Viewing 22 posts - 1 through 22 (of 22 total)
  • Stans Flow vs Flow EX real world difference
  • Bregante
    Full Member

    I ordered some Hope Hoops on Flows the other day from Merlin and they arrived yesterday. Problem is they’ve sent Flow Ex’s instead.

    They’re going on a Cotic Solaris which is used for general trail riding and I’m not the lightest of riders (15.5st) so before i send them back would the EX be overkill?

    Onzadog
    Free Member

    I’d be very pleased with ex over flow.

    honourablegeorge
    Full Member

    Same weight but stronger, I thought? Consider it an upgrade. Flow’s been discontinued.

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    f757lkk
    Free Member

    Tough as old boots, no noticeable weight gain and a nice wide tyre bed… Consider it a win!!!

    Hob-Nob
    Free Member

    They are heavier?

    Me personally, they are overkill for almost anything other than a big AM or DH bike.

    I’d rather run a set of Arch EX’s for everything else 🙂

    kayak23
    Full Member

    Ive recently set up tubeless. I have a Flow Ex on the front and a Flow on the back. The back keeps popping/exploding, the front has been faultless.
    Make of that what you will..

    Bregante
    Full Member

    I’d rather run a set of Arch EX’s for everything else

    Couldn’t get the Arch EX at anywhere near the price I got the Flows for!

    I think I’ll keep them then. Cheers all!

    chiefgrooveguru
    Full Member

    They are heavier?
    Me personally, they are overkill for almost anything other than a big AM or DH bike.
    I’d rather run a set of Arch EX’s for everything else

    Broken this year by Hob Nob:

    “2 rear rims (1 crash/1split)
    1 front rim
    ~20 replacement spokes (popping them out)”

    😉

    Hob-Nob
    Free Member

    That doesn’t show what I use!

    Plus my riding & racing is probably the exception, rather than the norm 😉

    hora
    Free Member

    Bloody ell Russ, your 15.5? I had you down as 14.5 max.

    Bregante
    Full Member

    Muscle is heavier than fat hora

    🙂

    hora
    Free Member

    We should get you a mask/cape and sidekick 😉

    Bregante
    Full Member

    Like this?

    chiefgrooveguru
    Full Member

    That doesn’t show what I use!
    Plus my riding & racing is probably the exception, rather than the norm

    😛

    My riding is considerably more normal, being a sort of 90th percentile Strava-ist / mid-pack Enduro-ist individual – running Flows on a hardtail, only needed retensioning now and again in two years of riding. However my local haunts are low on rock and I try to be smooth and I’m only 12.5 stone.

    I might be fine on Arch EX but then again might have to do more of the dreaded maintenance/repair stuff! Getting Flow EX on my forthcoming full-sus…

    Superficial
    Free Member

    Flow EX are just the newer, slightly lighter version of Flows.
    They’re pretty sturdy, probably overkill for general trail riding, yes. Fit and forget though, plus they give a nice tyre profile. You’ll not save significant weight here so unless you’re racing they will be fine.

    I have Flows on my full sus and now Flow Ex on my hardtail.

    godzilla
    Free Member

    EX are slightly heavier.

    stevede
    Free Member

    I thought Flow Ex rims were slightly heavier than the old Flows but wider, stronger and more aimed at dh use than the older version. I run them on my ti slackline but my wheels probably take a lot more abuse than the OP’s will.

    godzilla
    Free Member

    The old Flows where a tough rim that people used as lite DH rims, the EX are designed for DH.

    Superficial
    Free Member

    I think original Flows were aimed at trail / AM but a few people started using them for DH. The Flow Ex is just progression of a design, it’s not really a new model. But Stan’s are acknowledging that people are using them for DH and now marketing accordingly. The new Ex Flow is 20g heavier, hardly anything. It’s definitely not a new model aimed at a different market, IMO.

    curiousyellow
    Free Member

    Wider profile of the tyre may cause clearance issues. Apart from that they should be lovely.

    I have Crests and Flow EXes. Crests for the local stuff and XC-ish rides. Flows for uplifts and DH venues. I ride a 120mm full sus and have never felt the need for additional travel with the Flows on. Love those wheels.

    Scamper
    Free Member

    I think its something like;

    Arch 425g
    Arch EX 400g
    Flow 460g
    Flow EX 490g

    I’m OP’s weight and found Arch EX perfectly fine in the Alps on my Bfe. Now trying Flow EX and don’t notice the added weight, but the front feels as if it tracks better which could be the better tyre profile. Replaced a rear Arch with Flow EX and a noticeable difference is the tyre does not feel as if its about to pinch flat over certain stuff or drops.

    Northwind
    Full Member

    Someone asked a Stans chap why they’d gone heavier, they basically said “Pretty much everyone who previously should have used a Flow should get an Arch Ex as it does the same job better. Except for the nutters, who should get a Flow Ex because they were always pushing their luck on the Flow anyway”

    I can’t honestly feel any difference between the Flow and Flow Ex in use (wore out a Flow on the 224 and fit an Ex to replace it). Found it harder to fit tubeless tyres to, just because of the width, but still not bad. Mind you my Flow lasted 3 years before it cracked with no other significant damage at all, while the Ex picked up a big enough flatspot on its second ride that it’ll now not work tubeless. But that’s maybe just bad luck, it did take a proper hit!

Viewing 22 posts - 1 through 22 (of 22 total)

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