Carbon 29er Wheelset - How wide?

[Grease_Monkey]

So it is finally time for a new wheelset - or it will be in January. 

 

I bought a 27.5+ Spez Stumpy a while ago with the idea of buying a 2nd complete wheelset so I can interchange depending on the sort of riding I will be doing. I am thinking of going carbon, with a Sram GX 11 speed (10-42t) cassette with Shimano Icetech rotors. Probably going with Spez 2.3 GC for the rear and 2.3 Purgatory for the front (not set on that combo - just like it as that is what I have now). I have not decided on hubs yet - maybe Hope?

 

So down to my real question - I want to go as wide as possible - but how wide is wide enough? My current rims have an internal width of 29mm, but I am running 3.0 + tyres. I am thinking around the 31 -34mm internal width for the new wheels, but I am not an expert in this area. Any advice? 

 

ENVE is on top of my list at the moment - any other suggestions (along with approx price if you know it)?

[Captain Fastbastard Mayhem]

Enve imo too expensive

 

Nextie

Light bicycle

Xmcarbonspeed

Derby

 

Fly the rims in then build them locally with hope pro 4 hubs from wherever and bladed spokes from rapide

 

 

I'm running 35mm internal and it's amaaaaazing

 

Grip is stupendous. Faster side knob wear cos you're on them sooner, but if you want grip then OMFG.

[Grease_Monkey]

Enve imo too expensive

 

Nextie

Light bicycle

Xmcarbonspeed

Derby

 

Fly the rims in then build them locally with hope pro 4 hubs from wherever and bladed spokes from rapide

 

 

I'm running 35mm internal and it's amaaaaazing

 

Grip is stupendous. Faster side knob wear cos you're on them sooner, but if you want grip then OMFG.

Awesome, glad to hear I can go that wide! What tyre and rim combo are you running?

[cpelser]

.......from wherever and bladed spokes from rapide...............

Why bladed spokes? Just asking as I thought they were a gimmick?

[Mopkop]

Enve imo too expensive

 

Nextie

Light bicycle

Xmcarbonspeed

Derby

 

Fly the rims in then build them locally with hope pro 4 hubs from wherever and bladed spokes from rapide

 

 

I'm running 35mm internal and it's amaaaaazing

 

Grip is stupendous. Faster side knob wear cos you're on them sooner, but if you want grip then OMFG.

THIS!!!

 

Light Bicycle is flippen good rims. You can land a set for around R7500. Pro 4s are about R4500 all in and then about R2k for build and decent spokes.

 

Wide rims make a moerse difference in the handling and control of the bike

[MSquared]

Interesting read

 

http://enve.com/journal/is-wider-always-better/

[Captain Fastbastard Mayhem]

Why bladed spokes? Just asking as I thought they were a gimmick?

Cos they're like, lank kieff, bra. 

 

And they're lighter. Marginally. 

[Captain Fastbastard Mayhem]

Awesome, glad to hear I can go that wide! What tyre and rim combo are you running?

WTB Asyn i35 & Magic Mary / Spaz Slaughter

[Grease_Monkey]

Okay, so I will follow advice on this forum, really like the wheels I am seeing from Nextie.

 

Next question - as the while point of having the complete extra wheelset (cassette and all) is to easily change wheels depending on what i feel like that day. Do you guys think I am going to have a problem with the chain/cassettes? As it will be the same chain being used on two different cassettes depending on the wheel-set that is on the bike.

[Captain Fastbastard Mayhem]

Okay, so I will follow advice on this forum, really like the wheels I am seeing from Nextie.

 

Next question - as the while point of having the complete extra wheelset (cassette and all) is to easily change wheels depending on what i feel like that day. Do you guys think I am going to have a problem with the chain/cassettes? As it will be the same chain being used on two different cassettes depending on the wheel-set that is on the bike.

Just get another chain.

[Captain Fastbastard Mayhem]

Interesting read

 

http://enve.com/journal/is-wider-always-better/

Yep. Except now they've got 35mm internal rims themselves

[Grease_Monkey]

Just get another chain.

 

Yeah, guess I will have to. Just means that 2 minute swop becomes a bit longer, having to break the chain and put the other one on every time I wanna do a swap...

 

EDIT: Might as well save some money and transfer the cassette from one wheel to the other instead.

[Flippa]

If I read your initial post correctly, then you currently have 29mm rims with 3.0 tyres. In my opinion, you're not getting the best out of those plus tyres with such a skinny rim. Personally, I would rather go with a 45-50mm to run the 3.0" tyres on and get narrower tyres for those 29mm wide rims.

[Hairy]

Cos they're like, lank kieff, bra. 

 

And they're lighter. Marginally. 

I have had bladed spokes before and recon they are a little over rated .... also finding replacements is a paint ..... most importantly .... getting your knuckles caught by them is eina, but then again this only happens a few times till you learn to be VERY careful

[the nerd]

^^ 

 

This is exactly what I would do. I run WTB Scraper's i45's on my 27.5+ bike and they awesome! 

 

29mm is an xc wheelset man!! 

[Grease_Monkey]

If I read your initial post correctly, then you currently have 29mm rims with 3.0 tyres. In my opinion, you're not getting the best out of those plus tyres with such a skinny rim. Personally, I would rather go with a 45-50mm to run the 3.0" tyres on and get narrower tyres for those 29mm wide rims.

 

 

^^ 

 

This is exactly what I would do. I run WTB Scraper's i45's on my 27.5+ bike and they awesome! 

 

29mm is an xc wheelset man!! 

 

 

Yes, 100% agree I am not getting the most out of them. But I want to go 29er for the new wheels. So... first upgrade is the wide 29er wheelset, and then eventually a wide i45 for the 27.5 plus wheelset. For now the 29mm will have to do for the 27.5+ (I don't know why Specialized specs it with such narrow rims for a plus tyre!).

 

If I was planning on going 27.5 on the skinnier tyres I would've done exactly what you both suggested....