[Closed] 29er Wheels - Help!

What pressures do you run?

Maybe more would be good?!?

or has any recommendations?

I think we need to understand [i]why[/i] you are a serial rim wrecker before we recommend anything specific.

bad luck? big guy? poor build? gnarmonster?

Morning!
I've just installed a pair of Hope / 27mm 29er Easton ARCs on my Orange Segment. I'm 100kg with gear. Only had a thrash around Llandegla Black, Red, Blue and Freeride Section but they feel pretty much up to anything I can throw at them.
Hand built by Merlin for the record.

Cheers,

Dave.

Have a look at Superstar DS25 rims.

http://www.superstarcomponents.com/en/superstar-t-ready-ds25.htm

I've ridden a lot of fast rocky tracks in the Lakes and Scotland and they have no dings or dents as yet (touch wood).

I decided against carbon rims as I was worried I'd do the same as you have.

I tend to run around 25-30psi, I weigh around 87kg with riding kit.

I certainly wouldn't describe myself as a gnarmonster! I did expect to have to work on the Arch EX's that I had fitted to my Solaris, especially the rear wheel, but I kept snapping spokes and eventually the rim twisted out of shape, although I never had any issues with the front wheel there was notable flex in the wheel, I don't think these were hand built though.

The LB rims were built by a local bike shop with a good reputation for wheel building, and were fitted to my Smuggler. They certainly felt a hell of a lot stiffer than the Arch EX rims they replaced, but after only 5 rides of my local riding spot they cracked on a descent.

Morning!
I've just installed a pair of Hope / 27mm 29er Easton ARCs on my Orange Segment. I'm 100kg with gear. Only had a thrash around Llandegla Black, Red, Blue and Freeride Section but they feel pretty much up to anything I can throw at them.
Hand built by Merlin for the record.

Cheers,

Dave.

How did you decide on which width of rim to go for?

I tend to run around 25-30psi, I weigh around 87kg with riding kit.

On a rear wheel I'd be dinging the rim all the time on anything < 30SPI and I weigh 75kg.

Perhaps some more pressue would be a good idea, whatever rims you decide to go for. Maybe think about some proper tough rims too, at least on the rear, Mavics beefier Maxtal based rims are very tough, and very hard too, so harder to dent, something like a 719 or even a 821 if you want something wider would be a good idea, it's a shame they don't do the 729 in 29er as that's a properly tough rim.

The current WTB offerings are also very good, i23, i25 etc. they are decently wide and so far have proven quite tough.

Either way I think you need to look at more gravity/DH oriented rims, they're not light but they are tough and it seems you need tough over light based on your current experiences.

On a side note this:

but I kept snapping spokes and eventually the rim twisted out of shape, although I never had any issues with the front wheel there was notable flex in the wheel

Sounds like a dodgy build, Arch EX are not a bad rim, and should stand up to general trail enthusiastic riding if built well, you certainly shouldn't be repeatedly breaking spokes.

WTB KOM i25 on my Smuggler. I have had LB carbon rims before and they were good and stiff but for the reasons you've discovered I've gone back to alu. I've got a good few dents from water bars but I'd rather that than a crack and ended ride. The KOM side bits are designed to bend inwards when dented so the bead stays on the wheel.

Does sound like your Arch wheel was badly built if the spokes were snapping.

Morning!
I've just installed a pair of Hope / 27mm 29er Easton ARCs on my Orange Segment. I'm 100kg with gear. Only had a thrash around Llandegla Black, Red, Blue and Freeride Section but they feel pretty much up to anything I can throw at them.
Hand built by Merlin for the record.
Cheers,

Dave.
How did you decide on which width of rim to go for?

A call to Merlin helped me decide. I'm new to 29er but I felt the tyres were rolling too much on the arch rims once I dropped the pressures. So I had higher pressure with less grip or lower pressure with rolling tyres.
Chatted to Merlin about it and decide the ARC 24s weren't enough of a jump to notice but the 30's were overkill for 2.3 tyres. So far they feel mighty fine and look pretty cool too!

Cheers.

Morning!
I've just installed a pair of Hope / 27mm 29er Easton ARCs on my Orange Segment. I'm 100kg with gear. Only had a thrash around Llandegla Black, Red, Blue and Freeride Section but they feel pretty much up to anything I can throw at them.
Hand built by Merlin for the record.
Cheers,

Dave.
How did you decide on which width of rim to go for?

A call to Merlin helped me decide. I'm new to 29er but I felt the tyres were rolling too much on the arch rims once I dropped the pressures. So I had higher pressure with less grip or lower pressure with rolling tyres.
Chatted to Merlin about it and decide the ARC 24s weren't enough of a jump to notice but the 30's were overkill for 2.3 tyres. So far they feel mighty fine and look pretty cool too!

Cheers.

Good to hear! I called Merlin to ask about the rims but the guy I got through to thought that they didn't stock the Easton rims. I will try again today though. What kind of riding do you do? What pressures are you running?

I know DT swiss rims were traditionally made of cheese but my other half took a punt on these from Rose Bikes and have been faultless so far: DT Swiss XM-1501 Spline One Disc MTB wheel set ( http://www.rosebikes.com/article/dt-swiss-xm-1501-spline-one-disc-mtb-wheel-set/aid:797099)

He's 85kg in full riding gear and rides the new Camber Evo. Been running these rims for 5 months now tubeless running around 27 psi and no dings yet. For reference he managed to blow up his arch rear rim and flow rear rim before trying these out. Tried on lots of terrain including rocky stuff in the Lakes where he blew up stuff before (he could now just be a better rider...)

Good to hear! I called Merlin to ask about the rims but the guy I got through to thought that they didn't stock the Easton rims. I will try again today though. What kind of riding do you do? What pressures are you running?

Funny that! I got the same answer initially. Seems the new stock is still unknown to a few at Merlin. Soon found someone who knew they existed mind.
I run them tubeless. Say 30 front, 35 rear. Ride a bit of everything. Peak District, Yorkshire Dales and Moors with trail centre Red and Blacks thrown in. Dalby, Gisburn, Llandegla, BPW etc.

All good so far on the ARCs.

Dave.

I'll leave the obvious point I made, echoed by others here, on the other thread.