Light bulletproof rear wheel — 7075, 6069, double butted 1.6mm spokes, alu nipples ?
Hey r/bmx,
So my Eclat Trippin XL rear rim finally split at the pinned joint after about 8 years of riding. Honestly not bad for a pinned rim but I should've gone welded from the start. The rim itself was 38mm wide, 17.5mm tall, 6066-T6 alu, 586g : heavy and clearly the joint was always the weak point.
I'm running an Odyssey Clutch V2 freecoaster, Primo N4FL complete front wheel (Primo VS rim, 7005 alu, 34mm), and 2.35 tires. My riding is street and park, nothing insane, no daily 20-stairs or anything like that, just solid everyday riding.
Rims I'm looking at (all welded, 20", 36h):
- Gsport RibCage : 7075 alu (patented internal spoke head reinforcements + interlace lacing), 36mm wide, 18mm tall, 519g, ~100€
- Eclat Raven Straight : 6069-T6, 36mm wide, 18mm tall, 505g, ~65€
- Alienation Felon : 6069-T6, 33mm wide, 15.2mm tall, 405g, ~100€
The RibCage is obviously the gold standard with the 7075 and the patented nipple bed reinforcements. The Raven seems like incredible value for 6069 at that price. The Felon tempts me because 405g is insane but I'm worried about the 33mm width with a 2.35 tire.
On the width question: my old rim was 38mm. The Felon is only 33mm, is that going to noticeably affect tire profile and feel with a 2.35/2.40 ? The Raven and RibCage at 36mm seem much safer. Anyone running 2.35s on a 33mm rim ? is it really an issue or am I overthinking it?
Spokes question:
I'm thinking of building a custom wheel and looking at LTR SLP double butted spokes (2.0/1.6/2.0, Sandvik T302 steel, alu nipples) vs standard straight 14G.
I know double butted spokes are supposed to be better for fatigue resistance since the thinner center section flexes rather than snapping, but how does 1.6mm center hold up in real BMX use? Most DB spokes are 1.8 in the middle. Is 1.6 pushing it or is the Sandvik steel quality enough to compensate? Also, aluminum nipples : worth it for the weight saving or a liability when it comes to re-tensioning down the line?
Freecoaster question:
Still on the Clutch V2 and overall happy with it but I'm curious about hybrid freecoasters, specifically the WeThePeople hub (and others like it). Are hybrid freecoasters actually good for crankflips? I feel like the Clutch V2 is solid but I've heard hybrids can be smoother for flip tricks. Anyone made the switch and regretted it or loved it?
Thanks in advance, appreciate any input 🙏