Are $1700 carbon MTB wheels really worth it? High Low Ep 6

Are carbon wheels really that much better?
Head to squarespace.co... to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain using code EVANSMTBSAGA
Credit to Donut Media & Pinkbike for the inspiration behind this mega series.
Links to the parts seen in this video (affiliate links):
Polygon Siskiu D5 (red one) - bikesonline-us...
Polygon Siskiu D7 (yellow bike, my main) - bikesonline-us...
DT Swiss Competition Spokes - amzn.to/3EyvENW
DT Swiss Black Nipples - amzn.to/3MlKM3Q
Park Tool Nipple Driver - amzn.to/3xFPJR9
Nipple Holding Box with Driver - amzn.to/3vAPN1M
Stan's Rim Tape - amzn.to/3jWCMuf
Stan's Sealant - amzn.to/3rFFlFk
Tools:Park Tool Truing Stand - amzn.to/3CXI5lG
Park Tool Spoke Wrenches - amzn.to/3vBpLvt
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For business inquiries: [e-mail]
If you'd like to send me something for a future video idea:
Evan's MTB Saga PO Box 6498 Goodyear, AZ 85338

[@EvansMTBSaga]

Head to squarespace.com/EvansMTBSaga to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain using code EVANSMTBSAGA

[@andrewlevine3364]

Hi Evan I was work at a bike shop I’d recommend you get a new helmet. Because helmets expires after 3 to 5 years it it looks old. Otherwise great series

[@EvansMTBSaga]

@@andrewlevine3364 Thanks Andrew. I got it the start of 2021, still works great! I'm holding out for a gear sponsor tbh

[@andrewlevine3364]

@@EvansMTBSaga That’s a good idea

[@kennykendall5709]

Loving the content! Though I think channel should really be called “Evan’s wheel spoking saga.”

[@thegrommechanic6265]

Totally agreed! That job is annoying, I might ask him to lace some

[@ryanmichels2981]

Lol. If he didn’t lace up a wheel during a vid at this point I’d be disappointed.

[@m.m_cutzz]

I wish he trued my wheels but to late now that I bent my wheel trying to true it🥲

[@kennykendall5709]

@@m.m_cutzz oh no!

[@JS-up8ff]

The high bike is 5% faster but costs nearly 373% more. Good value!

[@sumsaudi]

OMG YESSSS, Killing it once again, i swear i was obsessing abou the Nobl TR32s. this is legit the only video on youtube reviewing them properly. ABSOLUTE FIRE AS USUAL!!

[@GokkunGuru]

How fitting, I ordered a set of NOBL TR32 sine curve carbon rims on Industry 9 Hydra's early this month. They're getting built soon so I look forward to this upgrade. Your review made the purchase even more reassuring. High bike wins again!

[@BH-cy9tb]

No. I had a set of wheels built for my trek rail ebike. Spank 359 vibrocore rims and industry 9 hydra hubs. I could of done carbon but I’m very happy with the spank. I did have carbon wheelset on my old ebike but the spank just so much more comfortable to ride. Really liking this series. Good work.👍

[@hardmtnbiker]

I have both carbon and aluminum rim wheels. I agree carbon is lighter and aluminum is more shock absorbency. In either application I would not ever have mountain bike rims so narrow. Minimum is i30mm internal width. This alone and especially when paired with good tires an tire inserts. I especially like how much better my gravel bike feels with i27mm rims. Being full rigid makes you notice the ride qualifies imprisonments and subtle deferences between carbon and aluminum and the different tires.

[@rubbersidedown5620]

Yeah I've only ridden carbon rims once and it was on a Santa Cruz V10 at Whistler Bike Park and they felt like garbage because they were so stiff that the bike felt skittish and definitely transmitted more of the bumps through to my hands. That said, the low weight of them definitely did have some performance benefits.

[@hardmtnbiker]

@@rubbersidedown5620 it’s also related to your body weight. I’m only 155# and what is too stiff for me might flex more under heavier rides plus heavier rides might bend aluminum rims easier.

