tough enduro rims for a pretty good price. Loads of reviews on them on CRC.

Or i guess ex721 or ex729 for the more downhill rims and depending on what size tyres you want to run.

what about stans arch or flow?

Stans Arch mainly for down hill use that could make a costly mistake!

Smashing bike Grommit Jedi

Flows?

Thanks for the replies folks.

I’ve had a look at Flows but at nearly £70 a rim, I’d like to see if I can find something a bit cheaper, plus I’m never going to go tubeless so the extra money spent may be a bit wasted. Having said that, if that’s what I have to pay then so be it.

I note that Spank (Subrosa), Sun (EQ28?),Syncros, Nukeproof etc all seem to do rims that may do the trick.

I would say that I’m particularly hard on wheels, given that I’m only around 73kg and the fact that I’ve had my Singletracks for around 6 years. However, I like to buy kit that lasts and I’d prefer to go over-built than under-built.

Mavic 521’s have never let me down in the Peaks

It looks like the 521s may be a bit narrow as I run 2.5inch tyres on them, as well as 2.35.

The ex721 looks good but may be a bit heavy.

Had 2.4’s on a 521 with no issues

Something Mavicky ending in 21, probably. Flows are fantastic but make most sense in the hope hoop full builds as that closes the price gap so much, as a standalone rim they’re spendy.

If your buying rims as an investment to last you a few years and you dont kill rims to easily then why not spend a bit extra and get flows?

I would say that I’m particularly hard on wheels,

I meant to say “I would say that I’m NOT particularly hard on wheels”.

The bargain rim is the Mavic EN321 for about £30. A nice strong Mavic rim and not that heavy at 570g (allegedly). Mavic make the best rims, it’s just a shame they haven’t started making them wider – the current downside of all mavic rims is that they are narrow compared to rim designs from others (Wider rims and tubeless allows you to run lower pressures and get more grip… for the added pain and faffing of using sealant etc… not an argument to get into here since you said you don’t want tubeless!).

The Flow rim in comparison is 100g lighter and a bit wider – but the alloy is a bit soft (In my experience) and hence the wheels are not as strong… but I am willing to live with the weaker rims for the trade off of lighter wheels and better tubelessness.

Come on Mavic – pull the finger out and make a wide rim at a similar weight to the Flow… the market will be yours again (Mavic seem intent on chasing the pre-built-wheel market and have not updated their rims other than cosmeticaly for many years now… *&^Yers).

I had Sun EQ27 rims on a bike earlier this year and was very impressed. Not widely available here though.

Are Singeltracks not available any more if you liked them?

I’d recommend the Spank Subrosa rims, I have a set and they are nice and wide for a good profile on a 2.5 tyre. Only had mine a few months so can’t comment on durability personally but a guy in our club runs them and he’s around 15st and had them for good while with no issues.

521s most excellent. 321s also pretty good but noticeably heavier.

i got a set of Spank Spike rims built onto SSC hubs for about £160. they are bling-tastic and not actually all that heavy (comparable to a ex721). solid though. and wide. 35mm wide in fact.

Are the SSC hubs any good? At that price I could get a whole wheelset.

The Subrosas look good. I was chatting to one of the guides in Whistler and he had them on both his DH bike and his AM bike.

Using Subrosas on mine, fine in the Peaks and the Pyrenees.

I think Subrosas are winning at the moment.

Thanks for the input folks.

The Flow rim in comparison is 100g lighter and a bit wider – but the alloy is a bit soft (In my experience) and hence the wheels are not as strong… but I am willing to live with the weaker rims for the trade off of lighter wheels and better tubelessness.

This is why I buy Mavic. Spent a reasonable amount of money on some supposedly light, yet strong Roval Traversee’s for my Enduro and the rear was trashed in so many places within weeks. I got flamed for not knowing what I was doing, despite a decade and a half riding an MTB.

Lo and behold I stuck a Mavic on the back and not even a hint of a mark, dent, or wobble after months of use.

Artist, are you comparing Traversees with 521s? That’s pretty ridiculous if you are. Mavic don’t do a single mtb rim that’s comparable in weight to the Traversee rim, never mind a big nurker like that.

(FWIW, I’ve put one decent size dent in my Traversees in 2 years of constant use, including riding out an enduro race stage with a flat… And that one dent was only done by letting a tyre run flat and riding through a rock garden. Bong!)

No, the only comparison is that they have both been on my bike.

However, I was told they were strong before and after I’d killed them, so I’ve sacrificed some weight for a decent rim that isn’t soft – I could be wrong, but isn’t the Traversee as wide, if not wider than a 521? Definitely made of cheese.

The Traversee’s a sub-1600g wheelset, so yes they’re impressively strong for their weight… Trail toughness for XC weight. But you really can’t expect to fit a lightweight wheelset and give it that sort of abuse, heavier rims are made for people that are hard on rims like you.

Saying “I buy Mavic because heavyweight rim x is stonger than lightweight rim y” just doesn’t make that much sense… My Flows are tougher than my 717s were, should that put me off Mavic?

Traverse EL’s are a 1550g wheelset… They may have a 26mm wide rim, but they are light wheels! Just fitted a set to my hardtail and so far very impressed, wouldn’t be fitting them to a DH bike though or anything I was going to chuck off stuff… For comparison, the EN521’s (great rims still and 28mm wide) are 540g each, which means even on a mega light pair of hubs using DT comp spokes you’ll struggle to get them under 2kg all in. So the Rovals are a totally different ballgame!

FWIW the OP should get Mavic EN521’s, they’re wide enough for up to 2.5″ tyre in my experience, they’re the same width as 721’s only slightly lighter, they’re still welded (not pinned like 321’s), and they’re a bargain at around £30 each!

FFS, Specialized fit them to their 6″ AM bike – S-Works Enduro, which co-incidentally is the exact same bike I built up myself and fitted them to.

I don’t throw it down WC DH courses (well apart from Fort Bill, but I’d fitted a Mavic by then).

Oh and I didn’t bend them out of a circle – just dented them beyond use.

EX721 everytime if it’s for a mix of DH use with AM thrown in too. But then we get back to the discussion about what actually constitutes DH…different thing for different people it would seem.
If you’re finding 721’s might be a bit heavy for DH then I’d question just how ‘DH’ the DH riding actually is?

i got a set of mavic sx wheels coming

Mavic 721s fit and forget

If you’re finding 721’s might be a bit heavy for DH then I’d question just how ‘DH’ the DH riding actually is?

I didn’t mean that they may be too heavy for DH use, I meant that they may be too heavy for AM use.

If you’re finding 721’s might be a bit heavy for DH then I’d question just how ‘DH’ the DH riding actually is?

I didn’t mean that they may be too heavy for DH use, I meant that they may be too heavy for AM use.

Fair enough mate, I understand. But if that’s the case then you probably can’t have your cake and eat it, so to speak. You’re original post sounded like the emphasis would be on the DH part, with some AM thrown in. If that’s the case (and taking Flow’s out the scenario) then EX721 wins hands down.

You’re original post sounded like the emphasis would be on the DH part, with some AM thrown in. If that’s the case (and taking Flow’s out the scenario) then EX721 wins hands down.

Yeah, that’s pretty much it. I’ll have a look at the EX721s as well. Thanks for that.

I’ve had EX721s on my Alpine for over a year now, I use them exactly as you say, DH and AM, and they’re still perfect.

You’ll be happy with them trust 🙂

just to highlight for everyone else, there was a troll post above Gsuperstar’s that has been removed. I don’t think that “troll along mate” is aimed at the rest of you.

Or is it?

fight! 😆

lol, thanks mate 😀