bomb-est wheels ever??

[maximumradness]

I am going out and getting a new set of hoops. not in a hurry and ready to throw down the cash.
I already know i like the industry nine hubs...
i want to lace up the most wicked strong wheels i can.
free-ride, whistler, that stupid rock garden .....
I am having okay luck with my transitions- my weight range is around 200 and i am tall...
Thought id ask y'all what you think.
My main riding buddies have it narrowed down to double tracks and laserdiscs, and maybe mavics. (though i cant seem to figure out mavic's number system...)
any thoughts or wicked good experiences? THANKS!

[jvnixon]

Personally I really like Mavic rims.


The 721's have a 21mm Inner rim width (a good rim, a little narrow for some, have decent ding protection)
The 729's have a 29mm inner rim width (a nice wide rim, they can dent but are very popular amongst downhillers)
The 823's have a 23mm inner rim width and are ust/tubeless compatible. (very strong rim, i'd recommend this rim to almost anyone thats into dh (especially if you're running tubeless).

What tires are you running right now? Any problems with the Transition rims? Which transition rims are they (32 or 36mm).

Do you like the tire profile the Transition rims give you?

[GPERKINS]

I like the Mavic rims also. I suggest the 823s with Industry nine hubs and spokes. I absolutley love my I9s, and wouldent even consider another wheel even if you gave it to me.

And plus you get sick color ways!!

[maximumradness]

I am running two sets of 32's and have had a lot of success.
Until whistler and racing!
I will say that the 32's have withstood the beating pretty well, and the weight is nice at the races- but for all out free-riding, i want to trust that i am not just annihilating my wheelset.
After a two week abusive binge on free-riding and jumping and pinning it, the spokes started to break, i have broken five so far, and there are a few flatspots. I know this is regular stuff and i know i was abusing the wheels.
Some benefits of the 32's have been the ridiculously easy bearing replacement, the weight isn't obnoxious and the price is hard to beat.
Still the 32's seemed a little outgunned for the speeds and lines I have been charging. It didn't help to switch up to a bigger bike and then open the floodgates at whistler!
On the Blindside i am running with a Minion 3c 2.7 in the front and a minion3c rear too. Kinda racey.
I usually run a timberwolf on the front for free riding.
I am not sure about profiles, and it is hard to guage 'cause i tend to stick with what works so much. the timberwolf (super duty casing) really impressed me with its air volume and durability through out the free ride season, plus it seems to hook up nice on all terrain-until the fall, when it tends to be just plain wore out from day in and out shred.
A wider rim would widen the profile right? What does that do to the ride?
Sick lines is neat.

[jvnixon]

I really like the 3c tires as well (2.5 variant for me though). The 2.5 3c's are about 100g heavier each tire than a comparable 2.5 Maxxis DH (42/40/ST) so i'd assume the 2.7's are the same way.

For your race wheelset, you can try out a Maxxis 2.5 ST42 in the rear, and keep a your 2.7 in front if ya need it. That will drop you a considerable amount of rotational weight alone. Bear in mind though that the ST42 will wear out quicker but I feel is stickier. Are you running XC tubes? DH tubes?

A wider rim will widen the tire's footprint to the ground. If you haven't messed up the transition rims, chances are you could run with any of those rims and be ok. Going to an 823 i'd recommend running tubeless Maxxis tires with a little bit of Stans.

[maximumradness]

thanks for the tips. it seems like the race set-up is dialed then....
but would those 823's hold up to down and out abuse
(very heavy fr & whistler) as well as something heavier...?
is it possible that they are THE one wheel?
I am on the tubeless fence, but willing to try it out at the races, since i wont be twenty miles up and out....
i know about the weight, but worried about durability, and i know you are a huge fan, so any crazy experiences with tubeless durability? good or bad?

--bikes! hell yeah!!

[jvnixon]

In one word, yes they are more than capable.

Tubeless is nice, it can be a headache at times (if you like swapping tires, etc) but it does have advantages. I use both without hesitation.

[maximumradness]

Cool, thanks!