[@andrewince8824]

Alloy Rims (Halo Tornado, I challenge you to find a stronger rim) laced to Hope Pro4 hubs with Halo double butted stainless spokes. When the nuclear apocalypse occurs, those wheels will be the only survivors. Front cost me £110, the rear is on order. It'll wind up about £220 all in for the rear. Not easy putting a 26 together but worth it.

[@sim_dude]

very nice, impressed by the weight difference considering it's a coil on the highbike !

[@randombuilds8336]

Bicycles are crazy expensive, even the low bike is more than I'm willing to spend. But I also ride a 2018 specialized rockhopper I picked up used for $200. It's crazy that bicycle wheels cost as much or more than building new wheels for my dirtbikes.

[@thegloriouspotato6223]

Awesome video series! Such an underrated channel!

[@ianthompson043]

30k subscribers! Wow congratulations!

[@AZREDFERN]

Did you go to Black Mountain BMX? Also, why are you pouring milk in the tire? Are they not getting enough calcium?

[@jackarnoldy8966]

8:00 if you have already bought the brakes for the bikes, you should get a set of magura mt thirty’s.

[@EvansMTBSaga]

Brakes have been purchased. Couldn't get my hand on Maguras though

[@joxcr277]

Best series! Love every episode

[@GokkunGuru]

What’s next? Carbon handlebar with 5Dev 2 clamp stem?

[@EvansMTBSaga]

I didn't really venture into titanium stuff on this project. But they will be some pretty special bars

[@limvirak5713]

Nice video again been following you a long time now.

[@ivan_di_dio97]

Hi 😊 very nice video man 🤜 I have a question, for the rear you change original wheel with 9x135mm hub with new wheel with boost hub with conversion kit that reduce hub to 9x141mm. My question is the rear rotor has problem with rear brake? No rubber problem of rotor touch the pads o anything?

[@VeilVametia]

I thought the next episode was going to be Brakes because of the stock Shimano brake comment

[@dave_xc]

Hey i noticed that you have the deore 12speed cassette I also have one but i destroyed the 10 teeth cog. Can i only buy that? If yes where? I live in Italy so cant rely on us shops

[@eugene44569]

What cranks are on Chad's bike

[@Sh3roCars]

Shouldve went with enve on the highbike

[@FlyingFun.]

Wow, those wheels cost more than my whole electric bike . I do get it though, performance costs money and the last 10% is the most expensive.

[@KermitOfWar]

Carbon wheels rule, bro. Until you break them & the wife finds out you ordered a second set with her cc. 🤣

[@EvansMTBSaga]

Aw man you didn't watch til the end. NOBL covers all damage under warranty

[@ipexity5041]

I wouldn't ride carbon rims or carbon frames just because they break so easily, a scratch from a rock can lead to a crack

[@shutaa3846]

Where is the ext shox on the high bike?

[@EvansMTBSaga]

Took it off to be serviced

[@leonh619]

donut media does a bicycle video.

[@VeilVametia]

The Chad is the one who uses cheap parts

[@potatiskakor]

is that a gemini stem/handlebar perhaps??

[@EvansMTBSaga]

Nope! I haven't heard of that, I'll check it out

[@Prosecute-fauci]

Carbon rims are nice I’m sure, but not north of $1000 nice.

[@coffeepot3123]

One thing i always wondered.. how the fuck do MTB people afford food!?. I guess my unfounded impression is that they return home with a broken bike every-time.

[@TheCaptainsCog]

I have a BMX background!!!

[@liewkampa2854]

6:11 song name please, damnnn good

[@hamish220finlayson]

Ur mum

[@ryanmahoney2653]

Nice vid

[@m.m_cutzz]

I just bent my wheels trying to true my wheel.🥲😭🥺 now I need to get new wheels for like 150

[@BCpov]

Not only do the carbon wheels have the lifetime warranty, they'll actually stay straight, unlike the alluminium wheels... 😬

[@Locks9907]

With how much experience he has with wheel building at this point, he would be able easily true his wheels up. Especially since his trails don't really have that many obstacles that would dent his hoops.

