fwiw, you can get a set of hope hoops with stans rims & hope hubs for about $200 cheaper than the ones with stans hubs.

 

Light, Strong and Cheap Pick any two.

 

A "new" rim is not like swapping pedals. You are preparing to have a wheel re-built by your LBS. What is the total cost?

Expect the following costs:
Spokes - $1-$2 each
Nipples - $0.75ish each
Rim - Varies - Your choice
Labor - Varies - I was just quoted $90 USD at my LBS

I would buy new spokes (you will likely have to use new spokes if you change rims) and nipples. I never liked to re-use spokes - increases labor to re-use them and they may have damage to them.


You may be better off purchasing a new already built wheel.

 

A "new" rim is not like swapping pedals. You are preparing to have a wheel re-built by your LBS. What is the total cost?

Expect the following costs:
Spokes - $1-$2 each
Nipples - $0.75ish each
Rim - Varies - Your choice
Labor - Varies - I was just quoted $90 USD at my LBS

I would buy new spokes (you will likely have to use new spokes if you change rims) and nipples. I never liked to re-use spokes - increases labor to re-use them and they may have damage to them.

You may be better off purchasing a new already built wheel.

I've been quoted $150 for a Stan's Arch Ex including labor and using my original hub. It would require new spokes as well (also included in price). I'm still trying to find answers about rims in general. Which rims are most durable?

 

The arch is generally regarded as a pretty stout rim. How much do you weigh? That is an important factor

 

Yeah, the bike store owner told me that "heavier" riders shouldn't go tubeless. I'm 5'11" and weigh 185. I didn't realize I was "heavy". Should I not be riding tubeless?

 

Seems to be a reasonable price. If you are willing to spend that go for it. Assuming the shop does a quality build, it will be a good wheel.

I prefer DT competition spokes and alloy nipples - I would not want a build with straight gauge spokes and brass nipples for a variety of reasons. Strength and weight top the list.

As far as the rep saying our rim is just as good for half the price, well I find that suspicious. I am not sure which rim you have. Need more info on rim model. However, arch ex have a good reputation. I currently have flow ex and really like them.

As far as durability of rims, you can dent pretty much anything given the right circumstances. I have dented a few rims (both good and cheap) - always my fault: insufficient air pressure, casing a landing, blasting a manhole cover, etc.

If you fish, you lose lures. If you bike, you get flats, stretch chains, wear out components, occasionally crash, and break stuff. It happens.

 

Seems to be a reasonable price. If you are willing to spend that go for it. Assuming the shop does a quality build, it will be a good wheel.

I prefer DT competition spokes and alloy nipples - I would not want a build with straight gauge spokes and brass nipples for a variety of reasons. Strength and weight top the list.

As far as the rep saying our rim is just as good for half the price, well I find that suspicious. I am not sure which rim you have. Need more info on rim model. However, arch ex have a good reputation. I currently have flow ex and really like them.

As far as durability of rims, you can dent pretty much anything given the right circumstances. I have dented a few rims (both good and cheap) - always my fault: insufficient air pressure, casing a landing, blasting a manhole cover, etc.

If you fish, you lose lures. If you bike, you get flats, stretch chains, wear out components, occasionally crash, and break stuff. It happens.

Thanks for the reply. Spokes and rims are DT with "Synchros" decals. I get the fishing metaphor since I fly-fish. I expect to lose lures, break lines, but I don't expect the rod to break in half unexpectedly, or eyelets to drop off. I expect tires to flat, chains to break, break pads to wear out, etc. But with the type of riding I do, I didn't expect to dent a rim. I've had three mtn bikes in 6 years and never dented or bent a rim. Always ride the same trails. Weigh the same. Ride the same. I just don't get it. Spending $3,000 and then being told the rims are cheap, doesn't make sense to me. I wish the bike store owner had told me this in the beginning.

