[ashwinearl]

Hi All,

Still on the quest for a decent lightweight budget wheel set
-Vbrake
-being used with Stans
-135 lbs
-XC race and rocky SW Virginia Riding

Got a new 32 hole GT Hadley rear hub on ebay for $19.95
-weighed at 284grams
-repacked pawl grease with thinner PrepM
-This is a NICE hub. The machining on it seems really top notch, and the clicks on the pawls are nice and crisp

Got a new Ringle SOB front hub 28 hole on ebay for $18
-haven't weighed it yet but assume it's around 122grams

I talked to Mike at Oddsandendos, and am leaning towards
Radial on the front wheel with Wheelsmith XL14 spokes
2x non drive with XL14 / 3x drive side with DB14 spokes

Now rim choice:
Was thinking of Mavic x517(395grams) which are on sale for $29, but am having difficult time finding x517 in 28hole. the x517 worry me a little bit in terms of long term reliability but hey, they are 395grams. I've seen some new-old stock Ritchey Vantage WCS rims in 28holes ($20) that are supposedly in the 395gram range as well. But have heard that they are difficult to mount tires on them.

Mike's suggestions include the Velocity Synergy ($35) (420gms) and the Dt xr4.1 (425grams) The DTs are $10 more/rim. He also has a old stock Mavic M231 ($20) (411grams)

I'm leaning towards the synergys. Any suggestions?

btw: did I do these weight estimates correctly:

Rear:
GT/ Hadley hub - 284g
synergy rim - 420g
XL14 nondrive, db15 drive (32 spokes) -155g
alloy nipples - 11g
-------------------------
Total 870g

Front:
Ringle SOB 122g
synergy rim - 420
XL 14 spokes (28) -120g
alloy nipples - 11g
-------------------------------
Total 673

Total Front/Rear = 1543grams.

I was shooting for sub 1500grams, but this isn't bad considering the costs.

total cost:
-If Mike builds them $170(rims, spokes, nips, build) + $38 for hubs=$208 including shipping

-self build: $120(rims, spokes, nipples) +$38 = $158 + $50 for park tensionmeter to do it right = $208

Which would you pick?

 

[thebronze]

I think the velocitys suck, but for the price you cant really complain.
You should also look at the Alex TD17's although those are disc,
but are also pretty cheap, decent quality, and liteweight.
I've personally used and destroyed DT XR4.1d's for over a year now
and will easily recommend them. They break, but so does everything else.

 

[baker]

Ashwin-
I'm ~155lbs and ride similar style. I've built and beaten several 517's. They've served me well. I've also built and ridden 231's a decent amount and just built up another wheel with a NOS 231. I responded in your other thread re: the ritchey's.

Given a choice between the 3 above rims (I don't have experience with the others you mentioned), I'd go with the 517's. They are light, relatively durable, cheap on closeout, and have a larger braking surface, which makes setting up v brakes easier. I actually just built a nice wheelset with Shimano DX hubs (rear will be respaced to 135mm), DT Supercomp spokes, alloy nips, and 517 rims (the red ones on sale at nashar for $20).

On the topic of build vs. buy, I'd definitely go with build. I made the jump ~9 years ago and have only paid for 1 wheelbuild since then (because I was lazy). I have easily recovered the costs of the truing stand, spoke wrenches, tensionometer, etc. Once you have the skills and tools, you can keep your eyes open for good rim and hub sales and build excellent wheels for way cheap prices. The satisfaction of riding wheels that I've built on my own is also hard to put a price on...

The tensionometer is not necessary, but probably a good investment if you plan to build wheels in the future. I was really surprised at my tension variation when I started using the Park tensionometer.

baker

 

[DeeEight]

I got some silver 28h 380 gram Mavic UB220s.

 

[nino]

red Mavic X517....

could you show me the link to those red x517?
i looked all over at nashbar but couldn't find them...

i have a set of red X517 but it has 28+32 holes from an older s-works. the rims are super light at 383/391g but i still would like a 28-hole for the rear too.

any help to locate those rims would be appreciated!

 

[baker]

could you show me the link to those red x517?
i looked all over at nashbar but couldn't find them...

i have a set of red X517 but it has 28+32 holes from an older s-works. the rims are super light at 383/391g but i still would like a 28-hole for the rear too.

any help to locate those rims would be appreciated!

