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For tubeless operation, sealant is essential, otherwise any punctures you get while riding will not seal. Everyone has their favorite sealant. I use Orange Seal, but it's only personal preference. I've used Stans, but I opened up a tire once and the solids in it had coalesced into something that...

Half of my mountain biking is without a motor. In that case, I have to consider the weight and slow rolling characteristics of grippier tires. On my ebike, there's not much downside to a heavy grippy tire. There are LOTS of tire combos that would work but I'm likely to replace my rear Dissector...

Are you flatting due to punctures (such as thorns or sharp objects) or are you pinch flatting? Pinch flatting would indicate the need for more robust sidewall support such as Maxxis' Double Down (DD). In either case going tubeless does make sense. On my ebike, I run an Assegai up front and a...

1. There are two ways manufacturers measure tire width (which can also be affected by rim width). One is by showing width in inches and the other method is ETRTO which is a more accurate measure in millimeters. ETRTO is as close to an "industry standard" as it gets, while the measurement in...

I'm not entirely sure, but I don't think the Smart Sam is tubeless ready. I wouldn't hesitate to try, but it might not work very well.

Hard to be sure without seeing the tape, but if it says, "tubeless ready" and looks like shiny airtight plastic tape, I expect it's TR other than putting a valve in it.

If the bearing is notchy enough to feel, I'd replace it. Bearings on i9 hubs are pretty easy to remove and replace, IME. I'd guess the cheaper option would be to swap out freehubs.

I've got carbon rimmed Berd wheels and i9 aluminum Trail 270's 24h. They have a very similar feel. The Berds are 250 grams lighter and have about 2500 miles on them in Utah, including lots of Moab riding. Never had to true the Berds, but have had to repair the Trail 270's after pulling a nipple...

I have way too much gear in my basement. Decided to throw an Assegai I have on instead of the stock DHF, as I'd like a bit more braking bite up front. I put the Assegai on the Trail 270 front and threw on a 203 rotor. It saved 320 grams for that one wheel. I'd have saved close to 450 grams if...

I'm not really trying to advocate for Berd, but it is an interesting technology. As to compliance, I had been on a set of I9 Trail 270's with the alloy rim. They're 24 spoke, so they have a nice ride characteristic. These are a little better. The compliance seems to be in the plane of the wheel...

Yes, they do have to be smoothed out to prevent abrasion at the hub. I didn't think that was a big deal, but they did that at Berd. Also, there was a comment that over time the fabric could stretch some, so you can tighten the "spokes" after 6 months or so. That hasn't been necessary for me...

282 grams if they're (64) Sapim CX-Rays. 156 grams if they're (64) Berds. I've broken enough nipples that I just prefer brass, which is heavier. The Berds seem indestructible so far and without the weight of brass nipples. If you're going to build up wheels anyway and can find someone who knows...

Yeah, I forgot you're getting a frame set. I like my Berds (with Hydras). Just got back from three days in Moab using them. I go there a lot, Moab can be tough on rims, and they are holding up fine. I think I'm on the third year on them.

My mountain bike is a 29er, my ebike a mullet. I'm not sure why dropping weight would be a priority on an ebike. It's not like you're going to save a lot on battery life! I have a Berd wheelset on my mountain bike and it doesn't require extra maintenance. They're nice and light, but they aren't...

I have about 3000 miles of trail riding on mine in Utah (dry and dusty). I kept mine white, because they'll just get dirty anyway, but there are several color kits available. I do wonder as to color durability, as the spoke aren't absorbent. I don't even notice them, visually. Mine are i27, but...

I really like my Berd wheelset on my mountain bike. Set up with carbon rims, they feel a lot like my i9 Trail 270 24H alloy set.

That sounds really reasonable. I thought you had already decided to try the 27.5 out back. I'm looking hard at a mullet Giant, as it's great bang for the buck, but I'd as soon stick with a 29x29.

I think I'd go inexpensive on a 27.5 rear wheel. Try it out and you may prefer 29. If you love it, you can sell a cheap rear wheel for less of a hit and then buy a great rear wheel, or keep it as a spare.