 

You either had to hit something REALLY hard or were underinflated, rims don't generally dent for no good reason, what pressure were you running at the time of the dent? Re re-using spokes: I built the rear on my 26er in the early '90s using Ritchie/DT db spokes (14/16 iirc) and alloy nipples, since then I've worn out and replaced 3 or 4 rims on the same hub/spokes/nipples, doing quite a few cat1 races and open class cx way back when. I'm 6'3 and have been between 175 and 200# on that bike, but I tend to not break much stuff in general. -just my experience, I understand some people have had bad luck re-using spokes and nipples, I've had bad luck with anything other than DT spokes&nipples.

 

I've always run 30 to 35 psi. But, I was losing air pressure between rides so I may have been under-inflated during a ride which caused the dented rim. I didn't feel anything though.

 

As for rims I just tacoed a WTB i23 frequency Team issue with a relatively light wipeout, was very shocked that the front tire was whistled to tell you the truth. On my other bike I have Stans Arch EX and I am around 225 geared and have had the same wipeouts with these rims holding true. In all honesty it was a light front tire wash out and I never hit the ground, bike slide out I unclipped and was on my feet, picked up bike tacoed front wheel, I was like WTF! **** happens, rebuild it and move on, ordered another Stans.

 

As for rims I just tacoed a WTB i23 frequency Team issue with a relatively light wipeout

That's crazy to hear... I've read good things about the i23's... but they are (somewhat) new yet. I've been on the WTF train with rims as well. It's funny how you can taco sometimes on the stupidest landings or wipeout... I suppose just hitting it right and having your weight on it?

 

If your shop will replace the rim and spokes, including labor fro $150, that's a really good deal. Go with the Arch EX. I've ridden DT rims and Stan's, both tubeless and both on rough, rocky terrain. The DT rims were trashed within 4 months. They just seemed very soft. I've been running Flows for years tubeless on my SS. A friend runs the Arch, also tubeless. We ride in some of the rockiest terrain you can find, every ride. We both weigh 190. We are also running Ardent 2.4's up front. At your weight, you should be able to run lower pressure than 30 and have confidence in your rims. The big benefit of tubeless is better traction. If you're running 30-35, you're missing out.

Go with the Stan's. Definitely a more stout rim. If you want no more worries, go with the Flow. It only weighs 50 grams more and you'll have a wider footprint on whichever tire you're running.

Good luck!

 

Rim dents are common with lighter weight rims when hitting sharp rocks at speed. Running tubeless encourages lower pressures and dents happen more frequently. DT rims are softer than many and dent more easily.

Most dents can be straitened to be good enough for holding tubeless air pressures. There is a Park tool for straitening dents, or hand pliers can do it without scratching if using something to protect the rim such as thin cardboard.

An experienced mountain bike shop can straighten rim dents in a few minutes, tire remounting adds time.

 

Rim dents are common with lighter weight rims when hitting sharp rocks at speed. Running tubeless encourages lower pressures and dents happen more frequently. DT rims are softer than many and dent more easily.

Most dents can be straitened to be good enough for holding tubeless air pressures. There is a Park tool for straitening dents, or hand pliers can do it without scratching if using something to protect the rim such as thin cardboard.

An experienced mountain bike shop can straighten rim dents in a few minutes, tire remounting adds time.

yes..how bad is the dent? My rear is worn out and needs replacing , but still holds air and goes round. On a mtb with low pressures and fat tyres I doubt I'd feel a huge difference. My VXC's are pretty soft and I have bent the rim beads back so many times I can't remember. If the rim is soft it may bend easily but it's probably not going to crack first easily.

 

Replacing the your rim with Arch EX is awesome for that money, do it! Also can't go tubeless because your 185?? lol false, I would go tubeless as well. Weigh your old rim once it has been removed and report back. It's just a curious data point for me and may be informative for u...

 

I had a bike mechanic straighten out the dent and it has held on my last 5 rides, same trails, same "heavy 185 lbs.".

 

After all this, just gotta say that a knowledgable shop owner who thinks you are too heavy to run tubeless would have me looking for a new shop.

SPP

 

When it comes to rims, it's more of a popularity contest on these forums than it is a critical comparison.

