New wheels for 2019 Vitus E-Sommet VR?

[BadVibes]

My rear wheel is totally f*#ked up!
Probably too many landings on edgy rocks with too little pressure. I have bought tire insert but it's too late to save this wheel.
Do you know good replacement wheelset for E-Sommet?
Budget is limited.
Or maybe just cange the rims? I haven't done this before but I have learned to do much more difficult stuf in life...

 

[Gary]

A cheap rear wheel is less than £100 (infact you can get a wheelset for £100)
many good quality 32h 27.5 rims cost almost £100
Buy a rim with a similar ERD and you can re-use your existing spokes.
You don't actually need a jig. You can elaborate using guides attached to your frame with zipties/blutac (a couple of golf tees and a plastic ruler for example)
Teaching yourself how to build a wheel will be time consuming but you'll be learning a skill you'll then have for the rest of your biking life.
It's not difficult, just needs patience.

If you're unsure of how well you've built your first wheel you can always take it to your local wheelbuilder and pay them to check over/true and advise on where you're going right/wrong

 

[BadVibes]

Thanks Gary. Can you give any recommodations for decent rim? I think I would prefer something else than WTB. I got dings on the rim even after having decent pressure and not any serious hits.
Or maybe other WTB models are ok?
100 pounds is maybe bit much for my first practice rim, but 50-70 range would be totally ok for my budget...
Are you still using original wheels on your vitus? If so, how can are they still in on piece?

 

[cat1]

WTB ST i-29 Light Rim 27.5 Wheelset with Maxxis Minion DHF Tires ] | eBay

 

[Gary]

I have close to 4000 miles on my oem vitus rims. 2200 on WTB, 1800 on DT E1800.
All have Zero dings and are running true.
I have re-tensioned the odd loose spoke from time to time .

How do I have no rim damage?

I never run low pressures.
And I'm really not that clumsy.

WTB rims aren't particularly soft. YOU are running too low pressure to support your tyre if you're dinging them. It really is that simple. Tyres run at a decent pressures protect rims really really well.

DT are the go to rims I generally build for wheel destroyers. Rim model chosen based on their riding style and weight (not price). They're not cheap. and low pressure ultimate grip chasing DH/Enduro guys still ding them.

 

[gtaadicto]

I think the stock wtb rims are VERY soft, I have dinged the rear rim to the point that it won't hold air anymore. Tubeless won't work anymore so I'm currently running tubes. I will replace the rear rim with a Spank Oozy Trail 395+ soon.
On the other hand I have Spank Spoon 32 rims on my Downhill bike, with zero dings, even at low pressure and no inserts. I use it exclusively in bikeparks and the terrain there is far rougher than my local Enduro trails.

 

[Gary]

I'm not sure what aluminium grade WTB actually uses for their ST i rims. But as @gtaadicto rightly points out different alloys have different properties. Generally speaking a softer alloy rim will ding easier while hard aluminium rims will often be more brittle and crack easier.
My point was rims generally don't ding at all if tyre pressure stops impact hits directly against them whatever the grade of alloy. (assuming fit for purpose rim construction obvs)
much like anything it's a trade off and certain DH racers/teams/mechanics have been known to intentionally use softer rims as even though they will ding easier with the theory there's less chance of them causing a puncture or cracking and not allowing the rider to complete their race run.

 

[BadVibes]

I was fine on my old analog bike for years with lowish pressures. With E-Sommet I've been constantly adding more pressure after each ding.
Spokes also gets loose after one day in bike park, even after the wheel was trued in shop. Good thing is that i've learned to true the wheel myself because I cant take the wheel to a shop twice a week.
I also ordered fancy psi-meter to check what pressures I'm really running...
...Now that I think about it my rim problems started after I bought new pump!
It probably gives wrong measurement... :I