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My crest Mk3 rim has gone the way of most of them, and has started to fail at the spoke holes. :-/ maybe just a touch too light, but it's lasted a few years so no problem really.
I'm using DT SWiss X392's, which I like, but getting hold of 32H 29er ones is becoming a bit difficult. used mavic xc421 before, which are OK,
so, what shoud I be looking at for a XC narrow ish, light-ish alu rim?
size: 29,32H
width: 21-25 internal
weight? <450g
budget: up to £50 ish.
alternatively I'd look for a new rear wheel, but that would need to be circa 900g as I don't like dragging heavy wheels around.
suppose I'm more of a XC mincer, so gravel wheels would probably do.
I'm a fan of the crest rim so I'd be inclined to replace like for like. In fairness mine have been great and are quite old now.
I do have Arch mk3 on another bike and they are noticably stiffer (eg. cornering) and only 3g over your weight spec but for a lightweight xc bike I would (and do) run crests.
DT XR361, surely.
Lovely anodised tough finish. Proper welded joint. Use the 'squorx' nipples which I find work really well and build easily. 410g in 32h/29er. Very strong.
Got them on my Gravel bike as 'XC' wheels and I absolutely batter them off stuff with 45mm tyres and they are still straight as a die.
They're difficult to track down, but Stans do a Rapide, which is basically a crest with eyelets for OEM's.
Why they don't release them aftermarket is a mystery as with a bit more spoke tension than the Crest is limited to they build into a very durable wheelset.
Eyelet-less rims is a trend that needs to die. Yes it saves a few grams, but we had a good 15-20 year run of eyeletted rims that didn't crack and going back a step has been really pointless.
DT XR361, surely
that's a good call.
I'm looking to move away from stans I think. I've used non eyletted rims lots before and had no issues, even their old 355's (which I think became 29er/700c iron cross rims). however, I've seen lots of reports of them cracking, so may steer clear, though I;ve seen some crest/arch ex white rims on emay that are tempting.
was considering halo rims too, but slightly beefier than I'd hoped.
xr391 may do too..
I;ve seen some crest/arch ex white rims on emay that are tempting.
Stealth add:
I've got some de-stickered 29" Arch-EX rims built onto QR* A2Z lightweight hubs if that's of any interest? They're ~1750g IIRC. They didn't get much use as I ended up with Rapides for lightweight riding, and DT X470 on hope Pro2's for winter thrashing. £100 collected from Reading.
*the front has 15mm ID bearings so with a lathe/3D printer/selection of spacers could be bolt through, but there isn't an off the shelf kit.
thisisnotaspoon
Full MemberEyelet-less rims is a trend that needs to die. Yes it saves a few grams, but we had a good 15-20 year run of eyeletted rims that didn’t crack and going back a step has been really pointless.
Not really, for onething when was that 15-20 years? I've had as many eyeletted rims crack in the same place as I have non-eyeletted. Like for like- ie weight for weight- eyeletless rims are stronger and more durable. Eyelets add a fair bit of weight and don't necessarily add any reliability, plus as 721s and the like show the fitment can create extra stresses. If you take the exact same weight of the eyelets and put it into beef elsewhere (ie you don't use it to make a lighter or wider wheel) then you get a better wheel, as long as it's done right.
Stans got it pretty much right in the first place but just about every new version they've made has got worse, not because they're not eyeletted but because they're pushing too little metal around too many places. So the Ex was really bendy, the Mk3 is pretty cracky.
Maybe, although seems like every rim on the market these days has some level of cracking issues, Stans obviously, WTB and RaceFace spring to mind as well. Compared to the Mavic 721 era, when IIRC it was only the ceramic/hardened versions that had that reputation? 717's, 219's, etc always seemed to last until the whole wheel was just knackered beyond what a spoke key could save.
you could take a look at newen OP? https://r2-bike.com/NEWMEN-Rim-29-Evolution-XA25-Aluminum-32-Holes
it'll work out about the same price per rim you'll see. you'll want washers - R2 have those and the nipples too (i think these are DT items anyway)
R2-bike seemed to have more range in stock and I really like that you can sort by weight!
ordered a XR331, similar to the X392 in profile and cheaper than the XR361.
I'll need to pay the vat whe it comes in, but it's stil a good price for a very light rim that you can't seem to get hold of in 29 32H in the UK.
thanks all.