Carbon rims for bikepacking

[Dave Barter]

What do we think about using carbon rims out on the trails with loads? The downside for me would be lack of ability to bash back into shape if dinged. Are there any upsides? Do any of you use them?

[benp1]

Have you dinged a normal rim bikepacking before?

[postierich]

Dinged my rims plenty of times would not put carbon rims on any of my bikes due to where I ride

[ScotRoutes]

Most feedback I've heard is that carbon rims produce a stiffer ride. I can't think of any time I've been bikepacking and thought "I wish I had a stiffer ride".

[slarge]

I've used carbon rims Dave, but I am not one to crash through rocky stuff. Plus I use suspension forks that take the sting out of rough stuff. I think that unless you are bashing rims, then it doesn't matter what material the rims are made of.

Pack light, and it is the difference between a 10 stone rider and a 12 stone rider - negligible.......

[Richpips]

I broke a carbon rim on an unladen mtb.
I was giving it the beans through some rocks though.

I'd have them on a road or bike designed for fashionable small stones, but not a mountain bike

[sean_iow]

I think Stu Taylor had carbon rims on the Orbea he used on the HT550 and I'm not aware he had any issues. That might be down to talent (no offence to anyone who has damaged a carbon rim) or luck?

I did think about carbon rims for my bike but apart from being stiffer and way more expensive the other difference was the rims I was looking at were heavier than the comparative ally rims so I decided it wasn't worth the cost.

I think the fact that they are easy to make in a deep aero section plus the stiffness is the reason they are so popular on road bikes.

[benp1]

I saw a Danny macaskill film of him trying to break some carbon rims, I was very impressed

Saying that, I'm not a good enough rider to notice the difference between carbon and alloy rims

[PaulB]

We use Roval carbon rims on all our mtn bikes. Admittedly 2 sets haven't been used loaded but have around 4-5 years of racing and training all over the uk. 1 set has been used a lot loaded and i am 86kg. Absolutely no problems all still run true. I wouldnt even question using them for HT550. Plus we use lightweight narrow tyres in the Peak all year with them, easy tubeless. We won't be changing anytime soon. I have broken 2 different carbon frames on these wheels thought ; )

[BreninBeener]

Bailey who came 2nd in TDR in 2018 ( on a SS) rode carbon rims.

[FLV]

I've had 2 pair of light bicycle 35mm rims for about 3 years.
They've been on rigid bikes, hardtails (currently). Full sus. They've bikepacked and trail riden all with no issues.
They're hook less and have happily ran 2.2 to 3.0 tyres tubless.
No issues for me. I'm a fairly weighty guy too.

They used to be cheaper but now cost more than a Stans arch for instance, which I would choose now for cost reasons.

[Alpinum]

All my trail bikes, short travel, long travel, hardtail and also my fatbike (snow use only) have carbon rims and I do bikepacking with them. I mostly ride in the Alps and prefer steep and rocky single tracks more than anything else and like to let the bikes go on the descents. Also, I disliked the softer and more sluggish feel of 29" wheels compared to 26" (I jumped 27.5) and building my full suss trailbikes have been looking for that stiffer, more precise feel without too much weight penalty. Carbon did exactly that.

Especially my long travel bike is smashed around and has seen quite a bunch of wrecked tyres, double pinched Magic Mary's and sofar had only a tiny little soft spot on a rear rim, which a friend fixed with some new layers. I'm using that rim again.
Before I got into carbon rims 2 years ago I damaged about one alloy rim per year (mostly var. DT, Flow EXs and Pacenti) beyond repair and damaged about twice the amount of tyres I do now.

The carbon rims I use (from the KHS factory and Light Bicycle) have a burly hookless edge that withstands more abuse than alloy and also, due to the rounder profile, protects the tyre a bit when I bottom the tyre out so I end up with less damaged tyres.

The carbon rims I use are 430 or 470 g at 30 mm inside width, the alloy rims I compare against have usually been 70 - 120 g heavier. In this weight range and how/what I ride, durability has been better with carbon than alloy.
Price usually about 2 - 3 times more in my case.

Depending on what you're after I think carbon rims are great and don't hesitate to take them to remote places or serious bike bashing in the Alps.
Or have a friend sit on the handlebars and ride him/her home...


Carbon rim bikepacking terrain.


If you're after a comfy ride on a hardtail or laterally stiff full suss platform, carbon is likely going to be the wrong option.
That's why my rigid everyday and travel (off road touring but not Alpine battering) bike runs on alloy rims.

For my trail biking I feel a stiff frame and wheels need a more forceful hand but I feel better what the bike is doing and can respond faster.

Hope that helps.

Oh... and I ride DT competition spokes.
Spokes obviously make quite a difference too.