You are able to do structured training on your bike and pace your efforts better.
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25mm out. My gravel wheels are that wide.
100 out for sure. I like my bike to be light, but not weight weenie light anymore. Iām faster with 120/110 setup, dropper, cush core etc on my Spark RC World Cup than I ever was when I had that thing around 22 pounds. Itās around 24 now and Iām happy with that.
Stanās rims are super heavy for what they are. Surprisingly so.
I built a set of wheels with Arch Mk4 rims in 2019 and they were absolutely awesome. Never burped once and seemed to ride really nicely. I went to look up the latest offerings, especially the carbon ones, and they are either quite narrow, quite heavy, or both.
Hunt have just come out with a carbon XC wheelset which is ~1450g by memory (I seem to recall someone received theirs and it was 1500g with valves and tape). Thatās a lifetime warranty and a great set of wheels for a super price.
You have to spend an awful lot more to build something significantly lighter. Or sacrifice somewhere (eg width, durability, weight limit)
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Jorts. That is all. Get/make yourself some!
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For local MORC trails (Carver Lake, Lebanon Hills, etc.) plus Cuyuna - Iām running Forekaster 2.35 front (the previous XC version) and Ardent Race 2.35 rear. Pivot Trail 429 with NOBL TR32s. Seem to be working fine. When the Forekaster wears out, I think Iām going to go back to Rekon 2.4 front. Granted, Iām trying to XCify my trail bike, but all of these tires seem to roll well with good traction.
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I think I have the Mark 3s. I havenāt weighed them separately, and they came as part of my new-to-me-but-used hardtail. The rims are mated to XTR hubs, which look delicious. Overall, I was surprised that a bike like that (mid-grade carbon frame) would get < 10 kg without carbon wheels.
So far, the wheels have been bomb proof while riding, and changing tires was super easy. I only have a normal floor pump, and the wheels popped right on. (I used soap water to make my life a little easier.)
Just a question: are they really heavy? I looked up the specs of the Mark 4s and compared them to the Flow CB7 carbon rims, the weight difference was only 26 g. Perhaps Stansā carbon rims are also on the heavy side, but e. g. looking at the weight of Enveās M5 rims, then the Mark 4 are 122 g heavier (per rim, i. e. x2 for a complete wheelset).
PS I am using rim weights because it seems I have custom wheels with high-end hubs. So I canāt easily look up weights for those.
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What components Im I missing?
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Your weight and overall system weight? If youāre able itāll be far cheaper for you to lose that 1.3kg from body weight, and/or think about what you are carrying and could leave behind assuming you havenāt already.
They are great. Iāve used them for many years, including racing and enduro and use at the bike park.they might not clamp quite as well as a stem with more material, but at 180lbs and aggressive, I am totally confident in them.
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Probably, yes!
I always subtract the cost of the heavier parts being replaced though, since if Iād have built/bought the bike I wanted in the first place they wouldnāt have ever been purchased.
This might be a broad questionā¦ best bang-for-buck carbon XC wheels?
Iām looking at Bontrager Kovee Pro, Roval Control Carbon, Silt XCā¦ All have fairly comparable warranties.
The Silt wheels are the least expensive and the lightest, but have a propriety hub and are apparently really loud.
The Control Carbon are the heaviest (still well under 1500g), have DT Swiss hubs, and with 15% off are not far off from the Silts.
Kovees are the most expensive (and even more than the $1500 list because Iād have to buy a Microspline hub, though in theory I could just swap hubs when I swap wheels since I have Kovee comps). I also ride a Trek, so it would be āin-houseā.
Opinions on the above? Anything else out there under $1500 I should consider?
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Hunt XC Carbon Proven wheels.
Think itād be very, very hard to beat them without going quite a step up in terms of parts.
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LightBicycle all the way but I wouldnt say any ācarbonā wheel as bang-for-the-buck compared to cheaper and just as light alu alternatives.
Hunt and SILT are the same I believe. I have SILT XC and they have been working great 
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Anyone try the S-Works Fast Trak and Renegade? I have the regular T5 and havenāt had any flat issues. Heard the SW was a lot lighter and Iām considering it to get me under 23lbs
I have a pair of S-Works Fast Tracks on m to hard tail. Theyāve been good to me so far, no complaints, no punctures. I prefer them to the various Maxxis tires I have tried in the past, Maxxis tires had weak braking traction in my experience. Also the tubeless setup was flawless.
I will still put on a pair of Schwalbe tires next, I loved them in the past and Iād like to see what their tires are like now.
Anybody ridden a Transition Spur?
I own one. What would you like to know?
XC-able?
It had passed me by completely, but having stumbled across it today, Iām very intrigued.
Itās a bit slack and long compared to what I would think Iād ride, but the reviews are great and it looks mega capable.
Can you provide a bit more infoā¦
I was thinking to try them but friend who usually put 1.2bar into maxxis tires has to put 1.7 into SW just not to roll them off and also he says that puncture protection is awful especially on the sidewallsā¦
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