Mornin’ STW,
So it’s the age old question; much of my riding is trail but every few months I get the chance for something more rugged. I have neither storage nor wallet for a second MTB and, as I only bought it five months ago, I can’t change what I’ve got (nor do I want to): alu full sus, 160mm front & 140/150mm rear.

My current wheelset are DT Swiss E1700s with Maxxis Minion DHR/F (back, front, can’t remember). They’ve been great through winter in the slop and with generally lower trail speeds. However, with drier times on the horizon (fingies crossed) I wouldn’t mind a bit more zip and a bit less drag for summer trail-type events… except that I’ll still have need for more ruggedness every month or so (Alps and enduro race [first one, have no experience…]).

As I see it my options are changing my tyres according to use, which are set-up tubeless, or having a second wheelset. Obviously there is a big difference in cost between these options but how much of a pain is it ‘frequently’ demounting and remounting part-worn tubeless tyres? Do I risk wearing out the bead, the rim tape, using daft quantities of sealant?

I’ve seen a pair of DT Swiss M1700s at a pretty reasonable price, to which I’d need to add discs, cassette and possibly chain for rapid swaps. I’m not trying to save massive amounts of weight in the wheel (carbon out of the question and I’m too graceless for X1700s) but I’m wondering if the combination of wheel (135g), tyre (370g) and a faster-running tread would make a worthwhile difference? That and leaving the chocolate alone of course! In my dreams that could mean turning up to a multi-day multi-discipline event (like Roc d’Azur) with one bike bag and two sets of wheel bags rather than dragging heavy tyres over the trails or mashing light tyres on the enduro, or wasting valuable drinking time spattered in sealant! Thoughts?

You can reuse sealant- you lose a bit every time but when you offset the need to replace sealant from time to time as it ages, it’s not a massive deal imo.

Changing tubeless tyres, with decent rims and tyres, should be quick and painless. If they’re tubeless ready rims, every so often you might damage the tape but it’s not often (if done right, anyway).

Basically this is only going to make sense if the wheel change makes sense in its own right, not for saving on tyre shuffling because wheel shuffling takes pretty much just as long.

Get something like an air shot tubeless inflator and change them when you want. Doesn’t take long with proper tyres and rims.

I run two wheelsets on my Tripster – cross tyres and tougher wheels, and a skimpy road set. Use 11-28 road, 11-32 off – same chain, no need to swap that.

For your situation though an airshot, compressor or flash charger, and saving as much sealant as possible sounds a better option, unless you’re changing loads (more that once a fortnight I’d say) – with those it’s nowhere near as painful.

to which I’d need to add discs, cassette and possibly chain for rapid swaps

personally i find it quicker to swap the cassette over. saves any issue with chain wear. I hear narrow wides are not very accepting of different worn chains?

also remember discs will need spacing to match calipers (even on the same hubs) I use syntace spacers

Two wheelsets could be a faff, since there’s a chance you’d need to tweak the gears and brakes when swapping between them.

Get your light tyres and run them tubeless. Run your heavier tyres with tubes when you need to.

Rider weight is the main issue, lose weight get fit go faster. Few grams and loads £ isn’t the answer. Changing tubeless is a pain and gets worse with older tyres. I do have DHF/DHR, but tend to only run HR2 and Hans Dam, they are pretty much do it all tyres setup.

Go carbon and then change tyres only when I really need to. Maybe once a year – summer/winter, what I do. Cant understand why buying two 1700 sets of wheels, cassette and tyres is cheaper than a good set of carbon and to save a few grams.

Did Trans rockies on 2.3 HR2 front conti 2.2 trail queen. Here in UK HR2 Hans/Damf 2.3 for pretty much everything. Bomb proof, light, reliable. They are more important to me. Don’t think saving a few grams makes you any faster. Its the rider. Carbon is also stronger than alloy.

Sounds like a lot of faffing for me.

I’d stick the combined value of both sets of wheels (and any extra you can afford) into a single decent set of wheels and tyres with a better balance of strength and weight.

As an extra bonus you’ll never have that mid-ride moment where you think, ooh I wish I had my other wheels for this bit.

2 lots of tyres and go back to using inner tubes would be easier wouldn’t it ?

Thanks for all the useful suggestions – I hadn’t thought of brake adjustments and I especially liked the swapping cassette idea. I have Shimano 11 speed now and was thinking of getting an XD driver for €60 to go GX cassette, but I could get the M1700s with XD for €390, so sort of a cost saving there… very sort of 😀
My main aim was not saving weight so much as having an easy reliable method of running on different tyres. But if buying a second wheelset might as well have one a bit lighter. The E1700s came set-up tubeless so I’ve no experience of doing it myself (well, I tried and failed for last MTB, managed then detonated for my roadie). I’ve already ordered some Ikons so I’ll see how easily I get the Minions off and them on in a couple of weeks – I need the Minions this weekend for some technical riding lessons. If it’s an easy process, problem solved. If it’s a PITA, then wheels! (not obsessed with DT Swiss but that way my wife probably wouldn’t notice the difference 8)).

