The Rim Round Up
From Farkin Wiki
I would like to stress before I start the importance of a quality wheel build! Factory built wheels usually dont cut the mustard (if they did no where near as many people would be asking "what rim should I buy?"), so choose a reputable wheel builder and get your wheels checked a week after use just to make sure they have done a decent job. A rim is an investment and with out the build to match it even the strongest rim will flop.
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[edit] Alex Rims
Model: Supra BH 26" 32H
Advertised Weight: Can't Find
Width: unknown
Eyelets: Yes
Welded: Yes
Disc only: Yes
Strengths: Strong, light for DH rims, No Flatspots or tacoing yet
Known problems: None yet, except paint came off a little when using a metal tyre lever
Personal comment: Came stock on my 04' Norco Torrent, but were also specced on the 04' Team DH, so I think they must be doing something right at Alexrims! Popped a valve hopping up onto concrete and thought (oh my rim) checked the back rim which had landed on the corner, no marks :P Would buy again though I'd like to try the mavic 321's at least once
Model: MT-28 (24")
Advertised Weight: 26" 815g, 24" 760g
Width: 26mm (measured)
Eyelets: nope
welded: no
Disc only: V-brake compatible, so, no.
Strengths: Strength, High sidewall, CNC'd braking surface, Tripple wall, price.
Known problems: Joint split (Wheel is over 2 years old) Has been fine with a split join for the last 3-4 months, has not grown larger. Front rim is perfect.
Personal comment: Great cheap rim, can hack the abuse. Not a long-term investment, has a bit of a used-by date with the splittage.
Model: MX-22
Advertised Weight: NA - heavy.
Width: 22mm
Eyelets: nope
welded: Claimed welded on the 20" and 24", I think the 26" may be pinned
Disc only: No
Strengths: Cheap, do stay true with a good build, no issues with mine
Known problems: Joint has been known to split, flat-spot easily, weight.
Personal comment: 4 months of semi-abusive riding from myself and they were just like the day I got them.
[edit] Atomic Laboratories
Model: Trailpimp DHR (2005)
Advertised Weight: 725g (26inch), 650g (24inch)
Width: 32mm
Eyelets: Res
Welded: No, pinned
Disc only: No
Strengths: Bombproof rim, not even the pros have killed one through wear and tear (only a major crash) and the warrenty is amazing if you do kill one.
Known problems: Well so far, i've buckled it a fair bit, and put a major dent in the sidewall. If it gets any worse, the guys at Atomlab will replace it, have already talked to the warrenty section.
Personal comment: I'd buy it again because of the warrenty
Model: Trailpimp (24")
Advertised Weight: 810g (I call BS, they're heavy)
Width: 34mm outer, 27mm inner
Eyelets: No
welded: No
Disc only: No
Strengths: Strong sidewalls, very flatspot-resistant, not particularly easy to buckle
Known problems: Pinned joints are cheap and weak (see the review of Atomlabs rims on Dropmachine.com by one of their SPONSORED riders), sidewalls are painted and make braking a tad crappy, spokes come loose all the time because the rim is so stiff, lack of eyelets is a bit worrying on such an expensive, heavy, ghardcore rim.
Personal comment: Expensive, heavy rim that whilst strong, isn't worth the money IMO. If you kill every wheel you touch, these may be the thing you need... but I wouldn't recommend em to 99% of riders.
Model: Aircorp (24")
Advertised Weight: 620g (I call BS again)
Width: 32mm outer, 25mm inner
Eyelets: No
Welded: No
Disc only: No
Strengths: The stickers look awesome.
Known problems:
- Buckle easily
- Flatspot easily
- Sidewalls are reasonably easy to ding
- Spokes come loose all the time
- Joins split (refer to previously mentioned Dropmachine review)
- Spokes pull through rim very easily (no eyelets)
Personal comment: Total waste of time and money.
[edit] Dice
Model: SMO $105
Advertised Weight: 850-900
Width: 32mm
Eyelets: Yes
welded: No?
Disc only: No
Strengths: very heavy. Perfect for trials or street
'Known problems: Very heavy, noticable weight when lifting.
Personal comment:If your 1)Fat 2)Learning 3)a trials rider this rim is for you. The sidewall is a little weak but theres enough of it not to worry you if you bend it in. I have seen these rims with every spoke loose or broken- but the rim still true. Look a little cheap on some bikes though, especially is used with v brakes (rubber builds up)
Model: Duke $79
Advertised Weight: unknown
Width: 30mm
Eyelets: Yes
welded: No?
Disc only: Yes
Strengths: decent weight- reasonable price
Known problems: poor finnish- sidewalls poorly machined.
Personal comment: A good front wheel to match your smo. Decent price but the sidewalls turn me off.
[edit] DT Swiss
Model: 4.1
Advertised Weight: 425grams (425g real)
Width:17? Not sure bout this one, but it is very narrow.
Eyelets: YES
Use: XC Rim brake rim, Also available in ceramic brake coating. 28 / 32 / 36 hole.
Model: 4.1d
Advertised Weight: 425grams (425g real)
Width: 17? Not sure bout this one, but it is very narrow.
Eyelets: YES
Use: XC Disc only rim, 28 / 32 / 36 hole.
[edit] Halo
Brand: Halo
Model: SAS 24" & 26" both come in 36 or 48 hole
Advertised Weight: 720g (24" 48hole) 780g (26" 36hole)
Width: 36mm
Eyelets:double
welded: yes
pinned: yes
Disc only: white powder coated ones are disc only
the black and Gold can be used with V's but it will wear through the annodising/oggyising.
