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Anyone running $178 chinese carbon rims for DH yet? light-bicycle.com

dilzy

Monkey
Sep 7, 2008
567
1
hmm, that's cheap enough to build up a wheel and put it in a test rig. Wouldn't be running one until I test it in a rig.
 

jonKranked

Detective Dookie
Nov 10, 2005
85,859
24,451
media blackout
i've got some of the el cheapos on my xc bike. not from this supplier, but another one. so far i haven't had any issues. been running them all spring.
 

BmxConvert

Monkey
Aug 6, 2007
715
0
Longview, Washington
I got some Xainen 38mm carbon clinchers for my road bike. I laced up a set of 50mm carbon clinchers from Xainen for a buddy and he loves his. The common consensus is that they are for nicer than the Reynolds carbon rims. I haven't ridden mine yet as I'm still waiting on parts, but I'm down to be a guinea pig on the wide carbon clinchers for my Blur TRc.
 

meepmeep

Chimp
May 23, 2011
13
0
I just got off chat with 'nancy yu' and it will cost 490 USD for built wheels (20mm front axle, 135x12 rear axle). Apparently they won't be ready for shipping until next week because so many people have been ordering them. How's that for customer service?
 

BmxConvert

Monkey
Aug 6, 2007
715
0
Longview, Washington
I just got off chat with 'nancy yu' and it will cost 490 USD for built wheels (20mm front axle, 135x12 rear axle). Apparently they won't be ready for shipping until next week because so many people have been ordering them. How's that for customer service?
BS. Nancy is a cover up. No Chinese family living in China would name their daughter Nancy.
 

thad

Monkey
Sep 28, 2004
388
21
I just got off chat with 'nancy yu' and it will cost 490 USD for built wheels (20mm front axle, 135x12 rear axle). Apparently they won't be ready for shipping until next week because so many people have been ordering them. How's that for customer service?
Yeah, she told me they could build them with Novatec DH61SB and DH12 SB hubs,

http://www.novatecwheels.com/novatec/english/p_racing.php?c1=3&c2=12
I am pretty sure the DH41 front and DH12 rear are the same hubs as Azonic Outlaws. tanks, but get the job done.
http://www.novatecwheels.com/novatec/english/p_show.php?sid=91 f 261g
http://www.novatecwheels.com/novatec/english/p_show.php?sid=92 r 451g


61SB claimed 185g, about the same as hope pro 2.
http://www.novatecwheels.com/novatec/english/p_show.php?sid=231
82SB claimed 399g.
http://www.novatecwheels.com/novatec/english/p_show.php?sid=390

Considering Azonics weigh
1157g - 560g azonic rim + 370g carbon= 967g - dh41 hub 261g + 61SB 185g = 889g Front
1327g - 560g + 370g= 1127g rear
2016g complete. Pretty deece for <$500. No getting around that tank of a rear hub. Lighter than I9's, barely heavier than deemax ultimate.

Switching it for a hope pro 2, 300g, brings the wheels down to 1865g, lighter than Havocs.
 

Lelandjt

Turbo Monkey
Apr 4, 2008
2,512
826
Breckenridge, CO/Lahaina,HI
With dimensions of 23/30mm wide & 370g these are more of an AM rim, a direct competitor for the Flow. I'm waiting for a similar product but 26/35mm & 470g. Really strong with thick bead hooks that handle impacts well. I'd think with a retail price of $250 a rim these would sell like crazy. Why don't these exist?
 

weedkilla

Monkey
Jul 6, 2008
362
10
Because Dh is a small market. And we smash stuff and then want warranty. Would you sell a carbon rim to dher? And be certain you would have a happy customer who would tell his mates?

This doesn't stop me wanting exactly the same!
 

Lelandjt

Turbo Monkey
Apr 4, 2008
2,512
826
Breckenridge, CO/Lahaina,HI
^I'd sell an overbuilt carbon rim to a DHer. 470-500g and 35mm gives you a lot of material. Much more than Enve and Easton are using. With their carbon DH frames GT and SC went for extreme strength with a slight weight advantage. Someone needs to take the same approach to rims.
 

