Wheels

[Aggie_Ama]

My Gary Fisher was totaled in a car wreck and unfortunately needs to be replaced. I am trying to get a Specialized Epic Comp to demo, my shop can give me a really nice deal on it. My biggest issue is that it is heavy, but I don't want to go carbon. My teammate got the same bike and switched the wheels for a significant weight saving. I have no real idea where to start. My teammate built some Stan's which I have heard are great wheels. What about Hubs? Thinking I deserve to go spendy with Kings or Hopes. All suggestions welcome, until the insurance is settled I don't have a budget. So I will weed that out later!

[Becky]

I built a set of wheels around XTR hubs and I've been happy with them. White Industries and Hope were also in the running. I like that the XTRs aren't as loud as Hopes or Kings.

Are you running tubeless or planning to? That would influence your rim choice...

[Aggie_Ama]

100% on tubeless. With sharp rocks, cacti, rock gardens it is not an option to go without. One course I race I flatted every time I rode on tubes. My teammate built up Stan's ZTR with Hope hubs, shaved a lot of weight and Stan's is reputed as bomb proof. I am short but heavier on industry standards at 160. I will likely be going 29er depending on how it feels on the trail.

[Becky]

I don't have any first-hand experience with Stan's rims, but several of my riding buddies like them.

I looked into building a set of 29er wheels on a Stan's Arch rim, but them stumbled across a closeout on Shimano XT tubeless (UST) wheels for less than I could build my own. They've been surprisingly good, and the UST rim makes tubeless set up super-easy, even with non-UST tires.

As for short people on 29ers, I'm pretty sure that I'm about your height, and I adore my big-wheeled monster

[Aggie_Ama]

Talked to the shop and they said all the high end hubs are about the same. I think I may go with I9 (my wrench is racing them) because I can get purple ones. Still leaning towards the Stan's Crest rims in white. Is there any difference in spokes?

[Becky]

I went XTR because a) I like the noise level (or lack thereof), and b) I know how to work on a Shimano hub and have all of the tools. The fact that I got a killer deal on the XTRs helped too....otherwise, the White Industries were at the top of the list because they used a Ti freehub body and I like their service procedures. I believe that some of the high-end hubs (King, maybe?) require proprietary tools.

I build with DT Competitions (14/15 double-butted). Not too expensive, easy to work with, and available everywhere. You could do Super Comps or Revolutions (or comparable) to save some weight if you wanted. But that's a conversation for a real wheelbuilder, not some home shop hack like me.

I prefer to use brass nipples rather than alloy, despite the very slight weight penalty. There is nothing that makes me crazier than having to true a wheel with alloy nipples that have seized and having them round off. Brass nipples are more durable, are less likely to seize or crack, and only weigh ~20 grams per wheel more.

Have fun spec'ing your new wheelset!