What XC wheels for about £300-ish…?

I’m in the market for a pure light-weight XC wheelset, standard QR, etc… so far I’ve looked at:

Easton XC One
Pro-Lite Allein
Fulcrum Red Metal 3
Shimano XT

But not sold on any of them TBH. Anyone got any solid recommendations?

Hope & Stans?

hope and stans

Dunno much about Stans, but guessing it would be the Crest for what I’m about?

If you want super light weight, go for the olympics or alpines.

If you want light then get A2Z hubs. Mine built with Podium rims and Revolutions were less than £300 and 1246g. Very impressed so far, thought the hubs would fall apart, but they’ve been brilliant, amazingly little rolling resistance. There is a weight limit on Podiums, but even with Crests you’d be looking at <1350g.

FWIW I have some Hope Hoops with Crests for normal riding, they’re 1585g and I much prefer how the lighter wheels handle.

Hope ProII Evo with Stans ZTR Crest, or American Classic Tubeless.

American classic tubeless are 309 at discountdirect (I think or just google shopping and american classic tubeless). 1485g from memory

American Classic Tubeless are fantastic wheels. Light, no weight limit and I’ve even taken mine downhilling without any problems at all. Top wheelset.

£300=Crests/Hope pro 2 evo’s!

Another vote for American Classics. Lighter than most other factory wheelsets even twice the price, pretty much bombproof.

Check out Merlin’s sale wheels

You can get a rear DT 240s on 717 for just under 180 (great wheel for good price) and maybe get a hope front wheel from them or ebay/wiggle etc. Otherwise they’re doing pro 2 evo on 717s for under 280

I’ve got the 240s on 717 from them and it’s a lovely light-ish (there’s always something lighter) wheel

As soon as you sign up you get 10% off

+1 for American Classic MTB 26. Ordered some £309 2010’s from DiscountCycles Saturday, got the 2011’s with the much better colour scheme delivered yesterday. complete with a smart, clear silicon rim tape and skewers. I assume the originals are out of stock and they are honouring the deal.

Get em while you can….

If you are interested in the XC Ones’s and don’t mind them not being new I have a set I want to sell (for alot less than your £300 budget).

Email in profile if you want details.

another for american classics! had mine on 6 months and kinda have more a bouncing bomb riding style, not touched them, still straight and true, am 100kg without pack, the std tubeless have a 240lb weight limit which in comparison to most other off the shelf wheels is 60lb extra rider!!!
they dont come with tubeless valves but are otherwise ready to go, the am classic valves are annodized red too and look the nuts!!
highly recommended from me!

registering interest in this one as I am after building/buying a similar set of wheels with a similar budget.

The American Classic MTB 26 seem heavy at 1800g or is that me?

Any idea what the Pro II Evo/Crests weigh for a wheel set?

American Classic MTB [/b]XC is 1450g er Mark. You are looking at the “All mountain” wheelset I believe.

So American Classic seem to be the faves, and the lack of weight limit is a big plus

@ phil.w: too many stories of crap seals and snapped spokes on the Eastons, so thanks but I’ll pass

@ rwc03: Merlin are dead to me! Following a petty disagreement earlier this year they’ve permanently lost a long-standing customer.

Got some DT240’s on Mavic 717’s at the mo which are fantastic. The hubs are a massive step up from Hope’s or shimano etc, and the 9mm solid qr up front and 10mm out back make for a very stiff setup.

Sadly for sale (if you’re interested and price will be very competitive) as I’ve got a 20mm axled fork coming, and hence need a bolt through front hub. I’d buy a DT240 front hub tomorrow I’d they weren’t £180 on their own, and I can’t justify it, so will probably end up going back to Hope Pro2’s sadly.

Mike
Also have a look at the options from JRA they do a number of factory options and a custom wheelbuild option, which you can obviously play around with. They offer a 1415gm wheelset by Stans at £369 which I was close to buying.

I eventually went for some hand built wheels from Superstar. Superleggera Titanium rear hub, superfast front hub ,CX-Ray Sapim blade spokes, Stans Alpine rims all for £395 and weigh approx 1370gms. I’ve had them nearly a year (not used in winter) and brilliant so far, rear hub sounds lovely and is instant engagement.
Some people slate the wheelbuilding at Superstar, but my experience has been only positive, plus they come with a 2 year guarantee.

**Cough** A2Z **Cough**

Again. 1246g, less than £300. Spin worlds better than Hope or King, and better than XTR or 240s, whilst being both cheaper and lighter than any of them!