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Considering upgrading from my Hope Evo 2 + WTB i23 wheelset to something a bit quieter with higher engagement, even less maintenance needed? increased strength on the rear? and ~160 g lower total weight (with XM421 on the front which doesn't take that much beating the way I use it, double EX471 would also work at a 60g weight penalty).
Saw the wheelset offered at Wheelproject, seems like a great deal, but are the better deals out there?
https://www.wheelproject.com/index.php?route=product/product&product_id=834
Looks like a good deal, I would recommend the 36T rachet upgrade for an extra 50 Euros though.
Price quoted includes 54T ratchet as noted in the title 🙂
no idea about their current pricing - but maybe check actionsports.de as well.
Bought a lot of custom wheelsets from them the last two years.
Always went the low cost route with DT 370 and (their) FunWorks rims.
Bike which I use a lot right now: 35 mm inner rim in combination with 2.6 inch rubber.
In my vast sample size of 1 of each, I'd take Hopes over the much loved 350s every time. After 2 years of abuse my Pro4s are noisily running as smoothly as ever. After 6 months of mostly summer, my 350s need new bearings F+R. Not impressed.
I know this is not going to help but from time to time, CRC have a batch of OE wheels that match that. I paid £160 for a pair of 30mm internal EX511 on 350s a few weeks ago. That makes the £400 price point a little difficult to swallow.
@submarined anecdotally service needs seem similar, but perhaps hope is using better bearings? Pro 4s Are more costly.
@nickfrog dang, how can one get alerted to such offers?
Hopes on XM481for £400 in UBYK black Friday sale, or Hope hubs/rims for less.
Superstar V6 on Flows/Arch for £315 in Superstar black Friday sale
Send an email to ryz@fitwheels.eu and see how much they will charge.
Doesn’t seem an unfair price especially if you account for The ratchet upgrade.
There basic build only uses plain guage spokes. Another 20 euros for butted spokes. Also watch out for what your bank charges for transfer of foreign currency
anecdotally service needs seem similar, but perhaps hope is using better bearings?
Hope bearings are pretty much the same. They're just decent spec 2RS bearings with Hope brand on it (INA bearings I believe). DT bearings are virtually the same from what I've seen.
The difference with Hope is usually the hub design and seals, not the bearings they use. However I'm not too impressed by the number of people I see asking frequently about servicing them but how wonderful they are as they're easy to service. In my experience DT 350 hubs go on forever without needing a service.
Which is why this is very puzzling...
After 6 months of mostly summer, my 350s need new bearings F+R. Not impressed.
Never needed to service a 350 and been running them in various wheels for years.
Thing about them is to me they are very well sealed hubs, to the extent they're a bit more effort to get the end caps off.
p.s. DT rear hub is an extra complication in needing a special tool for the wheel hub bearing access (removing the ratchet ring). However as I've yet to need to do bearings on a DT I've not needed it so far.
p.p.s £400ish for XM421 / EX471 on 350 hubs is a fairly decent price, especially if they're built well.
I got a set of XM1501s 35mm new version from one of the German shops for £400. Great wheels but pickup with 36t isn't great.
check what your bank charges for paying in a different currency. It will be more than £400
I paid £320 for DT 350 hubs with crest rims and aerolight spokes including postage from the guy above.
Don’t the 54t ratchets pack up with grime easily, I think the 18t is ample tbh.