Ive asked this before but Am now going to get them this month. I’m looking for new wheels and I’m being a total weight weenie. Looking for something around 1300g or less for both wheels.
I’m looking currently at Superstar wheels with Sapim CX ray spokes and ZTR alpine rim. Any suggestions on websites (custom builds) or what Hubs etc.
Looking at £450 for wheel set tops!
Thanks
might be these? any better, lighter?
These come to 1350g
Hope Pro3 XC3 crests £370
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Don't waste your money on CX-Rays. They're no lighter than Revs, and whilst the fatigue life is higher it just transfers the forces to the next weak link - I broke a number of nipples whilst I used them, which is just as much faff to resolve!
A2Z hubs, Alpine rims (or Podiums if it's a race set of wheels), Revolution spokes. 1300g, less than £300. You'll need a builder though, or DIY.
Or... check out Mack hubs, don't know much about them, but they're very light indeed. Edit: they're £400 for the pair, so not cheap, crazy light though.
[s]What about the Red metal ones on on-ones site for £299?
http://www.on-one.co.uk/i/q/WPFUREME1/fulcrum-red-metal-1-ust-mtb-wheelset
Just bought a pair and look good (fully tubless) - I bought a few spoke spares (which are a bit dear £7 each) just in case but reviews seem very good (also without spoke breakages ;)[/s]
Weigh a ton. My Hopes on Crests are lighter, cheaper, and don't require £7 spokes to be hoarded so you have one when one breaks 🙂
Just don't really get factory wheels, even less so at £600!
American Classic's are pretty damn light...
http://www.rutlandcycling.com/34038/American-Classic-MTB-26-Disc-Tubeless-MTB-Wheel-Set---2011.html?referrer=froogle1%3futm_source%3dgoogle&utm_medium=froogle&utm_campaign=pid34038
Although it's a bit crap as Burls used to have the 2010 ones at £350 🙁
These Superstar Ones are worth considering:
http://superstar.tibolts.co.uk/product_info.php?cPath=40&products_id=497
Weigh a ton.
Sorry missed the weight limit in the OP 🙁
Podiums,am classic,revs,Ali nips and a wheel jig for constant retruing.
Never had to touch my Podiums - really impressed with them! Put a slight dent in the rear mistiming a log hop, otherwise no problems!
All under budget and seriously light.
Thanks for all suggestions. So ive narrowed it down to either A2Z hubs, Alpine rims and rev spokes - Needs a wheel builder
or
The Hope pro 3 XC3 on Crests - Can get them on a custom build o Alpines?
Whoops - Didnt see post above - will look now.
I very nearly went for those top ones, only didn't because I could build lighter (or at least very very similar) for significantly cheaper. Couldn't find much out about their hubs, but people seemed to like them.
CX-Rays are supposed to build a stiffer wheel, like a lot of these things, I'm not convinced it's going to be that much of a noticeable difference tho. I haven't ridden the two builds (CX-R v Revs), so I'm not entirely certain, but suspect that how much air you have in your tyres would make just as much difference, in reality, to any feel. And as far as 'looks' are concerned, there's no obvious difference, unless you get up really close.
I went CX-Ray because I hope that the wheel will be a bit stronger, but I don't think I've ever read any claims to that effect.
Certainly, the whole wheel build you are considering above, has been very good for me. They've been ridden around the Yorkshire Dales regularly over the spring/summer, for a reasonable proportion of the summer, with carbon rigids. I'm 12.5stone BTW (80kgs?). I'd say I'd probs be mid pack as far as speed, aggression and skills are concerned. I'm no Steve Peat, but I'm not a mincer.
If you're on a budget, then drop the CX-Rays in favour of Revolutions, as njee says, I don't expect there's that much peformance difference afterall.
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for the weight at 1345g I might as well get the Hopes with Crests. Unless theres a reson I should go for:
I can imagine that the straight pull on the hopes is a slight negative but the Crests are stronger than the Alpins so it swings in roundabouts.
Hope Pro 3/Crest weight in at 1500g, that for the XC6, unless you're getting the XC3's with dodgy 3-bolt rotor.
