Cracks happen.
 

No it isn't the frame. The rim on my rear mtn wheel is cracked at the eyelets. Something didn't feel kosher yesterday with the rear wheel when cornering, it felt like the wheel had alot of give to it. Stopped to find the wheel was slightly out of true, so I tried to true it back up on the spot to no prevail, only to notice the cracks at they eyelets. Rim was a Mavic D321.

Which means I have a new wheel coming. Having to do the rear 6 months before scheduled does bother me though I would have preferred to do both wheels at once. But hey cracks happen, nothing that can stop that. Should have everything and have the wheel built up by next Friday at the latest.

Rim:36 hole Sun MTX
Hub:Rear DT Onyx disc hub 36hole
Spokes: DT Champion 2.0 Straight Gauge spokes
DT Swiss Black Brass Spoke Nipples.
Going to be laced up in a 4x pattern.

Nice choice on the hoop, should be a very burly wheel.
I've been thinking of replacing my rear doubletrack with a MTX.

you are getting a new hub too?

Why not try a tandem hub with 48 ? Phil wood makes them with MTB spacing.

I don't know about rim availability but , you know, it seems as though you require the most advanced, toughest wheelset available.

Go with a double or triple butted spoke rather than straight ones. Look here for the reasons. If you want the ultimate in durability go with the DT Alpine III (I hear they are being phased out...bummer!). I've got a rear wheel made with them that's 5 hard years old and hasn't had any problems.

Why straight guage spokes?

Previous rear wheel was 32 hole, going up to a 36 hole, so no choice but to get a new hub as well. Not that I should be upset, the old rear wheel lasted me 3 years, only had to true it twice in those three years. Was planning on a new wheelset in September, this just screwed things up slightly. So I really don't need the most advanced toughest wheelset available.

IT's what the shop has in stock.

Hmmmmm, I run D321 as well. No problems but I think I'll give them a good once over. You got any pics?

Should expand on why I'm going to be running straight gauge on this build. I just feel that Straight gauge spokes produce a more stiffer set up for a rear wheel. I've always used double butted on the front wheel, but have always loved a very stiff rear wheel. From what I have found is that a straight gauge produces a stiffer wheel when it comes to lateral flex(which is a result in hard cornering.) The double butted rear wheels that I have had tried(demo bikes) felt like they had way too much flex to them. Yes I do know it depends on who or what built the wheels, I take particular pride in my wheel builds, I have yet to have a single wheel that I have built fail due a bad build quality. Have had plenty of damaged wheels that I have built come in due to crashes, getting hit by cars. The fact that I am really good at wheel building is why the lbs hired me, all I really do at work is work on suspension forks and build wheels.

I do like double butted for road wheels though.

mtnbiker66, I didn't bother to take pictures, this wasn't a premature failure either, the wheel was really old by dh/fr standards

Maybee I'll experiment on the new front wheel in September, do a double butted/straight gauge mix.

You're building a 36 spoke, four cross wheel so I doubt you'll have flex issues either way. You'll get a more durable wheel using DB spokes though.

I can still change it to DB if I feel like it. My 321 that I was running was straight guage, and I got 3 years out of that wheel, and with things like this I'm not about to change something that works perfectly fine for me.