If I wanted lighter 29" wheels than the 1800g or so but didn't want to spend £500 on a wheelset, what hubs would I start with?
As light as possible without being too expensive.
Novatec?
DT? Cheaper wheelsets normally come built though.
SRAM deals on a wheel set?
Novatec/Superstar/Halo
Or alternatively.. what relatively cheap pre-build wheels that aren't 1800g? Talking £300 ish here rather than £500.
What hubs, spokes, nipples and rims make your 1800g wheels? Any one element stand out as heavy? Not much point suggesting a hub that's no lighter than what you already have
I've got two sets of 29er factory wheels - Bontrager Rhythmn and Bontrager Mustang. Both around 1800g ish. Not sure either is worth rebuilding.
My philosophy is buy a decent rim (width, weight, toughness), buy decent spokes (weight, toughness), use brass nipples (reliable), buy decent hubs that I know I can convert and service easily.
I don't get hung up on hub weight.
JRA/Bitex hubs, Stan's Crest rims and double-butted spokes come to 1500g - component costs £360 (build extra). To go lighter, you'd need to look at DT Swiss hubs or similar and add another £150
Lots of offers on CRC for around £300 and sub-1800g's
That ^^ sounds good - some questions over bitex reliability though?
I usually use American classic or DT 240.
novatec.
hard to beat for g/£
Superstar switch ultra lite front is quite a good weight. I think they might do a rear one now. 20% off too.
Which Novatec?
My philosophy is buy a decent rim (width, weight, toughness), buy decent spokes (weight, toughness), use brass nipples (reliable), buy decent hubs that I know I can convert and service easily.I don't get hung up on hub weight.
Pretty much my philosophy and especially for a 29er....
The bigger the wheel the more torque (or technically the inverse which is angular momentum) the weight adds on the rims and the less the hub matters as its only rotating around a small radius (and most of it even smaller around the axle). So it's mostly just weight as opposed to rotating weight.
I'd also go for a stronger hub over weaker/lighter just because one you build the wheel you sunk the cost...
For the kid we have some Novatec 711/712's with alloy axle which are really light but I'd not ride them at least without switching to a steel axle...
Yes, we know all this, but the question was what sensibly priced hubs are lighter than others. If I'm going to buy hubs at a particular price point I might as well get lighter ones than heavier.
If I'm going to buy hubs at a particular price point I might as well get lighter ones than heavier.
How many g's?
You would be better of getting the good ones that run smoother and better than something light because it's light.
got a pair of BOR MD7 (Tune King kong) hubs going cheap, if that of any interest?
Ooooh.. I love a bargain.. how much?
Novatec D882
I got a pair of used wheels with DT240S hubs for £100 last month, then put the new rims and spokes I wanted on them. (BOR rims and sapim lasers for lightness) I spent about £280 all in but obviously you can spend a bit more or less on rims and spokes.
Factory wheels like the Hope Hoops etc seem to have gone through the roof lately.
these wheels seem to fit the bill [url= http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Wheels-DT-Swiss-350-X392-StraightPull-29-1665g-/231902169170?var=&hash=item35fe724852:m:mU-m4-p1-OnnjT8uvhFrxAw ]eBay Link[/url]
From speaking to Northwind on a similar subject a while ago and going digging in the numbers, if you don't mind centrelock discs, there's a substantial amount of weight could be saved by using CL DT350 or 240 series hubs as compared to the 6bolt equivalent or say, Pro4's. Unless you start by sniping and stripping an eBay wheel set or get an awesome sale reduction you're going to blow your £300 on hubs then though. You should easily stay under £500 the set, but it's going to be a more expensive set than you wanted.
Overall, weight savings in the outer area of the wheel are probably more significant performance wise if that's what is driving you.