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26in chinese carbon all mountain rim

337K views 2K replies 226 participants last post by  pb123hou 
#1 ·
I really enjoy the 29er chinese carbon rim thread but l didnt see anything for all mountain chinese wheels or rims. I'm looking for some 26in carbon all mountain rims that need to be wide, pretty light and strong to go on my Tracer2. Going through all the Asian carbon stores is big undertaking. That, and l dont fully understand everything about wheels. Are all the rims pretty much for xc if not can someone point me in the right direction
 
#1,303 ·
Been on the road so just checking in and saw this and your PM. It looks like the advice above is correct.. Use the wheel you already laced as a guide and just copy it. I was taught the pulling spokes should be outies so front and rear wheels would be opposite but I don't think it actually matters.
 
#1,304 ·
Alright, so I'm returning the Pillar spokes for refund and will order Sapim Race from Dan's Comp if possible today. I've measured my hubs (Novatec D881/882 in 9x100 and 10x135) and ran the numbers trough 5 different spoke lenght calculators (Sheldon Excel sheet, DT, Sapim, WheelPro UK and ProWheelBuilder) and got very awkward results.

Considering some calculators asked for the distance between hub center and inner flanges and others for distance between locknut and outer flanges (why not to middle of flange though ??), I would have expected the ones using similar inputs to give similar outputs. Well I was dead wrong. 3 of them gave very similar results and 2 others (while very similar) gave me at least 2-3mm of difference. And both group results had different hub inputs (either center to flange or locknut to flange).

So what should I use ?? For building up the wheels at first with all 251.5mm spokes, I know they were too long in the rear and too long on the front left side (not sure about the front right side, looked good at the time). So should I go with the ones giving shorter spoke lengths or with the average of all 5 results ?

Here's the result table btw :

Text Colorfulness White Line Style


This is for the DH rims with 518mm ERD and 32h, using all brass 12mm nipples.

Thanks for any help :)
 
#1,306 ·
Unfortunately, that's where lies the problem. Can't figure it out correctly from there since they are without outer drilling and I don't have spokes on hand anymore.

Edit : I think I'm gonna go with the DT swiss results, since they are the closest ones to what I managed to figure out.

left | right
front 250/253
rear 251/250
 
#1,307 ·
I've always used the DT Swiss calculator and been happy with the results. I only buy even number length spokes to cut down on inventory and round up or down. Your last spokes probably weren't more than 2mm too long but you just gotta guess and compare that to the calculator's numbers.
 
#1,320 ·
I got my AM rims today and they look awesome!!! They came out lighter than the listed weight too!!! 350 on one rim and 360 on the other. I'm going to use the lighter one on the front. The spokes and nipples are not in yet, but I'll post new pics when they are built. I'm using Hope Pro2 EVO's (red) with ceramic bearings and DT SuperComp spokes with alloy nipples, (also red). I can't wait until they're done!:cornut:
 

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#1,323 ·
Thought I'd share some very quick findings.

33mm AM rims laced with DT supercomps onto Hope Pro 2 142
Bike is an Ibis HD. 43 Yrs old rider 185lb

Have been watching the carbon wheel threads with interest for some time esp the light bicycle variety. Recently they have brought out a 30mm one in an all mountain form. Plumped for one of these to try out on the rear as I had a hope hub sitting around.
Got it pro built, looks amazing. Will get some pixx up later. Weight wise, no saving over an Easton Havoc rear at all. Almost identical, so not in it for the weight savings.

Ten mins in, crack! First ride. Running tubeless, generous pressure, not soft. Must have come down onto a rock but it was in a section I have never really thought twice about. Tyre stayed up, some sealant had come out and you can feel a bulge in the bead/top of side wall.
Dissappointed. Yet to hear back from LB. Hopefully get a replacement to see if I was just unlucky. Not sure if I have a structural issue or not.

Anyhow my 2c. Not sure about carbon where there are rocky trails. I am glad I didn't plump for Enves (although they may be tougher)
I am willing to try another if they will replace it but I will be out on build costs again.
At this stage I would say avoid the chinese rims esp if you have rocky trails
 
#1,324 ·
How much pressure were you running? You may have had too much pressure. They don't recommend more than 40psi. Either way, they have a 1 year warranty so you should be fine. Also there have been a bunch of people riding these rims with no issues including downhill racers, (Michelle Pederson won the US Nationals DH on them this year, 650B carbon wheels for Downhill Nationals Light-Bicycle) so I would still think they're ok. Every company has parts that fail from time to time, doesn't mean there all bad. Not to mention that Light Bikes probably makes most of the carbon rims for the other brands out there.:thumbsup:
 

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#1,327 ·
Weight wise, no saving over an Easton Havoc rear at all. Almost identical, so not in it for the weight savings.

Really? That doesn't seem right. The havoc wheel set comes in at 1875g according to MTBR. Mine are not built yet, but I'm gonna take a guess and say that mine with the same hubs and spokes that you used will be a pound lighter. I'll post pics and weights when they are done to verify.
 

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#1,328 ·
I was concerned when I read that as well. I also run the 2011 Havoc up front and 2012 Havoc out back, thought I'd easily save some weight by going carbon. I do know that I went from 28-spoke to 32-spoke by going LB. Either way, I'll have a great spare set of wheels in case one breaks.
 