Sorry nino, it's looks like they've sold out (also, they were 36 hole)...

baker

 

[Boj]

Hi All,

Still on the quest for a decent lightweight budget wheel set
-Vbrake
-being used with Stans
-135 lbs
-XC race and rocky SW Virginia Riding

Hey, great analysis.

I am actually going through the same thinking process myself, planning a new wheelset in near future with practically identical requirements. Mine will be Tune Mig/Mag hubs, DT Revo 1.8-1.5-1.8, Al nipples and Sun UFO 28H rims.

You didn't mention Sun UFOs in your rim options but those have all you want. They come in 28H and are claimed 390 g and in fact a lot of measured weights quoted on this board I read were below the claimed 390 g. You will find it impossible to find 28H x517, ever since that new replacement for x517 came out they were nowhere to be seen.

I myself am also debating on the cross and whether to build the wheels myself. I won't be getting a tensionmeter though if I do build them so maybe you can save $50 there? In any case Mike will take care of you if you decide to go that way so it's a win-win situation for you.

Good luck.

 

[doccoraje]

go for the DT's

I had the same dillema, I was looking for the 517's 28 hole for front wheel, couldn't find any, so, I opted for the DT's XR4.1, no regrets so far. Weight was 417 g 32 holes, 422 gr
28 holes.

 

[ashwinearl]

velocity synergy has an asym rear

The one thing about the velocity Synergy is that the rear is asym. Which supposedly helps with equalizing spoke tension on dished wheels.

just a thought.

 

[ashwinearl]

28 hole Mavic X517s found at

Just FYI, Came across some places with 28 hole Mavic517

excel sports
icycle usa
Harris Cyclery
Peter white cycles

I haven't checked if any are in stock but these are the places that came up. None of the prices lists were close to the $29 closeout prices on 32hole ones at Colorado Cyclist, or Universal Cycles.

 

[MaLoL1]

where can i buy sun ufo rims in europe?

buying them on usa must be expensive for me due to custom fees.

anyone here sells sun ufo rims or a sub400gr new rims?

thanks

 

[Boj]

where can i buy sun ufo rims in europe?

buying them on usa must be expensive for me due to custom fees.

anyone here sells sun ufo rims or a sub400gr new rims?

thanks

www.starbike.com

 

[ashwinearl]

Hey, great analysis.
You didn't mention Sun UFOs in your rim options but those have all you want. They come in 28H and are claimed 390 g and in fact a lot of measured weights quoted on this board I read were below the claimed 390 g. You will find it impossible to find 28H x517, ever since that new replacement for x517 came out they were nowhere to be seen.
Good luck.

Boj,
had you seen this post from a few months ago about the UFO's?
http://forums.mtbr.com/showthread.php?t=16326&highlight=sun+ufo

Mike didn't seem to think too highly off them. I'm going to be running STANS so I also am worried about how narrow the UFOs are.

 

[paddlefoot64]

What about hitting rocks with the Synergy rims? I had Mike build a set of Laser Lite/VXC wheels and couldn't be happier. I do encounter a lot of big rocks that might damage spokes entering the side of the rim on the Synergy. You can't beat the personal service from Mike Garcia.

 

[sircrashalot]

Oddsandendos

What about hitting rocks with the Synergy rims? I had Mike build a set of Laser Lite/VXC wheels and couldn't be happier. I do encounter a lot of big rocks that might damage spokes entering the side of the rim on the Synergy. You can't beat the personal service from Mike Garcia.

I second the Garcia reputation. Have same wheelset (VXC/LASERLITES) and they rock. Lightest wheelset I have seen for the money and they hold up well. Velocity rims have served me very well, both on the mountain and the road.

 

[Nigel]

Nino. go lighter with the silver 617.

could you show me the link to those red x517?
i looked all over at nashbar but couldn't find them...

i have a set of red X517 but it has 28+32 holes from an older s-works. the rims are super light at 383/391g but i still would like a 28-hole for the rear too.

any help to locate those rims would be appreciated!

Yo nino, i ve acquired a pair of silver mavic 517s which were in some case sub 380(376, 379, 383\).also weighed out some otheres that were very close.

but,....dont know if available in ceramic, and i seem to remember that was your choice.