Buy MTB Wheel set or custom build. Spec comparison.

[Captain Fastbastard Mayhem]

better at carrying 95 kg rider, plus a pannier and survive corrugated dirt roads but when not loaded does not mind jumping the odd pavement and never brakes or breaks. oh and rolls nice and smoothly uphill with minimal pedelling*

Flow for sure.

[raptor-22]

If going Asian carbon, also consider Corse rims or full wheels. They around the same price as pyga but made in Taiwan and

[Pete the Pirate]

Yup - they survive being treated badly better.... having pancaked a set of high end DTSwiss lightweight wheels on a small dropoff at speed (major OTB) I say stronger is better - even at a small weight penalty - saves pain....

I have two sets of Hope / Arch 29er. I have hammered these for two years +. I weigh 115kg and take no prisoners in riding technical terrain. I probably kill two sets of tyres per season.

I have NEVER needed to true these rims.

Hope is the poor man's Chris King. Research the company. These hubs are bullet proof and sound great to boot. Spares are no issue.

In my opinion - no better value for money.

Good luck and happy shopping.

[JeremyCPT]

Bang for buck and light as anything a set of Crests with Stans hubs.

They survive my abuse and I enjoy downhill single tracks and weigh 90kg.

Only downside for me is that they are quite narrow and therefore I have to run slighty higher tyre pressures to avoid tyre squirm.

If is was buying again I would go slightly wider.

Not convinced about Carbon rims, especially for marathon events. Seen too many "pros" walking after smashing a carbon rim. 

[outoftowner]

I have two sets of Hope / Arch 29er. I have hammered these for two years +. I weigh 115kg and take no prisoners in riding technical terrain. I probably kill two sets of tyres per season.

 

Geesh, you guys don't mess around on the scale... Amazing what punishment wheels and a bike can take. This is the last time I complain about my weight. My 2 cents worth: bought a set of wheels from Tri-Cycles (edge design 1650 g) for 3k, and they run very fast and smoothly, but then again I only weigh about 70 kg's.

[-cK-]

I just got a Flow EX/Hope wheelset myself.  Been riding the Arch EX for a long time.

 

Had to do some tweaks on them from my abuse (tail-whips at speed and standing 90 degree bunny hop turns).  For more normal riding they should do but for just 200grams give or take more I decided to go with the wider Flow's as they should be more suited for my riding

 

Oh and I only weight in at 75kg

[nonky]

Any comments on PYGA rims (XC and Trail)?

Cost?

I am going to go check them out at the Trailhead this weekend, if possible.

[nick_the_wheelbuilder]

A wheelset that I build many of is the Hope hub / WTB KOM i23 set.

 

Custom built with double butted spokes and brass nipples (32 spoke) it comes in at R6995 and weighs 1800g. (Price excludes valves but includes rim tape)

 

Rims are 4mm wider than Crests, weigh about 60g more per rim but are much stronger. The reputation of Hope hubs speaks for itself.

[splat]

What about the American Classic Wide Lightnings?

 

Wide rims - major +++

Adaptable bubs for all axle standards

As light or lighter than your proposed options @ 1570g

107kg weight limit

 

R8695.00 (cheaper too)

http://www.evobikes.co.za/american-classic-wide-lighting-29er-tubeless-wheelset.html

[Rock Guy]

Just go and buy a set of Hope/Arch Ex or Flow Ex Wheels. You will get away cheaper and have one of the most tested wheelsets. I am running a set of Flows at the moment and despite my absolute best efforts to destroy them they have not deviated a single millimeter from true in 2000km. I'm talking cased jump after cased jump, bottom out drops, rock flying downhill sections, the works. I only weigh about 70kgs, but I have ruined many wheels, these things are the bees knees. Plus nothing beats the sound of that Hope hub. 

[splat]

A wheelset that I build many of is the Hope hub / WTB KOM i23 set.

 

Custom built with double butted spokes and brass nipples (32 spoke) it comes in at R6995 and weighs 1800g. (Price excludes valves but includes rim tape)

 

Rims are 4mm wider than Crests, weigh about 60g more per rim but are much stronger. The reputation of Hope hubs speaks for itself.

+1

My next suggestion was going to be Hope hubs with WTB KOM i25 (always go wide) rims and double butted spokes and brass (always) nipples

[RockCoach]

A wheelset that I build many of is the Hope hub / WTB KOM i23 set.

 

Custom built with double butted spokes and brass nipples (32 spoke) it comes in at R6995 and weighs 1800g. (Price excludes valves but includes rim tape)

 

Rims are 4mm wider than Crests, weigh about 60g more per rim but are much stronger. The reputation of Hope hubs speaks for itself.

 

We do lots of Hope + Frequency i19, i23, i25

 

Plus you can fit proper tyres on WTB rims, not just tubeless ready.

[RockCoach]

Any comments on PYGA rims (XC and Trail)?

Cost?

I am going to go check them out at the Trailhead this weekend, if possible.

 

Price increase from R5.1k to R8,4k per 27.5" rim. 

[nonky]

Price increase from R5.1k to R8,4k per 27.5" rim. 

 

Wooohooooooooooooo !  That's HECTIC.

 

Well, we'd better get used to it - that's the new normal.

 

Thanks, Dog

[V12man]

I have two sets of Hope / Arch 29er. I have hammered these for two years +. I weigh 115kg and take no prisoners in riding technical terrain. I probably kill two sets of tyres per season.

I have NEVER needed to true these rims.

Hope is the poor man's Chris King. Research the company. These hubs are bullet proof and sound great to boot. Spares are no issue.

In my opinion - no better value for money.

Good luck and happy shopping.

I like Hope stuff - 3 sets of wheels with Hope hubs and a full set of Hope hub tools lives in my toolbox - for a reason...

 

CK is nice - except for the price - perfect for road use...

[Marius]

Please note I have the Carbon Rovals nipples start crumbling after about 2 years and you'll have to have them rebuild ( like I'm currently doing ) replacing them with brass nipples.