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Been looking at replacing my wheels for some time (currently mavic XM819s on Hope Pro 2s). I'd been looking at Crossmax XLs, DT Swiss EX1501s, and SRAM Rail 50s. In the end I pressed the button on a set of Hope Hoops with Arch Flow EXs at half the price of the other options. What's the STW verdict on the choice?
Main reason was cost vs. durability. I'm around the weight limit for the other wheels and just wasn't sure they would be strong enough, plus was a bit concerned about being tied into hard to find parts. Only real concern is the weight. I've been plagued by pinch punctures of my tubeless setup so am switching to Schwalbe Super Gravity tyres and was hoping to offset some of the weight with lighter wheels (especially as I'm considering the Procore system when available). Wheels are for general trail riding and a spot of Enduro racing.
Nobody want to [s]reassure me[/s] tell me I made the wrong choice and Stans are made of cheese?
That's what I would have done too
me to on the stans rims although likely dt 240s if you were looking at spending more anyway.
Thought about DT 240s but happy with the reliability of my current Hopes and couldn't justify the price increase just to save a bit of weight in the least important part of the wheel for weight saving.
The trick with DTs is to buy some unfashionable wheelset used and throw the rest in the bin.
Did you get Flows or Arches? Stans are a wee bit softer than 819s so they dent more easily, and people mistake that for lacking strength but they're not really.
Got Flow EXs. Wanted the extra width, especially as considering Procore which requires at least a 23mm internal width.
Well that's put a spanner in the works 🙁 Hope are no longer doing their Hope Hoops with Flow EXs, so I can no longer get them at the previous bargainous price.
I can get the Hope Tech Enduros for the same price, or spend £70 more to get EXs. What does STW reckon?
Reviews of the Enduros suggest Hope's build quality is not up to scratch and wheels lose tension quickly (fixable but annoying), but then I guess the same would apply to their Hope Hoops with Flows.
Stan's rims are great, but at Crossmax type budgets I'd have gone Light Bicycle carbon on Hope myself.
I've decided I'd rather keep the budget at the lower end of things, plus not massively keen on the faff of ordering Chinese products and subsequently having to get wheels built. So it's really between the Tech Enduros and the Flows now.
Not really heard of issues with Hope Hoops build quality, so I'd not be put off by that. I'd probably still stick with the Stan's rims, more of a known quantity.
You're definitely right about being a known quantity, but I think that after much umming and ahhing I'm on the verge of pulling the trigger on the Hope Enduros. Not only are they cheaper but early reports suggest that they're harder to dent than the Stans. Given that I've put a few dents in my notoriously hard Mavic XM819s, I think it might be worth taking a punt on the Hopes. 23mm seems an acceptable internal width and the weight is pretty much the same as the Flows. If it turns out to be a massive mistake then at least I can get the hubs laced onto something else.
The trick with DTs is to buy some unfashionable wheelset used and throw the rest in the bin
What wheelset's use the 240S hub? Keep it on the quiet cause I wouldn't want anyone else to clock on to the idea..
TBH I look occasionally and only find 240 wheelset's going for new hub prices
... looking at those carbon rim and wondering if I should go DT 240 (would like a 20mm front hub) over my favorite ever reliable, if a tad heavy, Hope's.
I went with Stans Arch EX for the hard tail, running tubeless and love them. Tough enough for me. Would go for Flows but the Arch are fractionally lighter and the HT gets more of a mix between XC and trail/AM duties and I'm a fairly light rider and not a big hitter.
I know plenty with Arch and Flows and not seeing people having issues with them.
I got it built with DT 350s though. Wasn't cheap, but most the off the shelf stuff came with Hopes and I hate noisy Hopes (other option was the Stans hubs but not impressed with the reviews or convinced they were quiet enough for me). Wanted relatively stealthy and these are pretty quiet but also supposedly good quality. Seem fine so far. Also went for a reputable builder. Off the shelf stuff you don't know how well they were built in Taiwan and if things have loosened up in the transport.
EX1750 is a good one- thought the hubs are white. Comes with the 20mm-compatible front hub too.
Set of Hope Tech Enduros arriving tomorrow. Time will tell if it was the right choice.
First ride on the Hope Tech Enduros yesterday and first impressions are good.
Fitting and seating tyres was easy (used Maxxis HR2 on the front, new Schwalbe Hans Dampf Super Gravity on the rear), and the tyres have a nice profile on the rims. Having only used UST rims I had feared that setting up tubeless with rim tape would be a nightmare, but it was just as easy.
Wheels feel stiff enough, no noticeable detensioning of spokes so far (MBUK reported loss of tension after one ride - I think they had SP spokes though, I've got normal), and no flats (which were plaguing me on my XM819s, although with a different rear tyre).
Too early to say much though, as only one ride and it was at Llandegla so not particularly demanding of wheels. Will report back once I've hammered them through some Peak District rocks as there aren't many user reports of these wheels.