[Closed] Anyone running two + sets of MTB wheels successfully sans faff?

Nope, even with 2 sets of exactly the same wheels you will need to adjust for the differences in alignment between cassettes and disc rotors. In theory, with thru-axles you should be able to install the wheel in exactly the same position (if the hubs are the same). In practice this hasn't been the case for me.

The only benefit in saving time is if you have different sets of tyres for different conditions, that way you don't have to re-seat tubeless tyres.

Works for me.....
2x sets of hope Hubbed wheels, one 650b with chunky tyres/inserts. Another set with 29er carbon summer rims/tyres.

Both quickly and easily swapped. No re-adjustment of disks. Might be luck, but works for me.

I have always run my MTBs with two sets wheels with different tyres, so that I can select most appropriate for ride conditions.
I have hardly ever had problems with indexing and only easily dealt with brake adjustment needed. Definitely less of an issue since thru axles.
However I make sure cassettes are evenly worn, and usually change them (with exactly same model) and chain at same time.

I've got the bog standard 27.5+ wheels that came on my pinnacle ramin+ and a set of superstar/stans 29ers and they just swap over no rubbing no indexing problems at all

When I only had one bike, I used to commute with a second set of wheels fitted with City Jets.

The only issue I had was brake disc alignment between the hubs. Syntace do some specific shims - bit expensive, but well made & do the job - solved the problem completely & could swap between wheels with no issue.

This was 9-speed though, so perhaps more tolerant of a minor shifting misalignment?

Yes, I’ve got 29er and 650b+ that I swap between my full sus and hardtail with no adjustments. Same discs and cassette but different hubs. Sram on the 29er and Santa Cruz (Novatech) on the 650b+ so bit of luck it all aligns. I also swap wheels on my gravel/road bike where matching Hope hubs swap perfectly. However, one front wheel has a Bitex hub and I need to do a quick realign of the disc calliper. I guess some shims for the disc would sort that. Overall it’s a bit of a lottery but using the same hubs, discs and cassette will give it the best chance of working.

I run some 29+ wheels and some race wheels on my hardtail. Indexing I sort with a washer behind the mech which I remove when using one set of wheels (although from memory I don't use that anymore as it just works) and then use one of these tools to align the brake rotors, which takes about thirty seconds-

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07FPH77VQ/ref=cm_sw_em_r_mt_dp_88M866K5TFYXV1MFCR05?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1

I also swap the cassette between wheels because it also only takes a few seconds.

Thanks all. Loads of good info there. I'll have a fiddle after this weekend and see if I can get it working.
I guess the first step is to try the old cassette on the new wheel just to eliminate that as being the issue.

3x Hope hubbed wheelsets here, all with same size rotors and same 11sp cassettes. Plus a Mavic wheelset with the same rotors and a different 11sp cassette.

All interchange with no adjustments required, and I regularly swap them about to use different tyres depending on conditions.

Yes, I used to run two, sometimes three, mix and match wheel-sets on the same bike for 24-hour races, all with identical Hope hubs and Shimano cassettes they worked fine. I also used to have a spare wheel with a trainer tyre that I fitted on my cross bike to use with a wheel-on turbo trainer, the indexing on the rear mech was exactly 1.5 turns different between the two, so I'd simply adjust the mech indexing by the requisite amount every time I changed wheels.

I'd look at shimming the rotors so they match up - and/or possibly the rear axle depending on how far out things actually are.

I would also - somewhat unhelpfully - have simply run a DHF front and Rekon+ rear and had a reasonably quick rolling but also pretty grippy single wheel-set, but I guess that particular ship has sailed 😉

I would also have simply run a DHF front and Rekon+ rear and had a reasonably quick rolling but also pretty grippy single wheel-set, but I guess that particular ship has sailed

But, but, but. Carbon. Carbon fibre....😔

But, but, but. Carbon. Carbon fibre….😔

It'll never catch on 😉

works for me -- 1 set 650b+ on Hopes, 1 set DT Swiss M1900 (I think) for the 29".
This on a Swift, rigid. Takes a bit to reset the disc alignment, and have to remember the spacer or not for the cassette (11 speed) but generally it's all pretty much as I'd expect.

