Nobody else has the ability to absorb so much information, be able to analize it and put it together in a palatable format. You are a serious Atomic Engineer in the Mountain Biking world. You are unique.
I have the Berd TR27 wheelset on my hardtail. I love Berd products. They will also custom build any wheelset you send them, they are a little expensive but awesome. Great video, that many back to back runs is a lot of effort. Thank you, I think you saved some people some bad decisions, or at least helping make informed decisions. This is one of my favorites right up there with the crank length video. KEEP NERDING OUT please.
I’ve been riding the Spinergy GXX wheels on my gravel bike, which I got for $600!! Same tech but with a narrower rim. I absolutely love them. Just so smooth and light feeling, much more so than they look on paper. I’m surprised Spinergy doesn’t get more respect in the industry. Hopefully someone with your clout shouting their praises will help change that.
100% agree. I've got about 5500 miles on my Spinergy GXX wheels on my gravel bike. Just so wonderful and smooth and insanely durable. I feel like Spinergy's name says "middle tier" but their products are top notch. I also have an extra road set of theirs - FCC 47 - which are just as smooth and great. Would love to try the MXX30's on my next hardtail.
Really informative... especially the info on pressures. I've been told repeatedly that I run too low but each time I increase pressure the ride is harsher and grip less. More people should take your advice. Great video. Thanks
A truly unique mtb encyclopedia!!! Now thanks to you, after 20 years I'm back on a hardtail and for the last few months I've been more enjoying the ride...
I bought a nukeproof horizon v2 rear wheel for my ‘22 chameleon based on your earlier review. Low engagement is so much more noticeable on my hardtail vs my full suspension. Thanks for all your work on this channel
I love these videos. Very few of us have the $$ or time to go out and compare awesome components back-to-back like this. I have the Nukeproof V2s, which I love, but I really want to try some of those other wheels now!
Really appreciate the effort Steve and Dusty Betty too for spending her day shuttling you. What a great look at a variety of wheelsets and done back to back. I know I will never have that opportunity and a lot of my bike related purchases are based on reviews like yours. Interesting take on tire pressure. I find my best rides are on lower pressures than I thought I had inflated the tires so now just give them the squeeze test to make sure they are good to go. Thanks for the video.
Really great review! So glad you're here on YT and doing the good work for folks that enjoy riding HTs!. Hope you're doing well... happy you're out riding again.
That was super informative. I don't know if I can get past the price for performance of the Horizon v2's. Thanks to the family for helping this happen!
Great video! Recently changed wheels on my Nukeproof Scout to bring back the "zip" you mentioned. Had a pretty heavy enduro focused carbon wheelset before (Roval 38's, 2.8 tires). New wheelset are the Mavic XA35 Pro Carbons with a set of lighter Specialized Tires. That removed over 1lb of rotational weight! Such a massive difference... it feels like it climbs so effortlessly now, plus I can still push it through the descents 🤠
Great job Steve! 👏 I got a set of HZN V2s following your consultation a while back, and I really like them. I love how you got into the various characteristics of each set in detail in this review. The one feature that really stands out to me are those silent onyx hubs, that's definitely something I'd consider investing in.
I put a set of NP V2’s on my banshee paradox. Took it to the bike park a few times now (in between full sus bikes) in addition to normal trail riding and the wheels are bulletproof. The hub is fantastic too. When i build my full sus eventually, I’m getting another set for that.
Great stuff as usual, Steve! FYI, I've now got 3 sets of Onyx Vespers with zero issues of any sort. I weigh 225 lbs. and ride a full sus, hardtail, and a single speed. No issues on any of them riding the punchy climbs in central Texas.
I blew up my Trek Rail's stock hub and my only option was to temporarily move my vesper wheel (laced to KOM Tough rims) over from my trail bike to my eMTB. I'm heavy - 285lbs, and the Vesper hub slipped once on turbo level assist on a 38% grade. I'm moving them back to the trail bike though, I think the eMTB will kill destroy it in a couple rides. Vespers don't slip on my Stache though.
