Howdy,
I’m new to the forum and I’m looking to buy some new wheels for the forthcoming summer to put on my full bouncer. Probably something with the “all mountain” tag, or just a good set of hoops that can withstand a bit of everything from aggressive XC, light DH, drops etc. Thinking around the £200 to £300 mark for a 2008 wheelset. Any help is much appreciated, cheers.

Hope Pro II hubs, DT Swiss 5.1 rims, I hear they are the b*ll*cks! Merlin are doing some good deals at the mo, Shimano wheelsets also Hope Pro II hubs with Mavic rims from £209, custom built to your spec.

Hope Pro 11 with some strong rims (719 or stronger). Again, I’d say look at Merlin, top quality builds, I’ve been back for most of my bikes now.

Otherwise try tubeless with some No tubes rims from Just riding along.

Thanks for the replies, i forgot to mention that i weigh 15 stone (I’m 6ft6″). So the rims need to be pretty strong, but not of DH bulk and weight. The hope pro 11 sound good, now just to pick a rim. I take it plain gauge spokes are the way to go?

My mates nearly 18 stone, runs the hope DT Swiss 5.1 combo, hammers em to hell and back and has never had a problem. Not sure about the spokes?

plain gauge are sronger than DB spokes, so if strength is the main concern and not weight – plain gauage it is

Love riding behind someone with hope Pro 2 rear hub, you can hear exactly when they stop pedaling, and when they start again, by the ridiculously loud clickity clack. Not being sarcastic, actually helps me anticipate stuff…

Hope hubs as they’re reliable and spares are easy to source with standard parts. Mavic rim of choice, personally I’d use 819s. You don’t need stronger unless you’re riding rocky dh tracks and break stuff.

Mavic 719 with Hope Pro/Burgtec/Aireal (choose depending on budget).

Hope hubs as they’re great and Hope will back them up forever. Double butted spokes are fine (technically silver are stronger than black due to the coating process but it’s not a real world difference) and then pick a rim. My current fav is the Stan’s Flow. Wide and light with the plus point that they can go tubeless. (work just as well without).

Remember, the most important component is your wheel builder.

If you need to cut back anywhere to keep the cost down, sacrefice the hubs first. They’ll have the least effect on the feel of the wheel.

there are some good deals online at the mo for hope hoops 5.1 or 4.2 rims that seem to fit your budget, if you go down custom build route then choose your wheel builder carefully, strength comes from the build.

I had some wheels built (hope dt 4.2 dt db spokes), some spokes had worked loose – took wheels back for a retension, and the wheel came back out of true, took it back to the builder and I was stung for a new build and rim! Since then spokes came loose again but lesson learned – and I found a new wheel builder (who was appalled at the original build).

Pro2 mavic 819s are my wheel of choice

Pro II /729 here. Just bought from CRC for £225. Strong, light and wide enough to take a decent size tyre. Have DT 5.1s/Pro II on my FS and they’re great too but a bit harder to get tyres on and off.

Apparently – and I haven’t had any myself – a guy I ride with – who is 15st ish and hard on bikes – reckons the 4.2 dent easily.

Both Merlin and CRC seem to build excellent wheels.

I’m not too heavy, and was very disappointed with the 4.2 rims on a set of Hope Hoops SP3 builds. I’ve had the hubs (which are ace) rebuilt onto some Syncros 23 rims, that so far seem to be holding up well. The DT rims dented very easily – as in I’ve never, ever dented a rims before, and when I swapped the DT rims out, they had two dents on them.

Hi, i’ve got a set of hope hoops with the DT4.2 rims, no problems with them at all, good price and can withstand the general xc/trail centre type trails that i’ve ridden. Must admit, just about to sell them to change for crossmax wheels, as i have had enough of the noise that the rear hub makes when free-wheeling. (oh – and they’re more shiney!)

17+ stone in bike kit here. Was sick of pinch punctures on rocks and roots so went for pro2/823. Can’t recommend them enough. You won’t win any races but you’ll never refuse a run or jump again because you think your wheels won’t be able to take it.

Thanks to all who replied, I think i will go for the Hope pro 11 hubs with the Mavic EN521 rims and plain gauge spokes. I will get the wheels built at wheelcraft in Lennoxtown, they are top notch wheel builders. Cheers again, its great forum. 😀

Pro 2 on 521 is a great combo. I have 5.1s on mine and they are soft the 4.2s even softer.

Get double butted spokes slightly more expensive but lighter and not really much weaker.

What I_Ache says.