[KGAmoto]

I've been thinking about two options for my SB 95a:

Build my own (wide) carbon wheels from the DT Swiss wheel set I already have (350 hubs).

Or I found a great deal on a new set of Stans Flow EX wheels.

I'm curious to go with wider wheels - I ride a lot of AM and love to go DH as fast as my skills allow (my 95 with 140 fork is blowing my mind lately). I'm thinking wider wheels would be a good idea to get more contact to the ground.

As I said I am currently running the OE DT Swiss XR400 wheels with an external width of 23.8 (I think internal is 18mm). Of course Flows are much wider at 29.1.

I know I know carbon is better, but the Stans wheels are cheap, brand new and maybe a good stepping stone toward getting the feel for a wider rim.

Advise please.

 

[mahrous]

Check the Chinese Light Bicycle rims ... they aren't more expensive than Stan's Flow, Carbon and WIDE!

 

[Haggis]

WTB Frequency i25

 

[bear]

Check the Chinese Light Bicycle rims ... they aren't more expensive than Stan's Flow, Carbon and WIDE!

Uh, I dunno, I don't see LB selling 100$ rims.

But, from what I hear, the extra 50-100 seems reasonably worth the cost.

I'm seriously considering LB carbon for when my current Flow (pre-Ex) wear out.

Maybe for next winter's overhaul.

 

[KGAmoto]

Uh, I dunno, I don't see LB selling 100$ rims.

But, from what I hear, the extra 50-100 seems reasonably worth the cost.

I'm seriously considering LB carbon for when my current Flow (pre-Ex) wear out.

Maybe for next winter's overhaul.

Check the Chinese Light Bicycle rims ... they aren't more expensive than Stan's Flow, Carbon and WIDE!

Yeah I'm aware of the Light-Bicycle AM rims. They're 23mm inner / 30mm outer, and $165 each before shipping (just the rim).

The set of Stan's Flow wheels I found are $300 for the complete set, brand new. But I'm not sure a little bit of extra width is going to be all that noticeable for me, whereas the carbon probably would be. I would just have to sacrifice my current hubs, etc., but no big deal.

 

[bear]

KGA, be careful in your comparison.

I think you're comparing LB *rims* vs Stan's *wheels*.

Stan's MSRP on the Flow Ex *rim* is $93 each.

MRSP on the Flow EX 29er *wheels* is just shy of $600.

MRSP on the Light Bicycle AM 29er with Hope Pro2 Evo hubs is just shy of $800. I figure that's a 200$ surcharge for the carbon rims.

No clue who wins on shipping.

I know who wins on time to delivery.

 

[KGAmoto]

KGA, be careful in your comparison.

I think you're comparing LB *rims* vs Stan's *wheels*.

Stan's MSRP on the Flow Ex *rim* is $93 each.

MRSP on the Flow EX 29er *wheels* is just shy of $600.

MRSP on the Light Bicycle AM 29er with Hope Pro2 Evo hubs is just shy of $800. I figure that's a 200$ surcharge for the carbon rims.

No clue who wins on shipping.

I know who wins on time to delivery.

No, sorry I should have clarified - I found a set of Stans Flow wheels (complete) on local classifieds for $300, new. And a local wheel builder sells them for $400 all day long.

So yeah I'm comparing carbon rims for $165/each and Stans complete wheels for about $400, or $300 if I jump on a local classified set.

My real reason for this thread though, is the question of whether its even worth going from what I have now, to Stans, or should I just use the spokes / hubs that I currently have, and buy the LB carbon rims, then build my own. Right now I'm leaning toward carbon self-build.

 

[bear]

FWIW, if I were replacing my current rims I'd be VERY interested in putting some carbon hoops on ... and I've been running old model Flow since July '12. The 350 hubs are VERY DECENT HUBS, better than the Hope Pro2 Evo if you ask me, if you've put in the 36t ratchet upgrade. The only negative the 350's have is the front hub is not axle convertible, but then it currently works with your fork so that's not a problem, right?

I've got bling hubs on the bike now only because I ended up in a crazy situation where it was silly cheap. I had a 20mm Chris King hub, that for 75$ was axle compatible to 15mm. I had found a used CK rear hub with the steel drive assembly for 85$ that I put another 130$ in getting re-shelled by King to match the front. That included a full factory rebuild. Like I said, silly cheap for that hub set.

I also got my Flow rims on blowout from Stan's that year, when they were switching over to Flow Ex. $40/rim is a hella deal.

So now I have two pair of wheels with matching Flow rims.

Going to be a while before I *need* new rims.

*shrug*

But for you?

Order the carbon rims.

