Hello all,

Looking for some advice on rim choice.

I have an Orange P7 with some LX hubs with DT 4.2 rims at the moment.
Across three years, I have had them trued about 4 times and the rear is starting to go again.
I have decided to replace the wheels.
I am definatly going hope hubs (probably hope hoops).

I was looking for some advice on which rim to replace them with.
I generally run 2.3 tyres (sometimes bigger, sometimes smaller).

Nirvana cycles reccomended MAVIC 521, or I was thinking Stans Flow.

Which one is best?

Are these over kill for Surrey hills riding? I'm a big guy at 14stone.

If not these, what would people reccomend?

Your thoughts would be appreciated…

Ben

Mavic for me. Never used Stans as too dear for my liking.

I use 521's – bombproof.

I've just bought a P7 and am in the process of building it up for Surrey Hills riding. I've gone for Stan's Arch rims with Hope Pro 2 Hubs. The Hope Hubs are a no brainer and the Arch rims are 19mm internal width and have a good strength to weight, they're aimed at aggressive XC rather than freeride like the Flows. Haven't decided what tyres to go for yet.

I use 721s. They've been fine apart from pinchflatting at silly speed down that Chalk Farm bridleway coming off Leith Hill. Managed to kill the rim on the rear.

Cheers guys.

Stans arch look interesting but i have heard about the "advantage" of a better tyre profile on wider rims.
Anyone have any experience of this?

If I am going for hope hoops, cost doesn't factor into rim choice therefore anyone know how bombproof Flow's are?

Or would they just be overkill?

Stan's, Surrey Hills isn't exactly tough on rims, no rocks or anything. Flows or 355s. Flows are still lighter than most Mavic offerings!

I think you have to be realistic about the type of riding you do. You will save a worth while amount of weight with the Arch over the Flow. If you really need the flow then go for it. I've been treating a pair of Mavic 717s pretty rough for two years without problem and I'm 14stone so I based my choice on that.

ive used 517s for years on them there hills. the sidewalls used to wear out until i switched to discs. i used to use a 517 front and 519 rear for trials and never broke one. id say youd have to do something pretty silly to break a 521 round there.

I'm a big guy at 14stone.

Funny, that ain't big.

I'm over 15-stone and not easy on kit.

I have run Mavic 321's and 717's around Surrey Hills, in Wales and in the Alps. Last year one of the 321's finally let go but it had had a hard life.

I've also used Stan's Arch rims in the same terrain and they are lighter but without compromising durability. I've also got the Flow rims on my DH bike. Again, lighter without loss of strength.

CRC are advertising them for a lot less than rrp but don't have stock.

The next set of wheels I'm building up – for Trail/AM use will be Hope Pro II hubs and Stan's Crest rims.

I'm not sure I'd bother to build Pro II/Stan's wheels, just get Hope Hoops, ok you can't get the Alpine/Olympic or the Crest (yet), but frankly they're so much cheaper than the sum of the parts that it's a no brainer for me!

I'd get the 355s unless you're a total oaf frankly!

Okay, I do see that the MAVIC'S are heavier.
I also accept that the FLOW's might be overkill.

I am still aiming at hoops, so will the 355 be tough enough?

the crest/arch seems like a good optioin.
The crest looks light and a little wider. Will it be strong enough?

I have seen that Freeborn (Esher bike park) are doing fairly competetive (£315) hope build ups, which would make crest's or arch's an option.

Is it going to be worth going for alloy nipples? Is the (50g) saving worth it, as I have read on another thread that alloy nipples are weaker…. ?

The Crest is just the 355 replacement, same profile, slightly lighter. I'd pay £50 less and get 355s.

Alloy nips are much weaker, makes truing your wheels a real pain, I wouldn't unless weight saving is the absolute primary objective.

Dont be tempted by ali nipples. They fatigue after a while, which will make truing a problem, as the nipples will either disintergrate under the spoke key or will have chemically welded themselves to the spokes through electrolysis. The weight saving is negligable. You could run latex tubes for the same weight difference.

Okay, cool. Won't go for alloy nipples.

But the ZTR websiteZTR website shows that the crest has an internal width of 21mm, which seems like a nice half way point betweeen the 355 (19mm) and FLOW's (22.6mm)?

So that £50 is buying me a slight wieght save, but more importantly a better tyre profile for bigger tyres?