Thanks.

Why go back to inner tubes, with proper tyres and rims that go well together you have to be fairly inept to get them inflated. As above look at something like the air shot chamber (coke bottle option available) and learn to change them.

Pawsy_Bear – Member

Rider weight is the main issue, lose weight get fit go faster. Few grams and loads £ isn’t the answer. Changing tubeless is a pain and gets worse with older tyres. I do have DHF/DHR, but tend to only run HR2 and Hans Dam, they are pretty much do it all tyres setup.

Go carbon and then change tyres only when I really need to. Maybe once a year – summer/winter, what I do. Cant understand why buying two 1700 sets of wheels, cassette and tyres is cheaper than a good set of carbon and to save a few grams.

Did Trans rockies on 2.3 HR2 front conti 2.2 trail queen. Here in UK HR2 Hans/Damf 2.3 for pretty much everything. Bomb proof, light, reliable.

So the guy shouldn’t spend money getting lighter tyres as weight doesn’t make a difference.
He should spend money getting lighter wheels as weight makes a difference.
Get good tyres for all round as changing is difficult.
You don’t change tyres as Hans Damf is good for anything, except when you run something else, on your one set of wheels.

Make your mind up 😆

Personally if you want faster tyres for non-agro riding then get them, you will still have your current tyres for hard weekends.

2 wheelsets is great if you have space to store but obviously there is a big cost to consider.

“mikewsmith – Member
…with proper tyres and rims that go well together you have to be fairly inept to get them inflated.”

I’m hoping it should be ok, I just don’t want to damage the rim or tyre by doing it frequently.

When I tried for my last MTB it was XT wheels (marked UST) and Conti Mtn Kings – the combo just wouldn’t go, way too loose, and everyone in my club (most running tubeless) tried and failed too!

I recently ditched by dh bike and trance, replaced them both with a Giant Reign, as it better matches the riding I do. However, I run two wheel sets as its nice to have spares (I ride a lot) and its less faff swapping tyres as not always the time between saturday and sunday rides

-Pair of EX471’s (Pro4 hubs), mounted up with a shorty on the front and a minion on the back. Use these for DH/Enduro type riding/

-Pair of arch ex’s (Pro2 hubs), mounted up with a minion on the front and a ground control on the back. These are lighter and faster rolling for the less steep more xc type riding (off piste cannock, trail centres, etc).

Swapping between the two wheelsets requires no adjustment to the brakes or gears and would put that down to using hubs from the same manufacturer (Hope).

For what you describe, where you’re doing two quite distinct types of riding, I think a second wheelset is the way to go.

Remember you’ll be reducing the wear on each set, so as long as you’re keeping the bike a while it’s not an extravagance.

I swap between Mavic & Superstar wheels and the brakes & gears don’t seem to need adjusting.

Don’t change your tyres often?

Personally, I’m lazy so try to change as little as possible. I run something grippy on the rear until the trails get dusty then sling on a semi slick tyre on the rear. Once it starts getting wetter, back to the grippy rear tyre.

I don’t find tubeless tyres too much of an issue when I do change them though.

Thanks very much Sir HC and Chapaking, you seem to have understood what I was trying to get at exactly. Not two changes per year, winter/summer, but possibly dozens of times to match trail and weather conditions. I’ll try my new Maxxis Ikons to see if I can feel the extra pace and, if positive, start saving…http://www.bike-discount.de/en/buy/dt-swiss-m-1700-spline-two-27.5-wheelset-xd11-270730 😀

Ikon on the front would be interesting! For me its very much a rear tyre on a trail bike and will be very slidey on anything damp/muddy. Ardent race is a little more aggressive and just as quick rolling IMO, would recommend it over the ikon as it can cope with wet trails better.

Never really been a fan of the ardent on the front, minion isn’t much heavier and is no slower rolling, but bags more grip. Maxxis aggressor and forecaster look promising when they arrive and available in all sizes.

Life’s too short. I stick an all round tyre of a decent enough weight on then leave it there till it’s goosed. Time it right and put them on in October then ride enough and they’ll be faster rolling semi slicks by summer…

I’ve loads of wheels, with different tyres on, pretty much all with Hope hubs. 10 mins to swap over the discs/cassette etc.

Brake alignment was only an issue with IS mounts.

second wheelset definitely.

I dont generally have a problem with the cassette.

Disc may need to be realigned which is a very quick job.

