Mountain Biking - Calling all wheel experts....

I am looking to upgrade my wheels & I hv a question around weight and durability.

I looked on MTBR and saw the FSA XC 300's got a great write up & they weigh around 1.7kg per pair.
Also can buy a custom built set for around £70 ($110) cheaper that look nice and the components also get a good write up, but they weigh around 2 kg.

My question is how much difference would the 300g make in the wheels ?
Would the lighter wheels stand up to my riding which is 20 to 50 miles a ride on different terrain, some rough ?
Or shud I go for the heavier wheels that would be more suitable for all mountain ?

Finally - Happy Holidays to all out there !!

I am looking to upgrade my wheels & I hv a question around weight and durability.

I looked on MTBR and saw the FSA XC 300's got a great write up & they weigh around 1.7kg per pair.
Also can buy a custom built set for around £70 ($110) cheaper that look nice and the components also get a good write up, but they weigh around 2 kg.

My question is how much difference would the 300g make in the wheels ?
Would the lighter wheels stand up to my riding which is 20 to 50 miles a ride on different terrain, some rough ?
Or shud I go for the heavier wheels that would be more suitable for all mountain ?

Finally - Happy Holidays to all out there !!

I'll throw my 2cents in before hitting the surf.
The mileage is not going to ruin a set of wheels; it is the type of riding. If you are hitting jumps and drops a stronger, not always heavier, set of wheels would be beneficial. You can have a super heavy set of wheels but that does not mean they are stronger then the lighter ones. So depending on what the wheels and hubs are on the custom built set would be the deciding factor as well as who is building them and how good a builder is that person.

As far as weight, if you ride a heavier frame there is a good chance you will not notice the 300g but if your bike is on the lighter side you might. Most riders could not tell unless they were very in tune with their bike and/or rode long distances with a lot of climbing. 50mi may be long but if you are in shape it is not that bad.

DBD:beer:

I ride Mavic DeeMAx & Crossland wheelsets. They make excellent products.

DH ride : DeeMax @ 2447g
XC ride : Crossland @ 2074g

The tires are where alot of weight can be saved, and yet keep the strong rims....

The custom wheels I am looking at are the Hope XC hubs and Halo Freedom hubs (both British) - any one know if this is a decent component combination for wheels ?

Also the wheel builder will sell them for £190 (usd320) does that sound like an OK deal ?

I mean Halo freedom rims.....

When I upgraded both my road wheels and my ATB wheels (new bike) 300 to 400 grams was very noticeable in acceleration. It makes the bike a lot more fun and even my wife noticed it when she went lighter. You're constantly accelerating on the trail, and that reduction in rotating mass reduces the fatigue.

Both our present ATB wheel sets are about 1800 gm, but mine are far stronger due to the construction. It's not just the weight, but the construction that dictates the strength/longevity.

Light and strong means more money. My new Cane Creek Zonos Disc SS are $600 list. You don't need to spend nearly that much for good wheels, but they sure are nice. The sealed bearings (4 in the rear hub) have no noticeable drag and the spoke nuts are on the hub to further reduce the mass at the rim where it's more noticeable.

Al

The custom wheels I am looking at are the Hope XC hubs and Halo Freedom hubs (both British) - any one know if this is a decent component combination for wheels ?

Also the wheel builder will sell them for £190 (usd320) does that sound like an OK deal ?

All hope hubs are good. Freehub is rebuildable on them which I have never had to do on my wheels, but nice to know it can be done. Halo Freedom rims are not my cup of tea, Bit on the heavy side, but do have a following with the freeriders in the UK.

Just checked with Merlins http://www.merlincycles.co.uk/ They do not do Halo rims- but could give you a starter price for Top grade handbuilt wheels in the UK. In case you also want it, Hope hubs site is http://www.hopetech.com/products/products_index.htm