It's only personal experience, but I was underwhelmed with the Alex rims. At 570g (32h), their weight is proportional to their price. They come in 32 and 36h fitments, and I tested the 36 for just over a year. They have been subjected to some hard use, and it's showed. They were built up with double butted spokes and on 'Chosen' hubs. The lack of dents is a testimony to their durability (possibly due to their welded joint), but the decals and paint have really suffered. They have not dented like Mavic 721's I've owned, but not stood the test of time as well as Halo SAS, Spank or Nukeproof rims that I've ridden. They have buckled badly, worse than the other listed rims would, although some allowance must be made to their cheaper price. Other reviews rate the Alex's highly, however, so don't write them off completely! MTBR reviews and other sites claim they're better than a lot of Mavic and DT swiss rims. Personally, my advice would be to spend more and buy quality, or seriously consider the Halo's. I know they're out of production, but my, what a wheelset! Brand new, but old stock, or just an old wheelset will do. They'll give you the looks, performance and value for money that the Alex rims lack. I've ridden 48h (indestructible) and 32h Halo rims. I used the 32 and 48h rims for another year, and found them to be reliable and trouble free, even when built onto Halo Spindoctor hubs - which are comparatively cheap. For both of which the paint finish and durability have been fantastic (and I owned purple haze and plain white). The 48h Halo pays a huge weight penalty when built into the wheel, but you do get peace of mind.
Why not try:
Halo offer purple, white, black and gold finishes in 32 and 48h fitments. From the weight conscious fourcross rider to the destructive downhiller, there's a wheel for everyone. Plus, they're very cheap and still available new.
Alex Rim Weights (approximations I've found, possibly unreliable):
570g - 32h
588g-36h
RRP $73.62 (listed from MTBR)
Halo SAS prices vary, due to being manufactured no longer.
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