Had an old wheelset that had 317's on them which lasted 5 years of hard abuse. Was wondering if the extra expense of the 717 is worth it ?

£17 extra on a built wheel from Merlin. XC riding but in rocky terrain mainly. (eg lakes, Rivi etc.)

Cheers all.

they are worth it if you want to save weight

The 717 rim is welded and pinned, which makes it strong for it's weight. I have dinged a couple though and I'm no clydesdale (13st), so it doesn't suit the hamfisted.

I've just bought a 719 rim though, 40 grammes heavier and quite a bit beefier, which might be the ticket?

New XM317s are different to the older X317s(which have been re-badged as XC717, so you may effectively already have them.

New XM317s are different to the older X317s(which have been re-badged as XC717, so you may effectively already have them.

The only real difference is the XC717 was supposed to be less prone to cracking around the eyelets due to some new funky process.

Forget it guys. I ordered some XM317's. I;m not arsed about weight with my stuff, more longevity.

Cheers for your help.