Hey all, I'm looking to build up a dynamo wheelset for my AWOL, but I'm really confused about rim choices, I have no idea where to even start. I'm looking for something with a good balance of strength and weight. Would it be worth looking at MTB rims? I'm looking for a 700c/29er 32h rim at around £50, would really appreciate some recommendations, thanks!
Something from Superstar?
https://www.superstarcomponents.com/en/superstar-t-ready-ds25.htm
What sort of tyre width are you looking to use?
Hard to go wrong with Mavic or DTSwiss.
Also DTSwiss for spokes, double butted.
The Superstars look good but I was looking to go with something a bit more proven and tested.
I was looking at Mavic and DT Swiss but there's so many models I really don't know which ones to go for!
The original ones are pretty good, tbh. Wide enough, tubeless ready, Mrs hasn't managed to knackered them yet despite some heavy loads and off road use.
These look good:
https://www.spacycles.co.uk/m2b0s116p1569/EXAL-ML21
Not light, but they'll be properly tough.
I use the DC19's from Exal, absolutely bombproof and build into a very nice wheel.
Refreshingly good value too.
I've already got the original ones built on different hubs so I don't really want to dissect it to be honest, will probably just sell them on.
I saw the Exal DC19, but not to be snobbish or anything, they just seemed way too cheap and I was very sceptical. Spa Cycles do a dynamo wheel build too which would save me some hassle as I was going to buy the hub from there anyway. The ML21 looks okay but it's rim brake, and I'd rather go with a disc one for aesthetic reasons. I'm also thinking it might be worth getting one that's tubeless ready as well.
I was very sceptical too, tbh.
I was all set on Mavic or DT Swiss, but Spa (along with Paul Hewitt and St John's Street Cycles) recommended Exal or Ryde/Rigida.
They seem too good to be true for the cash, but double walled, double eyeletted and can take higher pressures for road use.
I'd like the DC19's to be a bit wider (use 50mm Schwalbe tyres most of the time) but they have been spot on so far.
Mind you, mine are 36 hole and 26" so probably overkill, but I've knackered several MTB rims on a loaded touring bike. Pretzelled a 32 hole Mavic 719 and Mrs S had a 717 crack around the spoke holes after loaded off road use.
I think the pressure rating is important. I wouldn't take a chance on MTB rims again for heavy loads.
For lighter use I'm sure they'd be fine, as long as they're designed for the pressure you intend to use.
When I were a lad... 🙂
36 holes was regarded as 4 too many on the front and 4 too few on the back. No one would dream of touring on less than an 40 hole rear.
But back then rims were only too happy to taco or corrugate. They were nowhere near as good as todays rims.
However these days I build 36 front and rear. Still reluctant to have less than 36 on the rear, even though there's plenty proof you can build an adequately strong wheel with 32 or less.
But back then rims were only too happy to taco or corrugate. They were nowhere near as good as todays rims.
🙂
When I was a kid with a cheap Raleigh and a heavy tent, it was definitely a case of when, not if you'd bend the rear rim.
The cheap Weinmann rims every bike seemed to come with needed truing pretty much monthly. I didn't really know that better stuff was available, if I had, I wouldn't have been able to afford it anyway. Moston Cycles must have made a fortune from fixing bent wheels.
The Weinmann rims weren't particularly cheap in my day. I used to use steel rims because I could bash them straight if necessary (most of my riding was offroad) and I couldn't afford to replace them.
If you were keen on rough stuff the answer was tubulars because their rims were box section and very strong, plus a few had wood rims.
I love this stuff. 🙂
Wooden rims definitely sound like a goer, I'd have a pair.