Need something for the Five AM I”m putting together – riding in the Lakes and Pennines, so rocky trails with the odd 4ft drop. I’m fairly light on kit generally and weigh around 12st kitted up. Will Arch EXs prove too lightweight? Flows seem proven, but I’m wondering if I can get away with Arches and save some weight. Ta.

Flows aren’t that much heavier to be fair and would probably be a better bet for prolonged rockiness, but if you’re concerned about weight on that sort of bike (like what I am) then you’d probably be fine buying Arch EX’s (like what I did).

I’ve had some very ungraceful landings off road gaps on my Arch Ex’s and they’ve stayed perfectly circular and true. I’m 15st kitted up by the way.

Cheers, Wilko – useful info. How come there are so few Arch EX users on here? Everyone seems to go for Flows, but aren’t they overkill for most all-mountain riding on a full-sus?

I got a new rear wheel with the arch ex rim on, that was 3 weeks ago and had no issues. I chose the arch ex over the flow because they’ll take a narrower tyre than the flow and I like to run semi slicks now and again. I’ve seen quite a few arch ex about and on pics of bikes on here, seem fairly popular.

Got them on my 5 spot and they have been spot on

I have them on my wee play hardtail and it gets smashed around a lot and they are great. Light, strong, durable… Go for it. I’m using intense DH dual ply tyres run relatively soft with tubes.

I’ve an EX on the front and a Flow on the rear – bust an EX on Snowdon ’cause I hit a waterbar. Bikeshop hinted that I may need the Flow…. EX is a good strong rim, and probably all you need.

i would thoroughly recommend Mavic over Stans.

717 are the perfect choice.

Mine have been fine as well for nearly a year, on my Soul. I’d say I ride hardish and they are still round, this is at trail centres and the Peaks. Oh, and I weight about 13.5stone kitted up.

717 are the perfect choice

Too narrow for AM, don’t work well with wide tyres a low pressures.

After a suggestion on here I’m.currently having a set of BOR 388 rims built up. These are going on my Soul have a look on Moonglu Web for a bit of info.
Very similar in spec to the Arch EX but with a few IMO nicer details.

How come there are so few Arch EX users on here?

Mainly because of weight (for not much more you can go for Flows, I guess, and still be lighter than a more or less similar Mavic rim), but also because Hope Hoops came with Flows or Crests (but not Arches) for quite a while. Given the rims aren’t cheap on their own, I think that’s one of the main sources of users.