Narrowed it down to two which are bargainous when using British Cycling discounts and price match.

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/mobile/stans-no-tubes-flow-s1-mtb-wheelset/rp-prod163035

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/mobile/nukeproof-horizon-mtb-wheelset/rp-prod160730

They’re going on a 2018 trek fuel ex with specialized 2.6 butcher tyres.

I’d need to buy a sram driver for Nukeproof wheels or an 11sp shimano cassette.

I did look at JRA wheels but I could get the Stans for about £170 using tesco points and 10% discount.

Feedback gratefully received

Hope custom build on CRC with BC discount would come out below £400? And you would need go big an xd driver or cassette.

Also check out the DT Swiss M1900 wheelset, seem to be very fairly priced. Nothing outstanding but good enough.

Hi Ogden, but that’s nearly twice the price of what I can get the Stans for!

Thanks kcal I’ll just check them out.

I’d advise against the budget DT Swiss wheels. I had a set of the E1900, which I think are supposed to be stronger than the M1900 (?). Anyway, they lasted less than 5 days. Rims dinged by very minor impacts and wheels went out of true every ride. Swapped for Stans Flow which have been faultless. Don’t know about the Stans hubs I’m afraid.

ah. Mine have been good so far, maybe just less intense riding.

But I’ll keep an eye out for them going awry..

Admittedly I’m not a lightweight or subtle in my riding style… To me though, the E1900 wheelset felt flimsy even before it started to fail. My current Flow/Pro 4 combo has been blissfully hassle-free and gives a nice ride quality too.

The stans are good wheels if you are a spinner and not a power house (the freehubs are a bit fragile)

Just got a custom 29er build from CRC

DT Swiss XM481 rims

Hope Pro 4 boost hubs with XD driver

Double butted spokes

It was £400 after my BC discount

Got a set of Flows but with Hope hubs – been comfy, rock solid and easy to set up tubeless with any tyre. Go for the Stans and then consider a hub upgrade later on.

Merlin cycles pro build wheel sets are decent and very cheap

btw that Nukeproof hub is a rebadged Novatec D642 which has received a fair number of failures according to google

@arogers TBF for me they were a toe in the water, bike came with 650b+ and I was seeing how I’d get on with a 29r wheelset, any set. My riding is pretty well local XC, not much launching down really really rough stuff.