When I ask people what exactly they like about something, such as Stan's rims, and really press them for concrete comparisons to other alternatives, their answers are usually vague at best. Question them "police-style", asking the same question repeatedly, if the answer I get isn't perfectly clear, and they start to become uncertain about their own claims. I don't know how many times people tell me how "easy" it is to set a product up, due to videos offered online, then later admit to, and complain about many other things that might contradict their earlier claims, yet in their conclusion they rave about it and stand behind the brand... I guess it's all about the ownership experience, and not about the product sometimes. Give a man a few "working-class" videos on how to use something, and it seems they start loving that brand.

If the Syncros rims are 1/2 price, why not? Do you want your rim choice to be a detailed lesson in material science, knowing what exactly the tensile strength, Young's modulus, ultimate strength, etc. of the material used are? Do you want to be sold on which country its extruded at and how the ends are joined and how the spoke holes are designed? Do you want to jump on any trendy bandwagons, like the wider inner width and shape of bead hook?

I'd give you advice, but I don't think what I would do is any good. I typically downgrade to something more "heavy duty" when something breaks (becomes unusable/unfixable) and upgrade to something, broken or not, "lighter and at least as strong & stiff" when I spend too much time researching, with me opting for something better and better (and more expensive) the more I research.

Interesting to hear that the rim got fixed by just sort of straightening out the dent. Would imagine that the metal in that area lost a significant portion of its fatigue life in that process, even if it's new. People say replace more because that rim has a quite a bit of uncertainty to it, but a handy guy can squeeze out every bit of life out of it, and keep such things from winding up being stacked up at the land fill. At least you know that kind of metal is pliable enough to not fail violently, judging by how it dents.

 

When it comes to rims, it's more of a popularity contest on these forums than it is a critical comparison.

When I ask people what exactly they like about something, such as Stan's rims, and really press them for concrete comparisons to other alternatives, their answers are usually vague at best. Question them "police-style", asking the same question repeatedly, if the answer I get isn't perfectly clear, and they start to become uncertain about their own claims. I don't know how many times people tell me how "easy" it is to set a product up, due to videos offered online, then later admit to, and complain about many other things that might contradict their earlier claims, yet in their conclusion they rave about it and stand behind the brand... I guess it's all about the ownership experience, and not about the product sometimes. Give a man a few "working-class" videos on how to use something, and it seems they start loving that brand.

If the Syncros rims are 1/2 price, why not? Do you want your rim choice to be a detailed lesson in material science, knowing what exactly the tensile strength, Young's modulus, ultimate strength, etc. of the material used are? Do you want to be sold on which country its extruded at and how the ends are joined and how the spoke holes are designed? Do you want to jump on any trendy bandwagons, like the wider inner width and shape of bead hook?

I'd give you advice, but I don't think what I would do is any good. I typically downgrade to something more "heavy duty" when something breaks (becomes unusable/unfixable) and upgrade to something, broken or not, "lighter and at least as strong & stiff" when I spend too much time researching, with me opting for something better and better (and more expensive) the more I research.

Interesting to hear that the rim got fixed by just sort of straightening out the dent. Would imagine that the metal in that area lost a significant portion of its fatigue life in that process, even if it's new. People say replace more because that rim has a quite a bit of uncertainty to it, but a handy guy can squeeze out every bit of life out of it, and keep such things from winding up being stacked up at the land fill. At least you know that kind of metal is pliable enough to not fail violently, judging by how it dents.

I appreciate your response, and I agree completely. I've been mtn biking since 2007, have had three bikes, two Gary Fishers and now a Scott. It seems to me that it's all a crap-shoot as to which components are the "best". My 2007 Fisher Marlin has never failed me. Nothing broke on it (excluding flat tires) in 2,000 miles. I still have it and use it as a "loaner" and when my other bikes are in the shop. My Fisher Cobia 29er had a cracked frame (warranty replacement), broken chain, broken spokes which resulted in a warranty replacement Alex rim. Then I sold it to get the Scott which had the dented rim. I'm not a "hard rider" so the dented rim kind of surprised me. I decided to let a bike mechanic take the bend out. No problems so far. I talked to a national Scott bike rep and he told me to just replace the Synchros rim at 1/2 the price instead of going Stan's. I thought I'd try the "cheap fix" first. I'm happy with the Scott over-all, but I look at that old 2007 Fisher Marlin ($450) and wonder why I ever "upgraded". This ain't road biking. I have a 2003 steel frame Lemond road bike that has never let me down. Different animal I guess. It's fun to read all of the responses though.

