Comments on: Wheel Weight and 29″ers: Are We Going The Wrong Way? http://twentynineinches.com/2008/05/09/wheel-weight-and-29ers-are-we-going-the-wrong-way/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=wheel-weight-and-29ers-are-we-going-the-wrong-way 29er Bike Reviews, Rumors and News Fri, 10 Feb 2012 02:51:33 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Chris Crash http://twentynineinches.com/2008/05/09/wheel-weight-and-29ers-are-we-going-the-wrong-way/#comment-69325 Chris Crash Thu, 28 Oct 2010 22:24:31 +0000 http://twentynineinches.com/?p=1167#comment-69325 Sweet! Be interested to hear what you think. See if you can talk Easton into a set of Carbons and Alloys just for fun ;) Sweet! Be interested to hear what you think. See if you can talk Easton into a set of Carbons and Alloys just for fun ;)

]]> By: Guitar Ted http://twentynineinches.com/2008/05/09/wheel-weight-and-29ers-are-we-going-the-wrong-way/#comment-69321 Guitar Ted Thu, 28 Oct 2010 17:52:22 +0000 http://twentynineinches.com/?p=1167#comment-69321 @Chris Crash: You'll be interested to know that we are going to be doing a review on Easton Haven wheels in the very near future. Stay tuned...... @Chris Crash: You’ll be interested to know that we are going to be doing a review on Easton Haven wheels in the very near future. Stay tuned……

]]> By: Chris Crash http://twentynineinches.com/2008/05/09/wheel-weight-and-29ers-are-we-going-the-wrong-way/#comment-69320 Chris Crash Thu, 28 Oct 2010 17:31:53 +0000 http://twentynineinches.com/?p=1167#comment-69320 This is a great article GT and lively feedback to boot! I agree with the lack of enthusiasm for Shimano and other new wheels coming in at 1800g or more with a pretty high $ and only 19mm internal widths. Most of us run 2.2's and up and 19mm is simply too narrow for good handling in rough technical conditions. When I was shopping for an endurance race wheelset I narrowed it down to Easton Havens and handbuilt Stans on DT hubs. The Mavic's were spendy with marginal hubs and narrow rims, the XT's were the same with perhaps a better hub, not keen on I9's with the uber $ proprietary spokes and reliability based on forums and reviews is mixed. I went with Havens in Aluminum (although carbon would have been sweet). Am I impressed? Definitely, best wheelset I own and soo much faster than my XT / Stan's flow wheels. Durability has been awesome with only 2 minor trues in 2000km of BC riding. I think the Havens are one of the benchmark 29er wheelsets right now and am surprised to see so little press on them. Light enough for racing (for 160lb and up folks at least) strong, laterally pretty stiff and tubeless with a 2yr no questions warranty. For me at least I am willing to try other wheels but they need to combine all of the following elements at least if they are over $600/pair 21mm or more internal width Tubeless compatible under 2100 g for all mountain/ enduro under 1800 gr for XC - trail Easily serviceable As for hubs bring on 142.5, 150 or even 160mm depending on application but I have not been crazy about 135mm spacing from the first time I tried a 150mm rear wheel. Like the 15mm/20mm thru axle - worth the few additional grams for big gains in wheel stiffness and tracking. This is a great article GT and lively feedback to boot!

I agree with the lack of enthusiasm for Shimano and other new wheels coming in at 1800g or more with a pretty high $ and only 19mm internal widths. Most of us run 2.2′s and up and 19mm is simply too narrow for good handling in rough technical conditions.
When I was shopping for an endurance race wheelset I narrowed it down to Easton Havens and handbuilt Stans on DT hubs. The Mavic’s were spendy with marginal hubs and narrow rims, the XT’s were the same with perhaps a better hub, not keen on I9′s with the uber $ proprietary spokes and reliability based on forums and reviews is mixed.

I went with Havens in Aluminum (although carbon would have been sweet). Am I impressed? Definitely, best wheelset I own and soo much faster than my XT / Stan’s flow wheels. Durability has been awesome with only 2 minor trues in 2000km of BC riding.

I think the Havens are one of the benchmark 29er wheelsets right now and am surprised to see so little press on them. Light enough for racing (for 160lb and up folks at least) strong, laterally pretty stiff and tubeless with a 2yr no questions warranty.

For me at least I am willing to try other wheels but they need to combine all of the following elements at least if they are over $600/pair

21mm or more internal width
Tubeless compatible
under 2100 g for all mountain/ enduro
under 1800 gr for XC – trail
Easily serviceable

As for hubs bring on 142.5, 150 or even 160mm depending on application but I have not been crazy about 135mm spacing from the first time I tried a 150mm rear wheel. Like the 15mm/20mm thru axle – worth the few additional grams for big gains in wheel stiffness and tracking.

]]> By: Art http://twentynineinches.com/2008/05/09/wheel-weight-and-29ers-are-we-going-the-wrong-way/#comment-39699 Art Wed, 21 May 2008 11:29:41 +0000 http://twentynineinches.com/?p=1167#comment-39699 The general rule for road wheels is that anywhere south of a thousand bucks, pre-built wheels are going to be heavier than hand builts that cost half as much. Manufacturers are selling a theory that wheels built from parts designed to work together offer an inherent performance benefit. This theory only holds up under fairly loose cost constraints because those proprietary parts are so expensive to make. At the low to mid part of the price range, people are just buying these things because they look fast. The general rule for road wheels is that anywhere south of a thousand bucks, pre-built wheels are going to be heavier than hand builts that cost half as much. Manufacturers are selling a theory that wheels built from parts designed to work together offer an inherent performance benefit. This theory only holds up under fairly loose cost constraints because those proprietary parts are so expensive to make. At the low to mid part of the price range, people are just buying these things because they look fast.

]]> By: George Krpan http://twentynineinches.com/2008/05/09/wheel-weight-and-29ers-are-we-going-the-wrong-way/#comment-39578 George Krpan Sat, 17 May 2008 23:00:20 +0000 http://twentynineinches.com/?p=1167#comment-39578 300 bux for a 1800 gram wheelset? That's around 400 grams lighter than the wheels that are usually found in this price bracket. 24 spokes BUT this is an "engineered" wheel as opposed to a mish mash of wheel components. Shimano stuff is usually very good. A talked to a 230 lb. bike mechanic the other day who was riding 24 spoke Bontrager wheels. Again, an engineered wheel. He said they stayed true and had no problem with broken spokes. On the other hand I've broken a lot of spokes with the rear wheel that came on my KHS Tucson. They're 32 spoke laced to a Rhynolite rim. 300 bux for a 1800 gram wheelset? That’s around 400 grams lighter than the wheels that are usually found in this price bracket.
24 spokes BUT this is an “engineered” wheel as opposed to a mish mash of wheel components. Shimano stuff is usually very good.
A talked to a 230 lb. bike mechanic the other day who was riding 24 spoke Bontrager wheels.
Again, an engineered wheel. He said they stayed true and had no problem with broken spokes.
On the other hand I’ve broken a lot of spokes with the rear wheel that came on my KHS Tucson.
They’re 32 spoke laced to a Rhynolite rim.

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