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Can pick a set of these up for £200 at Merlin (custom built). Any thoughts?
Cheers.
I've never had a problem with mine but then I'm happy to pick up a cone spanner once a year to degrease/tighten them.
Seems a bit expensive though, I paid a lot less 2 years ago but that might just be he way of the world.
They've carried my 14st frame around a variety of red/blue XC trails (as well as one or two of the mini-DH trails at FOD.
Have got a pair of 20mm XT on 719s from Merlin, bought April 2010. Apart from tacoing the front rim during an unfortunate incident last year the wheels have been absolutely fine. Stiff but not harsh, compliant but not noodly.
Took the rear hub apart the other month to find out why it was running so well and it was still full of lovely clear grease.
Highly recommended.
Mine have been great. Light and stiff and still run true with my 14 stone frame as well.
The rim is 17mm wide (as I understand it) which is quite narrow by modern standards although this hasn’t caused me any issue. I have a 2.4” tyre on the front at the moment which looks fine but people do suggest you need a wider rim for wider tyres.
Just be aware the recent XT freehubs don't have a good reputation for reliability - a quick google will bring up quite a few forum discussions!
Mine's started to feel glitchy after only six months, so I ordered a whole spare hub for 40 quid so I've got spare freehub, axle, cones, bearings etc. ready.
bought a pair of exactly those from Merlin a few months ago - they seem great, no problems
I have run these hubs and rims without issue for years and they are pretty good. However the rim does come up a little narrow for a lot of the wider tyre choices folk make these days. Anything over a 2.2 gets a bit round in profile. Also I had an XT hub that after 2 years use self tightened to a point where the cone split and the bearing surface on the hub was pitted beyond repair. This may have been a maintenance issue (lack of) but it did render the wheel useless.
How hard a rider are you? My experience of 717s is that they do get a bit bashed out of shape if you're a less than delicate rider. As the prefix suggests, they are a cross country rim really.
Had some for a few years, no real problems but they were a bit weighty so went for some Crests on Hope Pro 2's and bearings did need looking after during winter
But if weight is no bother they are fine if a bit narrow
YGM regarding some hopepro2's on 717 rims.
have a look at the nukeproof rims (sun ringle inferno) on the same hub
bigger (but heavier)
Thanks for all the replies.
Wally, i have emailed you back Re' some pics ( for some reason my outbox is taking forever to send anything!! )
Cheers.
I had two xt (770 I think) rear hubs die on me and owned both from new, the second was a warranty replacement.
First had a bent axle within a couple rides and had the wobbliest freehub you've ever seen before the bike was ever ridden to the point that the gears were a right sod to set up. Bear in mind it was on the back of an xc hardtail not a stunter.
The second lasted a fair while but eventually the rear hub went graunchy then seized up so ended up going back too.
I love the rims, I have two sets. They ding a bit but are lovely and light and can handle a fair hammering.
The 717 rims are fine, the XT hubs are OK but you have to remember to keep them serviced - forget and you might trash the bearing races.
You are much safer with something like a Hope hub.
Merlin might be hit or miss on the builds - Ihad some 517s on XT hubs from them and they went out of true, had to get the LBS to straighten them although I would do that myself now.
Look at Just Riding Along and see how much XT builds are.
Alternatively look 2nd hand for a bargain.
I’ve never had a xt free-hub last longer than 3 months,in my opinion not good enough,hope are considerably better 😐
I’ve never had a xt free-hub last longer than 3 months
they must be bad now then as I used to ride all winter through serious mud and they lasted well as long as I serviced them semi-regularly - it seemed the seals only started to get good on Shimanno at the XT level.