 

I just brought a Hope pro 2 hub wheel with Stans arch EX rim ( 29er ) from Wiggle for $144 US dollars Delivered to New Zealand Free freight.

How can you go wrong at that price.

 

Hope you used the 20% coupon...

--
Stephen

 

It's in the deal forum. Paypal20 I think. 20% off of a 100 gbp order...can't find that goofy pound symbol on my phone.

--
Stephen

 

I use Stans, do I think they are the best? No idea, they are strong have have survived a few front wheel endos and stayed true where as my WTB i23 bent like a taco with a similar endo at a low speed. I weigh 215-220 on any given day and the tires are tubeless and have never burped once. I have not tested other rims for this but these are holding my tires very very well and see no need to try something different when these work so well. I replaced my taco WTB with another Stans Arch EX. Built it myself this time, nice and true, my first 29er wheel build and only second wheel in my life. I am waiting for my spoke gauge to make sure I have the tension right then giving it a workout. Making sure this park truing stand gets used.

 

Thanks. Most everyone agrees that Stan's Arch EX is the way to go. I finally gave up and I simply put a tube back in and have been fine ever sense. Front tire is tubeless with no problems. At some point I'll buy the Stan's rims and go tubeless. Wheel building looks a little out of my league. Impressive.

 

In case any of you are interested, my problem has been solved! I took the advice of several of you and purchased Stan's Arch EX rims and switched from Rocket Ron's Evo tires to Maxxis Ardent and Ignitor. Front and rear respectively.

Everything is fine. My "heavy" weight (185 lbs) is no longer a problem for tubeless as the LBS implied. Got the work done at local REI by a very reliable mechanic. They also cut me a deal that local bike shops couldn't come close to matching. I've always gone with local bike shops but now I'm thinking differently.

Thanks for all of your posts! I've learned quite a bit about tubeless tires and rims.

 

Like you I have been more and more dissapointed in bikes I spend more and more on. Stuff breaks and fails on the new ones that held up on the old cheaper ones.
I hear the senitiment about not buying the latest and greatest fancy branded expensive stuff. Ti was all the rage a decade or more back, but I never saw any evidence that it was any better for me.
But sometimes the masses are just right. I like it when I hear more and more stories of "I beat product X to death for 2 years and it is still good". It often means more to me than stories about the latest marketing buzz words. In this case I bet your new parts are the solution to your problems long term. Sometimes the stuff that slips your mind because you just don't have to worry about it and it just works is best. I hope you foget all about your new wheels and tires because they just do what any other wheel and tire does.

Not that it hasn't been said, but my rebranded Stan's EX have held up. The wheels on my $2000 bike puked after the first year. I feel your pain.

 

Based upon the comment you got from your LBS about you being too heavy for tubeless, I too would never have gone back. That was a complete BS comment from them.

You might be better off at REI solely based on that comment.

 

I have the Stan's Flow and they seem bombproof. I also have DT Swiss but I haven't converted to tubeless. The difference in width is noticeable when tubeless but the DT's are eye letted and that could make a difference for long term use.

 

I think it's worth pointing out that the quality of the build is just as important, if not more so, than the rim itself. A properly tensioned arch is probably stronger than a flow with wildly uneven spoke tensions

Sent from my DROID RAZR using Tapatalk 4

 

After switching back to and older wheel (to use a tire better suited for loose) I will say the Arch EX is a bit noodley as a front wheel. I'm thinking a Light Bicycle carbon front wheel would be ideal.

I will also say after switching back to the Arch EX I was quite happy about it's light and quicker steering I didn't mind the noodley at all at that point. It would be nice to have something stiffer at the same weight though.

 

The flow isn't that much heavier than the arch. I read varying reviews that said that the arch weight is understated and the flow is overstated. The real difference between them was said to be less than 100 grams per rim. I have no scientific evidence to back this up though. Even if they weigh as stated by stans, they aren't too different.

--
Stephen