I have been riding and racing spinergy wheels for 30 years. I am currently running the aluminum GX Max 29er wheels on my E-bike with absolutely no problems after 3000 miles.
This is a LONG video, but there's tons of great info packed in. Make sure to watch it all if you want to learn more about wheels. Spinnergy has created a discount code for hadtailparty fans. Use code "HTPARTY10" for 10% off. More details and info at: hardtailparty.com/wheelreviews . Want to pick my brain and chat with me about the more subtle differences? Become a patron today. It's how I share my knowledge and how I put food on the table for my family. Also, sorry for the typo on spinergy's name in the video, I caught it too late.
@@hardtailparty they make 3 different weights for this wheel and class them as all mountain, enduro, and DH. I was thinking a 2.6 maxxis tire would be a good match for the 34mm Id. They claim that the shallow 18mm depth is more compliant than their other wheels. Shopping for an affordable carbon wheel set and this looked perfect.
Great video as usual! I have a pair of the spinergy wheels and I didn’t like how the hub came apart also. I contacted spinergy to ask if this was normal and they told me they made some modifications. As such, they sent me some new internal components and o rings which fixed the problem.
I had to stop the video after viewing the first two rides in order to get this off my chest. Yes, it will sound like so many of these other comments here, but I could hold it in no longer. Delaying this would be a disservice to you & your viewers. I came here from viewing your 2DEV stem video & browsed a couple more, coming away with what I see as a constant theme in all your productions that has a significant bearing in its quality. To be brutally honest, I can summarize this in just two words: FANTASTIC CONTENT!!!! Your commentary is densely informative and accurate, & very approachable at all levels of experience. Having come from a background of physics/mathematics versed in design of experiments, & of the age of the founding fathers who brought down the one commandment of "Have fun" from Mt. Tam, your wheels reviewing is comprehensive & beautifully nuanced. You replaced my disappointment that Stan's NoTubes was not included in the reviewing list with anticipation about learning another brand's features. So compelling is your content that I'd much rather become more educated than have my ego reinforced by seeking confirmation. And your quip that some manufacturers' hubs can cost more than other entire wheelsets you're reviewing is hilarious, but chillingly true! Top notch commentary. So, I just wanted to pause and say hi, great job, subscribe, and that I look forward to viewing the rest of your content, old and new. Oh yeah, & to alert you to my occasionally annoying sarcasm! Glad to be here! Thanks, Steve!!! Gotta get back to four more runs on a trail to die for! [clip, clip, hits resume...]
For under the 1k price point and aluminum, I have been loving the new Stans Mk4 Flow with M-pulse rear hub. DH rated and over 200pts of engagement. They are newer, Loam wolf just did a review other day, but still off the radar for most part. They were in stock(why I started with the front, and later bought the rear) and a huge upgrade to my last set.
Great vid as always. My favorite part is where you say, I'm not going to go into why hardtails are great....and then you literally list a bunch of reasons why they are great. As a torcher bearer well should. Huzzah!!! 🙌✨
Loving my Horizons on the Paradox! Jumped into one of the bonier local trails without checking psi only to feel several thuds througg my spine, turns out 12psi was too low... But i didnt flat and I can't find any rim damage so colour me impressed!
Thank you for the video, this information is so helpfull. I love Spinergy. They are light and strong and I can feel the compliance. Have the wheels on my roadbike and thrash them with zero issues. Would love to get a pair for MTB but they are hard to find, or sold with a premium in Europe.
What a great comparison and review!! Really enjoyed the back to back comparisons on the different wheels!!! Great job Steve very informative and entertaining!!!