[@jeremywatts2768]

Does the lifetime warranty cover a foreign object poking a hole or chipping/cracking the carbon? I've seen stories where a frame got perforated by a rock and Santa Cruz wouldn't cover it. Is that story bogus? How do the hoops differ from how frames are made with the layers, etc?

[@EvansMTBSaga]

I can't wait to use them long term! And I'm glad you came across my videos. Your storytelling is a huge inspiration for me. Thanks Eric!

[@HarryL2020]

My FR2020s have never needed adjusting from factory, 3 years old now 😁 (they're alloy)

[@GokkunGuru]

@@jeremywatts2768 the warranty will cover any damage caused while riding no questions asked. That’s the NOBL guarantee!

[@kevinhodgins9071]

Congrats on 30k Evan! This series has exploded your channel! 👍🏼 Well done. How long does it take you to spoke wheels now?

[@EvansMTBSaga]

About an hour per wheel, I still make mistakes haha

[@6president]

Ai

[@larryisaak6431]

This is a low/high bike done right really been enjoying the series.

[@RandomDudeOnYoutube]

The Problem is, pinkbike Just picked the Most expensive and cheapest parts they could find. Not upgrades, heck, they downgraded the low bike sooo much

[@RandomDudeOnYoutube]

Evan is doing exactly what they should've done. Upgrades. Not Just change parts for the cheapest available stuff that is nowhere near an upgrade

[@larryisaak6431]

@@RandomDudeOnKZbin I agree there series was fun but not helpful for beginners in the slightest

[@whatshubdoc4793]

On the contrary, this comparison doesn't actually make sense. I just picked this video up and have not watched the prior ones so comments below apply to this one specifically. What's happening is that the "HIGH" bike is getting upgraded exponentially, while the "LOW" bike is getting upgraded incrementally. So in this case, you have carbon wheels + Fox Fork + whatever else has been done to it (I see a coil shock in one of the frames), which is going to hands-down outperform the Marz + alloy wheelset in terms of something like "precision" and "lateral rigidity". If you want a fair test, both bikes need to be outfitted with the same things, and only the wheels as the variable. It's like dumping $10 each week into one savings account, and then $3 each week in another, then saying "oh yea the one getting $10 each week has a higher balance!"

[@RandomDudeOnYoutube]

@@whatshubdoc4793 i know what you mean, but this isnt about testing which parts make the Biggest difference

[@dtolios]

Cool vid. I think the Tires should be "controlled" - i.e. the same - and not change because now you have two variables adding up. It would be more interesting if you were to "redo" the loops, this time with the DC tires on the Nobls and the 3C tires one the "DIY" Spanks, to see what % of that initial run difference was - perhaps - because of the tires. The $ difference between DC/3C is perhaps the smallest in this test so far, and most likely even "low-end" spenders that can justify $70 for DC tires , most likely can do $85 for 3C tires.

[@singletona082]

Nice way of explaining that the expensive boost hubs can be converted with only a little headache. Even your 'cheap' option is out of my price range but I love what you do man. Keep it up.

[@chairmanmeow8388]

You can just get a pin thing that goes through the 148x12mm bore. You don't need new end caps. Far cheaper option. You just need that and a quick release skewer long enough to go through which you should already have off the old wheel.

[@singletona082]

@@chairmanmeow8388 Excellant point, but it is good to show the manufacturer already thought of the problem ahead of time.

[@chairmanmeow8388]

@@singletona082 I agree. I've bought a few sets of fulcrum wheels. They come with caps and plugs so you can run them on either. I only know about the pin because I bought one before I found out I didn't need to because of supplied plug things.

[@ameraldas3641]

honestly the best option is just to get a frame that accepts boost 148x12 in the first place.

