Arch/Flow Mk3 ERD

[PJO]

Looking to build up a 26" Arch or Flow Mk3 set on Hope hubs. Anyone built with these lately, can I trust the manufacturers ERD of 542mm??
I don't normally, usually wait until I have the rims in my hands so I can measure the ERD but planning on heading to the new Maydena Bike Park in early Feb and it might cut it too close if I wait...
Anyone have a measurement of the ERD for any in the Mk3 range (26, 27, or 29)??

 

[moorey]

I have both flow and arch mk3 26”. Why wouldn’t you trust Stans numbers?

 

[moorey]

I built the flows onto Evo hubs.
48 x 262mm spokes.
16 x 260mm spokes. (Rear drive side)

Others are on pro4, and bought built up.

 

[Flow-Rider]

I built a ZTR Flow MK3 26" set from the factory ERD and all worked out fine.

 

[PJO]

Awesome, thanks gents.
Moorey, for rims I've used in the past the manufacturers ERD is either out or measured some unusual way.

A further question, I'm guessing that I can't do much better for a sub $500 wheel build than this Stans/Hope pro4 combo?
And any reasons why I shouldn't build an Arch rear and a Flow front? I can't get anything bigger than a 2.25 in the rear triangle anyway.

 

[moorey]

No reason...it’s just something I could never personally tolerate. You want a stronger rear, even though you tend to run bigger front tyres.
For not much more than $500, built and delivered, the hope DH rims on pro 4 are hard to ignore. Couple of hundred grams buys a lot of peace of mind, if you aren’t an XC bandit.

 

[moorey]

Have occasionally seen them reduced to your budget.
http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/mobile/au/en/hope-tech-dh-pro-4-mtb-wheelset/rp-prod147150

 

[moorey]

Getting really hard to find the mk3 in 26” without paying through the nose. Merlin have the best prices in case you haven’t already found them. I’d go flow both ends.
https://www.merlincycles.com/stan-m...MIp-qMlJWv2AIVRH69Ch24JwqOEAQYASABEgIrmvD_BwE

 

[Flow-Rider]

Use what ever suits you I suppose, there's no written law that they need to be the same ID front to back.

I like using this spoke calc because it seems to be pretty good.

http://www.prowheelbuilder.com/spokelengthcalculator

 

[PJO]

Yeah I have that feeling also, it seems a bit odd to have different rims on front and back, think I'll just chuck Flows on both ends, even though they are probably overkill for my ability.

I'm probably definitely a bit odd, I like building my own wheels...

 

[PJO]

Getting really hard to find the mk3 in 26” without paying through the nose. Merlin have the best prices in case you haven’t already found them. I’d go flow both ends.
https://www.merlincycles.com/stan-m...MIp-qMlJWv2AIVRH69Ch24JwqOEAQYASABEgIrmvD_BwE

Yep these are the ones I ordered just now...

 

[moorey]

Yeah I have that feeling also, it seems a bit odd to have different rims on front and back, think I'll just chuck Flows on both ends, even though they are probably overkill for my ability.

I'm probably definitely a bit odd, I like building my own wheels...

It’s fun to do....just cheaper more often to buy built and delivered. Go nuts!

 

[PJO]

Use what ever suits you I suppose, there's no written law that they need to be the same ID front to back.

I like using this spoke calc because it seems to be pretty good.

http://www.prowheelbuilder.com/spokelengthcalculator

I like it, thanks mate.
I've been using this one for a few years:
https://www.wheelpro.co.uk/spokecalc/

 

[PJO]

It’s fun to do....just cheaper more often to buy built and delivered. Go nuts!

Agreed, but 26" wheels on sale are harder to come by these days. Will have to switch 27" one of these days, just not yet...

 

[moorey]

They are, but are still out there.

Banshee is the answer you’re looking for. I run my spitfire 26, Bur have played with it as 27.5, and have spare wheels for it. The Rune is currently 27.5, mainly because it was built for my son, but will probably go back to 26 soon.

 

[gippyz]

Awesome, thanks gents.
Moorey, for rims I've used in the past the manufacturers ERD is either out or measured some unusual way.

A further question, I'm guessing that I can't do much better for a sub $500 wheel build than this Stans/Hope pro4 combo?
And any reasons why I shouldn't build an Arch rear and a Flow front? I can't get anything bigger than a 2.25 in the rear triangle anyway.

I'm running 26" Flow MK3 front and Arch MK3 rear on Hope pro 4 hubs. I initially was going to build the rear with Flow MK3 rim since i happen to have a couple of them, but decided against it as I have few 2.25 tyres and only one 2.4+ tyre. I found running narrow tyres on wide rim increases the chances of rim strikes, and the profile of the tyre will be too square/flat.

Having said that, I know someone who uses Flow MK3 with 2.2 tyres and love them. Each to their own I guess.

 

[PJO]

I'm running 26" Flow MK3 front and Arch MK3 rear on Hope pro 4 hubs. I initially was going to build the rear with Flow MK3 rim since i happen to have a couple of them, but decided against it as I have few 2.25 tyres and only one 2.4+ tyre. I found running narrow tyres on wide rim increases the chances of rim strikes, and the profile of the tyre will be too square/flat

Thanks mate, like I said earlier I was also considering the Flow front/Arch rear combo, but decided that I would rather two matched rims, i.e. a Flow rear, and didn't think it would be too much of a difference. Guess I will have to see if it squares off my rear tyre too much since I can't fit anything bigger than a 2.25" on the rear.

 

[PJO]

Just to update for those that might search this later.
One of the Flow rims was 542mm bang on, and the other was almost 543mm.
Very easy to build up using 260mm and 262mm spokes. Spokes sat nicely at the level of the slot once at final tension for the 542 rim and were at most a couple of threads below for the 543 rim.