Decided to build me up a Chinese fat frameset, torn between wheels though. For about the same cost (£500 ish) and weight (2.3kg – I don’t want to go heavier) I’ve narrowed it down to:

Chinese carbon 68mm on Chosen Hubs from same seller (Carbonspeed)
+ better width for 4″ tyres on UK trails, easier tubeless, tad lighter
– these hubs alright? Or Novatec available for few more quid.

DT Swiss BR-2250 wheelset (80mm)
+ better hubs
– bit too wide and not so easy tubeless, heavier once taped up.

Or perhaps Surly Marge Lite build onto something, Hope?
Nice width and lighter but again, Alu with cut outs so dodgier tubeless.

Help me decide! Carbon’s winning at the moment in my head.

Richard, if you are interested i have a brand new mulefut 80mm with halo hub rear, set up tubeless and includes a new on one floater.
170/177 x 12 axle with adapters for qr
they are unused and unmarked. £200 posted
should give you a lot of play on your £500 budget
Lester

I built up a pair of LightBicycle 65mm rims on Hope hubs, smashed one of the rims on a rock and switched to Stans Hugos ‘cos I was in a hurry.

In terms of tyre width and profile there wasn’t hugely noticeable difference between them, pretty sure the LB rims weighed less though.

I bought a spare rim from LB on their crash replacement program but only got round to building them back up when I dinged one of the Hugos hitting a rock.

I prefer the LB wheels, they do seem to have a bit more ‘spring’ than the Hugos and, hey, carbon.

Both were a doddle to setup tubeless – the LB’s will go up with a track pump with Surly Nates.

If your staying below 4″ tyres I’d look at Hugo’s too – they’re easy to tubeless and weigh not much.

@ Lester Thanks but a quick google suggests heavier than I’d like, as well as still a bit wide.

Hugos might work too. Should build onto Hopes under £500.

I’ve got a spare Hugo rim plus D-light spokes for a 135 front/177 rear Fatsno hubset if it’s any help?

I’ll be 150/197 but I’ll look a bit more at Hugos for sure. I’d be running Jumbo Jim 4.0 Snakeskin.

@ Lester Thanks but a quick google suggests heavier than I’d like, as well as still a bit wide.

no worries, hope you get what you want 🙂

For reference I fit a market lite and a well used nate set up tubeless fairly easy with gorilla repair tape a valve and fluid. I had to resort to a strap around the tyre to help it seat with my track pump but it’s held spot on

I have fatbike wheels built with Chosen, Novatec and Hope hubs – all have been fine. The outer bearings on the Chosen freehub is getting a little rough after nearly 3 years, but internally everything’s fine.

If you’re not planning on riding deep snow, then 65mm is the ideal rim width for UK riding IMO. I have carbon rims in 65mm and 90mm and they are noticeable stiffer and pretty durable. I’d chose carbon over alloy rims every time, particularly for tubeless convenience.

That’s encouraging, thanks.

Hi,

DT Swiss is easily ghetto-able.

Here my own ghetto tubeless on DT Swiss and Nate. Used split 20″ fat bike inner tube as a liner.

Ghetto on DT Swiss

Taking some proper beating in Peaks, Lakes and recently Polish and Czech mountains…

Cheers!
I.

Hope/DT Swiss here, sets up easily and light with Fatty Strippers

Hate to think what those tubes split weigh, and really not wanting to go that way.

Fatty strippers are interesting, yes light, but you still need a rim strip to cover the cut outs, are mostly single use, and the 715/2250s are not optimum width still for my needs.

Hugos reputed to be 700g instead of the widely advertised 560g. So not worth the loss of width here if no weight saving.

Carbonspeed’s just said I can have red hubs & nipples so that’s probably swung it tbh 😉

Just weighed my Hugo (vicar): 690g
also weighed a Light Bicycle Carbon 65mm: 505g

don’t get alloy nipples

just don’t

really

I mean it

you’ll regret it.

