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Thread: Hardtail rims

  1. #1
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    Hardtail rims

    I have been riding an aggressive 29er hardtail for a few seasons and find that the rear rim takes a beating. Every few rides, a spoke is loose. Hops and dents are common.

    I have found that running heavier tires and pressure closer to 30 psi helps mitigate denting, but that doesn't keep my wheel true.

    I had a Sun Ringle Charger Pro that lasted a few seasons, but had several dents and hops by the end. Most recently, I am running an Easton Heist (ARC rim). It's less than a month old that has more wobbles and hops than a cheap plastic plate that just came out of the dishwasher.

    For those of you who ride hardtails on smashy terrain, what rims have you had luck with, and what's your strategy for keeping your rear wheel alive?

  2. #2
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    I've had good luck with I9s. Although I have a set of their newer, wider 27.5 wheels which have been pretty soft but the older ones on my hardtail have really taken a beating. Kind of spendy but nice and stiff.

    My new hardtail came with a flow ex mk3 on the rear. I've hit that thing insanely hard on a couple of rocks and cased some jumps where I thought for sure it would have done some damage and so far nothing yet. I've only had the bike for a few weeks though so not a long term test.

  3. #3
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    I'm sure I don't ride as rocky terrain as you, but I have friends that do, and they love their Stan's.
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  4. #4
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    What spokes you using?


    Not on a hardtail but I get plenty smashy and have been pretty happy with some dt swiss ex471s
    Besides the comet that killed the dinosaurs nothing has destroyed a species faster than entitled white people.-ajp

  5. #5
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    I think the easton rims are soft. I have an arc 27 on the back of my 125mm bike and it was wobbly withing a month. Seems to be holding up to riding anyway.

  6. #6
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    Quote Originally Posted by kidwoo View Post
    What spokes you using?


    Not on a hardtail but I get plenty smashy and have been pretty happy with some dt swiss ex471s
    So this got me thinking. To protect the rim, is it better to have spokes that "give"? Is there such a thing? I just assumed stiffer rim, stiffer spokes is better.
    Well maybe I'm the faggot America
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  7. #7
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    Also not a hardtail, but I have Stans Flow EX and it took a year of doing really dumb shit to finally toast the rim.

    Edit: I'm on MK3s, not EXs
    Last edited by adrenalated; 09-18-2017 at 04:15 PM.

  8. #8
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    The Easton / Raceface rims are kinda shit.

    For cheap-ish rims, I've have pretty good luck with the WTB frequency team stuff. For nicer rims, the higher end DT Swiss stuff is solid.

  9. #9
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    Hardtail rims

    Ya the Easton/race faces are definitely a soft aluminium. Built a pair for my rune last year and the new bike(scout) came with them . Rear on the rune had a number of dings that I was able to pull back easily. Too easy. The inner wall was even punched in. I've since put a huck Norris in both rear wheels and that seems to have protected them really well. Not sure how much longer the huck Norris will do it's thing but it's already paid its way. Even made the exo tire on the scout somewhat bearable. I just ordered a couple of an728 light bicycle rims that are on sale so see how that goes. If aluminium I'd look at spank. Good price(similar to Rf/Easton) and many reports of really good durability. Good deals at Jensen right now too

  10. #10
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    Quote Originally Posted by plugboots View Post
    So this got me thinking. To protect the rim, is it better to have spokes that "give"? Is there such a thing? I just assumed stiffer rim, stiffer spokes is better.
    To a point. I build dh wheels with 2.0 straight gauge spokes, beat the everloving shit out of them and pretty much never have to true them. They get dinged a lot though. So yeah db spokes, especially thin ones like a 1.6/1.8 do give the wheel some suspension.

    Build with too pinner of a spoke though and the wheel flexes so far, the aluminum deforms (out of true/round). I err towards the stiffer end of thinking about wheels. But my wheels also end up weighing more because of it.

    You nail stuff hard enough, the force is going somewhere. I got sick of truing wheels all the time so now I deal with more dings.
    Besides the comet that killed the dinosaurs nothing has destroyed a species faster than entitled white people.-ajp

  11. #11
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    Quote Originally Posted by kidwoo View Post
    What spokes you using?


    Not on a hardtail but I get plenty smashy and have been pretty happy with some dt swiss ex471s
    It's a complete wheel. 28h rim might be part of the problem. Google tells me they're double-butted spokes, but I'm not sure what gauge.

    I've been running a 32h 27.5 ARC 27 on my 6" travel bike and, while it has dented a bunch, it has stayed fairly true.

  12. #12
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    If you have some calipers, you can measure them. measure right below the threads and then somewhere in the middle. If they're 1.8/1.6 you can certainly get a tougher wheel with 2.0/1.8s and still have some give. A lot of bike companies use super pinner spokes just to get a light wheel with no regard to things like resilience.
    Besides the comet that killed the dinosaurs nothing has destroyed a species faster than entitled white people.-ajp

  13. #13
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    I've run the old gen Stans Flow on 2 different 29er hardtails and I'm shocked at the abuse they take. But I do run beefy 2.35 Highrollers and Minions at 30 psi.


