[PCC]

My friend wants to lighten his old Diamondback rigid mountain bike on a budget. He's been asking me to recommend a set of new rims for him. I was thinking along the lines of Mavic XC-717 rims laced onto his old Deore LX hubs with Wheelsmith 14/15 DB spokes with aluminum nipples but I'm left wondering if the rims will be strong enough for him? He's about 190 lbs and the bike will be ridden on and off-road about 50/50. He does not do jumps and probably is sane enough to not try any crazy drops. Should he run a 717 in the front and something stronger in the back? Is there any other rim that would be recommended for him and his intended use?

Thanks!

 

[bighitdon]

rhyno lites. dirt cheap and quite strong.

also, ditch that butted spokes and alloy nipple crap if you're worried about strength.

 

[Squash]

If he wants to lighten the bike, but maintain...

My friend wants to lighten his old Diamondback rigid mountain bike on a budget. He's been asking me to recommend a set of new rims for him. I was thinking along the lines of Mavic XC-717 rims laced onto his old Deore LX hubs with Wheelsmith 14/15 DB spokes with aluminum nipples but I'm left wondering if the rims will be strong enough for him? He's about 190 lbs and the bike will be ridden on and off-road about 50/50. He does not do jumps and probably is sane enough to not try any crazy drops. Should he run a 717 in the front and something stronger in the back? Is there any other rim that would be recommended for him and his intended use?

Thanks!

Wheel strength then the rim is NOT the place to lighten the wheel set. LX hubs are boat anchors compared to most other hubs. But if properly maintained and used within their design parameters, they are durable. If he insists on staying with the LX hubs there isn't much chance of lightening the wheel set much. It depends on what he has for stock rims to begin with. Probably one of the best XC wheel sets that I have ever owned for the "heavier" rider have been a set of Hope XC hubs laced to 32 hole Mavic XM 719 rims in a 3 cross pattern. But you said on a budget and the Hope/719 wheel set would run about $350 or so built and shipped. But I do believe that the 719 would be the better rim for him. Weight savings, if any, would depend on what the bike has on it now. The 719 weighs in at 460g. Anyway, for a heay rider the wheel set is not the place to save too much weight. But you never know, depending on his riding style he might be able to get away with the lighter 717. But my recommendation would be the 719 as a minimum.

Good Dirt