I’m gonna be buying some new wheels. Default choice is a Hope Flow or Hope Mavic 721. Previously had a pair of Hope Mavic 521s and they were bombproof and reliable and if they had been stolen with my bikes I’m sure they’d last me a few more years.

I’m a bit confused at the mass of choice of wheels and wondered what else at the price of a Hope Flow wheelset would be better or as good?

I ride in the Lakes mostly so they need to be tough and weather proof.

Dt Swiss do a similar range at similar prices
Iv always found them very good

These are getting very good reviews http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/spank-oozy-wheelset-2014/rp-prod89261?_%24ja=tsid%3A46412|cgn%3ASpank%2B-%2BWheels|cn%3AChain%2BReaction-UK-PLA-PLA-All-DT-SE|kw%3A344614UK_Spank%2BOozy%2BMTB%2BWheelset%2B2013&gclid=COK_s5KS87oCFQrpwgod2E4ALw

Those Spank Oozy wheels seem very light and as you say get great reviews.

Got Spank rims on two bikes, never had to touch them. Plus they do pretty colours.

Why look elsewhere ? Got two sets of hope flows. Good reason they are so popular and it’s not just price related. Oldest set is about four years old and still runs true. They have required no replacement parts and survived me riding into a five bar oak gate ….. It was a mistake not a test!
Some wheel sets are beating hope on recent tests but I wonder how they will last? At least the hope flow thing been going ages with good feedback.

The Oozy are great wheels, but I would put them into the more lightweight division acin to Stans Crest, circa <1600g weight. The Spank 28 rims are on a par with Flows, 721 etc and can build up into fairly lightweight (<1800g) tough wheels with Hope hubs.

Really depends on how hard you treat them?

I just got Mavic Crosstrail wheels – about £350 for a set, same hub as the Crossmax ST and SLR but way cheaper and the only real difference is the spokes, only 1650g weight and they feel really stiff and responsive (and they look great). Judging by looking at the thickness of the ZTR Crest rims my guess is that the Mavic rims will be a good deal stronger. Really easy tubeless setup too.

I’m no featherweight at 6’2″ and lack finesse so I err towards the burlier end of the spectrum
Winstanleys have 20% off Hope Hoops at the moment but no rear Flow wheels, but these look good for £171 Winstanleys Hope Hoops

Give Winstanleys a bell, they usually order them in quick enough and you want to make sure you get the new version of the rear hub anyway.

The Crosstrails are a bit narrow for 2.4 and 2.5 tyres at only 19mm internal width. Also Hope do the handy 10mm rear axle options that means you can beef up the rear stiffness in an old frame that doesn’t have fancy rear Maxles.

That’s a couple of big tyres! Mine are 2.1 width which seems perfect, never tried any bigger tyres than that…I think Mavic suggest up to a 2.3. They do have ability to go from QR to through bolt now as well but I think it’s only hope that do 10mm adaptors.
Out of interest my old wheels used a 10mm DT Swiss RWS bolt on the front wheel, and the new wheel feels stiffer and better with a normal QR so as far as I can tell the stiffness seems more down to the wheel than the fork attachment.

It depends where and how you ride I suppose. I gave up narrow tyres in about 1995 riding down Jacobs Ladders and getting multiple punctures in my Panaracer Smokes