WTB ST i25 TCS 2… for Trail?

How much do those wheels weigh and how strong are they… anyone?

If lighter yet tough enough  I’m considering swapping a spare set into my Occam to replace some Raceface Arc 30, so also of note, what problem if any with the reduced inner width (30>25mm) make with Maxxis 2.5 DHF WT – total disaster or ok?

For reference my use is 90% forest single track with occasional days at Hadleigh, Afan and Swinley.  The aim is to make the Occam a little more sprightly.

Not the “2” version, but the ST i25 rims I used to have were heavy and fragile.

Would not recommend.

I’ve got several pairs on both MTB and gravel bikes.

They’ve not especially light (~550g IIRC) but not super heavy.
I’ve found them easy to build (and rebuild) and to seat a tyre on, I’ve run them with everything from a 32C CX to a 2.5″ MTB tyre and various points in between.

The Maxxis Wide Trail ‘WT’ tyres are designed around a 35 mm (30mm internal) rim so I wouldn’t go narrower.

The i25’s are a fairly budget rim, if possible I’d save up bit longer as there are some much better, 30mm rims out there that are stil; fairly light.

I had them on a hardtail once (26”) and they were ok, but that wasn’t being used to smash stuff at speed, just doing local singletrack sort of stuff and some slow but steepish tech.

Personally I can’t look past dt Swiss rim myself – all my mtb wheels are built with xm421 or xm481 with a variety of hubs based on what I could get a good deal on at the time. Hope are my favourite rear hub, although the superstar v6 I have seems to be doing ok so far. Front hubs don’t matter too much as long as they aren’t biblically heavy and have some form of sealing. Got pro4 / pro5 / Bitex etc 

I’d be looking at changing your tyres rather than wheels, those maxxis are heavy and draggy

Seems that changing the wheels over is a bad idea then.

Appreciate that tyre advice but I’ve been around that block.   I have another race bike so this one I just want to be safe sure and stable without too much thinking involve but am aware that the wheel / tyre combo is heavy.  I’m willing to put up with the weight for reliability

with an aggressor out back we are talking max 2kg for the tyres, and I couldn’t previously find much of a similar level of confidence with much of a weight saving.   I would have gone for a Spec. (New) Purgatory combo at £75 but that’s just about 140g saving.   Bounty XR4 2.4/2.6 combo probably a 220g saving but £100+.

im happy to be re-educated on that….

This question was based on wheels already available so £free

On tyres it’s not just the weight but the tread pattern in terms of effort. Aggressor is ok – although it’s not that quick given the grip levels it has. I think the dissector on the rear is meant to be quicker – or you could try the rekon. I’ve used all 3 and the rekon feels the fastest of the lot. None of them break that well on steep terrain or do well in mud particularly. The agrressor is the one that breaks loose in corners the most I reckon too – quite drifty. Which is either good or bad depending on what you like. Rekon is lighter wise for size than the aggressor too. I’ve got an exo+ casing one that I ran with a rimpact in and it didn’t do too badly. Just don’t be tempted with the exo one as that’s the only tyre I’ve ever put a hole in.

I spent the spring/summer/autumn with 2.4 XR4s on my hardtail and I liked them for an intermediate option. Wouldn’t bother with the 2.6 though – it’s the older generation and the 2.4s come up bigger than Maxxis anyway (more like a 2.5 Maxxis WT).

I bought mine here for £31 each…

https://www.tritoncycles.co.uk/components-c9/tyres-c125/bontrager-xr4-team-issue-tlr-mtb-tyre-black-tan-p43352/s115418?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_term=bontrager-xr4-team-issue-tlr-mtb-tyre-black-tan-colours-black-tan-colours-black-tan-size-29-x-2-40-5269837&utm_campaign=product%2Blisting%2Bads&cid=GBP&glCurrency=GBP&glCountry=GB&gclid=Cj0KCQiAm4WsBhCiARIsAEJIEzXIfu17IP381A2XEDhLbNeOpDVNaCnsxSaox3Cg9lyyeeRc8IhBOUoaAqt7EALw_wcB

They’re lightish for a trail tire and roll noticeably quicker than enduro style tyres like DHF/DHR. I found them surprisingly resilient for their weight too. Of course, the flip side is they don’t grip like a DHF/DHR. But when they let go, it’s predictable and until the weather really turned, I was happy operating within their limits. I’ve now switched to Hutchinson Griffus for the winter period – love the traction, occasionally curse the extra drag.

It all depends on your riding and expectations though. Minions definitely kill some of the sprightly feel you want, but you’ll probably have to give up some grip to find it.

The i25’s are a fairly budget rim

not wanting to sound pedantic but…

the i25 refers to the with. the ST is the model of the rim, which is a budget rim. 

Sorry, just recap us on what tyres you’re using now?

Is this for riding Epping and similar?

I might have some suitable tyres in the spares cupboard, if you’re open to lightly used secondhand.

DhF & Dissector 2.5 WT Exo maxterra.   (I did say Agressor before but that’s a mistake).  TBH I’m fine with the setup, just that I’ll have a spare set of i25’s removed from juniors race bike available soon and wondered whether it was a viable and cheap way to remove a few grams from the Occam.  On the basis it’s my lazy, slam bang bike for everything that’s not racing or training I won’t bother based on the feedback.

I’m riding my Vitus Escarpe with Dissector Rear and DHF up front. The dissector is definetely faster than the DHR that was on originally. As a previous rider of nothing but XC bikes on a Racing Ralph, Rocket Ron combo you have to get your head around not going as fast on the climbs and flats on this type of set up as you would when racing XC.

You make a good Point Benji.   It’s easy to look at reviews and STW posts of people “nailing” thier minions yet as you say the uphill and flats reality is somewhat different!   Very easy to think “is it just me going slowly on these”?