Evening all,

After some new wheels for my Pitch. I would say my riding style is trails with a distinct lack of finesse so I tend to err on the side of strength with my wheels.

Wheelset weights as I see them are:

Stans Flows – 1900g – in between the 2 Pacenti weights so i’m guessing in between strength as well. Not sure if I like the idea of no eyelets, but then again I suppose they are well proven rims

Pacenti TL28 – 1770g – nice and light in weight. Similar dimensions to the Flow so should be similar stiffness, but the reduced weight must come from less metal in the rim, so are they made from tin foil? Like the idea of eyelets

Pacenti DL31 – 2030g – heaviest of the lot, but then it’s a wide rim, and probably still lighter than my current set up. Like the idea of the stiffness, but obviously is another 130g over the flows. Not a huge amount, but then it is rotational weight so the worst kind. Again eyelets seem like a good idea.

My thoughts are that the TL28 are probably flimsy as the weight has to have disappeared from somewhere (although I do like the idea of the light weight).

Flows are probably the most sensible bet as they are well proven and sit somewhere in-between on weight.

DL31 are probably OTT but I do like the idea of the wider rim.

Has anyone got any real world experience of the Pacenti rims? Any opinions on the above?

TL28’s get dinged up pretty easily.Cosmetic but they are made out of cheese.

Flows.

Dunno about the other two, but there’s no way they’ll last at the weight and width they are (and they have eyelets)

Not enough metal, unless you run your tyres dead hard they’ll be prone to dinging I would imagine.

Alright for general xc type stuff, wouldn’t fancy them down anything fast and rocky.

Think you are kind of echoing my thinking. I think it will probably be the Flows, but was wondering if Pacenti had come up with a moon on a stick type rim i.e. light weight a tough

I was tempted by the pacenti rims but decided against them after reading threads on mtbr where people found them soft and easily damaged, also JRA list the TL28 ‘ for xc use only’ and mentions they should be used with high tyre pressures to avoid damage.

there’s no way they’ll last at the weight and width they are

The TL28’s are 2.5mm narrower than Flow Ex’s.

The DL31’s are 0.5mm wider than flow Ex’s.

Flows are 28mm wide (or at least they were when I bought them).

They’re 4hundred and something grams (without the extra weight of eyelets)

Those Pacenti things are 3hundred and something grams.

I remember wondering if the Flows would last after getting rid of my dented Mavic EX721 rim which was circa 600 hundred grams.

Cant see them lasting to be honest.

Pacenti TL28 – 23mm internal
Flow Ex 25.5mm internal
Pacenti DL31 – 26mm internal

I’ve smashed a TL28 and an Arch EX in very similar circumstances (water bars on Skye and Torridon respectively) the Arch EX came off considerably worse. I’ve had no problems with teh TL28 on teh front from a year’s DH, Alps, enduro racing etc etc. Great all-round rim.

Flow Ex 25.5mm internal

We’re not talking about that though. The OP states Stans Flow.

I bought the 29er dl31 tesla’as from superstar

So far so good, even fit a 2.0 mud x

Flows are discontinued now. Wheelsets like Hope seem to come with the Ex version now but check with who you buy the off if you want the Ex. No reason not to, wider and lighter.

Flow Ex is slightly heavier than the Flow, not lighter.

the description of the TL28 on just riding along is significantly different to the one on superstar.

I was hoping these might be exactly what I needed but now I’m thinking that I would smash them to bits in fairly short order

Brant was on a couple of days ago rating the Pacentis.

good review here: http://www.bike198.com/review-pacenti-tl28-26er-mountain/

Hmmm, I just can’t get my head round where the weight has gone on the TL28s.

I may just plump for the Flows (not Flow EX), but i’ll still probably spend the next few days changing my mind!

you should get the Pacentis so you can tell us all if they are any good.

>>>> Slight hijack <<<<

If the OP is after Flows I will shortly be listing a set of Hope Hoops – Silver Pro 2 hubs, Black Flows …..

Very little use and in great shape 😀

Drop me a mail if interested

>>>> Hijack over <<<<

I think I’m going to get a pair of the 29er CL25’s (slightly narrower and lighter than TL28’s) built on to DT240’s with Sapim D-lights over the next few weeks. Once I’ve hgad chance to put a few miles under them I’ll stick a short review up.

slackman99 – Why choose flows over flow EX may I ask?

Only reason for Flows over FLow Ex is the banging price Superstar are doing the wheelsets for. Can’t justify spending a load extra to get the Flow EX. Plus for the weight of the Flow Ex’s, i’d probably have a go with the Pacenti DL31’s and save a few bob.

TL28’s are great. Mr Pacenti is quite clever.

