Reliable and strong XC MTB wheel recommendations

[fergus]

as per the title. don't have a lot of MTB experience, and am due to do the Mountain Mayhem event in 4 weeks and want to upgrade my wheels. Max budget around the £300 mark.

My current wheels (genesis altitude 2.0) keep having spokes break on them.... not ideal in a race.

Suggestions welcome.

[Sloe]

I don't know what rationale you are using for selecting your new kit. If it was me, I'd be focussed on finding the best wheel builder I can afford, rather than buying the highest spec hubs, rims or spokes possible.

I see you're in London, I used to use a chap in Evans Cycles Wandsworth, but that was many years ago. I bit a bit of Googling will turn up recomendations I'd guess.

[fergus]

Agreed. A 'lesser' spec handbuilt wheel, will 9 times out of 10 outperform a machine built wheel which uses 'better' components.

[Sloe]

Absolutely.
From experience, I'd go further and say lesser spec wheels built buy a talented and experienced builder will be significantly stronger and more durable than a higher spec one built en mass by hand (e.g. online bike shops) or by your average LBS.

Although, that won't help if you have an argument with a tree a week after handing over the cash.....

[Henry Hawthorne]

I hear Merlin build good wheels at good prices

[Beyond Rational]

I've bought a few wheels from Merlin and they've always stood up well, my LBS can be a bit of a mixed bag.

I've gone with Mavic XC717 on Hope Pro2s because they are both products that I know. Your choice will also depend on what width of tyre you wish to fit.

[fergus]

Beyond Rational said:

I've bought a few wheels from Merlin and they've always stood up well, my LBS can be a bit of a mixed bag.

I've gone with Mavic XC717 on Hope Pro2s because they are both products that I know. Your choice will also depend on what width of tyre you wish to fit.

probably looking for something between 1.75 and 1.95 for firetrail/XC type riding mainly.

[Nick_F]

I have Merlin-built XC717 on XT; can't fault them, but I don't generally abuse them, either.

[Gooby]

Hubs Hope Pro 2
Rims Mavic XM819 UST
Spokes DT Swiss Competition S/S Black

this will turn into a "I ride this" thread sooner or later so I will start it.

Superb wheels, no problems yet. Could be the sodding great 2.4 tyres wrapped around them.....

[fergus]

Gooby said:

Hubs Hope Pro 2
Rims Mavic XM819 UST
Spokes DT Swiss Competition S/S Black

this will turn into a "I ride this" thread sooner or later so I will start it.

Superb wheels, no problems yet. Could be the sodding great 2.4 tyres wrapped around them.....

2.4 .... do you tow a plough?

PS I'm not into a p!ssing competition re the spec/weight of my bike/wheels. I just need something strong & reliable.

Many thanks

Edited by fergus on Tuesday 19th May 16:43

[Gooby]

fergus said:

Gooby said:

Hubs Hope Pro 2
Rims Mavic XM819 UST
Spokes DT Swiss Competition S/S Black

this will turn into a "I ride this" thread sooner or later so I will start it.

Superb wheels, no problems yet. Could be the sodding great 2.4 tyres wrapped around them.....

2.4 .... do you tow a plough?

PS I'm not into a p!ssing competition re the spec/weight of my bike/wheels. I just need something strong & reliable.

Many thanks

Edited by fergus on Tuesday 19th May 16:43

Strong and reliable they are.
Loads of sand around here so big tyres are very helpful

[fergus]

Gooby said:

fergus said:

Gooby said:

Hubs Hope Pro 2
Rims Mavic XM819 UST
Spokes DT Swiss Competition S/S Black

this will turn into a "I ride this" thread sooner or later so I will start it.

Superb wheels, no problems yet. Could be the sodding great 2.4 tyres wrapped around them.....

2.4 .... do you tow a plough?

PS I'm not into a p!ssing competition re the spec/weight of my bike/wheels. I just need something strong & reliable.

Many thanks

Edited by fergus on Tuesday 19th May 16:43

Strong and reliable they are.
Loads of sand around here so big tyres are very helpful

have you had to mod the rear stays to get clearance for those bad boys? Are they paddle tyres like the Mx bikes in the dunes use?!

[Beyond Rational]

fergus said:

Beyond Rational said:

I've bought a few wheels from Merlin and they've always stood up well, my LBS can be a bit of a mixed bag.

I've gone with Mavic XC717 on Hope Pro2s because they are both products that I know. Your choice will also depend on what width of tyre you wish to fit.

probably looking for something between 1.75 and 1.95 for firetrail/XC type riding mainly.

If you are looking at Mavic rims, then I would think the XC717 would suit you fine.

[longblackcoat]

Gooby said:

Hubs Hope Pro 2
Rims Mavic XM819 UST
Spokes DT Swiss Competition S/S Black

this will turn into a "I ride this" thread sooner or later so I will start it.

Superb wheels, no problems yet. Could be the sodding great 2.4 tyres wrapped around them.....

I've got exactly the same combo and have yet to break a spoke or bend a rim. I run anything from 1.8 mud tyres to 2.4 summer Alps tyres, and weigh 15st - these are seriously strong and acceptably light. I paid about £300 for my not-at-local LBS to build them.