[@andrewince8824]

Hope Hubs, my friend. You can get a Hope in almost any configuration you need and you can get adapters for nearly anything. Their rims are excellent too. All made in Yorkshire so you know the quality is second to only the Germans.

[@Godofwar1100]

This is what pink bike should have done! You have done a great job!

[@nasonguy]

For real, pinkbike is going for the clickbait with the garbage ebay stuff. This guy is actually doing some research and buying decent lower priced components from name brands. Low cost builds are totally possible if you don't just buy the cheapest knockoff thing on Amazon and actually look for quality low cost components.

[@nofacemtb9481]

I wouldn't necessarily say that the low bike has "cheap" components. To me, cheap has a connotation of garbage/low quality. The products that you put on the low bike are quality products. I would say that the low bike has "less expensive" components. Keep up the good work!!!!

[@RandomDudeOnYoutube]

Well, thats the point. Thing is, its about upgrades, and not about cheap or expensive parts

[@inraviratious6418]

Holy crap Evan. You've gained 10k subs since I started watching you, about a month and a half ago. Props to you, your series is definitely the obvious choice for quality and entertainment.

[@jambi49]

Great job man, keep up the good work :)

[@-Primer-]

$1700..LMAO...Talk about being overpriced by 300%. For $3500 you can buy a BST carbon wheel set for a Yamaha R1. 10 times the carbon and 10x the strength. Preloaded with bearings and sprocket carrier. MTB shit is so overpriced these days.

[@petersilie2432]

I don't want carbon rims on my bike - not because of the price, but because they are unrecycleable landfill when they're done (for whatever reason). I love lacing up a fresh pair of hoops every now and then. Maybe to try a new width, or because the old ones are just used up and dead. That costs me merely 100-200 euros including spokes, and the old rims can be recycled. With carbon you're pretty much fixed to the rims you're having - if you don't earn like a mogul.

[@Jacob99174]

Freakin awesome content, Evan! When this one ends, do another one!!

[@EvansMTBSaga]

I plan on doing one and posting all videos in December

[@herveturcotte4595]

Great video and series! Informative, entertaining and well done. I upgraded my bike with a set of NOBL wheels with ONYX vesper hubs last year and I love them. If you can afford it, I highly recommend.

[@dimitargeorgiev1293]

You really helped me for my journey from a newbie to experienced. Thank you

[@EvansMTBSaga]

I love to hear that!

[@alexandertikanis5236]

This is the donut media of mtbs ＼(°o°)／

[@T800-p7p]

congrats 30k subs 🤯✨🥳. this channel is growing so fast

[@EvansMTBSaga]

Thanks man! You're an OG

[@WOLFTICKVIDEOS]

At this point, we think you might need to seek help for your lacing addiction🤣.

[@EvansMTBSaga]

Haha I know right, yet I still mess up the pattern and have to redo it

[@kevinhodgins9071]

I see a collab video! Wheel spoking 101 with Evan/Wolftick

[@frankthetankricard]

Hey, you mentioned that double butted spokes are thinner in the middle to save weight. This is true to some extent but the weight savings are miniscule and only part of the reason to use these spokes. The most important difference is in their compliance. A wheel with double butted spokes has slightly more give on hard hits so it retains tension better. That being said straight gauge 2mm spokes are perfectly good for any application if you don't want to spend too much. And standard stainless is about a third of the price of colored spokes.

[@derDKP]

Are you going to do a reasonable upgrade bike afterwards? The most impactful and smartest way to spend the money?

[@joechilders205]

That's a great idea. I hope he does.

[@EvansMTBSaga]

Absolutely!

[@coalaturkey9210]

This is the best mtb series rn on youtube

[@honzadivis6983]

Yes it is

[@EvansMTBSaga]

Thanks guys!

