Which Light MTB Wheels

OrangeEvo The problem with Straight-Pull spokes is that although they look great, they are notoriously difficult for a wheel-smith to true up as they spin around whilst you’re trying to tighten them. This means that when they do go out of true (which all wheels eventually will), they are very difficult to perfectly true up again

Do you speak from experience? If that were the case then it would be impossible to build them. I’ve never had any problem building and truing wheels with straight pull spokes.

Roger

I would agree that they’re harder to true than conventional spokes, but that’s usually because the wheels I’ve trued with straight pull spokes have also had alu nipples and have seized solid!

On my scales;

32 DT 14mm brass nipples are just under 32g.

32 Revolution spokes at 258mm are 137g.

Stan’s Olympic 26″ 343 and 344g.

Chris King ISO rear hub (ally freehub) is 335g
Chris King ISO front hub is 166g

So actual (not claimed) Stan’s Olympic on Chris King with Revolution spokes are; 1526g. (accurate to within 1.5g) Reduce to just under 1500 for ally nipples.

However these wheels don’t need an inner tube nor UST tyres. Just a 7g valve, a 5g yellow plastic rim-strip and about 50g’s of Latex.

Some of these manufacturer claimed weights look a little optimistic.

Manufacturers claimed weights are nearly always a little optimistic!

The ZTR Race 7000 wheelset are a guaranteed 1210g (or less) including valves and tape, that is light.

I got Mavic XC717 rims with XT Hubs and DT Revolution Spokes custom built by Merlin Cycles.

~£160 – very robust, incredibly light.

IME XT hubs are only a few 10s of grams lighter than deore – so they’re very average but so is the price.

If that were the case then it would be impossible to build them. I’ve never had any problem building and truing wheels with straight pull spokes.

I didn’t say it was impossible, just very difficult. I have attempted to true-up my straight-pull specialized road wheels and found it a futile task because of the turning when under high tension. Having taken the wheels to my LBS, who are renowned for their wheel-building, they groaned and explained that they experienced the same frustrations…

Alu nips causing the problem there though, more than the spokes.

I am tempted by the deal Merlin have with DT240 hubs with DT 4.2 rims for £349,

But Boobs on here reckons the rims bent/dent easy, and not sure how the weight compares to others ?
Anyone else tried these ?

I ran Goldtec Pro Comp front/XC rear on Stans ZTR Olympic rims and they were very very light – lighter than the equivalent XTR combo. Can’t remember the exact weight but near 1400gr from what I can remember. Also being tubeless with Schwalbe NN/RR combo they were superb.

After looking through all the good advice i also like this option (Some weights from Freeborn site) –

ZTR355 rims – 760g approx
Hope pro 2 hubs – 470g
Brass nipples – 65g
DT revolution x64 – 283g
Total 1578g

Wheelpro doing them for £285 or £330 (straight pull spokes)inc sealing tape and tubeless valve.
Seem like a light,strong reliable wheelset for the money
Also anyone recommend some good/light 9mm Skewers

Think i will give Wheelpro a try i like there options and they get a good review from people on here.
Thank you to everone for all the advice

What about BETD/Goldtec hubs with Stans rims. Popular in these parts and light.
Don’t know the weights,perhaps phone and ask for details.