Ive been running a pair of pacenti TL28s as my XC race wheels for about 6 months and they have taken everything Ive thrown at them. 32h laced with DT areolites from http://www.actionsports.de/
Been very impressed with them.
http://www.actionsports.de/gb/Wheels/Wheelset-Specials/MTB-Disc-29er/Fun-Works-N-Light-Evo-Pacenti-TL28-Aerolite-disc-1590g-Laufradsatz-29er::63210.html

I like the idea of eyelets as Ive seen several rims without sprout cracks a the spoke holes. Having said that my Flow on my enduro bike is holding up well

Mine you, the TL28 is designed to be a trailbike rim so you’d hope it’s good for xc race use.

I’m an eyelet-skeptic, I’ve seen as many eyeletted rims crack at the eyelets as at the holes… And like-for-like an eyelet rim has to have less metal elsewhere.

My TL28’s (bought in June) have been ridden over the rock and root of Wales weekly, with a foray to various riding destinations around the UK and are holding up fine – descriptions of riding style always end in posturing so its hard to tell but I’m a regular and competent rider currently finishing off my degree so making the most of my ‘freedom’ to get out riding – I’ve now ridden all the runs at BPWales if that helps?

Anyway, in a similar thread hijack to that listed above- here is a full review of the TL28 I posted earlier today…

http://thelumberjackmtb.blogspot.co.uk/2014/01/thelumberjack-reviews-pacenti-tl28-rims.html

I couldn’t recommend them enough, if they are made of cheese its bloody good cheese – if you don’t trust me trust Brant, at least he’s a real engineer!

I used this thread to help with my decision making process about whether to invest in the Tesla-Pacenti TL28 wheelset.

My main concern was that a combination of being 6’4″ and 16 stone+ (I believe the term Clydesdale would apply), a non-gentle riding style and preferred riding locations being the steep and rocky in places like Calderdale, The Peaks (what DCC haven’t destroyed) and North Wales; would see the wheels destroyed in fairly short order. And they were destined for my new hardtail build as well.

In their favour was an approximate 200g weight saving over Stans Flow (I’m no weight weenie, but know that the one place where it really makes a tangible difference is the wheels) and a £100 or so price saving to boot.

Long story short I bought them. Early days yet. Two rides, one gentle XC route close to where I live, one wet’nrocky scramble of a ride in Calderdale at the weekend. They got a fair bashing on that second ride and came through it unscathed, which augurs well for the future.

The almost silly lightness of them has made a tangible difference to my climbing and they just love to be popped off any handy bump or rock. They’re plenty stiff and the rear hub picks up noticeably faster than the Hope one that I’ve previously been using.

It’s worth pointing out that whilst I’m fine smashing the bike (as often as not myself into the bargain) down steep, rocky chutes and will drop off most things up to 2-3 feet, I’m not (and probably never will be) chucking the bike off huge drops or massive jumps.

If these wheels continue to hold up for the type of riding that i do, then they will have been a superb investment. IMHO I would have thought that any lighter riders out there (most then) need have no worries about these wheels, they’re ace!

Try emailing gav@augustwheelworks.com he’s a wheel builder I use, he builds with both Stans & Pacenti. He’ll give you an honest opinion based on your riding style, the terrain etc..
I’m running Flows on both my bikes (single speed rigid commuter & a Spesh Enduro) I like a sturdy wheel.

fwiw, I’ve been riding some pacenti CL25s for nearly a year now. xc terrain mostly and they have held up well so far. No dings, despite some tyre shredding incidents. I did put them out of true on one whack, but they trued up easy enough again. Very easy to run tubeless with most tyres using superstar tubeless tape and valves.

They are looking fairly scruffy though now. Plenty of scratches and the stickers are looking rough, but that’s to be expected. All good with no complaints.

If you ride with a distinct lack finese then from your choice I’d suggest the Flow EX as they are tried and tested.

I’ve run them on my old Pitch and they took a real beating and were wider and lighter than Mavic 521s and held up just as well.

Got some Pacenti road rims, SL24s, and they are very nicely finished and light.

I have just sold a set of Stans Arch wheels that were eight years old, perfectly straight and totally undinged but wrong axle size. I also have some Pacenti TL28s which acquired a substantial dink in the rear after a trip to Scotland, less than 6 months into their life. I know Arches aren’t Flows but the evidences seems to indicate Stans will last!

my Pacenti TL28 have arrived, all being well i’ll have the bike built this weekend assuming i can get a bottom headset cup to fit the frame as the nukeproof was too deep for the frame.. hopefully the hope will be shorter otherwise it might have to be new frame time.

bloody tapered fork nonsense

I have some 26r crests which are fairly flexy and i killed the front so know how week they are.
Lets see how the 29er pacenti hold up.