I've lost patience with the maintenance / seeming to be made of cheese elements of the original Roval rear wheel on my Camber. It's had a few "that's a * nuisance" issues and now the freehub bit is slipping at certain points with a quiet but offensive clicking. I don't want to be fiddling with it, I want it working.
I've therefore got a "need" for a 142x12 x 29" rear wheel OR a 28h hub someone can put the Roval rim onto.
Key features:
Well sealed with decent bearings i.e. low maintenance
Capable of taking a tyre from 2.0" to 2.3" and I'm prepared to sacrifice a little rim width to get a decent shape on a winter mud tyre
User servicable without spendy special tools (e.g. the £60 drive ring remover that this hub takes)
I'm looking at Hope / Shimano XT level of quality rather than bargain bin or very bling.
Off the peg from CRC and the LBS website seems to be limited as this "standard" is clearly now out of * date!
Suggestions?
thanks
£200 for Hope XC, only a few left in the usual places as Hope are releasing new version, top quality wheel though. (Might not stretch to 2.3" actually)
Got a Sram Roam hanging in the garage, £50 posted any good? Fairly narrow rim I think
Have a look at Spokesman Wheels. They are on ebay and have their own website.
Ready made or custom builds.
Mainly Novatec hubs to what ever spec want or any hub you like but you might have to supply.
XT will be cheap and bombproof
Hope will be fancier, but more expensive, and equally bombproof
https://www.merlincycles.com/hope-hoops-pro-4-wheel-29-88536.html
Or a cheap option
https://www.merlincycles.com/pro-build-chosen-hub-alex-volar-trail-wheels-29-82077.html
100% agreed - I'd far rather an affordable, rugged and user-serviceable wheelset than to spend a fortune on something that'll save me 100g and will be a pain to source spare parts for.
Hope hubs and Stans rims on both of my bikes. You might want to check out Merlin Cycles for a well built and affordable wheelset:
https://www.merlincycles.com/hope-hoops-pro-4-wheel-29-88536.html
Although I've never tried an XT wheelset, my mate's Shimano Deore/Mavic 717 wheelset on his Spesh Rockhopper has now lasted sixteen years and has only required minor adjustments to spoke tension in that time. It's still going strong.
Some good deals for custom wheels on Actionsports. https://www.actionsports.de/en/wheels/custom-wheels/mtb-disc-29/
So many lightly used bargains to be had in non-boost, especially if you're happy with narrower rims than current trends demand.
Ooh look, here's a nice set...
https://www.pinkbike.com/buysell/2427527/
😉
Thanks all. Good suggestions. 😁
Clicking eliminated (for now) with some workshop time but I think I will scan through the second hand options too.
