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| Yeah.....that'll work! |
So, those are here now and will be getting laced to......something. That's the next problem. Rims..... All I know now is that the rims, whatever I end up getting, will have to be for disc brakes, be tubeless compatible, and will have to have 28 spoke holes each. Beyond that, I don't have any real stipulations. Well........I probably wouldn't go for white painted rims. That's sooooooo oughties, don't cha know? Seriously, they probably should be black anodized or carbon. That brings up my next point.....
Price- I could score carbon rims, I am sure, but I also could probably buy four aluminum rims for the price of one carbon one. Sooooo....... And these are not going to be show pieces. These are an everyman's wheel set I am building up. If I were doing a show-off build I'd get something a lot more flashy. I wouldn't turn down a carbon rim set, but I am not prepared to spend hundreds of dollars on a set of rims either. Like, not more than a couple of hundred or so for rims, that is what I am thinking here.
The other thing I think I am looking at here is that the inner rim width has to be, at a minimum, 25mm. I am looking at anything from 25mm - 28mm internal width. Why? because gravel tires are trending wider and I have wheels with narrower inner rim widths already. This way I could mount tires from 45mm-50mm and have an appropriately sized rim laced to a wheel that could go into the Black Mountain Cycles MCD, for instance. Or, if I pull the trigger.....a LaCabra from BMC. (available in March, according to Mike Varley)
If I really wanted to go low-budget, I have some ten-plus year old Bontrager Rhythm wheels with 28 hole rims. I could cut out the hubs..... (The rear is QR and the front is 20mm through axle!) They would be decent rims, basically they are Duster rims, but they are silver, and old.........and silver. Too close to white, not a polished looking silver, and not all that wide internally, to be honest. So, that's a last ditch choice there.
Stay tuned.....
Belgium G? Not sure what shop pricing is on those, but retail is $175/rim
ReplyDeleteTalked myself out of carbon rims for my most recent wheel project. Was willing to pay for it, but I wasn't sure I wanted the ultra-stiffness and weights are usually comparable in the MTB world. Ended up going with DT Swiss XM series, seriously nice aluminum MTB rims, rides great.
ReplyDelete@DT - I looked at those. Nice rims, but I have a complete wheel set here from HED that uses the same rim already. Not that anyone else would do what I do, but duplicating rims in terms of testing/reviewing stuff is something I am not interested in doing, so I nixed that choice off my list.
ReplyDelete@Doug M - Thanks for that comment. I looked at those as well. Interesting rim with the one model coming in with a 30mm inner width. You can get those in 28H drilling too. 30mm is maybe a tic too wide. I didn't see anything narrower, like in the 28mm area. On my list to consider for sure though.
I know that 28 spoke wheels are supposed to be more aero than 32 spoke wheels but does it really make that big of a difference when you're talking gravel?
ReplyDelete@Rydn9ers - First off- I got the hubs gifted to me and they were 28 hole hubs. Dealing with what I was given, not dealing with my own choice, which probably would have been 32 spokes. Just so that part is clear.
ReplyDeleteThey say the more whirling bits you have the more it disturbs the air and causes friction. Makes sense to me whether you are on gravel or pavement. Does it make a difference having four less spokes? Well, probably, but could I tell? Doubt it.
All I care about with these wheels I am building is that I get a stiff wheel that doesn't oscillate and flex causing me to have to work harder to keep the bike pointed straight. Usually that requires more- not less- spokes. I'll do what I can with what I have been given.
Suggest Velocity Blunt SS, Sun Ringle Duroc 30 or DT-Swiss GR 531. I have built all of these (or similar models) recently and they are all good (and all available in 28h).
ReplyDeleteHED Belgium
ReplyDelete@Exhausted_Auk - Thank you for those suggestions and feedback. I have looked at the Sun/Ringle' Duroc 30 and it hits that sweet-spot of internal rim width for me at 26mm. The Blunt SS is also well known to me and high on my list of candidates. That DT Swiss one is a bit narrow for me, I am afraid, so while it is probably an excellent rim, I am going to pass on that one.
ReplyDelete@Kerry - Two problems with the Belgium Plus: I already have had them for years and it is too narrow internally for this project. Great rims though.
Just a thought, you could pair that old Bontrager wheelset with your Reba fork you're selling and it may sell? Or include the hubs with the fork? Just a thought...
ReplyDeleteI'm rolling on 28h Astral Cycling wheels (by Rolf Prima). USA made. Mine were built with Sapim spokes. Strong wheel that has been put through the paces on road and gravel and remained true throughout. There are a few 650b or 700c options work with
ReplyDelete@S. Sprague - Great idea! Thank you.
ReplyDelete@Stevenator - Aren't Rolf wheels all pre-builts? I'm looking to build my own and was talking about rim choices here.
@guitar ted - In February 2020, my LBS ordered Astral rims and built them up with Onyx hubs. Astral might have different go-to-market strategies than Rolf. But, I was able to get rims only for my build.
Delete@Stevenator - Ah! That wasn't clear from your original comment. Thank you!
ReplyDelete