Thread: XC wheelsets??

Any recommendations for wheelsets/builders? My limitations are many (too many to list), but the relevant ones are:
hardtail w/ v-brakes
8 speed cassette (I think? XTR rear der., but from 98 or 99..)

I'm not a basher, but currently tipping the scales about 180. All east coast riding, usually around Boston - most frequently at the Fells. Looking to save some weight. Currently have the original Specialzed front wheel (their hub), and an XT rear.

Anyone use the custom built wheels from colorado cyclist?

I had a 2nd generation Crossmax wheelset I really liked. Once you break them in and get them true, they will stay that way. Now that all the disc stuff has been around for a couple years, you can find the old Crossmax's cheap. They have the ceramic surface that helps with braking too.

The hangup is they need Mavic parts and usually technicians if anything brakes.

Go to your shop and get a wheel built there. There are plenty of good shops with experienced wheel builders around Boston. I'd go with Mavic xc717's, DT 4.1, or a sun rhynolite, if you are feeling extra heavy. The xm 719 is also a good choice for more general trail riding, as far as hubs go shimano is always good, king, dt swiss, and white ind. make some nice more bling bling hubs if you've got the $ to spend.

Stay away from XT or XTR hubs! heavy and there is better stuff for the $$.

I would use Hugi 240's or 340's and find a good 32 spoke rim of which you have plenty to choose from. If you want to go tubless (highly reccomended) I've also heard good reports about Stan's rims but can't recall if they do Vbrake options. notubes.com

You'll have to investigate the 8 speed compatible thing though - better yet go ahead and get some X9 (or even LX trigger) shifters and a 9 speed hub and your good to go for not much 'dosh.

just a suggestion, but if you are going to drop coin on a sweet wheelset, and ride mostly xc, it very well may outlast your current rig, so consider getting nice disc hubs laced (king, phil, white, xtr, hugi, etc etc etc) to nice rim brake compatible rims (717, 719, dt 4.1). it'll give you the future option of switching over later, and won't cost alot extra now, $$$ or weight wise

Stay away from Rhyno Lites unless you're planning on never getting a flat. The one's I've had are very hard to get tires off of.

Anyone know the future of Sun-Ringle now that they are owned by Hayes?

XTR hubs are awesome, I had a pair that lasted through 3 years of personal use and abuse, now a friend is running them.

8/9 spd is the same freehub body, right? Should be good there.

Wheels are the single biggest upgrade you can make.

Originally Posted by homerjay

XTR hubs are awesome, I had a pair that lasted through 3 years of personal use and abuse, now a friend is running them.

8/9 spd is the same freehub body, right? Should be good there.

Wheels are the single biggest upgrade you can make.

You can run 8/9/10 spd on a shimano xtr freebody...actually you can do the same on any of their mountain hubs.

Bikeman.com had xtr hubsets for really cheap this past fall, I got a set for 90 bucks. give them a call and see if they still have them.

I'd say stick to shimano since they are easily serviced, everyone has the parts to service them with, and unlike some other companies, Shimano doesnt change freehubs what seems like every year.

I ran an xtr hubset this past cross season, and besides cleaning grime out of the dust shields, I havent had any issues with the hubs(bending rims is another issue)

The old inexpensive/last forever/beat around standard has always been a set of xt hubs, laced 3 cross to a set of mavic 517s. Cant go wrong.

yo homer - did you end up with the ionic? just curious

Originally Posted by marshalolson

yo homer - did you end up with the ionic? just curious

nope...Turner Flux

Originally Posted by homerjay

nope...Turner Flux

oh, i'm sorry... how'll you deal with that heavy rig?

Originally Posted by marshalolson

oh, i'm sorry... how'll you deal with that heavy rig?

I think I'll get around OK on it.

homer->stoked

Im still riding my old wheelset that supposedly were specialized team issue back in the day.

Mavic 217 Ceramics
DT butted spokes... I think 15-16-15
Red alloy nips
Hugi hubs, the ones that were advertised by showing them submerged in a fishtank I think.
They are freaking LIGHT.
Bought them a freaking long long time ago already built for like 300shipped.

edit: oh yea my point, get whatever the equivalent is now today, but lace em up with a bigger spoke 14/15/14 with some light disc compatible hubs for added options

today's equivelent:

717 rim, laced to 240 centerlocks w/ dt 14/17 spokes.

I run Hugi 240s on my road bike, and absolutely love them, but I hear issues with the flanges cracking, plus they are expensive, and more difficult to service than standard shimano hubs. Now, I havent had any of these problems, but I havent had them serviced, got them used/built up for very cheap, and havent cracked a flange(so far).

The new bontrager wheels run DT hub bodies now too.

Stay away from mavic hubs if you plan on having your bike serviced in the future, or keeping it for a while...mavic deems it necessary to constantly change their hubs. "Planned Obsolescence" pops into my head when I think Mavic.

While Shimano hubs will last a long time - I still say they are heavy and there is better stuff around for similar $$. I think 240's are easy to work on IF you even ever need to tear 'em apart. Super simple hub design. I've only had to disassemble one and I've had lots with many dirt and road miles.

Have to agree with Marsh on this one.

Wow - tons of replies. Thanks! Looking at the Bikeman site, they've got a Cane Creek Zonos SS for about $420. Anyone have any experience with these or thoughts on the nipple at the hub (to reduce rotating weight according to the Cane Creek website)? Will also talk to the guys at lbs, to see what they can do. I'm close to Wheelworks, and bought the road bike there, but any others excel at wheelbuilding?

Originally Posted by tumbler

Wow - tons of replies. Thanks! Looking at the Bikeman site, they've got a Cane Creek Zonos SS for about $420. Anyone have any experience with these or thoughts on the nipple at the hub (to reduce rotating weight according to the Cane Creek website)? Will also talk to the guys at lbs, to see what they can do. I'm close to Wheelworks, and bought the road bike there, but any others excel at wheelbuilding?

Belmont?

Cant, get back to work so we can go skiing tomorrow.

Originally Posted by CantDog

Belmont?

You got it!

Originally Posted by MassLiberal

Cant, get back to work so we can go skiing tomorrow.

Dude, I multitask.

Originally Posted by tumbler

Wow - tons of replies. Thanks! Looking at the Bikeman site, they've got a Cane Creek Zonos SS for about $420. Anyone have any experience with these or thoughts on the nipple at the hub (to reduce rotating weight according to the Cane Creek website)? Will also talk to the guys at lbs, to see what they can do. I'm close to Wheelworks, and bought the road bike there, but any others excel at wheelbuilding?

riding an older model CC wheelset on my hardtail. Great wheel, but a pain to true if you do it yourself, you need a little wrench that some shops don't have to do the truing on the hub nipples. I have some questions about the durability of the design of the nipple on the hub, hopped over a small tree on the trail, hit my rear wheel on it and noticed the spoke had pulled out of the rim. CC was really good about the warranty though.
I have another wheelset that a guy on mtbr.com built for me (his company name is dvmwrks.com), it's a Mavic XM819 with King ISO Disc hubs, running it tubeless with Stans and it's pretty bomber

Call Dave at Speed Dream (www.speeddream.com). He will ask your weight, riding conditions, budget, etc. and build you a kick ass wheel.