I've got a few sets of wheels with different tyres on, one lightish pair on Superstar Switch hubs with Trail Kings for general pottering about, some Fulcrums with Kenda K-Rads for longer days on cycle paths and stuff and a third on SS Switch with Baron/Kaiser on Sun S-type rims- these are complete fun-sponges on anything but winch-and-plummet DH stuff though. They're all single speed so no faff there and the Switch hubbed wheels swap over ok but the Fulcrums do need the rear caliper adjusted in a [i]smidge[/i] when I use them.

Yes, I run two wheel sets on my Sonder gravel.

Both 700c but one with a pair of resolute 42 and the other with conti Gatorskins.

It works for me

2 pairs of different wheels (Fulcrum & DT Swiss) on my Soul - happily swap them depending on terrain. Sometimes need to keep on top of chain wear if I've only used 1 set for a while otherwise new chain / worn cassette jumps about. Guess I've just been lucky with disk spacing.

I run 2 sets of DT Swiss, and to switch over it's a case of just taking off the entire freehub with cassette and putting it on the other wheels, already have discs on and tyres, so only takes a minute to do, rarely need to adjust calipers, but if i do it takes a minute as well.

I give it 3 hours before this thread fulfils its true destiny as a stealth ad.🤨

For those that have commented, any of you running shimano 12 speed?

Like others have said, you need the same hubs. Even going back years, swapping between a wheelset with Dura Ace hubs to a set of HED Jet's with Hope Ti Glides, needed two clicks on the rear mech to adjust the indexing - it was easy to do, but add in discs now. Bit of a faff.

Here's helpful...
I reckon I can change a pair of tyres within 5 minutes. Especially Maxxis ones. Opportunity to see how the sealant is doing at the same time.

Having said that, I do fancy a pair of "Special wheels" for "Special days" 🙂

Yes! But with 10 speed, Hope hubs and Hope brakes. It was two bikes and two sets of wheels so I could swap to get the preferred tyres - everything else on the wheels was identical.

I now have one bike that’s 27.5, non-Boost and 12 speed with 183mm discs and another that’s 29, Boost and 11 speed with 203mm discs, so that’s not happening again…

I run 2 sets on my CX without issue.
Different wheelset as well so maybe I got lucky but no issues with discs or indexing.

I have two sets of wheels for my cx bike. There was a tiny difference in the front rotor positions, but since I run them with Centrelock rotors, I could sand down the inner face of one of the rotors with wet/dry paper to get it bang on. Worked a treat

Well I swapped the old cassette onto the new wheel and weirdly enough it seems to work OK on the bike stand....

Alas I'm self isolating so can't take the damn thing out anywhere to try it properly. Got a reasonably long drive, but not long enough.

And after all this rain the back garden's a bit of a quagmire.

You can get shims for brake discs which some people swear by. You could even do things like tweaking the spacers

I've always been fine just swapping but I think that's mostly luck.

Its less faff and mess than changing tyres, 10s of minutes vs seconds for me to change a cassette, when I've got a proper chain whip and lockring tool with a built in handle. Never had a problem with indexing but perhaps thats because 8 speed is less finicky than 11 or 12 speed?

I realign the brake calipers whenever I remove a wheel anyway, again this takes seconds. I loosen the caliper bolts, squeeze the brake lever gently, rotate the wheel to centre the caliper and tighten the caliper bolts again.

Way back when I was living in a flat with a single bike that I needed to commute on in the week and off road at weekends I found the only way to do this is with the same hubs on both wheels (was running Hope at the time). Different hubs varied enough to require messing with brakes (though gears were ok back in the time of 8 speed). Also needed to take extra care on chain and cassette wear

2 sets of DT factory wheels (27.5 and 29) both with centre lock rotors using 6 bolt adapters.
Both ratchet hubs so just swap over cassette/freehub and fit wheels in frame. No faff with re-centring callipers etc.

On my graven bike I can swap wheels with no adjustment. Tiagra 10 speed, Hope Hubs, mechanical discs 9mm quick release

On my 12 speed SRAM mtb I can't even leave it leant against a wall without the indexing going