Bikepacking wheels....again

[ze_zaskar]

Hello all,

I'm going to build a new set of wheels next month.
I weight 195lbs, my bike is a rigid Ogre. I commute daily with a 28/30lbs load and bikepack with a full bag load.

My current wheelset has XT hubs (dyno front), DT Comp spokes and Rigida Sputnik 36h rims. I built them like this because I was riding with traditional panniers. They are tough but super heavy, the rims alone weight 740g.

About the new wheels, I was thinking about ZTR Flow EX 32h rims with a XT rear hub and a XT or SP dyno front hub. I'll be bikepacking to Ecuador next year, so I need reliability. I'd also like tubeless ready rims.

Any ideas?

Thanks in advance

[vikb]

About the new wheels, I was thinking about ZTR Flow EX 32h rims with a XT rear hub and a XT or SP dyno front hub. I'll be bikepacking to Ecuador next year, so I need reliability. I'd also like tubeless ready rims.

Any ideas?

Thanks in advance

Those parts sound fine. I prefer cartridge bearing hubs, but as long as you pay attention to the bearing adjustment on your Shimano hubs they are fine.

Make sure you get an expert wheel builder to build the wheel for you. Let him veto your parts choice and select your spokes. How the wheels are built is as important as what components you use.

[ze_zaskar]

Thanks,

The wheels are going to be put together by a very competent builder.

The alternative to the Shimano XT hubs would be a Shutter Precision PD-8 dyno and a DT Swiss 350 on the back. This would be 140g lighter and €90,00 more expensive.
€90,00 better? I have some doubts...

[joeRinehart]

I'm not a wheel expert, but wanted to chime in that I've owned both XT and DT 350 hubs. Never had a single issue with the DT, and I that I can remove the freehub without tools. The XT hubs tend to loosen up repeatedly and require wrenches to do just about anything.

[ze_zaskar]

Thanks,

The cool thing about my supplier is the the price difference between wheelsets does not reflects the actual difference between hubs.

I always go to XT because it's a comfort thing. You know you are not buying the very best but there's always a warranty of reliability (or there seems to be). But there are som many great reviews of the SP PD-8 and the DT 350 hubs that they got me thinking

[MikeC]

I would choose the 350 over the XT 100 times out of 100, even if paying full bucket retail.

Best bang for the buck/most durable/easily serviceable hub on the market IMO.

[ze_zaskar]

Thanks Mike,

SP PD-8 and DT 350 it will be.

On the rims, coud I get off with the Arches or am I really that better with the Flows?

[balexander87]

I have arch rims laced to 350 hubs front and back. Built by MikeC actually. Couldn't be happier with them!

Had one little incident riding a built feature. Tire slipped on the wet wood. Wheel dropped into a space between two planks with my weight behind it. I was sure I had just nuked my new, "forever" wheel set, but it didn't bother the wheel one bit.

Love these wheels! Another advantage is the front will still work if/when I upgrade to a through axle fork.

[fotooutdoors]

I will echo concerns with the XT.  I have killed two freehubs on Shimano wheels, one a Deore level, the other the 6-bolt XT. Neither had more than 8,000 miles on it. To be fair, these were both year-round wheels, but I expect better reliability, especially since I relubed both every 1 year or so.