Edited to say - the 819 rim is exceptionally strong (I've bent 717s quite easily) which was my main reason for specifying it, but a further advantage is that it's UST compatible as standard, so you don't have the cost of a Stan's conversions should you decide to go tubeless.

Alternatively buy some s/h Crossmax - I've got several sets and have never paid more than £170 per set. Never had a problem, and have only bust a spoke through crashing.

Edited by longblackcoat on Tuesday 19th May 19:57

[Beyond Rational]

Were you bending 717s during cross country, or something a little more aggressive? If you are the kind of rider that uses 2.4s, then a 717 is pretty obviously not the rim to go for.

[Gooby]

fergus said:

Gooby said:

fergus said:

Gooby said:

Hubs Hope Pro 2
Rims Mavic XM819 UST
Spokes DT Swiss Competition S/S Black

this will turn into a "I ride this" thread sooner or later so I will start it.

Superb wheels, no problems yet. Could be the sodding great 2.4 tyres wrapped around them.....

2.4 .... do you tow a plough?

PS I'm not into a p!ssing competition re the spec/weight of my bike/wheels. I just need something strong & reliable.

Many thanks

Edited by fergus on Tuesday 19th May 16:43

Strong and reliable they are.
Loads of sand around here so big tyres are very helpful

have you had to mod the rear stays to get clearance for those bad boys? Are they paddle tyres like the Mx bikes in the dunes use?!

The bike came with the set up. The terrian is so changable here within 200 yards we go from large rock garden downhill to sand wells to heath land, deep mud then pine forest. Turn the next bend and you are in rooty oak forest. It is hard finding a tyre to cope with all this and be tubeless .. . and light. I use 2.4 Mountain kings, the press dont like them, but I think they suit the bike and terrain.

Typical ride is about a 15 mile loop with about 700m of climb from sandy beach to grassy down, some seriously fast downhill - usually dodging cows.

[plfrench]

Another recommendation for merlin handbuilt wheels. On my 3rd set now, allhave stayed perfectly true despite me being 18st!!

[fergus]

longblackcoat said:

Gooby said:

Hubs Hope Pro 2
Rims Mavic XM819 UST
Spokes DT Swiss Competition S/S Black

this will turn into a "I ride this" thread sooner or later so I will start it.

Superb wheels, no problems yet. Could be the sodding great 2.4 tyres wrapped around them.....

I've got exactly the same combo and have yet to break a spoke or bend a rim. I run anything from 1.8 mud tyres to 2.4 summer Alps tyres, and weigh 15st - these are seriously strong and acceptably light. I paid about £300 for my not-at-local LBS to build them.

Edited to say - the 819 rim is exceptionally strong (I've bent 717s quite easily) which was my main reason for specifying it, but a further advantage is that it's UST compatible as standard, so you don't have the cost of a Stan's conversions should you decide to go tubeless.

Alternatively buy some s/h Crossmax - I've got several sets and have never paid more than £170 per set. Never had a problem, and have only bust a spoke through crashing.

Guys, Thanks for the recommendations. I think Merlin are the way to go here. I may go for the 819s over the 717s if they're stronger, as I'm about 16 1/2 stone and don't want to bend anything for the sake of saving a few grams!

What is UST (apologies if this is an obvious q!).

[Gooby]

fergus said:

longblackcoat said:

Gooby said:

Hubs Hope Pro 2
Rims Mavic XM819 UST
Spokes DT Swiss Competition S/S Black

this will turn into a "I ride this" thread sooner or later so I will start it.

Superb wheels, no problems yet. Could be the sodding great 2.4 tyres wrapped around them.....

I've got exactly the same combo and have yet to break a spoke or bend a rim. I run anything from 1.8 mud tyres to 2.4 summer Alps tyres, and weigh 15st - these are seriously strong and acceptably light. I paid about £300 for my not-at-local LBS to build them.

Edited to say - the 819 rim is exceptionally strong (I've bent 717s quite easily) which was my main reason for specifying it, but a further advantage is that it's UST compatible as standard, so you don't have the cost of a Stan's conversions should you decide to go tubeless.



Alternatively buy some s/h Crossmax - I've got several sets and have never paid more than £170 per set. Never had a problem, and have only bust a spoke through crashing.

Guys, Thanks for the recommendations. I think Merlin are the way to go here. I may go for the 819s over the 717s if they're stronger, as I'm about 16 1/2 stone and don't want to bend anything for the sake of saving a few grams!

What is UST (apologies if this is an obvious q!).

I have the same weight and I ride like a thug (no style or grace), my last bike (carbon Fibre Giant XTC) snapped! These wheels take the punishment and come back for more. The Hope Pro2 hubs are just brilliant, they also sound great!

[PomBstard]

Beyond Rational said:

I've gone with Mavic XC717 on Hope Pro2s because they are both products that I know. Your choice will also depend on what width of tyre you wish to fit.

Same here - have stood up well to a couple of years of sandy, rocky XC work on a duallie carrying about 14st. Usually used with a 2.1 tyre, and all seems well. See quite a few similar on trails.