#1,329 ·
Yep

Havocs are 1750 claimed.
LB wider 33mm am rim on Hope Pro 2, DT supercomp spokes, strips, etc were almost identical. Measurements by bike shop not verified by me. I was surprised and dissapointed a bit too
LB build has 8 more spokes and nipples, plus rim tape whereas Havoc has only 24 spokes, and are tubeless ready
Certainly don't be buying them for a weight saving.
 
#1,330 ·
Well the rims alone are 350, 380, or 430g depending what you get. Hope rear hubs are kinda heavy at over 300g. AmClassic and DT 240 are lighter. I don't knowbabout Supercomps but when I'm building a wheel for weight I use DT Aerolites. I know DT Comps add 50g per wheel over Aerolites. Gorilla tape adds 20+g while NoTubes is about 7g and you can skip tape all together with the undrilled DH rim. With different versions of the AM and DH rims on 142, 157, 20, and 15mm hubs I've built wheelsets ranging from 1400-1600g.
 
#1,331 ·
I think I remember weighing my set in at 1588gm after build. It consisted of:

LB AM "wider" rims @ about 390gm each (older 30mm wide version)
Hope Pro 2 Evo hubs front (15qr) rear (142mm)
Dt Comp double-butted spokes
Alu nipples

respectable weight. sturdy. stiff. all around good.
 
#1,332 ·
I am going to try to get a CU pic today. Hard to see the damage as it is under a decal but when you run your finger over the area you can feel a bulge.
I didn't verify my weight and I have no definitive info as to exactly what version of the 33mm rim I got.
LB want a serial number but thats a massive pain as it means taking it all apart and rim is actually holding air.
The frustration is really that I was running a reasonable solid tyre HR2 2.30TR at 40psi ans still managed to incur damage when rolling through a rock garden. Whatwould have happened at 28/30psi that I normally run I shudder to think.
On the 27.5 carbon rim thread a similar thing happened and the rim was warrantied.
Bike shop not ruling out manufacturing issue as they don't believe this should happen without landing a biggish jump onto a rock
 
#1,333 ·
Considering LB doesn't recommend more than 40psi, and you were running 40psi, (the limit of what they recommend) and the bulge is out as opposed to a dent inward, it's probably from too much pressure, not a hit from a rock garden. The hits in the rock garden basically add more pressure to the tire, over loading the sidewall causing it to buckle outwards. I think if you ran 28-30psi it probably would not have happened. Unless your riding on a paved road, 40psi is too high for offroad. Either way, I'm sure they will warranty it so you should be ok.:thumbsup:
 
#1,336 ·
Ok guys, I just build up a set of the new 26" 33mm rims to I9 hubs. Build came out great at 1495 grams. Now the problem. I can't for the life of me get any tire in my garage to mount on these rims. 2.3 Butcher, 2.35 El Mocco, 2.1 Small Block, etc etc. The beads are so damn tight that I have to use a lever to just get the first bead on. The second bead has been impossible so far. I'm afraid to use too much leverage on a plastic rim but I have never had trouble like this mounting a tire. Suggestions?
 
#1,339 ·
Damn, that's weird. Nice and light for an AM wheel set though. Mine are not built yet so I have not tried any tires on them yet. Are you sure it's not a 27.5 rim? You could try setting the tires out in the sun so they warm up. That should expand them a little and make them more plyable. Have you measured the rims? If they are too big, I'd email LB and see what they say. Good luck.:thumbsup:
 
#1,341 ·
Well, I finally got tires mounted after more lever work than I have ever done. A bit scary not knowing how much those rims can take. Used plastic levers hoping the levers would break first, haha. Unmounting was also quite the ordeal as the bead is so ridiculously tight. I improved the unmounting by changing from gorilla tape at the full rim width to just wide enough for the center channel. I would imagine that a thinner stan's yellow or similar would be better but I didn't have any on hand.
 
#1,342 ·
So got my wheels built up, between the rims and dropping to 2.3 tires from 2.4s, I lost 1.9 pounds! Very noticeable! Still dialing in the tire pressues, but wondering if anyone had found the cornering knobs on their tires more inboard on the wider rims? I like to corner agressively and ride the rear wheel thru turns, but feel like the side lugs dont engage like im used to. Overall, very happy w/the changes.
 
#1,343 ·
What tires are you using? The tire will have a flatter profile with a wider rim, but that means more contact patch so better grip overall. If you are using a tire with aggressive side knobs, I think you'll be fine, you will just use more of the side knobs than before. I like a 2.35 Nevigal front and rear or a 2.5 Minion up front with a 2.35 out back. Both have good side bite.:thumbsup:
 
#1,347 ·
I wll try to post some pictures later but I just got my rims back from Red Barn all built up. I got the 33mm wider rims and I asked them to be built up to 400grams and one was 400 and the other was 401. I had Chad build them up with Sapim Cx ray spokes, Brass niples and DT Swiss 240 hubs. 20mm frnt 12-142 rear. Total weight he said was 1550 but I never got a picture of that. I am putting on some mountain king II's the 2.2's so overall I should have a weight savings of 750grams compared to my old rims and tires. I cannnot wait to try them this weekend!
 
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