I'm building a new rear wheel for my FR rig, and was wondering if the added weight on the Trail Pimp was justified over the AirCorp or DHR from Atomic? I'm looking for a rim that will be fairly bomb proof. The bike its going on will be subjected to 15-20' drops, until I go bigger. It is not a race bike, but does need to be pedaled around quite a bit. I'm not overly concerned with weight, but see no reason to add unnecessary weight. So wha do you think?
Trail pimp, Air Corp?
- Thread starter ironbar
- Start date
Do not take the Air Corp
I'd get the pimp over the air corp, as the name suggests, the trailpimp is more of a hard core dj rim, (in bmx trails = dj's) if you are truely going to use the bike for fr, get the dhr, its lighter, then the trailpimp, and much stronger then the air corp.
The dhr is their best rim due to the eyelets.
A well built dhr will hold up worse than a rhyno lyte.
A rhyno lyte is lighter than a dhr.
you do the math. (atomlab rims are crap)
A well built dhr will hold up worse than a rhyno lyte.
A rhyno lyte is lighter than a dhr.
you do the math. (atomlab rims are crap)
of the atom rims i think the one that has an advantage over other rims for a specific application, is the trailpimp.
the aircorp is cheap but doesnt hold up more than a comparable weight and price rim, say the 729 or the mtx.
the dhr costs a lot more and has eyelets but so has just about all the other rims that cost the same.
the aircorp is cheap but doesnt hold up more than a comparable weight and price rim, say the 729 or the mtx.
the dhr costs a lot more and has eyelets but so has just about all the other rims that cost the same.
I'm really suprised to hear of Atoms quality issues. I have always heard that they were fairly indestructable 
especialy the pimp. I've tacoed a rhynolite and have a fairly flat MTX, so am looking for stronger.....Maybe I'll just have to go back to the 321 err 721 err 729, whatever the hell they're calling it these days
especialy the pimp. I've tacoed a rhynolite and have a fairly flat MTX, so am looking for stronger.....Maybe I'll just have to go back to the 321 err 721 err 729, whatever the hell they're calling it these days
Here is my personal evaluation of the whole wheel issue:
wheel strength is 40% rim and 60% build quality.
just because you had it built at a shop does NOT mean it was built well. the vast majority of shop rats suck at building wheels.
the quality of a wheel build is:
40% even tension
60% amount of tension.
The correct amount of tension is AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE. this means you can take a crappy build and just tighten the crap out of it to make it last much much longer. Tighten and tighten and tighten until you start to round out nipples.
The best way to even out spoke tension (short of the tool that actually measures it) is by sound. Pluck the spokes and tune them all to as close to the same note as possible. You must reach a compromise between the trueness of the wheel and even spoke tension.
Believe me... I have built and destroyed many wheels.
PS: those folded sidewalls on the picture above are 100% atomlab's fault. build can't help rubbery sidewalls. a nice round 321 style profile will help a lot.
wheel strength is 40% rim and 60% build quality.
just because you had it built at a shop does NOT mean it was built well. the vast majority of shop rats suck at building wheels.
the quality of a wheel build is:
40% even tension
60% amount of tension.
The correct amount of tension is AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE. this means you can take a crappy build and just tighten the crap out of it to make it last much much longer. Tighten and tighten and tighten until you start to round out nipples.
The best way to even out spoke tension (short of the tool that actually measures it) is by sound. Pluck the spokes and tune them all to as close to the same note as possible. You must reach a compromise between the trueness of the wheel and even spoke tension.
Believe me... I have built and destroyed many wheels.
PS: those folded sidewalls on the picture above are 100% atomlab's fault. build can't help rubbery sidewalls. a nice round 321 style profile will help a lot.
one more thing:
DT spoke freeze is essential.
Personal experience indicates that it about doubles the life of a wheel.
DT spoke freeze is essential.
Personal experience indicates that it about doubles the life of a wheel.
Hey, that looks like my rear wheel!Dartman said:
Looks like my wheel too, except if you zoom out you will see 3 more dings...
They are still round and true though...
My problem with the stock atom labs has been the nipples, I break one every few rides. I have gotten pretty quick at replacing a nipple. I just need to start carrying the long flat head, spoke wrench, and spare nipples on the trail.
They are still round and true though...
My problem with the stock atom labs has been the nipples, I break one every few rides. I have gotten pretty quick at replacing a nipple. I just need to start carrying the long flat head, spoke wrench, and spare nipples on the trail.