[@ronelaliento09]

Maybe an slightly inaccurate test for the rims, tires have a very big difference specially when it comes to compounds, would be great if the tire high and low swap was for another video

[@basvanleeuwen4502]

These vids are really well made, even without considering you do everything yourself.

[@noahsykes1668]

“Does expensive mean better” Yes yes it does However somethings are ridiculously priced

[@hardmtnbiker]

Expensive carbon hoops with narrow internal width on a a mountain bike that sees rocky loose trails doesn’t make sense. I have both aluminum and carbon hoops on my mountain bike wheel sets but narrow carbon hoops are just not practical and don’t have the benefits necessary for a proper setup with tubeless wider tires.

[@GokkunGuru]

Love the “I feel like Jeff Kendall Weed” at the top of the climb.

[@EvansMTBSaga]

Haha I know right 😂

[@legendary4c317]

Yes bruh donut media boiss here I just sub

[@frotto]

I hope the high bike gets Trickstuff Direttissima brakes

[@EvansMTBSaga]

I do have my eye on Trickstuff 😍

[@jklmnop943]

Order now and you will have them next year lol

[@pinkshinyalan]

I really appreciate your commitment to staying under budget on the low bike. 👍

[@tuco0x]

Riding down a trail, recording time and drawing conclusions based off one ride is like an Engineer designing airplane structure based off the tensile strength of just one fastener they pulled apart until it fractured. Why is the unit of wight such a difficult subject for people to understand? Let's take a familiar unit in the bicycle industry and find out what the real unit of wight is in the SI Metric System. We torque our components down to some value of Newton-Meter, right? Torque equals weight (= a force) multiplied by distance ( t = w x d). Now let's solve for weight: w = t/d. What is the resulting unit of weight? That's right, a Newton. Weight is a derived unit and is the product of mass multiplied by acceleration (gravity). Gram/Kilogram is a unit of mass and is one of the 7 fundamental units all other units are derived from. 6 kg of mass is still 6 kg of mass on Earth, floating around weightless in space and on the Moon; whereas, the weight of this 6kg of mass is different at each of these three locations. Say 'mass' when referencing the unit gram/kilogram not weight.

[@KosmicHRTRacingTeam]

Run the EXACT same tires next time. Never change 2 variables, especially a MAJOR one like tires and conclude it was solely the wheels that made the difference.

[@adam1885282]

Sorry, couldnt get through the ad

[@BuildTheSandbox]

You could buy spanx rims 5 times, before you equal one pair of those carbon wheels. If you aren't racing who cares about saving 4 minutes an hour. Although I have ridden my friends carbon rims and they pull off the line hard. I love gear.

[@pabloriverahicks582]

great video ,i love your channel

[@oliverreis5625]

Bro, I think you should not compare high and low prices on different products, like coil and air shock are different products just like carbon and aluminum wheels.

[@bestsony4933]

My budget for bikes and parts always been under$100😂 the more we pay premium the more companies will charge us more 😢

[@gavingates8336]

Evan your videos never disappoint they make me want to keep watching and I think I've watched a couple of them like ten times. Keep up the great work.

[@citer5574]

Just not nice that some of his older videos are comment botted to get more views

[@sopadre77]

If you can afford them and it makes you happy, get the carbon wheels. If you're expecting them to make you a better rider just because they're carbon and expensive, get the cheap ones.

[@theozeblack]

Really nice video and great editing This series is pure fun keep going man 🤙🏼 Ps: I appreciate the lbs/kg conversion for us non US people, I’d just suggest that 30,4 lbs is more 13,6 kg unless there is some dark magic there that I don’t understand 🧐

[@EvansMTBSaga]

I forgot to change that part! I'll fix it next video

[@solomonOG]

@@EvansMTBSaga I really appreciate you adding imperial and metric systems, most KZbinrs are too lazy and then I am just confused!