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  14. #14
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    A few years back (and it may still be the case), the Charger Pros used the very same extrusion as the highly recommended Stans Flows, but you could only get them in 28h. So yeah, if you had better luck with the Charger Pros, maybe get the same thing but in 32h, i.e. Stans Flow. Although were it me, I'd go with a Spank rim.

  15. #15
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    How's the Stan's MK3 stuff compared to the previous generation? To me, wider + lighter = less material per unit width = trouble.

  16. #16
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    Again, not sure on durability, but they ride really nice. That whole correct rim width matched to tire width philosophy is dead on.
    Well maybe I'm the faggot America
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  17. #17
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    Quote Originally Posted by D(C) View Post
    How's the Stan's MK3 stuff compared to the previous generation? To me, wider + lighter = less material per unit width = trouble.
    im not a stans fan... but a buddy who trashes rims regularly is having good luck with the flow mk3's, has them on his operator and 134, i think he ran flow ex's and had to replace a rim a few times before going to the 3's which have a few dents but are holding up better

    personally im a dt fanboy, ex471 for me, take a look through the pros without wheel sponsors and you will find a high % of dt rims laced in... i had a dipshit in a f150 drive over my rear wheel, shitload of truing but i rode that day, i was impressed anyway

  18. #18
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    I ended up going with the XR361 from DT. Its a lighter rim, but I havent even been able to kills the 331's I built up for my partner. Also, dont mind the Squox nipples they come with.

    EDIT: I also weigh almost 200 lbs.

    Quote Originally Posted by D(C) View Post
    How's the Stan's MK3 stuff compared to the previous generation? To me, wider + lighter = less material per unit width = trouble.
    Much stiffer rim though. Seems like a world of difference better than my older Arch rims.

  19. #19
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    Been thrashing a set of flow mk3s all season, they're beating my expectations and I had already had really good luck with flow ex previously.

  20. #20
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    So, does anybody think spoke count could be a contributing factor?

    If you end up with a new wheel, I'd consider going back to 32 spoke. Minimal weight gain for an appreciable gain in strength and stiffness.
    Remind me. We'll send him a red cap and a Speedo.

  21. #21
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    How does width come into play? With 2.3 tires, my guess is that a narrower rim will be better-protected against dents.

    I ordered some Huck Norris. For the extra 100 g or so, it seems worth a try. In the meantime, I was too late and have put a significant dent in my Heist rear wheel. I'm also not too pleased with the engagement on the rear hub, so I think it's time to try something else.

    So far, the front runner is a Hope Tech Enduro wheel from CRC. The price is good, and they sound pretty bomber, and I've done well with Hope hubs. The only downside is the 23 mm internal rim width, but I don't intend on running super wide tires.

  22. #22
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    Quote Originally Posted by D(C) View Post
    How does width come into play? With 2.3 tires, my guess is that a narrower rim will be better-protected against dents.

    I ordered some Huck Norris. For the extra 100 g or so, it seems worth a try. In the meantime, I was too late and have put a significant dent in my Heist rear wheel. I'm also not too pleased with the engagement on the rear hub, so I think it's time to try something else.

    So far, the front runner is a Hope Tech Enduro wheel from CRC. The price is good, and they sound pretty bomber, and I've done well with Hope hubs. The only downside is the 23 mm internal rim width, but I don't intend on running super wide tires.
    I tried wide rims and just dented the fuck out of them, wider is not always better. A 30 mm rim is the max I'd go for a 2.35 in. tire so 23 mm should be just fine.

  23. #23
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    Carbon rims with 32 spokes.

  24. #24
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    Killing rims is the primary reason I stopped riding 29ers. They are just inherently weaker than smaller rims. Only way I would have stuck it out would be by going to carbon rims. I didnt want to pay that price of entry though.

  25. #25
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    Quote Originally Posted by D(C) View Post
    How does width come into play? With 2.3 tires, my guess is that a narrower rim will be better-protected against dents.

    I ordered some Huck Norris. For the extra 100 g or so, it seems worth a try. In the meantime, I was too late and have put a significant dent in my Heist rear wheel. I'm also not too pleased with the engagement on the rear hub, so I think it's time to try something else.

    So far, the front runner is a Hope Tech Enduro wheel from CRC. The price is good, and they sound pretty bomber, and I've done well with Hope hubs. The only downside is the 23 mm internal rim width, but I don't intend on running super wide tires.
    Get off the internet and 23mm wide rims work really well. Also what HankScorpio said. Lots of wide, light rims out there end up being pretty soft.

    Those hope wheels are kinda heavy eh?. They weigh a little more than my dh wheels. Pretty good price though.
    Besides the comet that killed the dinosaurs nothing has destroyed a species faster than entitled white people.-ajp

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