[edit] Mavic
NOTE:- Some mavic rims come in 3 options
1. Plain anodised. These are the silver or black rims
2. Hard anodised. These are the dark grey rims. These are what are known as CD rims ("Couche Dur", which is just French for "Hard Anodized")
3. Hard anodised with Ceramic surface. These are for rims brakes, for trials riders and such.
I seems, at least in mine and others experiences, that the dark grey CD coated rims crack, especially around the eyelets, more so then the normal anodised rims.
The CD is a hard anodising coating, it is thicker then normal anodising and harder. It was originally put on rims to assist with rim braking as it wore off the normal anodising layer very quickly. As the CD coating is thicker and harder it is also more brittle, not a good thing to have on a rim which is flexing all the time. This can cause the coating to crack and create a stress riser on the surface and a place for the rim to start cracking.
If your using disc brakes it is probably worth going for the plain silver or black anodised rims as they are cheaper, and appear to be stronger. And to be honest the mavic matrix alloy is alot stronger then Sun or Alex to start with so its probably overkill to go for the CD rims.
Model: ex721 (new 521) $119/139
Advertised Weight: 590 (ceramic? normal?)
Width: 30mm
Eyelets: Yes
welded: yes
Disc only: No
Strengths: all the pros cant be wrong
Known problems: none
Personal comment: Race breed. Design remains the same all these years on. Go the ceramic version, it will look newer longer as the serface is stronger. Perhaps a better tyre profile than the 321 (rounder?)
Model: ex729 (new 321)$119/139
Advertised Weight: 675 (ceramic? normal?)
Width: 30mm
Eyelets: Yes
welded: yes
Disc only: Yes
Strengths: all the pros cant be wrong
Known problems: none
Personal comment: Keeps coming back for more. Needs a good build (like everything else) to work.
Brand: Mavic
Model: XC717 /XC 717 Disc
Advertised Weight: 400grams (420g real)
Width: 22mm?
Eyelets: YES
Use: Lightweight XC rim, Available in 32/36 hole (Disc) and 28/32/36 rim brake version.
Model: X221
Advertised Weight: 440grams
Width: unknown
Eyelets: YES
Use: Allround XC/Trail rim, 32/36hole Rim and Disc compatable.
Model: XM719
Advertised Weight:460grams
Width: 24.5mm
Eyelets: Yes
Use: Disc/Rim all mountian/ Trail rim.
Model: XM 819
Advertised Weight: 465grams (500grams real/ UST useable)
Width: UST
Eyelets: YES, to be used with Fore Nipples.
Use: XC / Trail, UST rim... Available in 24(OEM)/28/32 hole, rim/disc brake.
Model: XM 819 DISC
Advertised Weight: 465grams (500grams real/ UST useable)
Width: UST
Eyelets: YES, to be used with Fore Nipples.
Use: XC / Trail, UST rim. Available in 32 hole, Disc brake only.
[edit] Sun Rims
Model: Mag 30
Advertised Weight: ?
Width: 39mm
Eyelets: Yes
welded: Yes
Disc only: Yes
Strengths: Lightish weight without the sacrificed stucture.
Known problems: Paint seems soft, rocks can scar the surface
Personal comment: Intense's imput to the design really has made a diffence to the weight and strength over the double track. Doesn't feel heavy to ride- thus pedals well considering its size.
Model: MTX
Advertised Weight: Whoknows
Width: 34mm
Eyelets: Yes
Welded: Yes
Disc only: Yes
Strengths: Strong.
Known problems: Camo finish easy to scratch, mildly susceptable to flat spots/rim edge bends, over very rough terrain
Personal comment: Could be a good front choice to run with a mag30 or doublewide on the rear. Who says your wheels need to match?
Model: Rhyno
Advertised Weight: Unknown- not super heavy, but far from light.
Width: not sure, probably same as Rhyno Lite
Eyelets: no
Pinned/welded: may be pinned
Disc only: No
Strengths: Cheap, super strong, resistant to vertical and horizontal warping (e.g hard to buckle or flatspot). Able to take heaps of abuse under even big guys. Originally recommended as an offroad tandem/heavy duty dh rim.
Known problems: More likely to flatspot than buckle. Takes some doing though. May be restricted to New Old Stock now, can't find it on the sun ringle webshite.
Personal comment: I've had four of them, only replaced after a lot of abuse (but still in reasonable shape) for cosmetic reasons, or when upgrading wheels. I found the 36h one to be as close to indestructable as you like. Not a wanky bike porn product but incredibly dependable
Model: Single Track
Advertised Weight: 540-590 (24-26?)
Width: 31mm
Eyelets: Yes
welded: Yes
Disc only: Yes
Strengths: Light weight and welded join
Known problems: Easy to flat spot- not a good urban option
Personal comment: A great rim in its own right- but better suited to lighter riders or race only bikes.
Model: Ryhno lite and xl
Advertised Weight: 565 (26")
Width: 29mm
Eyelets: Yes
welded: Yes
Disc only: No
Strengths: Light weight and welded join
Known problems: Easy to flat spot- not a good urban option
Personal comment: A great rim in its own right- but better suited to lighter riders or race bikes.
[edit] Syncros
Model: DPS 32$119
Advertised Weight: 685g
Width: 32mm
Eyelets: yes
Welded: yes
Disc Only: yes
Strengths: 'Apparently' for hardcore freeride and Downhill. Double eyelets and concentrically drilled spoke holes.
Known Problems: Unknown
Personal Comment: Dont know much about these rims, and wouldnt mind trying a set. Available in white and black.
Model: DPS 36 $129
Advertised Weight: 730g
Width: 36mm
Eyelets: yes
Welded: yes
Disc only: yes
Strengths: For hardcore freeride and downhill, Double eyelets and concentrically drilled spoke holes.
Known Problems: Unknown
Personal Comment: Wouldnt mind trying a set, also available in white and black.