When they come in, order spokes.

Rebuild, ride, have fun.

 

[KGAmoto]

FWIW, if I were replacing my current rims I'd be VERY interested in putting some carbon hoops on ... and I've been running old model Flow since July '12. The 350 hubs are VERY DECENT HUBS, better than the Hope Pro2 Evo if you ask me, if you've put in the 36t ratchet upgrade. The only negative the 350's have is the front hub is not axle convertible, but then it currently works with your fork so that's not a problem, right?

I've got bling hubs on the bike now only because I ended up in a crazy situation where it was silly cheap. I had a 20mm Chris King hub, that for 75$ was axle compatible to 15mm. I had found a used CK rear hub with the steel drive assembly for 85$ that I put another 130$ in getting re-shelled by King to match the front. That included a full factory rebuild. Like I said, silly cheap for that hub set.

I also got my Flow rims on blowout from Stan's that year, when they were switching over to Flow Ex. $40/rim is a hella deal.

So now I have two pair of wheels with matching Flow rims.

Going to be a while before I *need* new rims.

*shrug*

But for you?

Order the carbon rims.

When they come in, order spokes.

Rebuild, ride, have fun.

DT Swiss 36t upgrade - what is the advantage of that? Never heard of it. I do know my current ratchet is really loud, and frustratingly, the dealer that I bought my bike from left my cassette loose which bur'd my free hub body, so that needs replaced sometime too.

EDIT: nevermind; I read up on it quick; makes sense for tech stuff.

 

[chunkylover53]

I had a similar decision. I decided to go with Derby 29 rims. I felt happy enough paying a bit of a premium in order to deal with someone based in north America. Great rims - super easy build, stiff as hell, great quality. Just another option you might want to consider. There is a bit of a backlog at the moment - but worth the wait.

 

[chunkylover53]

Sorry - also - Derby rims are 35 external, 29 internal.

 

[CWnSWCO]

Derby rims are 35 external, 29 internal.

I'm on Flow EXs right now. They've been awesome for the past 18 months... now thinking of upgrading to carbon.

Curious about the Derbys or the new Nox AM 29ers (out soon supposedly, same dimension as Derby).

Chunky, how are the super wide rims on the Derbys? Any disadvantages you've noticed of going that wide?

 

[chunkylover53]

Haven't noticed any problems yet. Super impressed with them. I don't find the benefits of the width revolutionary - but it gives the tire a nice profile, and I can run even lower pressures than I can on my Arches or Flows. But to be fair I don't have a lot of extended rides on techy terrain yet. But quality seems very good, super stiff, love the bead shelf on them (super secure), and Derby/Ray seems like a great guy. He developed them in conjunction with Ibis - so if you read up on their new wheels it will give you some more info. Have also heard very good things about Nox. More and more good options for carbon hoops.

 

[metalarmrider]

I went carbon with the light bicycle rims. Remember shaving roating weight is one of the bigger game changers.

 

[Birdymkr]

I've owned Easton Haven's which I liked, got bored and built up Flow EX with CK hubs- they seemed heavier than the Haven's and I somewhat regretted the change.. When the carbon SB 95 came out I had to have it, sold my AL 95 and went with carbon wheels- no linger bored and will never look back. Don't miss the Havens or Flow EX. The bike just feels right and does everything I ask it to do with much more to give. Go carbon if you're going to upgrade.

 

[okie_calvin]

I ride the carbon Easton Havens on my SB95a regularly, they're fantastic. I ride the Flow EX's on a ROS9 and they're fantastic. I've ridden the LB wide rims occasionally on a new S-Works Enduro and they're really something special, even more so when considering the price. However I'm not 100% sure that there's enough clearance on the SB for such a wide rim/tire combo. When I rode the Enduro it was shod with the 2.4" Goma from Geax and it's freakin' HUGE on that rim. I recommend carbon but keep spacing in mind when looking at the width of the rim and girth of the tire you're going to put on 'em.

 

[bear]

FWIW, 2.3"-ish is the largest size I'd put on the back of the '95.

I've fitted a 2.4 Ardent and there's scant mm of clearance to the chainstays, the front-d (if you have one), and it'll rub on the seat-tube a *lot* on full compression.

A phat 2.3 will also do this - think Schwalbe Hans Dampf (big carcass, nice knobs) or Geax Sturdy (medium carcass huge knobs).

I currently have the Maxxis Ikon 2.35 on the bike, front and rear, and while I haven't measured it (I need to) it has on the order of 5 mm or so chainstay clearance. Not fabulous, but maybe survivable.

All this on old-gen Flow rims, not the Flow Ex.