lovely.

was it an entirely new set of wheels or a relace?

Yep, those are cool. Thanks for posting the result!

Also, is that a Park scale in a Lidl bike stand?

Re lace of my current wheels. I didn’t take advantage of this, but Berd offer a service where they send you a box, you send your wheels, they re build and send them back to you. It seems pretty good value to be fair, just means you might be without wheels for a while.

Just back from riding, actually a very good test for the ride feel, as all the usually fairly soft/muddy trails are baked at the moment so what would just be squashed normally are putting up a little more resistance.

There’s a definite improvement in smoothness, not a game changing amount, but it’s there. They just roll that but better over the hard packed ruts, but not pinging off them like you might expect from light wheels. I assume the effect is muted compared to road/gravel bikes due to big tyres and suspension, so can see why the gravel guys love them.

Again, they get up to speed really well, which was most noticeable on short sharp climbs, where you could just about go a gear bigger, if you were feeling fit.

Are they worth it? Absolutely not. They are nice, and I’m happy with them, but you really need to have upgraded EVERYTHING else before these make any sort of sense whatsoever. If you are going to build them yourself, block out a weekend, if getting an LBS to do it, get a price upfront.

Also, is that a Park scale in a Lidl bike stand?

Not actually from Lidl, but yeah, a cheapy off Amazon from about 10 years ago. Works as much as I need it to, I’ve had access to an LBS stand up until about 18 months ago, so no real need to get anything else just yet.

All that cost and effort to go on a ride with 30psi in your Minions 😀

Really good write up and a great look in to these spokes that one wouldn’t normally find. Happy Trails!

Lol yeah, was only one, spur of the moment, run though, and I didn’t notice straight away, which I guess is as good an endorsement as any!

Also, is that a Park scale in a Lidl bike stand?

I’m disappointed no one has mentioned the state of his flag stones and the grass growing inbetween. Standards are slipping.

@tomhoward did you weigh them before and after? I’m guessing everything is the same just different spokes and nipples.

Please can you do a long term review after you’ve had chance to put them through their paces.

Garden is MrsTHs department (and was due to be ripped up last year, now this year…)

Didn’t weigh them before, but DT list them as 1529g, and there’s been enough reviews confirming it so take it as read.

Yeah just the spokes and nipples, plan is to ride and race them through the summer, so will up date as I go on.

Any update on this?

For the last couple of months, not much. I broke my collar bone at the beginning of June which sidelined me for 6 weeks, then as that healed, the bike the wheels are attached to has been stripped in order for the frame to be coloured in. Get it back in a couple of weeks though so once it’s built up, I’ll refresh my memory.

The main thing I noticed previously though was how well (better than pre string) they kept going on steep loose, rocky climbs, I guess partly because of the (lack of) weight allowing my to keep them spinning, and a little bit because of the damping effect, meaning sharp edges aren’t quite so sharp?

The aforementioned collarbone was broken whilst riding them too, they aren’t to blame, but the front wheel has a bit of a wobble now, so it’s off being straightened as I type. Will report if any maladies arise.

Well this is a bit of a bump but… thought it was relevant.

Following on from reading this thread, then another on MTBR (https://www.mtbr.com/threads/make-your-own-polymer-uhmwpe-spokes.1091276/ – I start my process on Page 21), I’ve been playing around with making my own version of these. It worked! The wheels ride great with lots of ‘filtration’ of trail buzz, and they ended up light (under 1300g a set for XC-orientated 29ers with a beefy singlespeed rear hub).

My own bike has done about 400 miles in the English winter slop and they’re holding up nicely, so I thought I would offer to build a wheel for a friend of mine to see just how much abuse they’ll take!

WARNING: Much nerding in the video below.

Watched that video last night, top bike geeking!

Synchronous, me too was geeking out last night with that same video. Tol nothc!never saw this thread first time around.

Any ropey-wheelers have feedback after some time? I’d be interested in building a (lighter) weight 29+

Not something I’d put the time into, let alone the cost, but fascinating!

Having watched that video, I can’t help but think that the Need spokes are a bloody bargain by comparison.

Seriously impressive work there Adam!

I was talking to Ali about it the other day and have since watched the video, crazy amount of work, I don’t think I would have the patience.

Any ropey-wheelers have feedback after some time?

Nothing to report here. They work just as well as normal spokes. Have ridden them in all my normal haunts (inc Lake District and BPW) and no issues to report. I’m not a wheel destroyer anyway, but apart from the aforementioned, collarbone breaking, crash they’re still true. There’s always a niggling feeling that they might need retensioning, but whenever they’ve been checked, they’re fine.

I maintain that they are very much a nice to have, rather than essential upgrade though, but then the benefits might not be as profound on a 160/140mm fs. Will give them a go on the hardtail once built just to see what happens.

After watching Ali’s first video I’m convinced Adam from tarty bikes is Richard Stilgoe’s love child.