Steve, I had to watch this again. You drop so much great information. I have a 27.5 plus wheel set and I’m thinking of the Atomics with the Berd spokes. As I’m sure you know, aluminum rims, even with CushCore get messed up and are replaceable. Having a good set of hubs is something that you can get new bearings and seals and keep running forever. I don’t have Onyx yet but I’ll probably get some eventually. For now I have White Ind, CK’s, Hope SS/T and a few Hadley sets, but my Hadley’s are a 1 piece axle and actually none of my hubs have end caps, that’s a deal breaker.
Great review, Steve. Tons of great information. Totally agree on the Nukeproof Horizons-they're durable and a great value. I hope your viewers go back and listen again to the your comment on psi. It may save them some $$$$. :-)
I absolutely love my Zipp moto wheels, I have the V2 and they also have bladed spokes. Super compliant and yeah you can feel it on big hits, yet can get away with similar pressures as in this video.
I have spinergy road wheels with their fiber spokes. They are 12 years old, rain, snow, gravel roads. Never touched the spokes, true, round, spoke tension has never changed. When I want comfort for a century ride, they are ony bike for sure. Bought extra spokes just in case, and they come in bag with a loop in them. GRRReat wheels.
Love these reviews. I have the Stan's Flow MK3 with speed sync hubs. Was looking for a slight wider wheel that can withstand my weight of 290lbs kitted. The V2s seem where it's at. Keep up the fun hard work and reviews.
7:00 It’s more the wheel inertia than the weight So you have to factor in how far(squared) the mass sits from the center of rotation A heavy wheel with a heavy hub would not feel that slow But one with a heavy rim will make the whole bike mich more lazy On the other hand inertia can help you get above obstacles easier (you can feel it with 29“ over 27.5“(the inertia plays a bigger part than the often mentioned angles))
I noted on another review of the Spinergy MXX 30 that they feature a foam core to help with vibration damping. That is good to know on the great feel you experienced.
Interesting comparison of different wheelsets in regards to width and materials. It would Interesting to hear your recommendations on tire widths and what internal width rim, minimum and maximum, you would use. I have seen some riders run 2.6's on 19mm internal rims, that to me would be like trying to balance a balloon on a ruler.
Any recommendations on bottom brackets... If you've already covered it I apologise... Although I AM still swatting on your videos 😇 Please & thanks in advance Kevin 👍👍
Super video! I want to change my alexrims dp30 with a low budget wheels. I think nukeproof v2 are the best chiuse on a canyon stoic. Thank you for everything dude.
Fair enough. That's why I recommend different pressures for different riders and terrain. It's important to take into account rider weight, tire casing, tire width, rim width, etc. We have slower speeds here, and hardtails aren't able to shred as fast as FS due to the chunk. We don't have berms or high speed turns to g-out, and I run wider rims than most people, so I can get away with lower pressure.
@@hardtailparty I live in the upper midwest and theres a TON of loose, sandy corners. I mostly ride XC with some pretty rocky and rooty trails and have to constantly fluctuate psi in tires for where I ride. It can be 19-20 psi one day for sandy terrain and the next day 1 hour away, the terrain will be hard packed sand with tons of rocks and Ill have to bump up psi to 27-29 psi. What pressure guage do you use? Mines on its last legs 😅
Very informative ! I’ve been waiting for your thoughts on low pressure. Recently got 2.6 tires on my Hardtail and started of with 24psi FR / 26psi Rear and the ride was the harshest ride I ever had , Running the Hunt Enduro wide V2s that actually have a nice feel to them. I guess I had too much pressure and should experiment with lower pressure. I’m a light rider and my terrain is smooth mainly woods and roots flowy trails. Will experiment some low pressure today!
Its nice to see what you think about all these wheels. I run Spank 359vibrcore's with 2.4's M1900's(oem) on 2.6's and Horizon V2's on 2.8's. I have a wheel addiction but your on another level. All for the benefit of the community though.
