OK, it’s bike build time and I intend to get some flow ex built up, I just wanted the general consensus,

Hope Hoops or hand built wheels ?
I’ve only ever had hand built on my best bike and have had some really good reliability from them, there’s a price difference of course but I’m looking more reliability, less time tweaking and straightening and strength from the off set ?

Opinions ?

2 pairs of Hope Hoop with Flows, both 2 years old, both still straight.

I think your always better getting you wheels hand build.

Hope Hoops, why faff around building them yourself (unless you enjoy it that much?) when you can get them prebuilt in top-notch quality?

Yet to have any issues at all with my Hope Hoops.

Mavic EN521 on Pro 2 rear Hope Hoop – no probs here with Peak abuse!

Got a pair of HH flows on my DIA hardtail, which gets ridden largely in the Peak, but gets used for everything including DH. Front is 3 years old, rear is just over 1, both lovely and straight. They kept tension really well, had to nip the spokes on the front after 2 years, but that’s good going!

I can’t see why you would get hand built, unless you were specifically looking to support a local shop/like doing it yourself.

My hoops were seriously well built, but I don’t know whether they came that way from Hope or whether Wheelpro touched them up before they came to me.

But the worst case is that you go with hoops and maybe they’re not quite as brilliantly built as you might hope, so you get them tweaked once by someone you trust. Should still work out cost effective even if that’s needed.

Hope Hoops/Flows on PRO2s here too!

3 years old, been to the Alps twice, Fort Bill 3 times and most weekends in the Dark Peak

Still straight & true – cosmetically a bit battered though

Love em’