I have a 36H deore/atlas wheelset, and a 32h deore/dyad wheelset. I've used them interchangeably on both my rivs. They feel identical on all terrain. The only difference I've ever noticed is that i sent the 32h rear wheel out of true by beating on it.
+1 on the tire switch recommendation. try that first! tubeless will also feel different/better/faster. not sure how much you, or the bike, or your overland gear, weigh. i believe keeping wheels complete is almost always more cost effective unless you get a crazy deal on wheel components. get a new complete wheelset, keep the old as a spare, or sell it to minimize your net spend. On Wednesday, March 11, 2026 at 10:23:28 AM UTC-7 Davey Two Shoes wrote: > Thanks for the reply! The main reason for the switch is tubeless. The type > of "gravel" I ride often has more in common with single track and so > running a tire pressures high enough to prevent pinch flats has really been > a bummer. I already run pretty light tires, Ultra Dynamico Cavas, but I > want more volume still. > > On Wednesday, March 11, 2026 at 12:15:22 PM UTC-4 [email protected] wrote: > >> I'd do a serious calculation of saved grams there. It looks like you >> save roughly 75g for the rim swap, and let's say 7g per spoke. In my book, >> very not worth it. Put some lighter tires on there and roll (maybe 42s?). >> >> Tubeless-wise, there are pros and cons. In my experience, mtb usage is >> 100% tubeless worth it. Skinny tires, 100% not worth it. "Gravel" size is >> in the 50% range. All of my gravel wheels are tubeless now, but those >> setups are also where I've had to do a lot of plugging and patching in the >> field. This is a lot harder than replacing a tube. >> >> As far as durability, I don't think anyone believes 36 spokes are >> necessary for wheel strength in the era of stiff rims. MTB wheels are >> currently 28h, for the most part. >> >> >> On Wednesday, March 11, 2026 at 11:44:38 AM UTC-4 Davey Two Shoes wrote: >> >>> I'm going to ride my Sam Hillborne in the Vermont Overland this year and >>> as such I feel compelled to convert from tubes to tubeless. My current >>> wheelset is the 36 spoke deore/dyad setup so many of us know and love(?). >>> I'm considering the following options; either replace the rim with a >>> Velocity Quill and reuse my 36 spoke hubs or having a 32/32 or maybe 28/32 >>> spoke wheelset built up with Velocity Quills. I plan to run 48mm Rene Herse >>> tires. I'd like the bike to feel quicker and more inspiring with this >>> wheelset, I've often thought that the "ploddy" feeling my Sam has is down >>> to the uninspiring wheelset. >>> >>> -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "RBW Owners Bunch" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to [email protected]. To view this discussion visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/rbw-owners-bunch/c8302dbb-037f-45cd-9002-c91fcbb4d70fn%40googlegroups.com.