@@hardtailparty your comments about the Zipps were insightful. I have a Chromag Surface Ti, and the wheels are the last big change it needs. Current wheels are Stan’s S1. Heavy, stiff, not fun. I like the idea of the Zipps, but they’re heavy, and am now leaning Atomik/Berd because light is always better. Still, intrigued by a light set of Moto3 on nice hubs w Berds
Awesome work!!! I’m sure this was an awful lot of work. I love my Berd Spokes on my LB rims. They were too harsh as originally built. Berd is the Word !!! 😝😝
Another amazing comparison. 19 and 20psi is I’m assuming tubeless and without CushCore. That’s pretty low for i30mm rims. I have i35 Stan’s Baron CB7 rims and use CushCore and big 2.6” Teravail Honcho tires at 20psi
@@hardtailparty these are the Light & Supple casing and I have gone lower but with the Durable casing tires. I did try setting 18psi with Ehline L&S and my Maxis Recon EXO tires. I pinched flatted a couple of times and it could have been lower pressure at impact ,it’s hard to gauge when your ripping down trails Honestly your clay sharp rock and chunky trails seem more knarly than my sharp chunky granite rock trails. That’s why I’m amazed on how low your psi is
I noticed that floor pump pressures measure about 4 PSI higher than handheld digital pressure gauges. I think I read it has something to do with the hose on a floor pump. Wonder what you measured with Steve.
I think Berd says their spokes don't fit/work on Zipp Moto3 rims, they specifically say no single wall rim except one particular rim (don't recall which). I wanted to build up a Zipp Moto3 rims with Berd spokes and Onxy hubs but no go. I ended up with a Berd Hawk wheels with Onyx hub. What I like to see is a rim comparison between all the "compliant" carbon rims with the same spokes (preferably Berd) with 30mm ID same tires/psi . So these rims would be Berd Hawk rims (made by WeAreOne), WeAreOne Convergence rims, Fusion Fiber, etc... I run Rekon 2.6" 120tpi 20psi front 22.5psi rear on full suspension and they fell good.
Hadley now makes centerlock hubs rear boost hub with ti xd driver at 295g and front boost 129g. I was going to go with them on the Light Bicycle build but did not have gold color available yet.. Shell taking a chance on the new Vesper onyx antifreeze color!!
As always you have the best reviews and yes I’m a proud Patron… You mentioned the Light Bicycle carbon rims being super stiff I have the AM928 on DT350 hubs on my Titus Fireline Ti how do they compare to these others, particularly with compliance? Thanks
I have the evil wheels on my evil offering. May have to put em on my knolly tyaughton this spring after snow melts and fry em on there. Scared I may love em and have to buy another wheel set
Thanks for the video. I’ve run the nukeproof hzn v2 for about 700mi on my hardtail and am getting side to side play in the rear. I was told the bearings need to be replaced. Pretty disappointed as I haven’t heard anyone else experience that.
I got the entry trek carbon fuel exe about 2 months ago, trek don’t even sell the wheel set that comes on my bike so I’ve been eyeing up some horizon pros as an upgrade nukeproof put them on the mega watt so they must be ebike rated.
How much do you stand when riding or more importantly when do you sit? I just bought a Fuse after riding an old school XC bike for 20 years and I love the geometry and 29x2.6 tires. After a couple rides I realized I spend more time out of the saddle with the Fuse compared to my old bike. BMX riders never sit on the saddle while pedaling. I am finding the modern geo promotes standing while navigating roots, rocks, elevation, and cornering. So that only leaves straight flat portions of trails to rest your ham hocks. What say you?
Thanks for this, really interested in the Spinergy wheels but was looking at the Onyx hubs for the silence. Good to hear that the Spinergy hubs are quiet, but exactly how quiet? I'm leaning towards the Spinergys as I've been riding Spinergy Rev-X-Roks on my old K2 Oz for over 20 years now, but have upgraded to an Ibis Mojo 4 this year. Thank you the review, gives me something to think about. Also contemplating spending some really big bucks and getting Lavelle 5-spoke carbon wheels with silent hubs.