OGRipper

back alley ripper
Feb 3, 2004
10,650
1,121
NORCAL is the hizzle
^I'd sell an overbuilt carbon rim to a DHer. 470-500g and 35mm gives you a lot of material. Much more than Enve and Easton are using. With their carbon DH frames GT and SC went for extreme strength with a slight weight advantage. Someone needs to take the same approach to rims.
I think we learned from years of over-built, under-engineered DH and freeride bikes that all the material in the world won't necessarily help you make a good product. I don't know about any carbon DH wheels from Easton, but the crew at Enve have the know-how to do it right from years of working on theirs. Based on my overwhelmingly positive experience with the AM rims I have no doubt the new DH rims don't need any more material.
 

Lelandjt

Turbo Monkey
Apr 4, 2008
2,512
826
Breckenridge, CO/Lahaina,HI
The Enve DH rims are much too narrow for the tires I like and much too expensive. The Easton Havoc Carbons have been shown and reviewed but aren't released yet and I remember them being narrow, 28 spoke, and only available as a built wheel. The point is I don't need a super light rim, just one that's slightly lighter than what I'm using, the right width for a 2.7" Minion, and much more resistant to sidewall impacts. Since this company has shown that they can make AM rims at a reasonable cost I'm optimistic that we'll see legit DH rims soon.
 

'size

Turbo Monkey
May 30, 2007
2,000
338
AZ
...I don't know about any carbon DH wheels from Easton, but the crew at Enve have the know-how to do it right from years of working on theirs. Based on my overwhelmingly positive experience with the AM rims I have no doubt the new DH rims don't need any more material.
they shouldn't need any more with 4.5mm beads. on paper it appears enve just built up the bead on their AM rim over time to deal with all the syndicate rims breaking there. the internal width is only 21mm which obviously helps the bead strength but at the expense of turning it into an xc/trail rim profile.
 

thad

Monkey
Sep 28, 2004
388
21
From the mtbr thread:
"I had e-mailed Nancy regarding weight limits and downhill / freeride capability.

She said that in their current form they have a weight limit of 100 - 110 kg.
As well, she said that for heavy DH riding they can "beef" up the rim and it would be about 430 grams."
 

norbar

KESSLER PROBLEM. Just cause
Jun 7, 2007
11,368
1,605
Warsaw :/
All i can say is some people I know tested catalog carbon rims which were supposedly dh strong yet they were killed on very mellow non dh riding in 3 days. I'd stay away
 

duppencf

Chimp
Feb 28, 2013
1
0
Just ordered two rims "wider stronger for DH race" from Nancy...that means 430-450g. In theory, carbon of this weight should be quite a bit stronger than the best aluminum... I think I'll lace them to Hopes and put them on my lighter 7" mini-DH bike to see how they run.

BTW: it is customary in China for people dealing with a lot of foreigners to take on a western first name for ease of doing business. Nancy most likely has a Chinese name as well.
 

Uncle Cliffy

Turbo Monkey
Jan 28, 2008
4,490
42
Southern Oregon
My boss laced up a set of the 26 inch "wider" models for XC riding. He hit a rock and cracked the rim on his second ride. The break was far from catastrophic, but it was smoked.

They warrantied the rim no problem.

I would try them myself, but I got Havens on a good deal and they've made it the full 2 years now.
 

Lelandjt

Turbo Monkey
Apr 4, 2008
2,512
826
Breckenridge, CO/Lahaina,HI
I've got some LB Wide 26ers on my 7" AM/FR bike. I got them in 400g for rear and 385g for front. They built up nicely to DT 240s and ride great. They're noticeably lighter and stiffer than the Hope/Flow set they replaced.

When the wider DH rim is ready I'll jump on them.
 
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