Maxxis aggressor

Just got an Aggressor from France. Will be popping it on very soon, looks like it could be a good tyre for the loose/hard stuff I normally ride.
Just waiting for the 26″ Minion SS to go on the back.

“Sir HC – Member
Ikon on the front would be interesting!”

Yeah, I’d read that. What’s the worst that can happen 😀 I guess I wanted to exaggerate the difference with what I’ve got now. I’ve gone for 2.2 on the back and 2.35 on the front. I’m intending it as a real dry weather tyre but if it sucks I’ll have two back tyres and will try something else in front. Disposable income, gotta love it!

I dont generally have a problem with the cassette.

Disc may need to be realigned which is a very quick job.

Would echo that. Cassette always fine, brakes always work well enough but an occasionally have a bit of rub – slacken off the calliper bolts, hold the brake on, re tighten – sorted. I use two different rotor types too, I hate swapping rotors more than tyres.

Just got an Aggressor from France. Will be popping it on very soon, looks like it could be a good tyre for the loose/hard stuff I normally ride.
Just waiting for the 26″ Minion SS to go on the back.

Which shop?

Yeah, I’d read that. What’s the worst that can happen I guess I wanted to exaggerate the difference with what I’ve got now. I’ve gone for 2.2 on the back and 2.35 on the front. I’m intending it as a real dry weather tyre but if it sucks I’ll have two back tyres and will try something else in front. Disposable income, gotta love it!

It will suck in the corners without doubt! Would advise elbow and knee pads for the first ride!

Which shop?

Alltricks, but they’ve none left now (just checked)

“It will suck in the corners without doubt! Would advise elbow and knee pads for the first ride!”

I don’t doubt it but so much of my riding with my club is completely non-technical: no leaving the ground, barely any leaning, all they like is scrabbling up hills! Indeed, much as they’re a bunch of mates I’m thinking of joining a second club who are more aggro. So, one set of wheels per club! I’ve just invested in a full suit of 661 too…

Really, I’ve much appreciated your comments,
Gaidong

I run 2 wheelsets. The spare has discs, cassette and QRs fitted and it’s just a case of removing one wheelset from the bike and adding the other. To do this I’ve had to shim out the discs (syntace shims) so there is no need to adjust calipers. I started down this road to have a spare for racing in case of punctures.

If I had to pfaff with discs and cassette I’d rather change tyres.

I’d go for two sets as well. 9 times out of 10 swapping tubeless is a breeze, you lose virtually no sealant, goes up first time. Nice.

The 10th time, the tyre won’t seal, you’ll spill the sealant everywhere, damage the tyre, skin your knuckles, damage the wheel. Or all of the above.

Other issue (very very minor) is storing icky, sealant coated tyres. The sealant needs cleaning off to a fair degree as it’ll dry out, then after you’ve swapped a few times you’ll end up with a nice thick lumpy layer of dried sealant that’ll need stripping off. Oh joy.

Life is too short.

Get two sets, same hubs, get some of those disc spacers (should only need one at most to allow for tolerances of the hub) cassette will be near enough in the same place so that won’t matter.

If you get a different hub, you might need to space cassette and disc to make it instantly swappable. I’ve done it in the past, but it is a bit of a faff to set up initially.

ghostlymachine – Member

Other issue (very very minor) is storing icky, sealant coated tyres. The sealant needs cleaning off to a fair degree as it’ll dry out, then after you’ve swapped a few times you’ll end up with a nice thick lumpy layer of dried sealant that’ll need stripping off. Oh joy.

Let it mostly settle in the bottom, maybe scoosh a rag round it to save as much as you can, sook it out with a syringe or the wee bottle to reuse in new tyre, hose out old tyre, done.

Other issue (very very minor) is storing icky, sealant coated tyres. The sealant needs cleaning off to a fair degree as it’ll dry out, then after you’ve swapped a few times you’ll end up with a nice thick lumpy layer of dried sealant that’ll need stripping off. Oh joy.

I re-use as much as I can get out. Wipe round with a rag to get any little bits left and I like to think the thin layer on the inside helps to seal when the tyre goes back on (it may have absolutely no relevance though)

My tyres always end up sticky and covered in a thin layer of partially dried stans residue, which can be a git to hose off.

I use an aerosol lid to scoop the vast majority of the stans out when I change tyres. Perfect for reusing. Wipe the rim round with a rag. Done.
Buy as many wheels and tyres as you can afford. I’m up to 3 sets for the cross bike and 8 lots of tubs. Got carried away.

Just run the tyres you’ve got, reliable grip and cornering when you’re pushing it hard (on trails, DH, XC or anything) is more important than being a bit quicker on climbs in my books. It’ll just make you a bit fitter and save the fact of having to swap tyres all the time.

Tom KP