I'm considering selling my Angus and buying a Cross Check so I can run a multi-speed setup for run fixed or geared for longer rides and general fire road exploring. Or maybe a little off road fixed / SS fun?

Can my IRO / Deep V wheelset take the abuse of moderate, slowish mountain biking? I assume running wide cross tires won't be a problem. Is there any reason not to do this, apart from scuffing up some purdy rims? Would the tall aero profile rim walls get torn on sharp rocks?

It's not so much a question of "tearing" your rim walls, though obviously some scratches are inevitable. But my understanding is that as the profile of a rim increases, there is a corresponding increase in stiffness. Which means that something like the Deep V is going to be way less flexible (read: comfortable) than something like an Open Pro. Also, the Deep V will be more prone to crack under these circumstances than a lower-profile rime, though depending on how well-built the wheelset is, that might not be too much of a worry as long as you throw on some fatty tires.

It will be fine as long as you have sufficient tire pressure. The sidewalls on mine caved pathetically easy when I once bottomed out my tire, way worse than I'd expect, but as long as that's doesn't happen it ought to be ok.

Ask this question of the pros who race with deep section Zipps. There's not going to be any problem unless you're laying it out every few meters.

You'd think that noone has ever pointed out that what pros who can ditch an entire bike at the slightest hint of a problem can get away with has little to do with what normal people can.

that said deepv's will probably be ok on fireroads though not ideal. If you really want to run a 40+ tire you should get something wider that is intended for offroad use.

i ride my deep v's offroad and they're smooth and solid. i'm definitely pushing the upper limit with 35mm tires though...

Velocity (used to?) makes MTB DeepVs, pretty sure its the same profile and material, just smaller.

SuperSpokes.com has the MTB Deep V's. The profile's a little bigger than the road Deep V's, at 24mm x 32mm. Unfortunately black and grey are the only colour choices you get.

i have red deep 26" deep v's i've run on my mountain bike for years and they are bomber, taken at least 2 1/2 ft drops (not often or necissarily on purpose) without having to be trued... keep an eye on ben's bikes on ebay

i can only imagine the same quality from the 700's which i run on my commuter, and once again have never had to maintenance

Not an amazing feat for an MTB wheel more like the bare minimum you would expect from any xc wheelset.

i dunno... i think if you are taking more than that high of a drop you are looking for a little more than XC... but anyway i'm not trying to start anything... point is i doubt HE is going to take a drop like that on his cross check so i think they will be fine

Big difference between MTB Deep-V's and road Deep-V's... namely width, and the type of tires you put on 'em. I'd give Velocity a call to be sure about it.

HE also can't put the MTB deepvs on his crosscheck. And my point was that ANY mtb rim should be able to take a 2.5' drop without getting knocked out of true. Maybe after a few dozen of them and a couple of months of abuse you might run into trouble but 2.5' is well within the range of commonly encountered xc features and anything other then lightest race wheels should be able to deal with an occaisional one fine.

weren't deep-vs originally meant to be cyclocross wheels? before hipsters? i thought i remembered reading that a long time ago.

I've seen several different dudes race 'cross on deep-v's. If that's not a testament to their durability, then I don't know what is.