I can vouch for the BR2250s, I have the Spesh branded versions and they work really well. Never got round to tublessing them though, but I know a few folk who have done it successfully

Just started using hope fatsno hubs too, they are exactly as good as every other hope hub, rim is a wtb KOM i29 though, so you probably aren’t interested in that…

Ah yeah fair point wwaswas forgot I had to rebuild my cx with brass.

2250s have the 350 big ride ratchet hubs, I can get a wheelset for £470 ex vat with no customs surprises.

Which is why I keep going round in circles!

Hi,

Not fussed about weight, so never was bothered by split inner tube disadvantage over whatever else.

Just wanted bomb-proof wheel for all my mountain trips.

And never-ever use alloy nipples. EVER!!!

Cheers!
I.

There’s a pair of i45 Scrapers on Hopes
the UK Fat Bike Selling page on Facebook for £285
Boost hub size

Thanks but boost not fat.

Hi question for the op or anyone else who have gone down the Chinese frame route how hard is it to deal with say carbon speed for instance and what are there delivery times like quality , custom’s charges .I have been looking at the cs197 frame and the sonder Vir Fortis frame which seem to be a Chinese made frame although I could be wrong to swap the parts over from my current fatty cheer’s

There is a uk contact for ICAN with a telephone number on the ICAN website or via eBay.
Dealing direct with ICAN was excellent, stuff has been quality over three years use, hubs sound and still running true. Delivery under two weeks.

There is also a full carbon bike with carbon wheels rs in Edinburgh for under a grand. Size large…

I’ve been buying bike stuff direct from China for 12+ years. As long a you go for a seller with a decent rep, you won’t have any troubles. Custom Fees – about 50/50 these days whether you get charged – goods are shipped EMS and use Parcel Force for customs clearances and you get tracked shipping all the way. Virtually all carbon bike frames are made in China or Taiwan – apart from a few, small boutique brands. Sometimes you get coupon codes for some sellers on AliExpress which can mean a 20% discount or free shipping – better than ebay.

Br2250 rims are easy to tubless

If it were me, I’d go with the carbon wheels (Lightbike or nextie, not heard of carbonspeed). Mostly because tubless can be a faff and carbon just avoids that even if the weight is only a smidgen less than the equivalent alloy.

Hate to think what those tubes split weigh, and really not wanting to go that way.

Probably ~200g, it’s what a tube weighs. I went down that route with my O-O fatty wheels, saves a huge amount (Vs tubed) when you include drilling the rims as well. But yes, it’s considerably more than a set of 500g carbon rims with just a tubeless valve.

Chrisylad24 it’s a Cs197 I’m looking at too. I’m in email contact with the owner, Pete Xu, his email is on his carbonspeed web pages. Great to deal with so far and great rep on him, his co and his frames out there. It’s a Chinese holiday week atm and im still getting same day replies.

Ican SN01 was the other contender.

I’m now likely going 500g ish LB, Nextie or Yishun 65mm rims which I’ll build onto Hopes. With brass nips.

Mostly because tubless can be a faff

I’ve got Mulefut 80 rims and they were the easiest wheels to convert to tubeless that I’ve ever come across.

One wrap of gorilla tape and they’ve held for 18 months. Never had a puncture or any leaks of air.

Ican SN01 was the other contender.

That’s the complete bike in Edinburgh including the wheels and carbon rims. Vgc at under a grand, ready to ride.

I found some i45 Scrapers new, in 26″ flavour, for cheapness and 600g.
45mm internal 50mm external.

I can’t find one jot of info about these anywhere. The Internet says 26″ in i40 only and i45 in 27.5 & 29 only. They came from a distributor in a DT Swiss box with WTB packing tape. OE or Pre-production?
Intrigued.

Possibly a tad narrow? But I don’t intend going more then 4″ and it’s always summer here in Sussex. Going to give em a try anyway.

That’s an interesting option, especially being a proper double wall rim.

Fatlab 55’s are similar weight and a little wider, but I can’t see them for sale anywhere (CTBM used to have them I think).