[nathan_van]

Hello mtbr,

I come again with another question. I guess more like I want to know what other riders think about this. Recently I purchased a new fork with boost spacing. My current wheel is 20x110, however this fork is 15x110. However, my wheel also needed to be replaced anyway, so I am in the market for a 15x110 wheel. Me being a student, I don't have as much as I would like to spend on my bikes, especially after the new fork purchase. I have been in the market for quite some time, and that one wheel just hasn't popped up on Craigslist or Pinkbike yet. Now if any of you are selling an AM 28/32 spoke, wide width, 29er, 6 bolt rotor mounting, 15x110 wheel, HMU. But besides that, I am seeing a lot of 15x100 non boost wheels for sale that are more at my price line. I looked into getting a boost conversion kit, which would make a 15x100 wheel to a 15x110.

However, I am skeptical. So for those of you who have used them, what are your thoughts? Good, excellent, horrible? Give me reasons why I should or shouldn't use a conversion kit, would really appreciate it!

Thanks a bunch, happy trails!

 

[mack_turtle]

20x110? I thought most of the industry left the 20mm standard behind before boost spacing came along. I probably missed something.

Edit: yeah that is a thing now. Nevermind, I am useless at new bike standards.

 

[nathan_van]

Was the spacing on my 2011 Stumpy, I know it's old.

 

[Jayem]

Boost spacers work fine, using them on several wheel sets on several bikes, both front and rear. All of the ones I use allow my wheels to be centered, so no re-dishing wheels or any of that craziness.

 

[nathan_van]

A potential problem I could see is the hub on a 110 is wider than the 100, and adding a kit on one side doesn't make the hub more stiffer. It does make it wider, but it doesn't make it stiffer as it just bolts on. Or am I totally wrong and it is just as good as a normal 110 hub?

 

[gasmanxj]

I have one bike with full boost fork and hub and another with a boost fork/regular hub with adapter. If I was blindfolded I would not be able to tell you which one was which. No noticible difference and I ride fairly fast in chunky terrain. No issues with the adapter kit, been a couple years on it. Like Jayem said, keep it simple with a kit that has 2 end cap spacers and a rotor spacer. No redishing required. Finding a nice wheel in your price range is more valuable then having a boost hub, IMO.

 

[nathan_van]

Thank you for the help. Looking at the Wolftooth boostinator, I see it only works for certain wheels. Is there another brand you would recommend I use?

 

[Nat]

My hub (Onyx) was originally non-Boost but my new fork is Boost. Onyx had the parts to convert the hub to Boost and I recall it being inexpensive. You might want to try contacting your hub manufacturer to see if they have a conversion kit. If they don’t, I would not have any qualms with using an aftermarket adapter.

 

[LyNx]

Sort of in this same boat, or shortly will be when I purchase my new frame later this year and I won't have any concerns ordering the boost kit for my Pro4s made for them by Hope.

As to the dishing thing and strength gained or lost ........ No matter the claims by those using boost, it does not build you a dishless wheel, it only increases the flange width on both sides, decrease the spoke angles slightly and brings tensions only a bit more even. When you use an adapter like Hope make for their 100mm front hub that is only an extension on one side (drive side) and requires re-dishing, you actually do get a stronger wheel because spoke tension and angles are more even than those created from regular boost.

 

[keen]

I use Problem Solvers kits both front and rear. Cost less than $25 for each end. The rear is a single 6mm spacer that requires a re-dish to center the rim. My buddy used a front kit on his rear conversion so he disn’t have to dish - has’t complained about shifting problems.

 

[One Pivot]

I dislike adapters and spacers and cobbles. I know, they work fine, but I'll sell what I have and build a new wheel instead of spacers. I understand thats not practical for a lot of people, but you asked for opinions :lol:

I opted for a non-boost fork, which I happily run without issues. I actually had a boost fork with a boost wheel, and went to non boost with a non boost wheel. I had to build a wheel to technically downgrade a standard. Sure, I would have preferred a boost fork, but it was nearly 3 times the cost. Not worth that.

Id use the spacers and relace a hub later. IMO, you paid for boost, bypassing long term is silly. I'll be the first to admit the benefit is very small, but its there.. and you bought it.

 

[Impetus]

Depends on what type of conversion kit we’re talking about.
I’ve used the little ‘spacer/shim’ kit from eBay, and though it worked fine it was fiddly and a hassle to keep track of the loose parts when changing a flat trail side. They do work, and would use them again if needed.


I have zero problem with hub-specific ‘boostinator’ kits. They’re great and still much cheaper than building a new wheel.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Jayem]

You can always use a bit of silicone to attach the spacers to your frame, fork, etc. The kits on eBay are dirt cheap and work great. I don’t take wheels off very often, modern bike racks don’t require this, so the spacers just stay there and do their job. When I’m on vacation like now and fitting the bike into an SUV, I take the front wheel off and make sure the spacers are fitted on the axle, putting the wheel on WITH the spacers takes literally about 5 seconds longer than before. I don’t want to throw away or buy stuff for no reason. My carbon wheelsets are extremely laterally stiff, they aren’t breaking, I just raced one hard a few days ago over 50 miles and we pounded out some hard miles in Sedona yesterday. If you are really apprehensive about the spacers, order an extra set and put them with your bike tools. I’ll “upgrade” when I have to build a new wheelset, but for now, there is no good reason not to use the spacers. They work great.

 

[Jayem]

I use Problem Solvers kits both front and rear. Cost less than $25 for each end. The rear is a single 6mm spacer that requires a re-dish to center the rim. My buddy used a front kit on his rear conversion so he disn't have to dish - has't complained about shifting problems.

A front kit on your rear is going to be screwing up the frame. A proper rear kit (that also doesn't require dishing) is two 3mm spacers and a 3mm brake spacer. A front kit is two 5mm spacers and a 5mm brake spacer. If you are using a front kit on the rear, you are spreading apart the stays. Yes, it's close, but these things are dirt cheap and so readily available.

The dishing kits cause more problems IMO, besides just dishing the wheel over, now you may be out of the range of the derailleur limit and even if within, may need to run more cable length for the additional reach (6mm). I'm not sure why this method gained more popularity so quick, but as a mechanic it just makes no sense to me, I'll take the simplest and strongest solution.

Just silicone on those brake and axle spacers so they don't fall off when taking off rotors and wheels if this is an issue to you.

 

[gasmanxj]

Thank you for the help. Looking at the Wolftooth boostinator, I see it only works for certain wheels. Is there another brand you would recommend I use?

This is the Problem Solvers one I used: https://problemsolversbike.com/products/brakes/booster_-_k5143

As mentioned a dab of silicone keeps spacers in place if you remove wheel a lot.