I have a 2.8” Vigilante High Grip on an i40 with a CushCore Plus insert for when I need to crawl down slimy roots.
The idea of this wheelset was to make all the riding I do to the trails, and up the trails, more pleasant without giving up too much DH capability. I like the MaxxTerra for this. Notably faster rolling v. the amount of grip that’s actually lost. Plus I run great brakes so modulating the firmer-rubber DHR2 isn’t too bad.
I know it’s weird with all the XC Pro riders switch to 2.4” rubber on i30 rims but I like the slightly rounder profile of the 2.4” rubber on an i25 rim. Going a bit narrower also offers a bit more rim protection and helps maximize the strength v. weight in an aluminum hoop. The CushCore XC inserts take up some volume and eliminate any negative tire rollover I might get otherwise. No review on the XM 421 pending, they’re just a good rim I could get my hands on in the right width - not a product that was provided for review.
Wouldn’t necessarily be a fair review anyways. One of my goals for 2021/22 is to get my wheel building skills up, so I built these rather than having one of my epicly-experienced friends do it. So far so good, but not a fair comparison to other rim-only reviews I’m done.
Sept. 20, 2021, 9:11 a.m. - Andrew Major
I have a 2.8” Vigilante High Grip on an i40 with a CushCore Plus insert for when I need to crawl down slimy roots. The idea of this wheelset was to make all the riding I do to the trails, and up the trails, more pleasant without giving up too much DH capability. I like the MaxxTerra for this. Notably faster rolling v. the amount of grip that’s actually lost. Plus I run great brakes so modulating the firmer-rubber DHR2 isn’t too bad. I know it’s weird with all the XC Pro riders switch to 2.4” rubber on i30 rims but I like the slightly rounder profile of the 2.4” rubber on an i25 rim. Going a bit narrower also offers a bit more rim protection and helps maximize the strength v. weight in an aluminum hoop. The CushCore XC inserts take up some volume and eliminate any negative tire rollover I might get otherwise. No review on the XM 421 pending, they’re just a good rim I could get my hands on in the right width - not a product that was provided for review. Wouldn’t necessarily be a fair review anyways. One of my goals for 2021/22 is to get my wheel building skills up, so I built these rather than having one of my epicly-experienced friends do it. So far so good, but not a fair comparison to other rim-only reviews I’m done.