I have a bit of a problem, I’ve been trying to coax the last bit of life out of a very knackered set of unbranded rims and xt hubs that are around 10 years old and they’ve finally given up, races are knackered and spokes are breaking every other ride.

So I need a new wheelset, and I need it quick as I’m doing the Dorset Gravel Dash next weekend.

My riding is mostly on the quantocks and up to about 3 to 4 hours in length. Some small drops, some jumps, lots of natural descents over roots and rocks and all on a hardtail. I weigh 90kg so they need to be relatively beefy but hopefully not so heavy that they’ll knacker me out on a long day.

What do people recommend? I need QR front and rear. I could get a XT/Stans build from Merlin for about £230, an Electro/DTFR570 from superstar for about £300 (all superstars rear fuel hubs are unavailable in QR so that takes out all there cheap wheels!). Any other suggestions of good places to look? Plan for the future is to stay 26 so i want wheels that are going to last a while.

Get on ebay and search for Superstar wheels on their Switch hubs (which are re-branded Novatec 881/882 hubs), you’ll be able to get a pair of decent wheels that can take QR/15/20 on the front and QR/10/12 on the back for less than £150 🙂

Or build your own!

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Hope-26inch-mountain-bike-wheels-Front-Rear-/322485343587?hash=item4b159fd563:g:q-MAAOSwkShY86QV

https://www.pinkbike.com/buysell/2161351/

Jekkyl, that first link looks like a good shout but unfortunately he doesn’t offer postage! Not sure about the XM319 Rims in the second one holding up.

Kayla, I’ll have a look now! I’d give building them myself a go if my first ride on them wasn’t going to be a 100 mile event!

I’d give building them myself a go if my first ride on them wasn’t going to be a 100 mile event!

That which does not kill us… 😆

I’ve heard good things about spank rims. a lot of dirt jump riders using them but they are still reasonably light. Not sure about hubs though

Think I’m going to go for Stans Arch mk3 on XT hubs from merlin as they seem to be relatively lightweight but hopefully strong enough for my purposes.

My riding is mostly on the quantocks

Just outside of Cheddar and have 2 sets of 26″ wheels that I need to get round to selling:

Crest on Superstar switch set up tubeless with tyres – bought them for a Soul build for a friend but then built her a 29er. Well used and need a clean but look good. Not sure on weight for 90kg though, I run Arch’s myself.

Superstar Tactic on Switch Ultra hubs. About 3 rides old (Quantocks and BPW) and just back from being re-trued ready to sell.

I’m useless at selling stuff so they are sat in the “bike room”.

Not sure about the XM319 Rims in the second one holding up

Why not? they’re decent if not trendily wide rims. You don’t say what rims you currently have, but your OP suggests its the spokes and hubs that are knackered not the rims?

Think I’m going to go for Stans Arch mk3

Arch’s are very good rims, but they are quite light, they are strong for the weight but not really at the ‘strong’ end of the spectrum.

So what exactly do you want?
(and what exactly have you currently got rim wise!)

Worth thinking about how have the XT’s become knackered too, because if looked after C+C Shimano hubs can last indefinitely, worn races/cones and bearings are normally due to lack of maintenance so if you go for Shimano again and don’t change your habits you’ll end up in the same situation. If you go for Cartridge hubs and don’t change your habits then you might find you’re regularly replacing bearings in them anyway.

Got a LBS with a decent wheel builder? They might be able to sort you out with some locally built wheels to suit your requirements, can often be cheaper in the long run and a lot of the strength/reliability of wheels is down to the build as much as the components.

I had a set of Crest on Superstar Switch hubs. I weight around 85kg-90kgs and as long as you’re a “wheels on the ground” type rider they will handle the odd Welsh trail centres and Peak district rides.

Arch should be strong enough for more aggressive trail riders and I would consider the Flow if you are regularly ploughing through rock gardens or don’t always land smoothly on jumps.

Currently running a Spank Oozy wheelset and I am very impressed with the rims. Very strong and light. If you find them in stick at Chain Reaction give them a go.

FYI – I have a set of QR end caps for a Superstar Switch front hub you can have for free if thats any help?

Iv’e got a set mint of Mavic ex721,s on hope pro2’s if your interested.You won’t break these bad boys.
Built by pro wheel builder at the wheelbase on the Wirral.
Addy in profile.

Amedias – I hear what you’re saying, the wheels were actually from a bike that was knackered when I bought it, no chance of saving them unfortunately but I knew that at the time. I’ll be looking after these ones!

Jairaj – sounds like they should suit me then as a fairly new mtber who is definitely not always landing perfectly but trying hard and not going to fast yet!

Have a look at these on the Merlin site and search on here for reviews. You wont get much better for the price.

https://www.merlincycles.com/pro-build-chosen-hub-alex-volar-trail-wheels-26-82071.html

XT/Stans build from Merlin for about £230,

Sounds like a great deal to me! 🙂

I’ve got a pair of 26 Stans Arch on XT and I ride the Quantocks mostly. They’re light and run well and have taken all I’ve thrown at them, including Lakes and Peaks. Don’t reckon you’ll be disappointed.