[@thephoenixcycle8854]

For average people I think carbon is better for its lack of maintenance. Ride and ride and never really need to do anything to them. Carbon will pay for itself because you won't have to keep buying rims and have them rebuilt all the time. I like carbon because I they make me feel faster than I am and I have more fun

[@andrebureau3028]

I'm GANA wait until you a famous KZbinr and I'm GANA comment again I wish that you could notice me, and sorry for my grammar

[@zimmejoc]

I thought you were going cheap? Using rim tape instead of electrical tape isn't low baller.

[@dzastafahrai]

Subscribe or you'll gauge your stanchions.. LOL.. that is the reason why I subscribed :D

[@Tomcoma2832]

Actually comparison.Not super expensive vs the cheapest unusable parts that can’t actually be used on a real trail. Way better than pink bikes series

[@dho]

LOL the jeff kendall weed thing was super funny the dude is just popping wheelies for an entire video

[@matthewkelly4107]

Great content, I'm amazed at the difference from the rims! Is it possible to isolate this by swapping the wheels across and rerunning? I just can't believe that's the single reason for the time improvement

[@EvansMTBSaga]

Maybe I'll do it as a short, but the Shimano cassette has to be compatible

[@matthewkelly4107]

@@EvansMTBSaga do you think it's singularly from the rims? Is there an easier way to cross check it?

[@MrSupermugen]

as someone who can afford carbon wheels easily, Ill take alloy thanks. the only place Carbon wheels have are on XC bikes and road bikes.

[@sdridetech332]

I lost my bike form street around 600$ I am from poor family I am feeling so sad 😢😢

[@Danil-Crypto]

Why lubricate the Hub? there are no movements there. The cassette does not slip there))) it's funny.

[@EvansMTBSaga]

So it doesn't seize on, I'd like to use assembly grease ideally

[@Danil-Crypto]

@@EvansMTBSaga It seizes only if the stars bite into it then yes it is difficult to remove the cassette. but lubrication will not help to avoid

[@luijijalandoon9332]

New subscriber here man. Very informative!

[@mihaigogu6970]

loving the inspiration from donut media with high low,ive really been thinking about this ideea

[@mtbboy1993]

Chad forgot to Upgrade the fork to EXT ERA😃BTW there is a ERA V2 now, with improved internal, and a floating axle. but the ERA is great, so you might find some of sale if users upgraded to V2.

[@EvansMTBSaga]

Thinking about it!

[@youngstadan4999]

Moral of the story buy a decent bike, no one spends 1k on a budget bike and then spends 8k in bits for it.

[@raffaelebergamo7776]

wait your son said papá, so you are italian?

[@DumpingTroll]

No, he malay

[@randomdude6136]

Getting anxiety watching people lace wheels…way too tedious for my ADD ass

[@BMH1965]

@0510 it is an XDR or XD driver? If XDR, do you have 4 or 6 pawls?

[@amyx231]

Squarespace sure paid a pretty penny for this series! Either that or you spend way too much of your savings on this. Over $10k total spend?! Yikes!

[@EvansMTBSaga]

Sponsors definitely helped!

[@mckleinbalusdan2912]

Wow, great video, you are like the michael vsauce of mountain biking

[@jlj547]

I am glad your channel is exploxing cause wew your spending some serious cash. 😄

[@vlbz]

There are a lot of pros on aluminum wheels. Carbon is different, definitely not better.

[@moisesplata461]

Honestly, I prefer alloy over carbon on My bike in many ways.

[@L3GHO5T]

I got the tr32’s with dt180 Hubs on my v10. Love ‘em!

[@Someone6580]

I knew I’ve heard the intro song from somewhere then when you said donut media it made sense😂

[@jameschristensen1658]

no they ain't, I'll pass on my wheel snapping for $1400 less

[@johndef5075]

After watching another youtuber crack his carbon rim literally just riding along a gravel path I'll stick with alloy. Its been good for 30 + years of riding.

[@EvansMTBSaga]

I got that recommended to me, I think those were Alibaba wheels though

[@karl_okohan]

High bike's hub is my dream hub. I just can't afford it