I've had mind for about a week now and they've been fine but have managed to get one seriously out of true after crashing because a rider in front of me went down last weekend 😐
CX-Rays are supposed to build a stiffer wheel, like a lot of these things
Not really - they're just a flattened version of a round spoke, which doesn't increase the stiffness, just the fatigue life, which as I found above, just meant that nipples broke.
They can take slightly higher tension, but the rims can't, so that's a moot point. They are very slightly more aero, and that's about it.
What you doing now Dave????? You'll only break something that light!
I'd talk to Just Riding Along, who put my 29'er wheels together.
For £400 you could buy my old Felt HT - save a whole heap more weight than 300g on a pair of spangly wheels for the Epic!!
The XC3's are supposedly 1345g taken from the evans website.
Seems like everywhere else in the hope site says around 1500gs.
I might be getting these then afterall.
Cheers Martin,
Well since specialized replaced under warranty the Rovals Cotrols to the Traverse im not happy about how it rides. Should of kept the Hope's.... that wheel saga... you know the one 😉
One of the big reasons for going Hope is the back up/support/after sales/ warrenty etc etc, from the factory in Barnoldswick. Hope have a good rep for all that after sales stuff. I'm not entirely sure how I'd get on with SSC.
The straight spokes are the downside as far as quick repairs are concerned, you'd probably end up having to special order replacements, although most MTB shops will have an account with Hope, I would imagine.
Just don't really get factory wheels, even less so at £600!
Yes, I don't see any advantaage - they seem to be more expensive, no lighter and more difficult to repair...
Some of them do look nice though. I love the look of the crank bros wheelsets. (wouldn't touch them though)
Swop you my old DT 240 hubbed/717's for the Rovals. You could have some nice standard spoked rims built onto them! No idea how heavy.
Hmmmm, had thought when I saw the pics of your epic evo that you'd replaced the controle's with traverse's on purpose... IMO probably a better suited wheelset to a bike that comes with a slightly longer fork, and a dropped post on purpose. Certainly, it's meant to be a bit more of a playbike than the rest of the epic range.
Anyway, if you're staying QR both ends and you don't mind mincing about somewhat, then do what njee says and go for the A2Z hubs on Poidums/Alpines with Revolution spokes. A bit light for general use and abuse IMO but then you probably aren't as hard on kit as I am if you're considering a 1300g wheelset. I took a massive plunge going for something as light as the Traverse EL wheelset (same as on your epic now) for my hardtail afterall.
Wouldn't bother with the Hopes with 3 bolt rotors and 24 spokes, have heard they're mega flexy and not all that light.
@Fuzzy - you trying to shift you old discard bin stuff again ? 😉
Swop you my old DT 240 hubbed/717's for the Rovals. You could have some nice standard spoked rims built onto them! No idea how heavy.
That's a good idea actually, worth considering. DT240 hubs aren't quite as light as the A2Z but they're a very well known quantity and supremely reliable (and you've actually got DT 240 hubs guts in your Rovals anyway).
Get them built onto some Alpines with Revolution spokes, should come in around 1350-1400g I reckon and be very reliable and repairable anywhere so to speak.
If you don't mind 20g extra per rim, Chain Reaction have currently got Stans Olypmics for £30 a pop, could be a very cheap way to get a light wheelset, and you could use the money saved to save a lot more than 40g elsewhere off the bike...
@ Fuzzy -
Martin, do you have front and rear?
@ Mboy - The Control AL's kept pinging spokes so LBS called up specialized and for some reason swapped them for Traverse AL's. There 1780g and a lot heavier than the controls I had before. Which makes me sad. 🙁
I’ve got rid of the dropper post as never used it so is running like a 'normal' epic. I’m also getting faster & stronger on the bike so looking forward to racing October onwards. Hence the lighter wheels.
These are worth a punt.
Decent rim (now replaced by the Alpine) and good hubs plus the bonus of new rotors and tyres included already set up tubeless.
I'm still regretting selling my Olympic wheelset last year 🙁
Well I shelled out for these:
rim : ZTR Alpine/26" 32h
hub : American Classic 225/rear disk
spokes : Cx-Ray black
nipples : black aluminium prolock
Only the rear wheel due to the expense. £365 for a rear wheel OMFG
Its going to be light though with the front the wheelset should be around 1290g.
