Thinking of upgrading my fortitude. I think the wheels are the obvious starting point. They are ok but wondering if a better set would be useful. Running a chunky monkey and a 2.3 purgatory. N.b. if you lose weight on a ss bike does this have an impact on gearing, 32/16 atm.

I have Mavic TN719’s on Surly hubs, the rear being a screw on freewheel type, with a White Industries freewheel. They built in to a lovely strong set of wheels, that have taken a right hammering. Tyres go on & off easily also. I’m just about to re-build the front with a Dually rim, so I can run a Knard up front.

Late edit: as good as the rear has been, I’d use a regular hub next time though, so I could pop a cassette on if needed.

After various ss wheelsets id recommend a standard hub with spacers. Said not to be as strong but never seen it tbh. And simple to adjust chainline with spacers. And heaps more choice. Cheap and easy to swap and change too

Running standard Hope/Crest ZTR with 32/17 and spacers. Not had any issues with the QR. I prefer the flexibility of using them on another bike if I put the Alfine hub back on.

Standard hubs (Hope Pro II) and spacers here. Sure something SS specific would be nice but it seems rare to have issues with a standard hub

I also have the surly ss hub but would buy a standard hub and spacers if doing it again.

I have the Hope Trials (SS) hub, and it’s great! I can understand why you’d want a normal hub, but personally i’ve got no interest in installing gears (my frame doesn’t have the correct braze-ons anyway).

P35 rims, which make my 2.4 tyres come up huge.

For bigger tyres like you’re using, I’d go Flow/Pro2.

Lighter wheels won’t alter your gearing, they’ll make your bike easier to pedal though 🙂

These look interesting on width/strength/weight basis;

http://www.velocityusa.com/product/rims/blunt-ss-622

I’ve got some of their Blunt 35’s on my Liteville and they’re not really heavier than what they replaced but the tyre volume increases a lot – be good on a rigid bike too, I think.

I wouldn’t go for Hope hubs because one of the things I like with my SS that it’s quiet to ride. Mines got Shimano SLX hubs.

Wow – that’s light for a 30mm rim!

I’ve also got Blunt 35 on my Jones, gives a Chunkey Monkey a lovely profile.

Also got some Blunts/Paul hubs with an 18th tooth freewheel on my Jones. Started off a few years ago with dedicated freewheel but in recent years used cogs and spacers. Not really noticed any difference in practice but I do feel a bit more confident digging in up the really steep stuff. And it sounds good! Probably wouldn’t have gone back if the chance to buy them on here hadn’t come up. Off road it’s fine, I know I’m single speed and what my gearing is. Having had cog/spacers on my commuter I’m glad I’ve been able to replace with a cassette for kid transport etc.

^^Those Wwaswas is recommending look perfect^^

Or something like these would be a big upgrade in terms of durability, weight and strength on your current set-up, as well as being tubeless-ready and also wider to give a better tyre profile with the big tyres you’re running:

Stan’s Arch Ex Singlespeed Wheelset

http://www.charliethebikemonger.com/stans-notubes-arch-ex-29er-wheelset-single-speed-5373-p.asp

I struggled terribly with stand rims. Getting a purgatory on was nearly impossible.

Anyone else had this?

I know other people who’ve had trouble with purgatory on stans.

Don’t know how well those Velocity rims would stand up to dings.. Doesn’t say they’re welded, so I’d assume not. Maybe Pacenti 28mm ones as an alternative? They might not be any better though.

If they’re 29″, I’d deffo build them with a proper SS hub. When I swapped my old 26″ wheel (Mavic 618 [which is bomber stiff in itself] on XT) to a screw on wheel with wide flanges (717 disc on an on-one hub) the bike felt heaps better, especially on gurny thrutchy climbs.

darkcyan – Member

I struggled terribly with stans rims. Getting a purgatory on was nearly impossible.
Anyone else had this?

Spesh tyres maybe? Or sometimes it’s just a batch of tyres that are particularly tight round the bead due to a manufacturing fault.

Stan’s rims are very popular, probably on half the bikes of the people we ride with so I’d suggest it’s more likely the tyre than the rim.

Or just man-up with the tyre fitting 😉

You’ll probably be wanting bolt up rear due tf the horizontal drop-outs on the genesis, in which case surly for screw on (white industries) or hope ss/trials. Personally I have been enjoying a hope ss for many years…