Easy there Chomper!
Unless you are dealing with an Arrow rim or the like,To much tension(above 70 on a wheelsmith tensiometer) you can/will crack the rim at the eyelet!!!!
We build em at 60for XC,70for mavic 721/728/823 and 80 on Arrow DHX/Mag 30/TP's.(when using 2.0 spokes)
I don't mean to diss,since i respect all that have put alot of pondery to the art of wheelbuilding.Do yourself a favor-Buy a tensiometer!You deserve it!
I read the book by Jobst Brandt when i was a young cocky wheelbuilder and the crusty old dude taught me a lot! He said that his tension would vary depending on his mood and energy level that day.Then he discovered the tensiometer-or maybe made his own? Anyway he learned by using it that he was far less consistant then he thought he was!
If you build wheels with different guages then you really need to use one.Butted spokes 'feel' a lot different in your finghers after building big boy wheels for a while.
Don't be too proud to buy one,besides your friends will pay an extra 6 pack to have you build their wheels when they see your fancy new tool hanging by the wheel stand.
Unless you are dealing with an Arrow rim or the like,To much tension(above 70 on a wheelsmith tensiometer) you can/will crack the rim at the eyelet!!!!
We build em at 60for XC,70for mavic 721/728/823 and 80 on Arrow DHX/Mag 30/TP's.(when using 2.0 spokes)
I don't mean to diss,since i respect all that have put alot of pondery to the art of wheelbuilding.Do yourself a favor-Buy a tensiometer!You deserve it!
I read the book by Jobst Brandt when i was a young cocky wheelbuilder and the crusty old dude taught me a lot! He said that his tension would vary depending on his mood and energy level that day.Then he discovered the tensiometer-or maybe made his own? Anyway he learned by using it that he was far less consistant then he thought he was!
If you build wheels with different guages then you really need to use one.Butted spokes 'feel' a lot different in your finghers after building big boy wheels for a while.
Don't be too proud to buy one,besides your friends will pay an extra 6 pack to have you build their wheels when they see your fancy new tool hanging by the wheel stand.
Hey, don't give me that lip, boy. I think I am a BIT more respected in the DH community than you. Just look at the post count. Stupid grom. :devil:
But yeah... I've never had a problem with eyelets cracking... I stop tensioning when I start to round nipples, which never ends up being THAT tight. I never did figure out what makes a good lube for the threads for the tensioning. I've been using tri-flow. Them books recommend linseed oil because it has a spoke-freeze-like effect. Screw that -- I'll just use spoke freeze.
Anyway I think MY wheels need to get in a good, old-fashioned fight with your wheels to settle this once and for all.
But yeah... I've never had a problem with eyelets cracking... I stop tensioning when I start to round nipples, which never ends up being THAT tight. I never did figure out what makes a good lube for the threads for the tensioning. I've been using tri-flow. Them books recommend linseed oil because it has a spoke-freeze-like effect. Screw that -- I'll just use spoke freeze.
Anyway I think MY wheels need to get in a good, old-fashioned fight with your wheels to settle this once and for all.
The DHR are bad ass and so are the Trail pimps personally I suggest the DHR I had a set of trail pimps for 2 years and never hurt them but my new DHR's are probably the best rims I have ever had while you are at it don't forget the Atomlab hubs they are really an excellent hub
The rear hub I had chunked because Atomlab packed the pawls with sticky grease. This wouldn't let them extend all the way and the teeth stripped out on the hub shell from them slipping. If you get a new one, clean out the grease and use something like Phil Wood Tenacious oil. The front 20mm Atomlab hub I had there was some spacer/pipe thing flopping around inside which made it extremely difficult to get the axle through it.hacksaw said:
Atomlab stuff sucks. IMNSHO.
Mike - Give me Hadley hubs and Mavic rims or give me death.
Ronny Grady said:
yep thats exactly the thing that happens to trailpimps, sidewalls get bent all the time but its not to often yo see them crack, so when you get home, you bust out the crescent wrench and straighten them, or maybe you do that with a BFH or vise.
the rim itself lasts true and without flatspots a long time.
I did that with this one with a crescent hammer. It cracked and blew out shortly after. The rim did stay round and true but a fat lot of good that was when it wouldn't hold a tire on it. Since the hub was shot too I just chucked it in a dumpster.vitox said:
Did I mention that Atomlab stuff sucks?! Well except for the Aircorp stem. I guess it's kinda hard to screw up a block of aluminium with no moving parts.
Mike