Why not go with Newmen for the new build as well? Been running a set for 3 years with absolutely 0 issues, they’re great!
Enduro rim choice for 29" rig
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+1 for Spank rims 
Used them on several big bike, rear wheel builds.
Always run them with DT Swiss 350 hubs.
Sent from my Asus Rog 3
Used them on several big bike, rear wheel builds.
Always run them with DT Swiss 350 hubs.
Sent from my Asus Rog 3
How are you guys having "bomb proof" wheels on an enduro bike? I am usually through a rear wheel every few months 
Currently on a DT 512 (budget 471) and it is holding up a little better (though I was injured for a while and haven't been riding this bike as much), but it is about done now. Being heavy and only 25mm internal, not sure many people want to run that. Just built some Carbon RF wheels, if I smash the rear in the warranty I will just run 471's (maybe 511 up front) and put the carbons on for planned lighter days with trail tires.
Flows last about 3 months or so, depending on the season. RF aluminum lasted about 3 rides. Specialized carbon and aluminum lasted about a month at best.
Is the Newmen available stateside?
Currently on a DT 512 (budget 471) and it is holding up a little better (though I was injured for a while and haven't been riding this bike as much), but it is about done now. Being heavy and only 25mm internal, not sure many people want to run that. Just built some Carbon RF wheels, if I smash the rear in the warranty I will just run 471's (maybe 511 up front) and put the carbons on for planned lighter days with trail tires.
Flows last about 3 months or so, depending on the season. RF aluminum lasted about 3 rides. Specialized carbon and aluminum lasted about a month at best.
Is the Newmen available stateside?
That's why I think it's worth springing for the WA1s. They actually are fairly bomb proof and have a lifetime warranty in the event you can break one.How are you guys having "bomb proof" wheels on an enduro bike? I am usually through a rear wheel every few months
Currently on a DT 512 (budget 471) and it is holding up a little better (though I was injured for a while and haven't been riding this bike as much), but it is about done now. Being heavy and only 25mm internal, not sure many people want to run that. Just built some Carbon RF wheels, if I smash the rear in the warranty I will just run 471's (maybe 511 up front) and put the carbons on for planned lighter days with trail tires.
Flows last about 3 months or so, depending on the season. RF aluminum lasted about 3 rides. Specialized carbon and aluminum lasted about a month at best.
Is the Newmen available stateside?
A guy I have ridden with a few times. While he is larger than me and a bit faster, I would say our riding is similar.
For what its worth, I emailed WAO about what would happen if I bought one of their rims, and somehow kept breaking them (I was trying to figure out how their lifetime warranty worked). They said that if I was somehow a "serial rim destroyer", they would eventually stop giving me "normal" replacement rims, and lay up something custom for me, that would be "virtually unbreakable". I wonder if they'll do that for your buddy at some point.
I asked the same question to NOBL (who also has a lifetime warranty on their rims), and they said that if I kept destroying replacements, they'd eventually cut me off. Which is the reason I went with WAO.
That said, if you're the kind of person who is regularly blowing up WAO Unions, EX471's (530g per 29'er rim), etc, then I'd take a hard look at "actual" downhill rims. Like the DT Swiss FR560(635g per 29'er rim), Hope Fortus 30 (720g per 29'er rim), WAO Strife (605g per 29'er rim, or over 100g more than the Union), etc. That, and maybe taking a long hard look at my tire casing choice, and air pressures. And considering some sort of insert.
But maybe lacing up new rims is less of a deal to you than me. But personally, rebuilding a wheel a few times a year sounds pretty annoying, and expensive, so I'd take steps to try to sort that out
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My friend in the Strava post is running DD casing, inserts, and reasonably high pressure (I asked). I don't run inserts because I haven't seen anything that proves that they help (but I do run higher pressure and DD tires).
Relacing and truing wheels is pretty easy, doesn't bother me to do. Relacing takes 30 minutes? Truing really depends on how much I am worried about perfection. I spent HOURS on my carbon wheels, the aluminum ones I don't care if they aren't perfectly straight as they won't be after the first couple rides anyway
I would rather not wait around for a warranty hoop to arrive in the mail.
Relacing and truing wheels is pretty easy, doesn't bother me to do. Relacing takes 30 minutes? Truing really depends on how much I am worried about perfection. I spent HOURS on my carbon wheels, the aluminum ones I don't care if they aren't perfectly straight as they won't be after the first couple rides anyway
I would rather not wait around for a warranty hoop to arrive in the mail.
I'm with you on not wanting to wait around for warranty replacement. I totally get it. I was mostly just saying that if it were me, I'd be strongly considering some DH tires, or heavier duty rims. But then again, it sounds like rebuilding rims isn't a huge deal for you. I've not built/laced up my own rims yet, so that part does sound more daunting.My friend in the Strava post is running DD casing, inserts, and reasonably high pressure (I asked). I don't run inserts because I haven't seen anything that proves that they help (but I do run higher pressure and DD tires).
Relacing and truing wheels is pretty easy, doesn't bother me to do. Relacing takes 30 minutes? Truing really depends on how much I am worried about perfection. I spent HOURS on my carbon wheels, the aluminum ones I don't care if they aren't perfectly straight as they won't be after the first couple rides anyway
I would rather not wait around for a warranty hoop to arrive in the mail.
How high of pressures are you guys running out of curiosity? I damaged my old cheapo rims that came with the bike through a DD class casing and 30psi, so I know it happens. But haven't had any issues so far on the WAO Unions (although I haven't been to either of the trails that I damaged my old rims on yet, so I guess we'll see).
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