Could've saved well over £100 with Revolutions, but you knew that 🙂
Yep.
Purchased from 'justridingalong'
Need to do more training - a way of Justifying the purchase.
Njee , what races have you coming up? just curious.
...and if you'd gone for these:-
http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=38852
with dt revolutions from actionsports.de & a2z hubs, you'd have had both wheels for way less than you paid for one rear one, and the weight would have been 1300g ish...
really don't see the point of cx-rays on mtb wheels...
....but the ZTR Olympic is heavier than the alpine /confusion.
I find this forum funny, rather than saying 'thats an awesome wheel' you guys slag off my choice. FFS if I have the money I can buy pretty much what I want.
rim : ZTR Alpine/26" 32h - Good rim
hub : American Classic 225/rear disk - Good Hub
spokes : Cx-Ray black - Arguably the best spoke
nipples : black aluminium prolock - best nipples
Plus I know people who have bought wheels there and have a good builds and service. So I have confidence in that.
And the problem is?
Would these lightweight wheels be alright for general use, blasting through singletrack, rocky areas, rockgardens etc .
Was just wandering really how strong they would be, i am down to 13 st but not very sympathetic on my kit but am in the market for some nicer wheels that i will build myself (with help). Already picked up an A2Z front hub so need to piece together the rest.
Curlie, From the research Ive done the ZTR Alpins should be OK (I hope)
I'll report back here when Ive ridden them.
Janesy, just to let you know, hughjayteens off here was looking for some Roval Traverse's a day or so ago in the wanted section...
Enjoy your new wheel/s! Very nice if expensive...
Thanks mboy!! Appriciated 🙂
A wheelset like that will be fine for general riding curlie. You say you find it funny, but I think that's probably because you asked for advice, then went against all of it.
Only planned race is the NPS at Plymouth in 3 weeks, although I'm planning to do the Brass Monkeys enduros over winter.
No thanks for the advice, I took it on board and other places. but in the end 'I' have to make a decision on what 'I' want.
umm I'm still thinking about those bloody spokes though. its would save me £60.... GAH head ache.
Im also doing the Brass Monkeys, see you there then I guess.
janesy, If I had the money, that is exactly the build I would buy, whether CX-Rays are better or not. The CX-Ray spokes and Alpine rims work well on my bike, I'm very happy with the combo and they feel and appear to be strong for XC riding, given their weight.
That looks like a good choice of strength vs weight. Build is really more important than spokes, but when I used to crit race a couple of times a week the only wheels I never broke (and I broke loads of wheels - sometimes a wheel wouldn't last a race) were built with CX rays. Horrible to build and pretension though!
Cheers guys - although I am on bread and butter for the rest of the month. God knows when i'll get the front wheel.
I'll let you know how they are come Friday - hopefully
The XC3's are supposedly 1345g taken from the evans website.
Seems like everywhere else in the hope site says around 1500gs.
with the Pro3-SP XC3s the weights i've seen are mixed. Owning a pair of them, i believe hopes quoted weight actually includes a pair of their 3 bolt rotors.
It's a while ago when I did the research, but I think you're correct Pinches. Hope quote with rotors for the XC3, which makes comparing a bit difficult, but that puts them in the same league.
I didn't mean my last comment to sound quite as pointed as it did - of course you're right to buy what you want. I built 3 sets of wheels with CX-Rays before realising how pointless they were 🙂
They will certainly be a great pair of wheels, eventually!
No Problems Njee, no offence taken.
The wheel arrived this morning and all setup on the bike.
The wheel looks and feels amazing. VERY light.
With out disk
Comapared to the Roval: 1020g
New wheel: 700g
All in all I have saved 350g... not much but noticable. (using the AC QR)
350 grams = 0.771617918 pounds with one wheel
Plus the American classic QR even looks top quality.
Oh did I mention that the wheel sounds great too. much better than Hopes.
Just need to ride is this Sunday doing the Brecon Beast.
Thanks for all input.
Just a follow up. Did the Brecon Beast on sunday. (100km route)
Wheel was perfect - flew down the gap not a problem. Nice wheel build.