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I bought my son a 2nd hand Orange 5, quite high spec and a nice bike.
The wheels are Stans Arch EX on Hope Pro2 hubs. The rims, certainly the rear, is looking a little wonky (and it's not enduro wide) and our local wheel builder has priced to re-rim both wheels with new spokes and Stans Flow Mk4 rims for £330.
On the other hand, Merlin are doing the complete Stans Flow S1 wheelset for £350.
So, re rim, keep the better Hope hub, or new wheels and sell the Hope hubs?
Third option is a cheaper rim but I can't see this making much cost saving.
S1 wheels are pretty poor so id avoid.
If it’s a Pro 2 hub I presume it’s non boost?
I’d be inclined to buy something like these and sell the hope hubs https://www.chainreactioncycles.com/mobile/s?q=nukeproof+horizon+v2+wheel&f=2527
I'd get them rebuilt, better hubs with better long term spares availability and better rims.
Plus if there's an issue with the build you can just go to your local guy and get them sorted.
Buy some rims with the same erd. Teach/show your son how to swap a rim. It's pretty easy, way easier than building from scratch. Then have a go at truing it. If you can't get it right then a decent wheel builder can finish it off
Same quandary as you: hope pro 2 with battered old Stans Crest rims on my 29er hardtail (non-boost). Personally thinking rebuild with some DT Swiss rims via LBS would be best option
For me 2 main questions are, can you work a spanner, and are the spokes OK. Swapping a rim, if the ERD is the same/close enough, is actually not hard, if you're reasonably competent- generally it's easier than straightening a bent wheel, if you've ever done that, because you're not fighting the rim the same way.
So if the spokes aren't battered, then a rim swap alone is cheaper and easier. I tend to think that not replacing spokes is a bit of a false economy but it depends a lot on the wheels.
Pro 2s are definitely the better hub of the two (if it's a maxle'd Five and an older non-Evo hub that changes a bit as it'll snap axles).
"On the other hand, Merlin are doing the complete Stans Flow S1 wheelset for £350."
I've seen those a lot cheaper than that but would still rebuild the Hopes.
I'd just look for a better wheelset at a cheaper price, 330 quid for a rebuild is a hell of a lot compared to what you can do buying the bits separately.
If it's got to be Stans, and it's non boost (100x15 142x12), then ebay is good, here's a set of Stans Arch Mk3s for 250 brand new, come from paligap so the actual distributor, https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/324831643403?hash=item4ba179870b:g:8cYAAOSwJHZhaE2J
It's a 142 rear hub, Pro2 Evo I think.
I think I would, out of caution, get new spokes anyway as the bike is seven years old.
Edit, I didn't think it was too bad a price tbh, for x2 £110 rims, 64 spokes and a rebuild.
Blimey, those ebay/paligap wheels look very good
I think I would, out of caution, get new spokes anyway as the bike is seven years old.
Assuming they are stainless the age is pretty irrelevant. Even if it weren't then seven years isn't old. Only thing to worry about would be alloy nipples, but they can be swapped with the rim without de-lacing.
+1 for rebuilding the Hopes, especially given you can still get parts for them (how easily, I do not know). I repurposed my old Pro2s for my commuter bike, and am very glad I did. I now have lovely, noisy hubs for alerting folk I'm approaching.
I'd be looking to pick up some rims in the sales like these
Rebuilt on the existing hubs, built right they should be bomb proof.
Also keep an eye on Pink bike as new rims come up on a regular basis, you can filter down to what size and brand you are looking for
@tracey, thanks for that link. They look perfectly good rims and not a model number I’d looked at before (blinkered by ex511 xm481). Good price, so they’d be a decent price, good existing hub and some new spokes.
Ps, spoke to the boy, he was gutted to learn he may lose the buzzy hub.
They won't hang around long at that price
511 or 421? General trail riding. Probably lots of casing jumps?
Thinking I’m going to go for the rebuild option at those prices.
I would go with 511 every time. Its got the wider rim. I've seen these been clattered down EWS stages on a regular basis and as I said are bomb proof and fairly light.
If our daughter wasn't competing on carbons they would be her aluminium rim of choice.
511 is fantastic tbh.
I used to be a stans fan but it's a long time since they've made anything I'd use. (still got an original flow and a flow ex on the dh bike!)
Thanks Tracey, 2 511s ordered. Need to line up the builder but these should be a good build, complete with buzzy hub.
Glad you are sorted, I'm sure he will be happy 👍
£60 each for EX511s is a good deal. I bought some XM481s (also a good rim - bit lighter / not quite as strong but more than enough for my riding) recently and they were £100 each. Brexit and Covid has a lot to answer for - last time I bought some they were £60-£70 each.
I’d get new spokes to be on the safe side - the DT rims will come with alloy squorx nipples and phr washers which you have to use. Any decent double butted spoke will do - DT / Sapim / ACI. The latter are usually the cheapest but if you’re getting a wheelbuilder to do it they’ll use their spoke of choice.
Cyclebasket for cheap spokes 👍
Does that rim weight include the nipples?