wheels

looking at getting new wheels around €400 , whats hot and whats not?

Hope pro ll Evo hubs with Stans Alpine rims. The only way to go!

i dont suppose you know the weight

According to Google: Weight is between 1440g and 1595g for the wheelset following the choice of spokes and nipples..

1450g

that's with light spokes.. James does a good deal on them

What kind of riding? I wouldn't want to bring my Alpines down the miners. Crest or Flow for me.

The Alpines are only marginally lighter than the crest rim, about 10 or 20 grams I think. I've had mine 6 months, given them a serious pounding and when I brought them back to bike rack recently they were still as straight as when I bought them, didn't need to be re-tensioned even though your meant to re-tension them after about ten rides!

Spoofer! Don't pretend you've owned anything bike related for 6 months!

James OC is using Crests for his own bike and wreckons they're the one to go for - a strength match for the 819's but much lighter.

There's also going to be the old Hope II's and the new Hope II Evo's around - so just be careful you end up comparing like for like as there's a price increase for the new Evo...

Ha ha, good man Don. Yea it's not often I have a bike or stuff too long but I'll be keeping my Morewood Zula with its Hope/Stans Alpine wheels for a long time, absolutely brilliant bike..

As far as I know Dave Hope don't make the Pro11 anymore, only the Evo, saying that I'm sure there are plenty of standard new Pro11 hubs floating around though. I just got Pro11 evo's with Crest rims(for my big bike) from the Bike Rack for €420.

Yup, as far as I know you're correct about the hubs - it was the one floating about I was referring to. Nice choice - hope to get the same before next race season :)

Good to see people are finally copping on to the far far superior Stan's rims in favour of the old fashioned Mavic muck offerings...

But I'm surprise at you John... your supposed to know your bikes.. there's no way I'd put a Crest or Alpine rim on anything other than an XC race machine.. they are pure XC race rims.. Arch's for the AM bike.. Flow's for the DH or jump or street bike...

Regarding Hope hubs.. the differences between the Pro II and the Evo are minor.. they have increased the internal bearing diameter to accommodate larger axles and conversion kits.. so the hubs are more versatile now than before.. but the internals are pretty much the same.. the weights are also pretty much identical as far I can tell.. maybe a gram or two saved but that's it.. so I wouldn't put up my nose to a Pro II over the Evo.. especially if the price is right..

you're kidding me, right?..they've gone and increased the internal bearing diameters !!!! the fookin *******s !!

I dunno I wouldn't say that... they identified a significant problem and fixed it.. certain axles kept snapping.. which isn't very nice... so increased bearing size.. means thicker axles.. means less snappage.. and as a result the are now more versatile than ever before...

Now if only Shimano or Mavic could be so forward thinking & versatile... but I doubt it... thats asking way too much of them... and sure all the clones wouldn't know what to do with themselves...