XTR vs more expensive hubs

[greatwhite]

Just been looking on CRC to gauge the price of various MTB hub/rim combos. I have a few questions for the more experienced MTB Riders:

 

Are Chris King/DT etc hubs worth more than double the price of XTR. If I use my DA 7700 road hubs a beanch mark (which I have done many km on and are still going strong and are remarkably smooth) and assume the setup and bearing/raceway quality is the same same, then more money spent on hubs seems to be a waste, given there is negligable weight saving. If you believe the extra price is justified, please explain why and quantify it

 

Also, it appeares you can build up an equally light set of disc brake wheels for significantly less than buying factory wheels, other than the mavic SLRs and XTR M975 rims which have 'milled' sections between the spokes to lighten the rim but retain thickness where the spoke nipple goes, can anyone suggest additional motivation for going for the factory wheels?

 

I was thinking an XTR/Mavic 717 combo would be good - any better suggestions (please motivate)?

greatwhite2008-08-08 17:27:27

[Racer X]

Go the XTR hub route, the design is simple and ultra reliable. Spares can be easily gotten hold of and as you yourself have noted you are paying 50% less than you would on other more botique brands. The only downside is the rotors assembly you're pretty much stuck to XT/XTR centrelock units.

If you are going to buy the wheelset via CRC then check out the Sun Ringle' EQ21 rim, its the lightest they stock, at 350 grams a side. Dt Swiss Revolutions are also a very worth while buy.

 

If you have the extra cash. Go for the Hope Pro 2 hubs, they are cheaper than the King/DT equivilants, are pretty light and very reliable.

 

The main disadvantages of factory built wheels are:

 

- The high cost.

- Trying to get replacment parts can be a mission as well as pricey.

- Weight, many factory built wheelsets are much heavier and more expensive than your equivilant custom build up.

 

Another option, and for about 6 K, you can build up, locally, No Tubes ZTR Olympic rims onto American Classic hubs with Dt Swiss Revolution spokes. This is a sub 1400 gram build.

 

Hope this helps.

[Goodbadugly]

Shimano has been in this market for a long time and certainly won't slap their XTR brand on rubbish.

BTW: As far as I know the others run on cartridge bearings. Some makers like DT Swiss, Chris King prefer this.

Chris King has got more engagement points, thus quicker engagement. 

What do you want? What do you need? Big price difference.

I have 2 sets of wheels on DT Swiss 240s and like them.

[Racer X]

Yup the Kings and DT's are on cartridge bearings. The AM classics are probably the best bet though as they are lighter than both of the above and retail for about 1700 rand a pair. Less than half the price of the others.

[greatwhite]

Thanks for the input guys.

 

The ZTR olympics have a 77kg limit - I exceed that by quite a bit, so not an option for me. If I come out with reliable wheels in the 1.5kg region that will do me fine. C/Lock is fine for me I was going to take my RT97 (new XTR) rotors off the LX hub wheels I have now and put more basic rotors on those wheels.

 

I fully expected the cartridge bearings to be mentioned. replacability is useful, but if my DA road hubs are anything to go by, then likely I'll never need to concern myself with that - bearing in mind that MTB is predominantly a weekend only thing for me.

 

Not very clued on the tubeless thing - is it the way to go and why? Getting to the R6k mark is getting too steep for a weekend toy

[TheLegend]

 

 

Not very clued on the tubeless thing - is it the way to go and why? Getting to the R6k mark is getting too steep for a weekend toy

 

LEt the experts tell you about the riding performance, weight and whatever of the tubeless - I can tell you from my own experience of how nice it is to reduce your punctures from 7 times out of 10 rides to 0 times in about 80 rides! definitels worth every penny - GO TUBELESS!

 

[Racer X]

Then go the 355 route. Tubless is great, you loose a lotta weight, you can run nice low pressure and you don't puncure, much.

[GoLefty!!]

Racer X speaks the truth on both rims and hubs.

 

XTR M975 with noTUbes ZTR355 is an excellent combo.

[Racer X]

Racer X speaks the truth on both rims and hubs.

 

XTR M975 with noTUbes ZTR355 is an excellent combo.

 

Well great minds do think alike

 

I might even reveal my sub 1100 gram MTB disc wheelset one day, which includes skewers. The weight is hypothetical, only been done as far as I know on paper.

[GoLefty!!]

that would be a much anticipated revelation

[Racer X]

I'll give you the brand names so long

Pillar

No Tubes

Tune

Extralite

[GoLefty!!]

Ah ha!

 

I see where you going with this

[quickdraw]

Seen this on Gumtree?

 

 

Shimano XTR Wheel Disc Only M975 - Centre-Lock Disc Rotors

Price: R 3,499

[Guest Big H]

Just been looking on CRC to gauge the price of various MTB hub/rim combos. I have a few questions for the more experienced MTB Riders:

 

Are Chris King/DT etc hubs worth more than double the price of XTR. If I use my DA 7700 road hubs a beanch mark (which I have done many km on and are still going strong and are remarkably smooth) and assume the setup and bearing/raceway quality is the same same' date=' then more money spent on hubs seems to be a waste, given there is negligable weight saving. If you believe the extra price is justified, please explain why and quantify it

 

Also, it appeares you can build up an equally light set of disc brake wheels for significantly less than buying factory wheels, other than the mavic SLRs and XTR M975 rims which have 'milled' sections between the spokes to lighten the rim but retain thickness where the spoke nipple goes, can anyone suggest additional motivation for going for the factory wheels?

 

I was thinking an XTR/Mavic 717 combo would be good - any better suggestions (please motivate)?

[/quote']

 

On the www.chainreactioncycles.com website go to wheels and choose custom MTB wheels. You can build your own custom wheelset with your own choice of hubs, rim and spokes on the web page. The wheels come fully assembled.

 

With Shimano rims you are not stuck with the centre lock option. You can buy centre lock conversions which allow you to bolt rotors to the centre lock conversion. Just make sure the rotors diameter is Shimano compatible. Also browse for this on the www.chainreactioncycles.com website.

[linnega]

XTR hubs are as good as you're going to get for the price.  Don't tell Minty but Chris King hubs are not worth the difference.  The Mavic 717's on the other hand are not great.  Mine lasted not more than a year of on-off riding and I'm a chicken on the trail, so no big jumps for me.  Rim got out of true quikly and the spokes started breaking routinely.

[ridr]

For reliability, spares/servicing, price, feel - XT all the way!  weight - 1680g vs xtr 1525g