29er wheels

[zuludog]

i have moved to a 29er (giant anthem) for about 18 months now and must say i enjoy it as it suits me well. i have done some upgrades including wheels which are hope hubs and ztr crest rims. i do notice that the ride feel is more flexy than my 26 stumpy - i think it is mostly in the wheels. as things go i am thinking of new bikes etc. my question is re- 29er wheels: any opinions about stiffness of these and what to look at?

[splat]

Previous threads on ZTR Crest wheels indicate that they are not all that stiff. Perhaps look at rebuilding your hubs and spokes with some ZTR Arch EX rims?

 

Edit: How much do you weigh?

Edited November 14, 2012 by splat

[dee_biker]

I love my Crest wheels...

[zuludog]

+/- 78kg

[MTB_Roadie]

I love my Crest wheels...

 

I agree

[G-Unit]

Nah, I have Crests and they're too flexy. I weigh about 80kgs.

 

I've already got Spank VOMax rims with Chris King hubs on my CRC wish list. Just waiting for the credit card to catch up.

[MTB_Roadie]

what spokes do you use?

 

I use the Sapim CX-Ray spokes, and I am very happy with mine.....

Edited November 14, 2012 by MTB_Roadie

[G-Unit]

The bog standard ones - its a Stan's complete wheel. Never occurred to me to change the spokes. Did have the rear wheel trued though.

[Johan Bornman]

The only wheel that will give you satisfactory stiffness on a 29er is one with 32 spokes of the standard double-butted type and a rim that weighs more than whatever a Crest weighs.

 

Crest rims are just too flexy for most people...yes I know there are thousands of you out there who are happy with Crests, but I see the other side of the coin - bent wheels in the workshop.

 

Right now we have a 29" bike here that came in 'cause there is "play in the wheels". There is no play in the wheels, but plenty of flex. Lots. It only has 24 spokes. spokes are not expensive, buy lots of them and yoru wheels will be solid.

[M L]

I also have crest rims, laced to AM hubs with DT competition spokes. After the build I have never even taken them back to be tensioned. I weigh 75kg's and they have been through some rough ditches and jeeptrack, still true like the day I got them.

 

In my opinion it is more about the wheel builder and tyre pressure. I like my tyres at around the 1.7 bar mark, but then again I like my fork's the same, so I set mine plush as hell.

 

Anyway, for the lower weight riders there is nothing wrong with the crests.

[RockCoach]

The only wheel that will give you satisfactory stiffness on a 29er is one with 32 spokes of the standard double-butted type and a rim that weighs more than whatever a Crest weighs.

 

Crest rims are just too flexy for most people...yes I know there are thousands of you out there who are happy with Crests, but I see the other side of the coin - bent wheels in the workshop.

 

Right now we have a 29" bike here that came in 'cause there is "play in the wheels". There is no play in the wheels, but plenty of flex. Lots. It only has 24 spokes. spokes are not expensive, buy lots of them and yoru wheels will be solid.

...with the obvious weight penalty that comes with it.

 

The problem is most of these guys want the lightest wheels possible and that means losing spokes and using thin lightweight rims. Then they wonder why they flex.

[Pipsqueak]

If I had the bucks I'd buy a set of Mavic Crossmax wheels.