This video reminded me I need to save up for the ratchet upgrade kit for my DT Swiss 350 hubs on my gravel bike(29x2.2 on an alloy i27 wheelset I bought of marketplace for a deal). Does Spinnergy sell their spokes separately?
@@hardtailparty Thank you for the honest feedback. I feel like there are lots of first impression videos followed by silence. Folks seem to like the 110 travel version, but 150 does seem like pushing it given the inherent issues with torsional stiffness. I have a voucher for a free one and was throwing around the idea of putting in on a Cotic RocketMax build I have planned.
My recent tire pressure epiphany: with stiff puncture resistant casings you need to run even lower pressures. I got the ground control grid t7 tires and thought 20 psi was a good starting point. Wrong. Still figuring it out but it's more like 15 psi (29x2.35 on 30i) which is still hard for me to accept lol.
Would you say overall it makes more sense to run carbon wheels on a hardtail than a full sus? I’m gonna get the nukeproof for my Orbea rallon just so much bang for buck, great review as usual Steve!
I was already pushing an hour on this one. I decided to limit it to 6 total for this test. For those who wish to know how they stack up to other wheels I've ridden, that's what my bike consultation service is for.
One thing to note on the Nukeproof Horizon V2s: the (rear) hub internals aren't made anywhere near as tough as the rest of the wheel. I pulled mine apart for a clean and regrease recently and found the places that hold the freehub pawls were warped into oval shapes due to pedalling forces. This warping had pushed in towards the axle and as a result the innner bore that holds the freehub bearings was no longer circular and had flat spots. Not sure if it would be possible to remove those bearings from the freehub when the time came. I've also seen a couple of reviews from people with gouged freehub bodies, which makes me think Nukeproof chose an alloy that's far too soft. Another major issue is that my hub axle started to crack in a circumference line around where the inner-most freehub bearing sits. I also had a random spoke break as I put down the first pedal stroke from a standstill. I think that was just bad luck though. These wheels are on a Stumpjumper 2019 (LT) and I'd describe the riding as aggressive trail/light enduro, so not outside the intended use. Luckily these issues were inside the warranty period, otherwise I'd have spent around £70 ($82) on replacement parts already! Honestly, if I had the choice again, I'd probably go for something else, like the Hunt Enduro Wide V2, for my rear wheel.
Very interesting. How much do you weigh? I've found almost every brand of hg driver to gouge with use. Have you ridden hunt wheels yet? They dent easier than any other wheel I've tried.
@@hardtailparty I'm around 160lb/72kg. I've also had HG drivers gouged in the past so I get that. However, mine is a microspline one and this was outside the norm. BikeRumor had problems with theirs too in a long term review: "the outboard edges of some of the splines had cracked, with some material having sheared off under load" I should say that I suspect the axle damage I experienced is a result of the specialized rear through axle design. It isn't a consistent diameter along the entire length, instead narrowing towards the center, probably to save weight. I think that could allow unwanted flex through the hub axle, leading to cracking. I hadn't heard that about Hunt wheels. Disappointing!
I'm wishing to bye those ZIPP 3ZERO for a long time but they are pricey. So i went for SPANK VIBROCORE 359 instead and they are very nice on my Paradox but I still have the urge to try those ZIPP's. I ride mostly aggressive trails on my Paradox for the flow and fast trails i ride my honzo dl al. What do you suggest? Should I go for it?
@@hardtailparty Yeah I'm sure they will feel smoother. What i want to know is how hard do you need to charge on them to make them feel wobbly or not hold the line like you mentioned? Do ordinary rider how's not competing on any race and not attacking every corner will feel that noodle flex or enjoy the smooth ride? One more Question Cush core in the rear on the Zipp or no?
NO experience with Newman. I know it's not popular to say this, but I feel like DT swiss wheels are totally overrated. I've pinch flatted and dented more DT rims than anything else out there.
@@hardtailparty loving my Chameleon I bought by way of your recommendation. Posting new PRs on my local trails. Considering the OneUp bar, looked for a review but only saw an install video.
